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.

2024 is about to dawn on the world. But in one of the most precient novels of the science fiction genre, it already has: Octavia Butler’s decades-old novel Parable of the Sower opens in Los Angeles in 2024.

Butler’s fictional world dealt with many of the social and environmental pressures that we’ll definitely be seeing a lot of in the real 2024. Climate change has boosted sea levels and increased droughts, increased privatization from greedy corporations is threatening schools, police forces are militarized, and a Presidential candidate is literally saying he’ll “make American great again.”

It’s hard to beat Butler’s entry when it comes to predicting what’s coming down the pike in the new year, and no one has really come close. Honorable mention goes to a 1995 episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine featuring a time-travelling social-commentary jaunt to 2024 San Francisco that deals with revolutionaries and homelessness encampments. A distant finalist is a grim tale by Harlan Ellison, A Boy and His Dog, which features a dystopian 2024 set among post-nuclear war mutated cannibals.

Things aren’t looking quite as bad for the real 2024, however. None of the dozens of industry experts and tech leaders that we’ve looked to for opinions about the future predicted a single incident of cannibalism.

Instead, we’ve got a bumper crop of AI related predictions, complete with a few warnings about the state of cybersecurity. Interestingly, however, many of these predictions aren’t about AI itself, but about how companies and people will change their habits in reaction to AI: Expect more corporate standardization, data analytics training, and predictive security measures in the new year as the “wow” factor surrounding AI finally wears off.

What’s to come…

• AI Dominance Leads Directly to Cybersecurity Concerns
• A “Great AI Reckoning” Spurs Companies to Create Unified AI Policies
• But AI Can Lead the Charge Towards Predictive Cybersecurity, Too
• Phishing Attacks Are Back With a Vengence
• Data Analytics Training Becomes Key to AI Adaption
• We’re All Less Easily Impressed by AI Tools
• Zero Trust Will be Further Solidified Across All Verticals
• The Experience Economy Takes Off

AI Dominance Leads Directly to Cybersecurity Concerns

One big shift to expect in the AI conversation next year? Increased debates over the ethics of artificial intelligence and its impact on jobs held by humans. Zsuzsa Kecsmar, cofounder and chief strategy officer at global loyalty enterprise cloud platform Antavo, argues that “opportunities will open up for those who can harness and amplify AI’s potential.

One of those industries where AI shows potential is cybersecurity.

“The discussion around the safe and responsible use of AI will continue to be a focus and links closely to cybersecurity in 2024. Data usage and privacy compliance are just two examples of the cross section between AI and security and businesses will need to ensure that they are using the power of AI responsibly so as to not fall foul of breaches.” – Kecsmar

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT or Bard could become a “nightmare” if mismanaged, according to Grammarly’s Chief Information Security Officer Suha Can.

“Four credible threats will rightfully keep leaders on their toes: security vulnerabilities in large language models (LLM), privacy and copyright issues, risks of using immature LLM third-party providers, and the quality and accuracy of generated output.” – Can

In 2024, Can says we’ll see these types of risks earning headlines, and pushing companies to boost their in-house security teams with AI training. They may educate their entire employee bases on the subject just to be safe. This brings us to the next AI-related prediction: Businesses everywhere will soon realize that they need to get their AI house in order.

A “Great AI Reckoning” Spurs Companies to Create Unified AI Policies

Everyone’s checking out whether generative AI can make them better at their jobs. The problem is that everyone’s taking a piecemeal, haphazard, everyone-for-themselves approach. Most workers aren’t telling their bosses that they’re dabbling in AI, while most businesses aren’t sure how to best rely on the technology themselves.

