In an email shared with employees this week, Amazon has announced job cuts for “several hundred” employees across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. 

Having purchased MGM back in 2022 for $8.5 billion, Amazon explained that the layoffs were in part due to issues carried over from the deal.

This latest round of layoffs is the second set of job cuts this month involving Amazon, with Twitch having just announced it will be making 35% of staff redundant.

Cuts Said To Spark Product Opportunities

Senior Vice President of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, Mike Hopkins shared the email that explained the reasons for the layoffs, as well as the company’s future focus.

A desire to increase time and money in order to bolster content and product offering is behind the job cuts, according to Hopkins.

“We’ve identified opportunities to reduce or discontinue investments in certain areas while increasing our investment and focus on content and product initiatives that deliver the most impact. As a result of these decisions, we will be eliminating several hundred roles across the Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios organization.” – Hopkins

Hopkins continued, saying “Our industry continues to evolve quickly and it’s important that we prioritize our investments for the long-term success of our business” as well as “this is a difficult decision to make and one that my leadership team and I do not take lightly. It is hard to say goodbye to talented Amazonians.”

Those impacted by the role reductions in the Americas will be notified by midday January 10th, Pacific time, with all other regions being made aware by the end of the week.

How Did We Get Here?

Prime Video is home to the likes of Reacher and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, while MGM owns franchises such as James Bond and Rocky. Together, the two divisions hold the rights to big content names, yet this still hasn’t been enough to turn a profit.

The reason? In part, expensive productions. Take The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Season 1 touts the title of being the most expensive season of television ever created, with a $465 million budget. However, its viewership didn’t live up to the hype or justify the price tag.

Prime Video is considered a loss leader for Amazon – often thought of as an add-on service to Amazon Prime. However, this is one loss the company is clearly able to swallow, since in the summer quarter of 2023 alone Amazon turned a profit of nearly $10 billion.

Still, a business that just exists under the arm of its wealthy parent company is never a favorable option, so where does that leave the future of Prime Video and MGM?

What Comes Next

According to Hopkins’ plan, this latest round of job cuts aims to free up budget that can in turn “move the needle” so future spend can focus on programming, marketing, and product.

An ad-supported tier is also expected to launch on the Prime Video platform by the end of January. The additional $2.99 a month coming from users who’d prefer to remain ad-free is estimated to earn the division billions in incremental revenue.

Other than that, more tangible information on what Amazon Prime plans on producing is yet to be seen.

Another day and another giant corporation has been hit with a class action lawsuit and large settlement fee. Up to bat this time, telecommunications company Verizon, following recent lawsuits for Apple and Facebook.

In an argument over misleading advertising, former and current Verizon customers could find themselves eligible for up to $100. 

Here we explain what you need to know about the settlement and how to claim.

What’s the Verizon Lawsuit About?

According to the lawsuit, the $100 million settlement will address claims that Verizon implemented, charged, and increased an administrative charge that was not advertised in its price plans – a move plaintiffs have stated was “deceptive” and “unfair”.

If the settlement is approved and finalized, customers who file a valid claim could receive up to $100 each, depending on how long they were a Verizon subscriber and how many valid claims are filed.

Despite this, a Verizon spokesperson has stated that the company: “clearly identifies and describes its wireless consumer Admin Charge multiple times during the sales transaction, as well as in its marketing, contracts and billing. This charge helps our company recover certain regulatory compliance and network-related costs.”

Who Is Eligible for Verizon Settlement?

According to the Verizon administrative charge settlement website, if you’ve received a notice about the settlement via email or post you may be entitled to claim.

Haven’t received anything yet? Then you may also be eligible if you are a current or former U.S. customer who purchased postpaid wireless or data services from Verizon AND paid an administrative charge or an administrative and telco recovery charge between January 1, 2016 and November 8, 2023.

And according to Verizon’s October 2023 factsheet, that could be a lot of you, as it served around 93 million retail postpaid customers.

The postpaid wireless plan means customers pay for the service after they’ve used it, as opposed to prepaid plans. Customers with a prepaid plan during that time period are not eligible to claim.

How To Claim in Verizon Settlement

Verizon’s settlement administrative website has a claim form that you can fill out and submit online. 

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

Verizon Administrative Charge Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
1650 Arch St., Suite 2210
Philadelphia, PA 19103

According to the site’s FAQs, payments will be issued by check or electronic payment after the settlement is approved and finalized. 

A hearing is scheduled for March 22, 2024 and the deadline to submit a claim is April 15, 2024.

Microsoft and Walmart have just announced a significant advance in the digital shopping experience with new generative-AI search functionalities.

Through a blend of Walmart proprietary data and technology and large language models, the new capabilities will provide a curated list of personalized items for shoppers in an effort to deliver helpful, intuitive browsing.

This innovation looks set to increase on the $82 billion worth of e-commerce sales that Walmart generated last year.

This news also comes just as we shared the 2024 AI-trend predictions, suggesting that AI assistants will become more advanced in the next 12 months, with “get things done” capabilities.

How Will AI Browsing Work?

The innovation was revealed at this year’s CES tech event by Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon and Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella.

The AI-powered search function has been built bespoke to Walmart and will understand the context of a customer’s query in order to generate personalized responses.

The example given in a Microsoft blog post announcing the technology was if a parent was planning a unicorn-themed birthday party, they could simply type “Help me plan a unicorn-themed birthday party for my daughter”. This would provide search results of relevant items such as unicorn-themed balloons, napkins, and streamers, and means the user wouldn’t have to undertake multiple individual searches.

The aim of the AI search function is to give customers a more interactive and conversational experience, and will be available across iOS, Android, and Walmart’s own website.

Not Walmart’s First AI Rodeo

While this may be Walmart’s first customer-facing AI-powered tool, the retail giant has already dipped its toe in generative AI capabilities.

Last year, in a blog post by Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Walmart Donna Morris, it launched a new generative-AI powered feature called My Assistant to all 50,000 non-store associates in the U.S. 

The desktop and mobile app was designed to help speed up document drafting, summarize large documents, and serve as a creative partner in “a highly personalized and intuitive format”.

Created and built by Walmart, and leveraging LLMs in Azure OpenAI Service, the app seemingly set the path for further AI innovations with Morris stating: 

“The possibilities with Gen-AI are broad, especially when we think of how this can benefit not only our associates, but also how we engage with customers and members, enabling more personalized interactions.”

The Latest Step In Microsoft Partnership

Having established a partnership back in 2018, Microsoft has been behind a range of Walmart’s cloud-based projects. 

For it’s 32 health clinics, Walmart deployed Horizon Cloud on Azure so every new U.S location that opens will be able to access electronic health records. Similarly, the retailer’s finance organization chose to create an agile reporting and analytics solution using Microsoft Power BI.

When pairing this wide-ranging collaborative history with Walmart’s desire for more AI-powered solutions, it’s clear that the recently launched generative-AI search feature is only the start of more consumer-facing innovations.

Since ChatGPT was first made public, the conversational chatbot has been harnessed by millions to streamline work processes, grade essays, and even create sub-bar comedy material.

But its use isn’t reserved for workspaces and classrooms. Thanks to its massive corpus of training data and sophisticated algorithms its applications are quite literally endless – creating valuable opportunities for users looking to unlock their best self in 2024, and beyond.

Whether you’re in your ‘new year, new me’ era, or you simply want to build healthier habits and stick to them year-round, we’ve rounded up some of the top self-improvement prompts to feed ChatGPT this January. We also offer advice on what makes a great prompt, to help you get the most out of generative AI.

The best ChatGPT prompts for:

1. Setting 2024 resolutions
2. Building a 2024 vision board
3. Creating daily affirmations
4. Improving time management 
5. Building a fitness plan
6. Practicing mindfulness
7. Creating a budget
8. Asking for a promotion
9. Creating a healthy meal plan

What are ChatGPT Prompts?

If you’re new to ChatGPT — what rock have you been living under? And secondly, you might be wondering what we mean by prompts.

A ChatGPT prompt is a specific instruction fed to an AI chatbot to generate a response. Prompts essentially act as a starting point for conversations with chatbots, can take the form of a question or statement, and can be as detailed, or as vague, as the user chooses.

What makes a good ChatGPT prompt?

Whether you’re writing your own or embellishing on the examples below, follow these best practices to make sure ChatGPT delivers the best results possible.

• Be as specific as possible – To help generate your desired response, specify the tone, length, and format of the output. Also, try to avoid using wishy-washy, subjective language.
• Add context – Don’t shy away from details. The more contextual information you include in a prompt the more accurate the response will be.
• Add examples – If you want your responses to reflect domain-specific knowledge or a specific style and tone, add reference material so ChatGPT can generate a response to your liking.
• Ask ChatGPT to assume a profession – ChatGPT is great at taking on points of view, so if you’re looking for advice relating to distinct fields – from fitness to horticulture – we’d recommend asking the chatbot to take on that profession.

Best ChatGPT Prompts For January

Whether you want to tap into your inner guru with mindfulness or create a fitness plan you’ll actually stick to, here is a selection of ChatGPT prompts designed to nurture your personal growth in a variety of ways.

All of these prompts are customizable and can be tailored to your exact needs and preferences. And remember, prompts are just a jump-off point –  asking follow-up questions is a great way to fine-tune your responses until you’ve got the most useful output possible.

1. Setting 2024 New Year resolutions

We may be well into January, but it’s never too late to set a New Year resolution. If you’re after something a little more creative than working out more and lowering your screen time, ChatGPT should be able to help you out.

The prompt: “Help me come with my New Year’s resolutions. Here is a little about me to help you: [enter information about your lifestyle, goals, and the direction you want to be heading in 2024.] I’d like the resolutions to be tangible and for them to be achievable by the end of the year.”

You can also limit the number of resolutions ChatGPT generates and cap the amount of detail it offers by adding “Make [insert number] resolutions that are no longer than [insert word limit] words each.”

2. Building a 2024 vision board

News just in: vision boards aren’t just for teenagers. Creating a collage that represents your wishes and goals can be used as a powerful method to visualize and manifest success  — and ChatGPT just made the process easier than ever. It’s worth noting that you will need a paid-for subscription to ChatGPT or Dall-E for this one.

The prompt: “Compose a creative vision board to visualize my goals for 2024. Some of my personal, professional, and academic goals include: [include examples of goals]. Use a mixture of inspiring imagery and language, and don’t make the vision board any bigger than [insert size limit here]. 

If you have a particular aesthetic or design style in mind, you can also mention this and even input examples, to make sure the end result is tailored to your liking. For example:

“Use a neutral color palette and cursive fonts like this vision board: [insert photo of vision board here].”

3. Creating daily affirmations

Daily affirmations are positive mantras you repeat routinely to encourage optimism and success. Depending on your goals and ambitions, they can be used to speak a variety of positive thought patterns into existence.

Ask Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washington, and Rhianna – all examples of incredibly successful figures who practice daily affirmation.

The prompt: “Generate a daily affirmation mantra personalized to these following challenges, desires, and aspirations: [insert more context]. Make sure the affirmation is achievable and positive, and no longer than [insert word limit] words.”

4. Improving time management

If you want 2024 to be the year of getting stuff done, it might be wise to leverage ChatGPT to improve your time management. You can use the following prompt to design a daily, weekly, or monthly timetable, with tasks stacked in order of priority. You can also edit the prompt to serve specific personal or professional goals.

The prompt: “Create a schedule that will help me achieve the goal of [insert daily goal]. Here’s a list of my tasks, in order of priority: [insert tasks in order of priority]. My day will start at [insert start time] and end at [insert end time]. My lunch will last [insert length of lunch time] and I want to have [amount of breaks] daily breaks.”

5. Building a fitness plan

If you’re looking to improve your fitness, but don’t know where to start, you don’t have to fork out on a personalized training plan or custom workout software. All you need to do is ask ChatGPT the following prompt, after determining your fitness goals:

The prompt: “You are a certified professional trainer. Your goal is to help me build a personalized workout plan based on the following information: I’m a [insert age] years old [female/male], weigh [insert weight], am [insert height] tall, and my primary fitness goal is to [insert goal].

I’m available [insert the number of hours a day you’re free] a day, [insert the number of days a week you’re free] days each week, and my preference is [aerobics/ cardio/ strength training/anaerobic/ flexibility training ] exercise.”

6. Practicing mindfulness

Mindfulness and meditation benefit the mind and body in myriad ways, with research finding that sustained practice can lower levels of depression and anxiety, and improve memory and self-esteem. If you’re looking to get more zen in 2024, why not call on ChatGPT when building your mindfulness routine?

The prompt: “You are a mindfulness guru. Suggest a daily mindfulness routine, including meditation, visualizations, and journaling, to help me [insert primary reasons for practicing mindfulness]? I have [insert time limit] of free time to invest into the practice each day.”

Feel free to list more specific reasons for engaging in the practice, like  “lowering blood pressure” or “falling asleep”. Or, if you’re stuck for reasons,  common pointers include “being present” or “reducing anxiety”. And as ever, give ChatGPT specific length guidelines to adjust for levels of detail.

7. Creating a budget

In 2024, budgeting is one of your best weapons against the spiraling cost of living. You don’t need to splurge to get your spending in check, either – ChatGPT can be used to create custom budget planners, with the simple prompt below:

The prompt: “You are a professional budget planner. Create a monthly budget plan for me. I earn [insert earnings per month] per month, and my expenses are [insert expenses per month] per month. I want to save at least [insert saving goal] by [insert time frame].”

ChatGPT will then generate a rough budget plan based on your input. You can then cross-reference this with your financial situation, and fine-tune the response by adding in details like specific purchases and payment dates.

8. Asking for a promotion

Looking to level up in your career in 2024 but aren’t sure how to ask for a promotion? How about using ChatGPT as a jump-off point?

Remember though, you don’t want your request to sound too formal or robotic, so be sure to add personal details and inflections to make it sound as human as possible.

The prompt: “You’re a recruitment manager. Can you give me a script to communicate my aspirations to move from my current position as a [insert current position] to [insert desired position] at [insert company name]? This script will be addressed to my manager. I want the tone of this message to be [formal/casual] and capped at [word limit] words.”

Follow up with details about both positions and information about specific achievements for best results.

9. Creating a healthy meal plan

While you shouldn’t trust a bot for all your dietary needs, using ChatGPT to create a rough healthy eating plan can be an effective way to improve your nutritional intake without having to employ a nutritionist.

The prompt: “As a health and nutrition expert, create a balanced diet plan for a [insert age] year old, [female/male] that weighs [weight], is [insert height] tall and has these health goals: [specific fitness or health goal]. Tailor the plan to include [vegetarian/ vegan/ omnivore] options, ensuring adequate protein intake and nutrient diversity, and my preferred preferences and culinary styles which are [insert preferences].

This guide should include sample meal plans with step-by-step instructions, and a list of what foods to include and avoid.”

Remember that ChatGPT isn’t infallible, and it’s worth sense checking any advice that it gives you, especially if it seems strange.

For more tips on how to write chatbot instructions that deliver, especially in a workplace setting, check out our guide to the best ChatGPT prompts for businesses.

Live-streaming site Twitch is expected to announce job reductions of around 35% of its staff – roughly 500 people – in its latest round of job cuts.

The site, owned by Amazon.com Inc. has had a tough couple of years, from criticism towards their ad approach to significant layoffs and departures across 2023. 

The news comes as the tech industry braces itself for yet more job cuts this year, with Duolingo already announcing layoffs.

The Latest In Twitch Layoffs

The last few months of 2023 saw several top executives announce their departure from Twitch. This included the Chief Product Officer, Chief Customer Officer, and Chief Content Officer. 

The news came after 400 employees were laid off back in March 2023, with a Twitch’s Chief Executive Officer Dan Clancy stating at the time: 

“Like many companies, our business has been impacted by the current macroeconomic environment, and user and revenue growth has not kept pace with our expectations. In order to run our business sustainably, we’ve made the very difficult decision to shrink the size of our workforce”.

So far Twitch has declined to comment on this latest round of job cuts, but it has been reported that the move has been designed to stem further losses down the line.

Twitch Costs “Prohibitively Expensive”

Last December, Clancy announced that the company would shut down business operations in South Korea owing to it being “prohibitively expensive” and unsustainable to continue.

Despite operating costs being significantly higher in South Korea, Twitch has felt this challenge all over the globe. Supporting 1.8 billion hours of live video content is expensive, even with Amazon’s infrastructure to rely on.

In fact, almost a decade after Amazon’s acquisition of the company, it’s reported that the business remains unprofitable.

Increased Focus On Ads

These money woes led to Twitch implementing an increased focus on ads. However, this sparked a huge backlash and mass exodus of gamers and gaming celebrities, who make a living by streaming on the site. 

Their issue? That the proposed ad strategy would restrict the size and type of adverts they use, which would significantly reduce how they generate income.

Under Clancy’s guidance, Twitch heard the criticism, reversed the bulk of new rules, and extended an olive branch to streamers in the form of listening to their concerns. At the time a spokesperson stated:

“We want to work with our community to create the best experience on Twitch and to do that we need to be clear about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. We appreciate your feedback and help in making this change.”

With the live-streaming site struggling to make operations work overseas, and now unable to rely on meaningful ad revenue to bolster profits, it would appear that these latest round of layoffs is the next cost-saving strategy.

Popular language learning app Duolingo is the latest tech company making layoffs, offboarding 10% of its contractors as the company begins phasing out human-led translation in favor of AI.

The news was broken in a viral Reddit post from an ex-employee, which explained that remaining translators will be tasked with overseeing the AI-led translations to make sure they’re acceptable.

Duolingo claims that the majority of its workforce has been retained and that no official “layoffs” took place, but the Pittsburgh-based company still facing backlash on social media as anxieties around AIs replacing jobs reach a fever pitch.

Duolingo Embraces Generative AI at Expense of Human Jobs

Like most companies in 2024, international language learning app Duolingo has recently ramped up its investment in generative AI tools like ChatGPT and is now using such technology to produce content at a much faster rate than it was able to do previously.

However, this pivot has come at the cost of job security within the company, with the language app recently offboarding 10% of contractors working on translations, according to a statement released by a Duolingo spokesperson yesterday.

“We just no longer need as many people to do the type of work some of these contractors were doing. Part of that could be attributed to AI,” – a Duolingo spokesperson 

The company attests that these changes were only partly spurred on by their recent prioritization of AI, and that no translators were actively laid off. Instead, Duolingo waited until temporary workers reached the end of their contract at the end of 2023, and then decided not to renew their projects.

However, even without Duolingo directly laying off staffers, it’s clear the company is gradually switching out human labor with AI – much to the disdain of many of its employees and customers.

Duolingo’s Decision Sparks Online Backlash

The news about Duolingo’s personnel changes first came to light in a viral post by Reddit user No_Comb_4582 – an ex-company contractor.