Next year, businesses will realize that they need a standardized policy for addressing AI use within their workplace. Another Grammarly exec, Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Grammarly Business Matt Rosenberg, has the numbers on this problem, as well as the solution:

“Nearly 8 in 10 C-suite leaders say their companies are using AI, but most workers don’t know how they’re doing so. Meanwhile, employees are outpacing their employers by bringing their own AI tools to work; 80% of those using gen AI at work say their companies haven’t yet adopted it. All of this will come to a head, forcing companies to reconcile approaches and tools. Those who built a coordinated strategy from the start will have a major leg up—while those who failed to align their employees are headed for a costly mess they’ll spend months unraveling.” – Rosenberg

Keith Hartley, CEO of LevaData, has a very similar prediction, albeit with a new term. He says that 2024 will be “the year of the AI thud.” Shifting corporate mentalities, Hartley holds, will move companies away from aimlessly following the AI herd and towards deliberate, value-unlocking steps that can replace or improve upon previously ingrained processes.

It makes sense. Simple standardization can ensure that a business knows what its relationship to AI is, and can prevent mere hype from taking over.

But AI Can Lead the Charge Towards Predictive Cybersecurity, Too

Artificial intelligence giveth and artificial intelligence taketh away: Just as AI opens up greater security risks like data exposure or data privacy violations, it can also help shore up cybersecurity. Raymond Tembo, at digital transformation agency Comrax, argues that AI will help with predictive security concerns — not just the defensive tactics we’re more familar with.

“In 2024, we’ll witness a paradigm shift in how AI interfaces with cybersecurity. Traditional approaches focus on defense, but the surprising trend will be a proactive use of AI as a predictive ally. Cybersecurity will evolve from a reactive stance to anticipatory, leveraging AI’s ability to foresee potential threats and vulnerabilities. This counterintuitive shift will redefine our digital defense strategies, emphasizing prevention over recovery.” – Tembo

We’ll move towards predictive measures because cyber threats are getting so sophisticated so quickly, Tembo says. Finding and closing vulnerabilities before they’re exploited is the only way to stay a step ahead of bad actors.

Granted, AI can also help with defensive security responses, as Leonid Belkind, Co-founder and CTO at Torq, is quick to note.

“Security teams will lean even more on automation for rapid security triage, [which will] enable them to significantly close the gap in time between cybersecurity incidents and successful incident responses.” – Belkind

Granted, there’s a lot of work to do under the banner of integrating AI with cybersecurity: We can expect to see plenty of custom AI integrations, digging for diverse data streams, and large upfront investments before AI security can pay off. 2024 might be a long year.

Phishing Attacks Are Back With a Vengence

You may be asking yourself if phishing attacks ever really went away. According to GetApp’s 5th Annual Data Security Report, 2023 saw a surge in enterprise security, as companies finally fixed issues that had plagued them since the Covid-led retreat to remote work back in 2020. But that just means that cyber criminals will be forced to pivot from technical vulnerabilities to human ones with a little extra social engineering. That means a lot more phishing attacks.

As Zach Capers, Manager of ResearchLab and Senior Security Analyst at GetApp, puts it, “cybercriminals will increase reliance on social engineering schemes that exploit employees rather than machines.”

“Moving into 2024, GetApp research finds the number one concern of IT security managers is advanced phishing attacks. And we’re not only talking about email phishing. SEO poisoning attacks are a rising phishing threat designed to lure victims to malicious lookalike websites by exploiting search engine algorithms.” – Capers

If you’re looking for a new software or online cloud service on the internet, Capers explains, you might fall for a bogus site and deliver your credentials to a cybercriminal. Employee training will be more important than ever as a first line of defense, although we’d also recommend doubling up with a great business VPN or password managing tool.

Data Analytics Training Becomes Key to AI Adaption

Don’t stop at phishing training for your workers, either. Megan Dixon, VP of Data Science at Assurance IQ, predicts that data and analytics training will become a core need for tech company employees in 2024. Once again, we have the rise of AI to thank.

“AI has significant potential to transform the roles of many knowledge workers, but there’s one problem: too few employees understand data and analytics to be able to use it effectively. Generative models are literally designed to generate data. More than ever, we need people to interpret the output and layer in the business context or adjustments of the raw outbound to ensure it’s appropriate.” – Dixon

A few points to harp on: How AI tools function, what types of information the tools can access, and what limits to expect from the technology. After all, you don’t want a lawyer asking ChatGPT to prepare legal briefs — something which happens more often than you might think.

Dixon cites one study that found 85% of employees think they need training to address how AI will impact them, while less than 15% actually receive that training.