The translator worked at Duolingo for five years before his contract ended, in a team of four that shrunk to a team of two after the strategy shift, he explained in the post. The remaining workers now just review content generated by AI, to make sure it’s acceptable.

The Reddit post – which currently features 583 comments – asks netizens how they feel about Duolingo’s new AI-led strategy, sparking a lot of strong opinions around the company’s deprioritization of human translators.

The majority of commenters expressed contempt for Duolingo’s actions, with many expressing sympathies for the laid-off contractors, and others claiming the pivot goes directly against the company’s sale pitch of using native speakers.

Other users, like @EqualataralProphecy, explained that this move is part of a broader trend toward displacing workers in favor of faster, cheaper AI alternatives. “We are going to see this story almost daily. It’s going to make things that much tougher on people trying to build their careers,” the user commented.

Is the AI Job Takeover Looming?

While Duolingo’s latest actions may be unpopular, they haven’t happened in isolation.

As rising inflation rates continue to put pressure on company finances, and AI tools get more capable each day, a swath of companies are embracing the technology to the detriment of their human workers.

For example, tech company Accenture recently announced it would be investing $3 billion in AI technology, after laying off 19,000 workers in early 2023. This mirrors similar decisions made by IMB, as the company continues to phase out “repetitive white-collar roles” in lieu of AI.

In more cases than not, AI is considered to be a job augmentor rather than an outright threat. However, with research findings that the rapidly advancing technology could replace 2.4 million US jobs by 2023, it’s no surprise that Duolingo’s latest actions have sparked anxieties among its employees and wider pockets of the internet.

At the same time, there could be some benefits to AI’s seemingly unstoppable rise, as our homegrown Impact of Technology in the Workplace report reveals a clear link between companies using artificial intelligence and being open to the idea of a 4-day workweek.

Apple is finally be drawing a line under the long-running iPhone “batterygate” scandal, with the latest reports suggesting that payments are starting to be received by those who successfully claimed in the settlement. Here’s what you need to know.

The Cupertino-based tech giant agreed to a $500 million class-action settlement back in 2020 over claims it had deliberately throttled, or slowed, performance of iPhone handsets.

The legal proceedings date all the way back to 2017 and helped inspire a number of similar iPhone battery lawsuits in the UK and other countries all over the world.

Apple iPhone Settlement Pay Out Date and Amount Latest

As first reported by Mac Rumours, claimants in the iPhone “batterygate” settlement have taken to social media to confirm that they have received a payout.

Some even say they have received as much as $92 as their slice of the iPhone settlement pie, which is substantially more than the $25 that originally thought to be going out to those affected.

News that iPhone settlement payouts would take place this month was also seemingly confirmed by the Smartphone Performance Settlement website, which has been monitoring proceedings for years and in December said that “distribution should occur sometime in January 2024.”

However, the bad news for some is that the considerably higher Apple settlement payout amount suggests a number of claims have been rejected along the way.

Nice thing to wake up to on a Saturday morning — especially after 3.5 years of waiting! https://t.co/efqqgca8NG pic.twitter.com/hqfBV25M6s

— Michael Burkhardt (@mbrkhrdt) January 6, 2024

How to Check if You’ve Received Your iPhone Settlement Pay Out

Checking if you’ve received a pay out in the Apple iPhone settlement is straightforward. If it’s come your way, you should see it in the bank account you registered to receive payment when filing the claim.

If you haven’t received it just yet, don’t worry, as payments will be going out all January.

If your claim was rejected, you should have been notified by now. If not, we’ll quickly run through the iPhone settlement eligibility criteria one more time.

Who Was Eligible for a Pay Out in the Apple Settlement?

The deadline to claim in this particular iPhone settlement has long past – by a matter of years, rather than days, weeks or even months.

However, as a refresher, you may have filed a successful claim if you met the eligibility criteria that prior to December 21, 2017 you owned one or more of the following devices:

• iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, or SE (running iOS 10.2.1 or above)
• iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus (running iOS 11.2 or above)

The deadline to contest claim rejections has also past, though the newer (completely unrelated) Apple Family Plan settlement is still ongoing if that sounds relevant.

Other big name tech lawsuits currently coughing up cash to successful claimants include the blockbuster Facebook settlement pay out.

As you probably noticed, AI had a bit of a breakthrough year 2023. ChatGPT – as well as a range of other AI tools – wormed their way into the lives of millions of people. As we slide into 2024, they show few signs of budging.

AI is developing so rapidly that many tech leaders think it should be slowed down or even paused. The pace of industry change, as well as the number of companies innovating in the space makes predicting what’s in store for 2024 so difficult.

That being said, there are some important themes and events from 2023 that can give us some indication of what to expect this year.

1. AI Job Anxiety Will Get Worse in 2024
2. Bard Advanced Features Will Cause a ChatGPT-Style Ripple
3. AI Disinformation is Set to Play a Huge Role in Global Election Year
4. Academic Chaos Surrounding AI & Plagiarism Detection Will Ensue
5. AI Assistants Will Become More Advanced and “Personal”
6. Get Used to Seeing More AI in the Healthcare Industry
7. New Precedents Will be Set Relating to AI and Copyright Infringement

1. AI Job Anxiety Will Continue to Get Worse in 2024

Last year, amid ChatGPT’s meteoric rise to fame – many experts warned that certain jobs were more at risk than others from being subsumed by AI.

This created a lot of anxiety in specific roles and industries, including administration, content production, graphic design, and even the legal and financial fields, and led many to scramble to find free AI training courses and other ways to learn about AI.

Unfortunately, this trend is likely to continue into 2024 – data from an Ernst & Young study published in late December 2023 showed that the majority of US workers (71%) are concerned about AI and experiencing “AI anxiety”, a larger percentage than the one recorded from LinkedIn’s earlier study.

The anxiety exists for a reason – business feedback suggests a diverse range of roles are going to be influenced by AI in 2024. Tech.co’s 2024 Impact of Technology on the Workplace report found that, among business leaders who said they were using AI in their workplaces, use cases were very varied.

32% said they were using AI for data analysis, while 26% said they were using it for writing tasks. Other top uses included design tasks (19%), recruitment and HR support (15%), and supply chain optimization (10%). In other words, no industry is going to remain unaffected by the rise of AI.

Although many companies are now upskilling and training employees to prepare them for an AI-powered world, the media-induced “robots are taking my job” paranoia will be hard to shake off considering the amount of unchartered territory ahead.

2. Bard Advanced Features Will Cause a ChatGPT-Style Ripple

The news broke shortly after the new year that some Google One users are being given coupon codes for “Bard Advanced”, a yet-to-be-released version of Google’s chatbot, Bard.

Instead of running on PaLM 2 like the free, generally available version of Bard currently does, the exciting thing about Gemini Ultra is that it’s set to be the most advanced and intelligent large language model yet.

According to Google DeepMind, Gemini is more powerful than both GPT 3.5, which powers the free version of ChatGPT, and GPT-4, which powers ChatGPT plus.

There’s very little information available regarding what features the chatbot may have, but considering Bard is already competitive with ChatGPT and this version would be significantly more sophisticated, 2024 could be the year Google leapfrogs its fierce rival.

How ChatGPT responds to this, on the other hand, is equally exciting – as are the strides being made by the likes of Anthropic, which released Claude 2.1 at the end of 2023. The point is, the Bard update seems like it’s going to be a major step change.

3. AI Disinformation is Set to Play a Huge Role in Blockbuster Global Election Year

During 2023, AI chatbots – as well as a variety of other AI tools – helped produce an avalanche of misinformation. Throughout the year, fabricated images, deepfake videos, and manipulative social media posts were generated using artificial intelligence.

China targeted US voters with AI-generated disinformation during 2023, while Russia also showed they were prepared to utilize similar tactics last year.

Concerningly, this year is a blockbuster election year across the globe – and during election cycles, when the big decision is to be made and the most political content is produced, it’s the perfect time for state as well as vigilante actors to wage disinformation wars.

The US, United Kingdom, India, The EU, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Austria, Venezuela, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Ghana, South Africa, Iran, and Taiwan all have presidential, general or legislative elections in the calendar for 2024, presenting a frightening amount of opportunity for political sabotage.

4. Academic Chaos Surrounding AI Plagiarism Detection

Just six months after ChatGPT’s release back in 2022, around half of students reported they had some experience using it. Unsurprisingly then, it wasn’t uncommon to hear tales of students being accused of using AI to cheat on their assignments by academic staff throughout 2023.

However, while AI chatbots are set to become more sophisticated, many of the AI content detection tools available online remain unreliable. There’s lots of evidence to suggest that ChatGPT will continue to pose questions for students and those working in academia.

Another, more recent issue involved Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge-fund manager who pushed for Claudine Gay, formerly president of Harvard, to resign due to instances of alleged plagiarism in her academic work amid a larger row about comments made during a congressional hearing about anti-semitism on university campuses, for which she has since apologized.

Since 2024 began, Ackman – whose spouse, a former professor, was accused of plagiarism just a few days ago – has suggested harnessing AI to crawl papers written by academics and announced he’s doing just that with the papers published by MIT’s entire faculty. These events set a tense precedent going into 2024 – AI tools could find themselves at the center of academic and political rows more frequently.

5. AI Assistants Will Become More Advanced

When we asked Bard about what it thought was in store for AI in 2024, one of the things it predicted would happen was what it called “AI assistants with “get things done” capabilities”.

Bard predicts that AI assistants will be asked to do progressively more and more complex tasks, such as “making reservations, planning trips, and connecting to other services”, shifting from “information retrieval to practical execution”.

During 2023, companies in all industries were helped by the likes of OpenAI and Merantix to incorporate artificial intelligence into their technological infrastructure, while at the same time, increasingly personal and non-work related use cases for AI chatbots came up.

What’s more, with OpenAI’s launch of GPTs, any person can familiarize themselves with concepts such as functional knowledge bases and fine-tuning without any coding knowledge at all – and the launch of the GPT Store will only encourage more innovation.

Reports from this year suggest young people are turning to AI chatbots for therapy, while Snapchat and Meta have both created AI technology designed specifically for social uses.By the end of 2024, who knows how useful they’ll be.

6. Get Used to Seeing More AI in Healthcare

Artificial intelligence being used in the healthcare space is, of course, nothing new – but 2023 was a significant year for the technology. 2024, on the other hand, is likely to bring with it even more innovation and ingenuity in this space.

For example, ChatGPT is already being touted as a solution to clinician burnout thanks to its ability to reduce the documentation burden, while one study even found it to be more empathetic and better overall at responding to patient concerns.

It wasn’t just ChatGPT that presented a reason to keep your eye on healthcare technology this year. AI-powered tools focusing on extracting insights from data and writing summaries became more widely available to healthcare teams in 2023, and will likely be iterated on in 2024.

Whatever systems or products end up being invented, it’s hard to ignore the profound impact that artificial intelligence can make. Last year, it was shown that an AI-assisted radiologist is more likely to spot cancerous cells than a radiologist working solo, as well as two radiologists working together. Other areas that increasingly call on AI for assistance include drug discovery to dosage error reduction.

AI’s capacity to be used to identify dangerous diseases and assist doctors isn’t going unnoticed. With the world still scarred by the pandemic and experiencing a new-found appreciation for technology, processes, and systems that can ease the strain on healthcare services at times of great need, AI is going to be called upon more regularly.

7. New Precedents Will be Set Relating to AI and Copyright Infringement

2023 ended with the surprising news that the New York Times, the world’s largest and most well-known publication, is suing OpenAI and Microsoft for billions of dollars. It’s already looking like it’ll turn into one of the most consequential legal cases of 2024.

What’s more, the paper’s decision to take legal action has already been followed by two non-fiction authors, Nicholas Basbanes and Nicholas Gage, who’ve filed a class action lawsuit against OpenAI. They join a group of 17 US fiction writers, including Game of Thrones author George RR Martin, who have also filed a lawsuit against OpenAI for using their work without their permission last year.

With these cases not set to be resolved any time soon, expect an uptick in similar lawsuits as other writers, authors, and journalists seek to get in on the action and hold the big tech-backed AI startups accountable. The verdicts in any one of these cases could change the legal precedent used going forward.

It’s far from clear-cut, either. AI tools don’t necessarily “copy” works in the way a human plagiarizing work in the traditional manner might. Arguably, they simply learn from what they consume, just like humans do – and this means that OpenAI’s legal rebuttal is likely to be industry-defining.

Flexible working remains the most desired employee perk for many, and Microsoft is taking note. The tech giant currently lets its employees work from home 50% of the time, and is accepting applications from more fully remote workers than ever before.

If you’re keen on securing the income and status that comes with working at Microsoft, without the drudgery of the morning commute, we’ve rounded up fully-remote openings that the company began advertising this month.

Whether you’re a seasoned software engineer or an IT support specialist, get there before the competition with these newly advertised roles.

Fully Remote Jobs Microsoft Released in January

If Microsoft’s recent hiring effort is anything to go by, big tech’s layoff wave that characterized the employment landscape in 2022 and 2023 may be showing signs of subsiding. The Washington-based company is currently advertising a total of 3,196 roles globally – 1844 of which are hybrid, and 937 of which are fully remote.

Microsoft is adding new roles to its roster on a weekly basis too. Below we list the opportunities open to 100% remote workers that have been published this month, broken down by profession.

Software engineering openings

• Senior Computer Architect (Hillsboro, Oregon)
• Senior Software Engineer (Redmond, Washington)
• Principal Software Engineer (Redmond, Washington)
• Software Engineer 2 (Atlanta Georgia)
• UX Engineer II (Multiple locations including the United States)
• Principal UX Engineer (Multiple locations including the United States)

Technical support openings

• Senior Technical Support Engineer, Data (Multiple locations including the United States)
• Senior Technical Support Engineer, Platform (Multiple locations including the United States)
• Critical Situation Escalation Manager (Multiple locations including the United States)
• Technical Support Engineer (Multiple locations including the United States)

Program management openings

• Senior Technical Program Manager (Redmond, Washington)
• Principal Technical Program Manager (Redmond, Washington)
• Senior Program Manager (Multiple locations including the United States)

Product management openings

• Senior Product Manager (Redmond, Washington)
• Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Defender (Redmond, Washington)
• Senior Product Manager, Security Platform (Redmond, Washington)

If none of these roles appeal to you, rest assured. There are hundreds more remote opportunities listed on Microsoft’s careers page, open to candidates with a range of experience. However, for senior candidates looking to level up in their careers, we’d recommend checking out our regularly updated guide to Microsoft vacancies that pay $100k and above.

What is it Like to Work at Microsoft?

For those pursuing a career in tech, working at Microsoft is likely to be a crowning achievement. While it may not have garnered a reputation for its colorful bean bags and multi-story slides – we’re looking at you, Google – Microsoft is frequently regarded as an ultra-competitive place to work due to its people-focused outlook and its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Its employee feedback speaks for itself. According to the recruiting and company review site Glassdoor, 91% of Microsoft workers approve its sitting CEO Satya Nadella, and an impressive 86% of employees would recommend working a the company to a friend. This is in comparison to 81% of Apple workers and 72% of Uber workers.

However, according to a side-by-side salary comparison on Glassdoor, Microsoft’s earning potential is slightly more limited than with major competitors, with the average salary for a software engineer sitting at $151,675 at Microsoft, compared to $181,989 at Apple.

Enticed by Apple’s impressive pay? Check out some fully remote jobs Apple is hiring for right now.

Can’t Find Your Dream Job? Don’t Give Up

If you can’t find a job that’s right for you on this list, remain optimistic. Working at Microsoft isn’t the only way to level up your career from the confines of your home.

If you’re happy with your current job, but not its rigid working policies, you can ask your boss if it’s possible to work from home. This may seem daunting at first, but it’s definitely worth a go, especially if see yourself working your way up your company in the future.

Just like with anything, the remote market is bursting with opportunities if you know where to look. So before you resign yourself to lengthy commutes and overpriced office lunches, check out our guide to current vacancies available at big tech companies and beyond.

After delaying its launch by over a month, OpenAI’s GPT store is finally due to open next week – offering a golden opportunity to bedroom techies looking to launch a side hustle with their own, homemade custom GPT.

With no coding experience required, an original idea is all you need to make real profits from the digital storefront. But with the store already attracting a buzz online, we’d recommend getting in on the action fast, before the ChatGPT store is flooded with AI agent lookalikes.

From creating your GPT to diversifying its revenue streams, read on for a step-by-step guide on how to make money from OpenAI’s GPT store, and for more background on the store that’s anticipated to usher in a new frontier in tailor-made AI.

What is OpenAI’s Custom ChatGPT Store?

After initially being proposed to launch in late 2023, OpenAI’s GPT store is officially due to debut next week. The AI marketplace, which will be the first of its kind, will allow ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise customers to build, publish, and profit from their own custom GPT (Generative Pre-Trained Transformers) models.

These custom GPTs are built using the company’s GPT-4 large language model and will be able to serve any purpose imaginable adhering to OpenAI’s usage policies, from helping users create resumes and cover letters, to turning photos of them into characters from the Simpsons.

While users have been leveraging ChatGPT to make money since its launch in November 2022 the store will be the first opportunity for users to passively earn from their creations directly through OpenAI’s marketplace.

OpenAI’s GPT-maker hasn’t been free from controversy, though. In November, a security flaw was unveiled which allowed users to easily steal the build code powering public custom GPTs, something to keep in mind when using the builder.

How to Make Money From Your Very Own GPT

Ready to profit from your own GPT model? Simply follow our steps below:

Create Your GPT

1. Get ChatGPT Plus or Enterpsise

If you haven’t already, you’ll need to create a ChatGPT Plus account which costs $20 per month. You’re also able to create a custom model with an Enterprise account, but you’ll need to reach out to sales for pricing information. After you’ve signed up, log into your account to create the GPT.

2. Start building

When you’re on the home page, click on “Create a GPT” and you’ll be taken to a page with an open chat with ChatGPT and a configurations menu on the left-hand side. On the right, you’ll be able to preview your chatbot through the site’s “playground” view.

3. Come up with a niche

It’s time to come up with a unique purpose for your GPT. The limit really is your imagination, but ideas can span from practical use cases like SEO helpers and nutrition planners, to more bizarre concepts like BadRecipe GPT – a custom model designed to put you off your dinner by inventing bad and amusing recipes.

While there are already thousands of GPTs on OpenAI’s marketplace, we’d recommend finding a niche that isn’t saturated yet, or at least putting a creative spin on an established concept.

4. Name your GPT

After you’ve come up with your concept, enter a name for your GPT. This will be the title your AI model is displayed under. Try to make the name as descriptive and catchy as possible.