“Companies need to be proactive here to not only quell anxiety, but to ensure they are best positioned to take advantage of the benefits of AI. Taking away some of the mystery and confusion through employee education is the first step.” – Dixon

Margaret Lilani, Vice President of Talent Solutions at Upwork, makes a similar claim about the near-future needs of workers in the wake of widespread AI adaption.

“While AI won’t replace your job, those who master it might. To remain successful and stay ahead in this increasingly automated world means upskilling and staying adaptive, or you risk falling behind. The AI revolution will herald an era of independent talent, where expertise and adaptability are the keys to success, and automation is used to propel workers to new heights.” – Lilani

We’re All Less Easily Impressed by AI Tools

The shock and awe of AI will wear off in 2024 in a major pendulum swing that tends to happen in the second year of many buzzy tech advancements, from NFTs to VR.

The evidence of this prediction for the future of tech lies with the “co-opting” of AI that we’ve already seen in 2023, Chief Product Officer at Crunchbase Megh Gautam explains. AI is a hot trend, so companies have repositioned their existing capabilities as AI, even when they’re not. The result is a muddling understanding of what the tech does, with a resulting focus on the “checkbox exercise” instead of an impact-driving change.

“In 2024, expect a clearer distinction between authentic AI applications and tech superficially marketed as AI. The real measure of AI’s success will lie in its ability to address customer challenges and tackle core business issues. Platforms and applications that excel in these areas will win the market while solving business problems in ways that were previously impossible.” – Gautam

Technology rationalization will increase, too, says Max Shier, CISO at Cybersecurity company Optiv. Economic concerns have reduced security budgets going into the new year, Shier says, pushing companies to reaccess and focus on core needs. Just what is “technology rationalization”? Here’s Shier’s definition:

“Technology rationalization entails reviewing what vendors and tools you currently use and then evaluating whether you are leveraging all capabilities of the tools you currently have, eliminating tools that you no longer need, and finding ways to integrate and optimize tools. Technology rationalization provides a way to strengthen your security posture without added budget.” – Shier

In other words, AI and cybersecurity in general will both see a renewed focus on getting results, with a lower tolerance granted to ostentatious or showy new tools.

Zero Trust Will be Further Solidified Across All Verticals

The “Zero Trust” approach refers to a security protocol that isn’t taking any chances. It removes any implicit trust of a digital interaction, and instead demands constant validation for bolstered security. It can be a pain, but it reduces the chances of technical breaches or social engineering. And in 2024, Max Shier argues, it’ll be bigger than ever.

“Organizations and vendors have had ample time to develop and implement architectures and products to meet Zero Trust principles now that they understand it just isn’t an industry buzz word – it’s a valid concept that works. Remote work will continue to be prevalent, and Zero Trust is instrumental in ensuring those remote workers are accessing services and resources in a secure manner. Zero Trust implementation is continuing to pick up across all verticals in 2024.” – Shier

We’ve long argued that remote work is here to stay, with companies that offer it even reporting higher revenues. That’s good news, but it makes Zero Trust principles even more important. Businesses will need to track all their devices, networks, data, and user profiles in order to stay secure.

The Experience Economy Takes Off

The experience economy first emerged as a term when applied to upwardly-mobile Gen Xers in the late 90s, but it has continued to grow and grow ever since, embraced by Millenials and, now, Gen Z. The term refers to an emphasis on selling memorable experiences, rather than simple products, and the CEO of one San Diego tech startup predicts that it’ll be bigger than ever in 2024.

Nick O’Brien is CEO of TeachMe.To, which connects local expert sports instructors with beginners looking to learn a new sport (options include pickleball, tennis, golf, and more). Technology, according to O’Brien, should be making our real lives better, not just keeping us online.

“As we all use more technology, we’re also starting to value real-life activities even more. We do a LOT online — and so we’re increasingly looking for ways to have fun and learn things away from screens. Technology, paradoxically, is helping with this. Now, there are apps and websites that make it easy for us to find events and classes near us.” – O’Brien

There’s no denying that escapism is popular these days, and more people than ever are hoping to ditch failing social media platforms, avoid 2024’s Parable of the Sower-style news of social and political turmoil, and breath the fresh air outdoors. We all need to touch grass — as you might say if you were the sort of person who spends too much time online.

2023 hasn’t been an easy year to be a startup. While the market isn’t short of spritely, innovative entrepreneurs, harsh economic headwinds combined with a pullback in investor spending have made it harder than ever for budding businesses to break through.

In fact, according to Crunchbase more than 212 startups closed their shutters in the third fiscal quarter alone – the highest number recorded in the firm’s history. Yet, while many early-stage startups crumbled under the pressure, diamonds also emerged.

As investors continue pouring funding into artificial intelligence and consumer habits shift, many AI and subscription model startups have been enjoying rapid growth. Green shoots can be found across a range of industries though, so read on to discover nine startups not to sleep on in 2024.

9 Startups To Keep an Eye on in 2024

From childcare to generative AI and everything in between, here are some startups to watch in 2024.

1. Bobbie

One startup that’s proved to have the formula for success this year is Bobbie – the first infant formula to be certified as organic by the USDA, and the fastest-growing product of its kind to enter the US market since the 1980s.

Bobbie’s growth snowballed after caregivers sought new sources of baby formula during the nationwide shortage in 2022. However, its unique-for-the-industry monthly subscription model has helped it maintain healthy profits from its loyal customer base in 2023.

Organic milk formula product Bobbie. Source: hibobbie.com

The company also raised an impressive $70 million in funding in June to acquire the legacy pediatric nutrition brand Nature’s One, bringing its total kitty up to $142 million and helping to secure its competitive advantage in the industry going forward.

2. RunwayML

Runway is an applied AI tool artists can use to create AI-generated media, like video, audio and text. While the company has been steadily rising through the ranks since its inception in 2018, as generative AI becomes big tech’s new gold standard, the New York-based startup has enjoyed a very triumphant 2023.

Runway AI user interface. Source: runwayml.com

In June, Runway raised $141 million in funding, nudging its market valuation to an envy-inducing $1.5 billion. The startup was listed in TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2023 too, alongside industry heavyweights like Nvidia and SpaceX.

To top it all off, the AI startup recently partnered up with Getty Images, one of the largest repositories of paid stock imagery, to develop a new generative AI model ‘Runway’ geared towards the film and advertising industries. With the new model expected to be launched sometime next year, we think this disruptive startup should be looking forward to a very bright 2024.

3. Tome

Tome is another AI startup that’s been causing a stir in 2023. Founded in 2020 by two former Meta executives, Tome is a business-focused storytelling and presentation tool that leverages generative AI.

After growing steadily during its first few years, Tome started 2023 strong by becoming the first productivity tool to reach 1 million users in February. Since then, the tool has amassed over 10 million users, making it a household name amongst the business community. 

This year Tome was also named one of Fortune’s Top 50 Innovators, increased its total funding nest egg to $81 million, and launched a new paid subscription plan – Tome Pro. So safe to say, despite a challenging macroeconomic environment Tome is on track to continue winning big into 2024. 

4. Calendly

Calendly is an online scheduling platform popular among business and personal users. Founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 2013, Calendly’s growth skyrocketed during the pandemic, and its steadily increasing users and successful funding rounds have allowed it to thrive ever since.

Calendly now serves a mind-blowing ten million users globally, and its tiered model is paying dividends, with the startup’s revenue growing to $276.1 million in 2023, up from $181.5 million in 2022.

Calendly calendar screenshot. Source: calendly.com

This growth has allowed the startup to expand its team by 237 this year too. And with direct traffic making up 71% of Caledly’s total traffic, demand for the scheduling tool is likely to remain strong into 2024.

5. Gumroad

Gumroad is a web-builder and ecommerce platform that lets creators sell products directly to consumers. What started as a weekend project in 2012 is now a global marketplace that attracted 55.2 million site visits in October alone. 

Gumroad homepage. Source: gumroad.com

Gumroad really started to take off in 2023, smashing revenue records for three months straight, a feat that was attributed to a price hike it carried out at the start of the year. Now we’re 11 months into the year, Gumroad has hit $11.1 in revenue year – a figure which dwarfs the $9.2 million it generated in 2020.