5. Add instructions & examples

To bring your concept to life, you have to add a clear set of instructions for your GPT to follow. You’ll be able to enter your own instructions or choose a predefined option from the dropdown menu. For the best results, these guidelines should be very detailed and should include the primary function of your GPT, how you’d like it to answer queries, and what language you’d like it to use.

You can also add examples of text that you want your model to generate. In this stage, the more context you add the better.

6. Test it

Now it’s time to test your custom model. To do this switch to the Preview panel and interact with your chatbot as you would do with any. We’d recommend asking challenging questions to see what your GPT is capable of, and to address any potential gaps in its knowledge base.

Use its responses to troubleshoot the model until you’re happy with the results. Then, it’s time to get your GPT live.

Check out our comprehensive guide on how to create a GPT with ChatGPT for a more detailed run-through, with screenshots.

Make it Sharable

7. Publish it

When you are happy with your changes, select “Publish” to create your chatbot, or “Update” if the model is already live. Then, click “Confirm” to finish the project. After completing this step, you will be provided with a link that you’ll be able to share with other users.

8. Make it public

To share your GPT with the store, you’ll need to review OpenAI’s updated usage policies and GPT brand guidelines, before verifying your builder profile by opening up settings > builder profile > enable your name or a verified website.

Now you can set your GPT as “Public”, enabling it to be shown publically on OpenAI’s digital store.

Monetize Your GPT

9. Let the GPT Store work its magic

Once your model is live on OpenAI’s soon-to-be-launched GPT store, you’ll be able to passively generate income from your custom creation. Users will be able to purchase your app and share it with others, and it will become searchable through OpenAI’s app marketplace.

However, we’d also recommend promoting the app yourself to expand its reach and drive its money-making potential further.

10. Create content using your GPT

Putting your app up for public use isn’t the only way to generate income through your custom GPT. Depending on the purpose of your model, you can also use it to create high-performing, lucrative content, from marketing copy and social media posts to e-books.

If your idea is unique enough, you can even charge users for individually tailored responses. This is a lot harder than making money through the app store but works especially well if your chatbot creates custom images through OpenAI’s text-to-image image creator DALL-E.

As you can see, there are myriad ways to profit from OpenAI’s custom GPT maker, if you’re creative enough to come up with an original idea. ChatGPT’s money-making potential isn’t limited to its GPT store though, check out our guide to making money using ChatGPT for even more ways to level up your side hustle in 2024.

A new COVID variant is causing a surge in the US, which means you may need to ask to work from home if you’re exhibiting any of the latest 2024 symptoms.

While the worst of the pandemic is in the rear-view mirror, new variants continue to pop up here and there, with cases and hospitalizations on the rise in response to the most recent iteration called JN.1.

As a result, employees and employers alike should be aware of new 2024 COVID symptoms, so they can be informed about when to go into the office and when to work from home.

What Is the New 2024 COVID Variant JN.1?

As you likely know, COVID has changed a lot since it first started the global pandemic in 2020. Because the virus can’t be cured, new variants arise on a consistent basis, continuing to be a problem for those infected.

This newest iteration — called JN.1 — has become the dominant variant over the last few months. Fortunately, research has shown that there is no increased risk or severity with JN.1 versus other variants, but it’s still important to keep yourself safe.

To learn more about the JN.1 variant of COVID, check out the CDC website for official statements and updates about its progress.

COVID Surge in Numbers: Latest Data for January 2024

New COVID variants often bring with them a surge in cases, hospitalizations, and even deaths, which is why understanding the numbers can help you make a decision about whether or not you should work from home.

Here are the latest COVID numbers in regard to the JN.1 surge:

• 1% increase in positive tests
• 12% increase in emergency department visits
• 17% increase in hospital admissions
• 10% increase in COVID-related deaths

To stay up to date on COVID tracking numbers, check out the COVID data tracker on the CDC website for more information.

New COVID Variant JN.1 Symptoms

The pandemic made medical experts out of everyone, with everyone from professionals to everyday citizens checking on whether or not their symptoms were consistent with a COVID infection.

However, the new JN.1 variant has added a few new symptoms that are important to keep an eye on, which is why we’ve included them with other basic COVID symptoms below:

• Fever
• Chills
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle/body aches
• Loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion
• Runny nose
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea

Obviously, Tech.co isn’t a medical website, which is why we’d recommend you check out the CDC symptoms of COVID page to learn more about COVID symptoms before making any final decisions. If you have any of these symptoms, consult your physician or primary care provider.

Should You Work Remotely If You Have New COVID Symptoms?

If you’re exhibiting one of the symptoms above, there’s definitely a good chance that you have COVID. Obviously, you should test immediately to find out, and once you know for sure, you can make a decision about where you’re going to work, if at all.

Suffice to say, if you have COVID, you should absolutely work from home if you can. Curbing the spread of the virus is still important for the overall health of your fellow employees, and employers likely don’t want you slowing down productivity with a company-wide infection.

However, it’s also important to remember that, just because remote work is an option, doesn’t mean you should be working while sick. If your symptoms are bad enough to hamper your ability to work, taking a sick day to recover is in everyone’s best interest. That is, of course, if your company allows that.

What to Do If You Can’t Work From Home

Unfortunately, not every job, company, or manager is going to take an active COVID infection as seriously as they should. If you’ve just been diagnosed with COVID and your manager won’t let you work from home, there are a few steps you can take to change their mind or even change your working situation.

As we’ve said, asking to work remotely is a popular employee perk and one you are well within your rights to ask for. Top tips when speaking to your boss include listing of benefits of home working, suggesting a trial period, and in this case reminding them that a COVID outbreak in the office is no way to kick off 2024.

In fact, the reality is that most work from home statistics show that productivity increases when employees are given flexible options. Tech.co’s own research found that 47% of businesses notice increased productivity levels amongst employees who work remotely. Even better, another study found that businesses experienced a 22% performance boost when launching a hybrid work model.

If your manager is holding strong, you’re in luck! There are plenty of jobs out there that allow remote work, so you can start applying immediately. After all, if your company doesn’t value the health of its employees, it’s probably time to move on. Check out our guide to remote work jobs for more information.

Facebook has launched a new feature that will allow the popular social media platform to track even more of your online activity, and we can help you turn it off.

It’s no secret that social media platforms like Facebook track your activity online. As the old saying goes, when a service is free, you’re the product, with your personal data being divvied out to advertisers around the world.

Now, Meta plans to make that data even more valuable with its Link History feature designed to keep track of your clicked on links during your Facebook experience.

Facebook Launches Link History Feature

Announced this week and rolling out to devices now, the Link History feature in Facebook will effectively act as a history page, keeping track of all the links you’ve clicked on while using the social media app on your smartphone.

“When link history is on, any links that you’ve tapped inside of Facebook and visited in Facebook’s Mobile Browser will be saved here for 30 days.” – Facebook help site

For users, this can be a pretty helpful tool, allowing you to access your previously clicked on links on a single page. However, from a tracking standpoint, it’s just another data point that Facebook can pass along to third-party companies for targeted ads.

How Does the Link History Track Your Activity?

If the Link History feature was nothing more than a basic history page, that would be great. Users could easily access previously opened websites, making it easy to revisit content and share information with other users.

As is often the case with Facebook and other social media platforms, though, that’s not the case. The Link History feature descriptions adds an important disclaimer when you decide to opt in that should set off alarm bells if you’re at all concerned about data tracking:

“When you allow link history, we may use your information to improve your ads across Meta technologies.”

Even worse, this feature doesn’t just track which websites you click on. Link history will allow Meta to track your activity on sites you visit through Facebook, including what you’re clicking on and how you’re behaving.

Obviously, Facebook has a bit of a checkered past when it comes to third-party data tracking, considering the Cambridge Analytica scandal several years ago. Still, if you can handle targeted ads, this kind of feature could improve your experience, as long as you don’t mind the invasion of privacy.

How to Turn Off Link History in Facebook

If the new link history feature in Facebook rubs you the wrong way, we don’t blame you. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to turn off the feature, keeping your data a bit more secure and foregoing the ability to keep track of your clicked on links in Facebook.

Here’s how to turn off the link history feature in the Facebook mobile app:

• Click on any link in your Facebook feed
• Tap the three-dot menu in the upper right hand corner of the Facebook browser
• Scroll down to Go to settings 
• Toggle the Allow link history button to off
• Click Don’t allow in the pop-up menu

Once you’ve followed the steps above, you’re all set! Not only will Facebook stop tracking your link clicks, it will also erase previous tracking efforts and stop using that data to inform on your targeted ads.

Apple customers are entitled to a portion of a $1.8 million dollar settlement, but anyone who wants a check from the tech giant doesn’t have long left to act.

The pay out, the result of a class action lawsuit centered around the sale of Apple gift cards, draws to a close this Monday (January 8th), and isn’t the only ongoing Apple settlement.

We’ll explain who is eligible for the pay out, and how to submit your claim in time.

What is the Apple Settlement About?

Apple has been accused of not doing enough to safeguard customers who have purchased its Apple gift cards in stores, only to find that they have already been redeemed.

Apple gift cards have long been an attractive source of income for scammers, and as such have been an easy target. One practice used by thieves is to note down the gift card number in-store, and replace the card on the shelf, meaning that the unsuspecting person who legitimately purchased it is out of luck.

While Apple denies the claims against it that have been laid out in the lawsuit, it has agreed to settle out of court, offering up $1.8 million for affected consumers.

How to Claim Your Part of Apple $1.8 Million Settlement

1. Check you’re eligible

In order to claim your entitlement of the Apple settlement, you need to ensure that you fit the following criteria:

• Be a US resident
• Have purchased an Apple gift card between March 2018 and July 2020, except
• Residents of California, who must have purchased between May 2017 and February 2018 
• Have submitted a claim by January 8 2024

2. Gather the information you’ll need

Before you can fill in the claim form, you’ll need to collect some essential information. You’ll need the following:

• Your full name
• Your address
• Your email address
• Your phone number
• Date the Apple gift card was purchased
• Proof of purchase for the Apple gift card
• The payment type you’d prefer (e.g. check by mail, direct deposit etc)

Now you’ve collected together everything you need, the next step is to complete the online form.

3. Fill in the online claim form

The next step is to fill out the claim form, which you can find on the settlement website.

Keep in mind that the deadline is January 8th, so you only have a few days left to submit your claim.

The final approving hearing is to take place on January 17th, so you can expect to receive your compensation sometime after that. The amount paid out to you will depend on the original value of the Apple gift card you purchased.

The impact of technology on the workplace over the last year has been nothing if not substantial. From the integration of generative AI platforms like ChatGPT to the increase in data breaches across the industry, keeping up with shifting trends is a full-time job at this point in history.

Fortunately, you’ve got Tech.co to help you out. In our inaugural annual report on this subject, we’ve embarked on an in-depth journey to quantify and explain a wide range of workplace trends, noting the influence of technology as a primary driver.

We surveyed over 1000 US business leaders to ensure an accurate depiction of the workplace heading in to 2024, and help you to strategize for the year ahead.

Below, we’ll introduce our 2024 workplace report and give you a preview of its key findings. Make sure to download the full report if you want the learn more about how the workplace is changing in the face of evolving technology.

1. Using more collaboration tools and AI results in higher productivity

The use of online tools and digital resources is certainly not new to the business world. In 2023, collaboration tools and generative AI platforms took that usage to another level, adding a robust set of functionalities to the average business’ operations .

Did they actually have an impact? According to our research, just over half of businesses (56%) report high productivity levels, so it appears that there is a positive effect associated with this kind of technology.

More specifically, the use of AI platforms and features has seriously improved productivity for businesses of all sizes. Our research found that 72% of respondents who use AI extensively report high organizational productivity, compared to 55% of respondents who use AI to a limited extent.

2. 59% of people who use AI have greater job satisfaction

It’s no secret that AI entered the workforce in a big way in 2023. As soon as the technology became advanced enough to handle certain operations, businesses started integrating it into their systems in hopes of improving productivity. It’s a trend guaranteed to continue in 2024 and beyond.

How did employees who were encouraged to use the technology feel about AI’s rapid rise in the workplace? While many headlines you read claim that workers dread AI and fear it’s only there to steal their jobs, our research actually found that 59% of people who use AI have great job satisfaction, quelling such concerns.

Given this, businesses should feel more comfortable rolling out this technology in 2024, as many are still lagging behind on the full adoption of the technology. In fact, we found only 1 in 25 companies have fully integrated AI throughout their organization.

3. ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool used among businesses

In November 2022, ChatGPT launched. The value of this groundbreaking technology was apparent almost immediately, and businesses were scrambling for ways to use its generative functionality to improve their businesses as much as possible.

Since then, a myriad of ChatGPT alternatives from big tech firms like Google and Microsoft have rolled in 2023. From Bard and Copilot to Claude and Jasper, these alternatives have their merits, but ChatGPT still reigns supreme.

In fact, our research found that 65% of businesses say they use ChatGPT, well ahead of the second place AI chatbot Google Bard, which boasts only 49% usage. Other alternatives included Bing AI Chat (20%), Claude AI (10%), and Jasper Chat (9%), with 8% of respondents using a lesser known “Other” platform.

4. The majority of companies found it challenging to hire new staff, but remote working organizations find it easier

The Great Resignation was the big story last year, with scores of employees leaving their positions after the pandemic gave them a taste of the flexibility while working from home. As a result, our research found that companies are still having a tough time when it comes to recruiting.

However, not all companies are having a hard time attracting new employees. Specifically, organizations offering remote job roles are recruiting with much greater ease compared to fully in-office and even hybrid working businesses.

All that to say, if an in-office policy is that important to you, employee retention should be an equally high priority for your team.

5. Digital natives and businesses that use AI are more open to the idea of a 4-day working week

Now that remote and hybrid work have become the new normal for many businesses, the newest employee perk to pique our interest is the 4-day workweek. Study after study has shown that the shortened week for the same pay has a notably positive impact on productivity, employee wellbeing, turnover, and absenteeism.

Many business owners and decision makers are coming around on it too, but the acceptance definitely depends on age. Our research found that 65% of senior leadership aged 35-44 (Millennials and Gen X) would consider implementing a 4-day working week or have already implemented it, while only 45% of senior leadership aged 55-64 (Baby Boomers) felt the same.

Beyond age, business owners of AI-powered companies are fully embracing the new work policy. In fact, a staggering 93% of senior leadership of organizations where AI plays a central role in operations are either considering a 4-day working week or have already implemented it.

There are many companies offering a 4-day workweek and some US states with 4-day week policies for employees, so if you’re tired of working on Friday, there are some serious opportunities for you out in the world.

6. Remote working organizations report higher levels of productivity

Since the pandemic, remote work has indeed become a standard for many businesses. In fact, our research found that almost all businesses have the tools to facilitate remote working, from video conferencing software to project tracking services.

The remote work had some unintended benefits including boosts to employee mental health and productivity. Our research found that 64% of remote businesses report high productivity levels compared to 54% of in-office businesses. Suffice to say, remote work is good for your bottom line.

However, despite all the studies that show remote work to be beneficial for employers and employees alike, business owners have started demanding their employees return to the office. Our research found that, in 2023, over half of companies (52%) expect their employees in the office 5-days per week.

The difference between remote and hybrid work policies is notable here as well, with 38% of employees at hybrid working organizations going to the office more than they are required, based on company policy. This means that these strict return-to-office policies might not even be necessary in some situations, as your team will still commute if needed.

7. Phishing attacks were the most common cause of a data breach

Not all advancements in technology have been good for the workplace. As a result of evolving tech, bad actors have been able to ramp up their activity, leading to an online security crisis that is costing businesses millions of dollars.

So, what kind of nefarious behavior should you be on the lookout for? Our research found that 23% of data breaches were caused by phishing attacks, according to senior leadership employees that we spoke to. Computer virus (22%) was also quite common, followed by employee error (12%), advanced persistent threats (9%), and unsecure Wi-Fi (8%).

Simply put, protecting your business online must be a top priority in the new year, particularly if your business works with any sensitive information.

Research Methodology

To inform how technology is impacting the workplace in 2024, Tech.co surveyed a large sample of senior leadership professionals from businesses based in the United States. Senior leadership professionals had job titles ranging from manager to director.

We surveyed companies with 10 or more employees to ensure that our data captured the experiences and perspectives of individuals holding key leadership roles within established organizations.

To ensure an impartial and unbiased sample, we also gathered data through a survey with participants selected via a third-party panel provider. Data collection was obtained in October and finalized in November of 2023.

Finally, to guarantee an accurate reflection of US businesses, a total of 1047 responses were obtained at a confidence level of 99.9%.

About Tech.co

If you’ve stumbled across our 2024 workplace report and are looking for answers on the brains behind the booklet, here’s a little more information on who we are.

Tech.co was established in 2006 as a networking platform for companies working out of the Chicago area, and has transformed into a fully-fledged media company with readers around the world.

We aim to translate our passion for technology into insightful news and analysis, helpful buyers’ guides and practical resources, so SMBs across the US and beyond can grow their revenues, work smarter, and secure their success – now and in the future.

Each year, Tech.co carries out thousands of hours of independent product testing and market analyses to support over 5 million professionals annually in their pursuit to learn more about technology and make the right purchasing decisions.

We also work directly with dozens of Fortune 500 clients, such as Salesforce, monday.com, HubSpot and Zoom, to help advise on their strategies and enable them to reach brand new audiences.

To stay informed on the latest developments and find the right technology for your workplace, you can sign up to our newsletter, or learn more about Tech.co here.

Artificial intelligence has gotten its day in court: A new report from the US Supreme Court is cautioning lawyers and clients about the dangers of using AI to help them with their cases.

Many AI tools are free for anyone to use — from ChatGPT to Bard — and they’ve been doing just that. Now, the word about certain lawyers who have been caught submitting briefs with fake ChatGPT-created citations seems to have trickled up to the highest court in the land. They have some thoughts.

The new report, titled “2023 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary,” is written by US Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., and focused entirely on AI. Here are the big takeaways.

Downsides of AI for Court Cases

One of the biggest issues with using AI within the legal system: AI tends to generate “hallucinations,” a result of the fact that AI is designed to produce concepts and sentences that feel real, rather than ones that actually are real.

As Roberts dryly puts in the report, lawyers who have used generative AI bots end up submitting briefs “with citations to non-existent cases (always a bad idea.)”

Other AI red flags include the legal concerns surrounding the entering of confidential information into AI tools at all, plus the likelihood of biases that are baked into the data that AI is trained on and which are then replicated in the AI’s output.

“In criminal cases, the use of AI in assessing flight risk, recidivism, and other largely discretionary decisions that involve predictions has generated concerns about due process, reliability, and potential bias.” – US Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.

Added together, the challenges of hidden bias, outright lies, and legal red tape make AI sound like a pretty terrible fit for the legal system.