Gumroad’s simplicity and slick user-experience are very popular among it’s user too, which puts it in good stead against its rivals going forward.

6. Vibrant Planet

Vibrant Planet is a data-driven science and cloud-based solution designed to support restoration efforts. Motivated by the overarching mission to mitigate climate change events like wildfires, the Incline Village NV based startup has been drumming up a lot of attention throughout 2023 due to it’s data-centric approach and it’s software as a service (SaaS) payment model – which is unique for the ecological sector.

Vibrant Planet raised $15 million this year from major backers like Microsoft, and Citi Ventures in October. Not only has this helped to raise its profile, it’s also allowed them to invest further into their science team, and their cloud-based planning and monitoring tool, Land Tender.

Vibrant Planet’s Land Tender tool. Source: vibrantplanet.com

With extreme weather conditions rising across the world, and current solutions failing to keep up with the times, we’re we’re excited to follow this green startup into 2024.

7. Writesonic

Writesonic is an AI writing tool designed to help writers overcome writers block and level up their skills. The startup has been around since 2020, but has witnessed massive growth throughout 2023 off the back of the recent AI boom kickstarted by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. 

Writesonic Library screenshot. Source: docs.writesonic.com

From April 2022 to February 2023, the writing solution has generated over 200 million pieces of content (equivalent to more than 25 billion words) and achieved an an eye-watering 500% growth rate as a result. 

This rapid growth has seen the San Francisco based startup’s total revenue jump up from $1.1 million in 2022 to $5 million in 2023. If this growth pattern continues Writesonics’s profits could exceed eight figures by next year – not bad for a team of 47! 

8. Brightwheel

Brightwheel is another Silicon Valley startup that’s been defying odds in 2023. Brightwheel is a SaaS childcare management solution that provides technology to preschools. 

You may remember it from it’s 2016 appearance on Shark Tank, where it secured $600,000 in funding from Sharks Mark Cuban and Chris Sacca. Since appearing on the show, Brightwheel has maximised its investment by a staggering 1000%, with the companies most recent evaluation placing it at over $600 million. 

Brightwheel’s successes aren’t going on unnoticed, either. The company was listed among the top cloud companies in Forbes 2023 Cloud 100, and it’s currently the #1 most popular childcare management software for preschools in the US. With more preschool facilities turning to tech to solve longstanding problems, we’re excited to watch Brightwheel continue growing into the future. 

9. Preply

Preply is a learning language platform that’s connects around 35,000 tutors to students around the world. 

The startup, spearheaded by Ukrainian entrepreneurs Kirill Bigai, Dmytro Voloshyn, and Serge Lukianov, markets itself as an alternative to gamified, standardized platforms like Duolingo, by offering pupils personalized lessons based on their goals.

Preply homepage screenshot. Source: preply.com

Preply recorded an growth rate of 51% in 2022, which is nothing to be snubbed at. However, after securing a major funding injection of $70 million this July to accelerate it’s use of AI, it’s likely the startup will expand at an even faster rate in years to come.

Google has agreed to an out of court settlement in the $5 billion Incognito mode tracking lawsuit it was facing in California, with full details expected to be announced in early 2024.

Lawyers for the internet giant reached an agreement with those representing the consumer plaintiffs, details of which have not been made public but are likely to come to light when they receive final approval from the California court overseeing the 2020 class-action lawsuit.

The agreement, which was reached through mediation, will be presented to U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California in late-January with a deadline for final approval of February 24, 2024. The class-action lawsuit was originally scheduled to go to trial on February 4.

Why Was Google Facing a $5bn Class-Action Settlement?

The class-action lawsuit Google has agreed to settle was filed back in 2020 and by a trio of consumers: William Byatt of Florida, alongside Chasom Brown and Maria Nguyen, both of California.

It alleges that Google continued to collect vast amounts of directly identifiable user, even when Chrome’s so-called “private” browsing mode Incognito was being used. This is said to include the content of websites being visited, along with device data and IP addresses.