AI Does Have Benefits in a Legal Context

The Supreme Court’s report isn’t a complete polemic against artificial intelligence. It notes that targeted AI use can be a helpful time-saver, giving some limited tools to those who can’t afford a human lawyer.

“Proponents of AI tout its potential to increase access to justice, particularly for litigants with limited resources. […] For those who cannot afford a lawyer, AI can help. It drives new, highly accessible tools that provide answers to basic questions, including where to find templates and court forms, how to fill them out, and where to bring them for presentation to the judge—all without leaving home.” – US Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.

Used as tools to open up basic processes to a wider audience, AI can help make up for some of the imbalances in our current court system.

However, this relatively quick disclaimer is about all that Roberts has to say about the positive benefits of AI as it currently exists. In the very next paragraph, he notes the “caution and humility” required when using AI.

AI’s Full Impact Is Yet to Come

Ultimately, this new report isn’t saying anything new. We know that AI tools have a place, but that a human eye is key to ensuring that the final result is actually accurate.

However, the fact that the Supreme Court is taking the time to address AI’s place in the legal system is yet another sign that this relatively new technology is already reshaping a massive number of industries.

The final outcome of AI’s impact on every area of life has yet to be seen. But, if the Supreme Court has anything to say about it, that impact will be closely monitored.

TikTok’s ecommerce efforts are about to turn a lot more profitable for the social media giant, according to a new report that claims TikTok Shop will soon quadruple its fees from 2% to 8%.

It’s a classic story of online app success: Enter the market with such low fees that no one can turn them down, establish a userbase, and then hike those fees way up — opening up the possibility for another competitor to swoop in and start the process again.

Seller likely won’t be too happy about the change, but the size of the audience on TikTok gives the app a lot of leverage when it comes to retaining sellers: Just last month, TikTok passed the $10 billion mark in global consumer spending, making it the first app that isn’t a mobile game to do so.

Fees Are Going Up, Subsidies Are Dropping

According to The Information, which broke the story, TikTok has just informed its sellers that it will be taking a larger portion of the revenue from sales placed through the TikTok app.

Those fees used to be 2% plus $0.30 per transaction, and later this year, these fees will rise to 8% per transaction for “most items.”

The exact timeline for the change includes a jump from the initial 2% to a 6% fee starting on April 1st, before reaching 8% on July 1st. However, not all products will be charged 8%: The pricier categories, such as electronics, will have lower fees.

These fees are still staying lower than Amazon’s fees, although this depends on the category. Competition from cheap vendors like Temu may have driven Amazon’s fees down.

Meanwhile, TikTok is also reducing the subsidies it has offered to its merchants in the past, according to The Information. They’ll still offer some subsidies, but limit them to the highest selling products.

Should You Sell on TikTok?

As we explained in the past, the TikTok Shop system is built to handle the major concerns that an online seller has. It handles payments and shipping logistics, taking the pressure off of the seller.

Back when it first launched in the fall of 2023, TikTok Shop came with the low, low fee of nothing. Here’s what we wrote at the time:

“TikTok will likely take a commission from Shop Tab products down the road, but appears to be in growth mode right now: A New York Times article cites one seller who says he is ‘not sure when TikTok might start taking a commission.'”

That’s all changed pretty quickly, and the rapid success of TikTok Shop is likely the reason why: The app has already earned $10 billion, putting it on track to be the most profitable app ever. The current champion, Candy Crush, has lifetime earnings of $12 billion.

As of last month, customers were spending $11 million on TikTok every day. That’s a great audience. Ultimately, however, your success on the app will depend on how well you can capture a paying userbase niche through a series of viral looping videos. That’s not for everyone!

Other Ecommerce Options Include Amazon and Etsy

Granted, the huge hike in per-transaction fees that’s now in the future isn’t a great reason to start selling on TikTok. But the huge customer base is a good one.

Plus, an 8% transaction fee isn’t a terrible one in relation to the competition. Sadly, many of the biggest ecommerce platforms are squeezing their sellers, from the extra 2% per sale charge that Amazon tacked onto sales from users of Seller Fulfilled Prime program last October, to the 2022 Etsy boycott that was inspired by the platform raising its transaction fee by 85% across a five-year period.

If you have the audience you need to turn a profit on TikTok, we wish you the best of luck. But don’t forget to diversify your efforts when possible, to hedge your bets against any one ecommerce platform choosing to boost its fees yet again at any point in the future.

According to a new report from cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, ransomware attacks between 2016 and 2021 can be attributed to at least one real-world death per month.

While it’s no secret that malware strains have become faster and smarter over the last few years, security warnings typically tend to be aimed towards private businesses and government agencies. 

This new data, however, highlights the concerning threat that entities like hospitals and schools face. This in turn has led to experts calling for new laws to prohibit ransom payments in an effort to stop attacks.

Ransomware Hits Crisis Level

A total of 2,207 U.S hospitals, schools, and government agencies were directly impacted across 2023 by financially motivated ransomware attacks.

From denying access to critical services to compromising personal information, Emsisoft’s latest research concludes that despite being digital, this type of attack has very real real-world consequences and considers it a “risk-to-life threat.”

The 2023 report is quick to highlight that, despite aggregating data from multiple sources, some incidents won’t have been counted and therefore the ransomware crisis is likely to run even deeper than previously thought. 

Attacks Are a “Risk to Life”

When it comes to medical emergencies, every second matters. Back in November 2023, a cyberattack on Ardent Health Services resulted in hospitals across three states having to reroute ambulances. Delayed or rerouted ambulances can result in patients dying or being left permanently disabled — outcomes that wouldn’t have happened if response times had been quicker. 

It’s not just emergency treatments that are affected either. Malware attacks can lead to general disruptions to healthcare delivery. Hospital computer systems being shut down can result in delayed tests, inaccessible electronic health records, and mistakes happening with regard to manual record keeping. 

Emsisoft’s report references the example of a 3-year-old patient who was given a “megadose” of opioid pain medication because a hospital’s computer system was down. And unfortunately, this isn’t an extraordinary case. 

2023 saw 46 hospital systems across 141 hospitals impacted by ransomware. At least 32 of those systems had information stolen which included protected health information. 

Should Ransom Payments Be Banned?

So, what’s being done to help tackle ransomware attacks? Government task forces and international coalitions have been formed, while law enforcement agencies have seized crypto assets, dismantled botnets, and even made arrests in an effort to disrupt and halt ransomware operations. However, none of these solutions have had a significant effect.

According to Emsisoft, the only viable solution to this crisis is to ban the payment of ransoms outright. After all, as a profit-driven activity, ransomware attacks are likely to fall if there’s no money to be made. 

“Ransomware is getting worse, not just in the number of attacks but in [their] aggressive nature. What we are doing simply isn’t working. A ban on ransom payments will be painful and will likely lead to a short-term increase in ransomware attacks, but it seems like this is the only solution that has a chance of long-term success.” – Allan Liska, a Threat Intelligence Analyst at cybersecurity firm Recorded Future

Ransom payments averaged $5,000 in 2018, but this increased to $1.5 million last year. There’s no doubt that money talks and this substantial increase is certainly cause for authorities to sit up and take drastic action.

Chinese automotive company BYD has this week revealed figures for 2023, showing that it sold more electric vehicles than Elon Musk’s Tesla in the final quarter.

BYD reported record sales of 526,000 battery-only vehicles, in comparison to Tesla’s 484,000 during the fourth quarter. This marks the first quarter that battery-only sales have outshone Tesla.

It comes as yet more frustrating news for Musk’s company, following demand for its cars slowing, as well as last month’s reports that over two million models were to be recalled due to autopilot safety concerns.

Better Than Expected, But Not Quite Enough

Tesla’s success last year is somewhat of a mixed bag.

It reported that the 484,000 electric vehicles delivered in the last three months of 2023 were a record, and that across the year it sold 1.8 million total. Compared to BYD’s total of 1.5 million, this makes Tesla the top seller for 2023 as a whole. 

However, the fourth quarter is where the bad news comes in, as it’s the first time battery-only sales have dwarfed the company.

Last January, Musk stated that Tesla had the potential to achieve two million deliveries in 2023. The company fell short of this with demand for cars grinding to a halt thanks to a rise in borrowing costs. Slashing prices to entice consumers didn’t help either.

Coming in second isn’t the key takeaway from these figures though, as Tesla’s end-of-year performance is still better than analysts predicted. Sales picked up pace from early 2023 and increased 20% from the same period in 2022.

According to Dan Ives, Analyst for Wedbush Securities, this last quarter can still be counted as a “clear win” for Tesla.

BYD Achieves New Milestone

Founded in 1995, the Shenzhen-based, Warren Buffet-backed company started life as a manufacturer of rechargeable batteries. Having achieved success largely just on home turf, its sights are now firmly set on US, European, Japanese, and Korean markets. 

The company is hoping to capitalize on its ability to create cheaper, smarter vehicles that adhere to fast-changing consumer preferences. A move that legacy automotive manufacturers are currently struggling with.

In a statement published in China, BYD called itself the “world champion” for “new energy vehicles.” This, and its new milestone, has clearly set up its intentions and shown Tesla that it can compete in a major way.

“As BYD has accelerated into the fast lane, it’s fresh evidence of just how competitive the EV market has become and how hard it will be for Tesla to swerve back to head the pack.” – Susannah Streeter, Head of Money and Markets at Hargreaves Lansdown

How Will 2024 Play Out?

BYD’s heritage in batteries is the current secret to its success. Batteries are one of the most expensive parts of an EV and, while most manufacturers use third-party suppliers, making them in house allows BYD to slash production process costs. This gave it the opportunity to cut prices at the end of 2023, boosting sales by 70% in December alone and putting them in the top spot.