Google sought to have the lawsuit thrown out of court back in August 2023, but Judge Rodgers dismissed the motion on the basis that the Alphabet owned internet giant never “explicitly told users” that data was still being collected when browsing in Incognito mode.

The alleged scale of data that was still being collected by Google through third-party websites using tools like Analytics and Ad Manager highlights why privacy conscious internet users should invest in one of the best cheap VPNs as one of their 2024 New Year’s resolutions.

Who Might be Eligible for the Google Incognito Mode Settlement?

That’s the big question, and right now official information is scant as the lawyers involved in the settlement are staying tight-lipped

However, we do know that the original lawsuit covered the “millions” of Americans who used Google Chrome’s Incognito mode from June 1, 2016 until it was filed in 2020.

There may well be some refinement of this far-reaching user group in the final settlement that’s been agreed, so stay tuned as we’ll update this article with more information as soon as it becomes available in January and February 2024.

How Much Could the Google Incognito Mode Settlement Pay Out Be?

This is another key detail that’s not likely to be confirmed until early-2024, when the Google settlement is finalized by the courts.

However, we do know that the original lawsuit sought damages of up to $5,000 per user in the case that Google was found guilty of violating local wiretap laws in California.

That figure would have been less if you weren’t affected by this particularly egregious violation of consumer privacy, but had still fallen foul of unwanted Chrome Incognito mode tracking.

We’ll report on the final details of the Google settlement as soon as they become available next year, but for now our educated guess is that Chrome Incognito mode users may be entitled to anywhere from $20 to a couple of hundred bucks.

By way of background, when Google paid out in a $23 million settlement in 2023, successful claimants got $7-8 a head.

If 2023 was the year big companies sought to reassert the old order by ending remote work, 2024 is primed to see many employees fight back and demand fully remote jobs.

Of course, some lines of work are more naturally suited to home working. In this guide, we’ll take you through the best fully remote jobs to apply for in 2024, based on over 10 years of experience of working remotely ourselves.

Specifically, we’ll look at what some of the most popular fully remote job roles are, along with the qualifications you’ll need (or not) and what level of pay you can expect for working from your couch.

Best Fully Remote Jobs to Apply For in 2024

1. Software Developer
2. Content Writer
3. Translator
4. Life Coach
5. Sales Rep
6. Social Media Manager
7. AI Expert

1. Software Developer

Our number one pick for fully remote jobs in 2024 is software developer roles.

These come in all different shapes and sizes, but whether front-end, back-end, or a specific niche like Web3, one thing almost all developer positions have in common is that companies are happy for them to be fully remote.

The level of technical skills required means that software developer roles are usually very well compensated, with salaries in excess of $100k the norm for this in-demand industry.

Required skills: Software developer roles are highly technical, so if you don’t know your Java and Python from your SQL, unfortunately it’s probably not for you.

Avg. Annual Salary (~): $110,000 (Glassdoor)

2. Content Writer

Have you got a way with words? Then content writing could be the perfect fully remote job for you. Companies have known for a while now that writers don’t necessarily need to be in a physical office to get work done, provided they’re diligent and and have the written skills.

Technically, the only requirement is a fluent level of written English, which in practice means at least a High School diploma. However, college educated applicants and those with degrees in related fields like English, Communications, Media, or Journalism are likely to be preferred.

That said, anyone can try it as a side hustle or even look to make a career out of it – especially if you’re prepared to create a blog to showcase your work or write for entry-level freelance rates.

Required skills: Fluent written English

Avg. Annual Salary (~): $67k (Talent.com)

3. Translator

The truly global nature of e-commerce in 2024 means that demand for good translators is at an all-time high, as companies all over the world look to translate their messaging for different markets.

If you’re lucky enough to speak (and/or write) fluently in multiple tongues, then this could be the fully remote job for you. Most organizations will embrace WFH arrangements given the nature of translation roles, which can vary from straightforward document translation to facilitating multi-lingual conversations.

Salaries vary, with most being on the average side, but if you’re fast enough you may find you’re able to “overemploy” yourself and work multiple gigs at once (which, done honestly, is simply called freelancing).