“Tesla relies on several suppliers and has flagged shortages of lithium as demand ratchets up as a supply chain obstacle in the years to come.” – Susannah Streeter, Head of Money and Markets at Hargreaves Lansdown

However, last month the Wall Street Journal reported that the US government was looking at raising tariffs on some Chinese goods to bolster the US clean energy sector. This would include electric vehicles.

Whether in-house manufacturing costs will offset the potential tariffs remains to be seen, but this will no doubt add fuel to Musk’s fire to get back to that top spot.

Hot on the heels of its release for Android, Microsoft’s  Copilot AI app is now available to download on the App Store for iPhone and iPad users. What’s more, the chatbot is powered by OpenAI’s more advanced GPT-4 model, which normally costs a fair chunk of change.

In other words, both Android and iOS users can now effectively use ChatGPT’s paid GPT-4 model, normally part of a ChatGPT Plus subscription, absolutely free via the Microsoft app.

As we’ve said, Copilot is powered by the newer GPT-4 large language model (LLM), as well as featuring OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 image AI tech. This means you get access to both generative AI chatbot’s functionality without paying the $20-a-month subscription fee for ChatGPT Plus.

It’s a pretty handy workaround to have in the bank, especially given it only recently became possible to sign up for ChatGPT Plus again. Here’s how to get GPT-4 free with Copilot.

How to Get GPT-4 Free on Copilot AI

This is the easy part! If you’re an iOS user ready to give Copilot a try, simply head to the App Store for either iPhone or iPad.

On iOS, the app can be used immediately without even needing to sign up to anything – a major boon for privacy conscious users reluctant to hand over their details to yet another data hungry online service.

Having said that, signing in with a Microsoft account (free to create) will let you ask more questions and have more detailed and longer conversations with the chatbot. It’s worth it, especially if you plan to use Copilot in any kind of work capacity.

Similarly, Android users will find the Copilot app available to download on the Google Play Store.

Microsoft Turbocharges Copilot AI at ChatGPT’s Expense

There’s no doubt that Microsoft has been trying its hardest to make Copilot more of a “thing” in the world of AI and this latest move may just do it. Despite now having a seat on the OpenAI board, it’s effectively leapfrogged that company in terms of free AI chatbot prowess.

As well as the Bing app, which walks the line between an AI chatbot and traditional search engine, the tech giant has been busy expanding the use and visibility of the Copilot brand, touting it as “your everyday AI companion.”

The Bing Chat website was recently rebranded to Copilot, and sits alongside Copilot for Windows, Copilot for Microsoft 365, Copilot for Azure, and GitHub Copilot to name but a few products. 

However, these latest mobile rollouts look set to ramp up that reach even more. By incorporating the latest AI models from OpenAI, this offering gives users the innovation and functionality of GPT-4 and DALL-E 3.

With GPT-4 on board, Copilot is able to offer more reliable and accurate responses than ever before. For its part, the inclusion of image generator DALL-E 3 means it can create photos, artwork, and other images based on your search query. 

It looks almost certain to give it an edge over the free version of ChatGPT, though you can read our full ChatGPT vs Copilot guide to learn more.

12 Key Copilot GPT-4 Features to Try First

The Copilot app’s functionality is pretty straightforward. Use the ‘Ask me anything’ prompt to type your question, tap the microphone icon to say it, or upload an image for analysis. Copilot can reply with audio as well as displaying results on screen. 

Thanks to GPT-4, some of the tasks you can complete using Copilot include:

• creating stories or scripts
• translating and proofreading text
• drafting emails
• summarizing complex texts
• writing and updating resumes
• creating travel itineraries

For the more visually inclined, DALL-E 3 is behind the app’s text-to-image functionality, allowing you to do things like:

• generate logo designs
• create social media content
• build and update a portfolio
• create custom backgrounds
• visualize film and video storyboards
• create illustrations for books

The app also allows you to toggle between Light and Dark modes.

For anyone who used Apple’s Family Sharing plan between June 21, 2015 and January 30, 2019, a share of a $25 million settlement could now be owed to you. Here’s how to claim your share of the Apple Family Plan settlement today.

Following a major class action lawsuit, Apple settled for $25 million out of court and now full details have started to emerge on exactly who’s eligible for a payout, the amount of money you may receive, and how to file your claim.

Want to see if you’re owed a cut, as well as learn how much the pay out is likely to be for successful applicants? Read on as our handy guide to the latest Apple settlement explains all.

A Recap of Apple’s Family Sharing Plan Lawsuit

The lawsuit hinges around the sleight of hand from Apple when promoting its Family Sharing plan. The service advertised itself as allowing up to six family members to use (and share) any app they wanted. 

However, app developers were allowed to opt out of their app being part of the plan, meaning that not every app was actually available on the Family Sharing plan in the end. Needless to say, people weren’t happy about this and Apple faced accusations of using underhand tactics to promote its offering.

The lawsuit (Walter Peters v. Apple) states that: “Apple has made millions of dollars in fraudulent sales to individuals who Apple told were receiving up to six copies of an App when they were receiving only one.” 

Following this, the filing notes: “As a result of Apple’s deceptive and misleading practices, Plaintiffs and the Class Members were induced to purchase subscription-based Apps for which Apple receives hefty fees, believing that those Apps could be shared with up to six family members—when in fact they were available only to the single user who set up the subscription.” 

Who is Eligible to Apply in the $25m Apple Settlement?

To qualify for a cut of Apple’s settlement, you’ll need to have met three criteria between the dates of June 21, 2015 and January 30, 2019:

1. Was a U.S. resident

2. Was enrolled in Apple Family Sharing with at least one other person 

3. Had purchase a subscription to a third-party app through the App Store

Assuming you tick all these boxes, read on to learn how big a pay out you might receive as well as full details of how to make a claim in the Apple Family Plan lawsuit settlement.

How Much Will the Apple Settlement Actually Pay Out?

It’s also worth knowing that when you bring attorney’s fees into the picture, the $25 million sum instantly gets slashed by 40%. This means the total to be split amongst claimants is more like $15 million, with a maximum payout of $50 per person.

So, if you’re a claimant looking for a huge payday, you may be a little disappointed. But still, holding big tech to account is always a nice alternative. 

How to Claim in the $25m Apple Family Plan Settlement

To start your claim, simply head to the Walter Peters v. Apple website. The only data you’ll need to provide is your full name, primary address, and zip code.

Tap on the link text within the sentence ‘You can choose to receive a Class Payment by clicking HERE.’ and ensure you have your Payment ID and PIN to hand. 

If you’ve already received a notice about the class action suit you’ll have a Payment ID and PIN. However, if you don’t you can still make a claim, you’ll just need to print the payment election form out and mail it instead.

Now’s the time to get it done too, as the deadline to file a claim is March 1, 2024, with final approving hearing scheduled for April 2, 2024. 

Even if you love your job, there’s nothing better than a long weekend. And while the 4-day workweek might be on the rise, the best way to get an extra day off is with a federal holiday.

Fortunately, in the US, employees are treated to eleven federal holidays that present an opportunity for a much-needed day off. Sure, businesses aren’t required to honor them, but many do, so you can enjoy that extra time off for the holidays.

In this guide, you’ll learn which days are federal holidays, as well as some of the specific rules about when you get time off and when you don’t.

What Is a Federal Holiday?

A federal holiday is a date on the calendar that has been established by the government to be an official holiday. Generally speaking, it means that non-essential national offices are closed on these days.

In the US, there are eleven federal holidays that can get you a day off work. However, the system is not nearly as rigid as in some countries, as companies are not required by law to provide days off.

Subsequently, knowing which holidays you have off is going to take a bit more digging than simply checking out the list below. Still, it never hurts to be informed, especially if you’re trying to convince your company to adopt new federal holidays to take off.

A List of Federal Holidays in 2024

All right, now let’s get down the nitty gritty details, so you can start planning those vacations. Here is a list of all the US federal holidays in 2024:

• New Year’s Day – Monday, January 1st
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Monday, January 15th
• Presidents’ Day – Monday, February 19th
• Memorial Day – Monday, May 27th
• Juneteenth – Wednesday, June 19th
• Independence Day – Thursday, July 4th
• Labor Day – Monday, September 2nd
• Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day – Monday, October 14th
• Veterans Day – Monday, November 11th
• Thanksgiving – Thursday, November 28
• Christmas – Wednesday, December 25

If you want to stay up to date on when federal holidays occur and keep your eye out for any new ones that might pop up, you can head on over to the US Office of Personnel Management website to get an in-depth look at federal holidays through 2030.

Is Juneteenth a Federal Holiday?

In 2021, Joe Biden signed a bill on June 17th to make Juneteenth an official federal holiday.

However, there are some states that do not recognize the holiday, nor do they typically give employees the day off as a result. Those states include:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Mississippi
• Montana
• New Hampshire
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Vermont
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Is Presidents’ Day a Federal Holiday?

As you can see from the list above, Presidents’ Day is indeed a federal holiday, signed into law in 1879 and made a nationwide holiday in 1885.

However, despite Presidents’ Day’s status as a federal holiday, it is rarely given as a day off for non-government employees. For whatever reason, Presidents’ Day is not viewed as important compared to other options on the list, with schools and businesses typically still requiring employees to work that Monday.

Want even more vacation? Some companies offer unlimited paid time off. Read our guide to find out who to work for if you want this perk.