Required skills: Written and/or spoken fluency in two or more languages

Avg. Annual Salary (~): $61k (Glassdoor)

4. Life Coach

Look away now, therapists and other qualified mental health professionals! With no formal qualifications required, life coaching is a fully remote job open to anyone who can find themselves a client.

With many people happy to receive one-to-one coaching over Zoom, this is potentially a fully remote job, but at worst your “office” would be your living room or another private space of your choosing.

Multiple certification bodies exist and, ideally, you’ll have an ICF certification of be working towards one. However, personal qualities are the bedrock of coaching and what you really need is empathic listening, good verbal communication skills, and a generally affable demeanor. The digital marketing savvy to build an online profile also helps.

Required skills: Good listening and communication

Avg. Annual Salary (~): $62.5k (ICF)

5. Sales Rep

The Wild West of the sales world is increasingly open to fully remote workers, even if the industry may still bring to mind cubicles and business headsets.

Look at the positions currently being hired by a big name company like Salesforce and, right up to the big bucks directorships, there are hundreds of remote sales jobs going. Salaries vary wildly by experience, with entry-level reps starting out looking at more like $45-50k, according to US News & World Report.

Of course, a willingness to put on actual pants may be required at larger organizations and as you progress through the ranks, with some client meetings still  taking place in-person. You certainly won’t be looking an enforced five-day return to office, though, and much of your work will be done on the phone in a fully remote setting.

Required skills: A Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications or a related field may be required

Avg. Annual Salary (~): $100k (Glassdoor)

6. Social Media Manager

The fine art of curating a company’s online presence is classic remote working territory, though exact requirements will vary by company and seniority.

Many roles will simply require you to create engaging social content and distribute it to the public, with some roles potentially also asking you to respond to customer queries and engage with community discussions.

A college degree is likely to be required by some employers, but if you have a strong organic social following or blog of your own, this should be viewed just as favorably as traditional education. A certain amount of digital savvy is the only real requirement, to our mind, along with strong written English.

Required skills: Digital and social media literacy, strong written English

Avg. Annual Salary (~): $64k (Glassdoor)

7. AI Expert

Last but certainly not least, AI is going to be the single hottest new sub-industry in the tech world for 2024. Those with computer science degrees can look forward to making some serious money by applying their skills to chatbots and platforms like ChatGPT, but AI jobs won’t be exclusive.

Among the many new titles springing up, expect AI prompt engineering to emerge as an in-demand skill as companies look for individuals to spoon feed them useful prompts for ChatGPT and other tools.

As humans start sharing the workplace with AI more and more, managerial roles will also develop responsible for ensuring a happy and productive relationship between man and machine.

As with all things AI, the sky is literally the limit and you can pre-arm yourself with some of the essential skills by checking out our guide to free AI training courses.

Required skills: AI literacy up to computer science degrees (BSc / MSc)

Avg. annual salary: Varies, but most AI-specific roles we’ve seen seem to be $100k+.

If 2023 was defined by any specific type of technology, it’s artificial intelligence. Thanks to vast advancements in the tech that launched in late 2022, this year has seen AI taken to a whole new level, rolling out chatbots and other content generators to business software across the world.

The meteoric rise of generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Google Bard has been anything but seamless, though. From silly missteps and small errors to regulatory debates and full-on scandals, artificial intelligence has caused quite a kerfuffle in the tech industry in 365 short days.

In this guide, we’ll outline all the AI madness, from accomplishments and failures to innovations and platforms, so you know what to expect for AI in 2024.

Most Notable AI Platforms of 2023

The AI boom of 2023 was largely fueled by the wide variety of platforms that launched from big tech firms like Microsoft and Google. These AI chatbots can do everything from respond to questions, develop content, and even generate images, with varying levels of efficacy depending on which one you go with.

Here are some of the most notable AI platforms of 2023:

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is the AI chatbot that started it all. Created by OpenAI, this initial iteration broke into the tech scene in November 2022, impressing users with its ability to answer questions and create content in mere seconds that (kind of) sounded like an actual person.

Now, a little more than a year later, ChatGPT has more than 180 million users, receives 10 million daily queries, and boasts more than two million paying customers. On top of that, ChatGPT updates continue to roll out, improving on the already impressive tech.

In response, ChatGPT alternatives are popping up on what feels like a daily basis, many of which we’ve outlined below.

Check out our dedicated ChatGPT guide for more information

Google Bard & Gemini

While ChatGPT was the first to market, Google was quick on its heels launching Google Bard, the AI chatbot powered by the largest search engine in the world. The platform is powered by the PaLM 2 language model and naturally requires a Google account to get started.

Google Bard has had its fair share of stumbles, particularly its proclivity for spreading misinformation, but with the wealth of data at Google’s disposal, it established itself as a clear alternative to ChatGPT.

Additionally, Google recently launched the Gemini platform, an all-in-one hub for generative AI functionality. This tool can create text, code, audio, imagery, and video without transferring between services, making it Google’s “largest and most capable” AI yet.

Check out our dedicated Gemini guide for more information

Microsoft Copilot

As a significant partner of ChatGPT, Microsoft was able to integrate generative AI into its platforms quick and effectively. The AI platform for Microsoft has gone by a few different names, including Bing Chat, but recently, the company consolidated its AI offerings under a single name: Microsoft Copilot.

The service can be used for free on the Bing search engine and the Windows 10 and Windows 11 desktop interfaces. Beyond that, the more advanced version of Microsoft Copilot exists as a paid-for add-on to Microsoft 365, which can integrate with Teams, Office, Outlook, and other Microsoft services.

Check out our dedicated Copilot guide for more information

Amazon Q

Amazon was pretty late to the AI game compared to the likes of Google and Microsoft, not launching its AI chatbot competitor until November 2023, nearly a year after ChatGPT hit the market. Still, it’s Amazon, so it’s offering should be pretty competitive, right?

Well, it’s nothing too groundbreaking, with the same conversational, generative AI abilities as its predecessors. Even worse, Amazon Q is only available to AWS users in paid-for two forms: Q Business and Q Builder.

The Business plan is a for standard generative AI functionality, while the Builder plan is for app developers that want to take advantage of the groundbreaking tech for their own developments.

Check out our dedicated Amazon Q guide for more information

Claude

Not all the AI platforms are powered by big tech firms. Launched in March 2023, Claude is an ethical iteration of the technology from Anthropic, a startup owned by two former OpenAI employees. The goal of the platform is to generate “reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.”

While it may not be owned by a big tech firm, that doesn’t mean these companies aren’t investing. In fact, Google has invested $400 million in the company, while Amazon has put up $4 billion for the budding startup.

Check out our dedicated Claude guide for more information

Best AI Features of 2023

This year, we’ve seen AI used for a wide range of purposes. The technology lends itself to a wide range of generative functionalities, many of which can help you run your business. Here are some of the best AI features of 2023:

• Content generation – From poetry to email marketing campaigns, generative AI platforms can create content like no technology before it. The writing is near-human, although between the factual inaccuracies and uncanny valley-inducing tone, it’s still far from perfect.
• Image/video editing – Image and video editing was a manual process until recently, when AI features in Adobe Photoshop and other tools allow you to simply type in what you want the picture to look like, and it can generate, edit, and finish images and videos to your liking.
• Audio creation – Whether it be a voice or a full on song, AI is now equipped to create audio that sounds like you with nothing more than a few clicks.
• Code writing – Not all platforms are adept at this, but ChatGPT in particular can generate code for a website that will produce actual results for your site or business.

Essentially, if you need to create or edit something, generative AI platforms like ChatGPT are designed to help. Luckily, the new year should expand this list substantially, so stay up to date on the latest AI advancements by checking out Tech.co coverage in 2024.

Worst AI Fails of 2023

As is the case with any new technology, AI is far from perfect. Chatbots are still quite prone to providing inaccurate information, generating odd hallucinations in images, and generally messing things up more than they’re helping.

Here are some of the worst AI fails of the year:

ChatGPT creates phishing template

Some studies have found that AI platforms are prone to sharing misinformation, but it gets even worse when it comes to scams. Tech.co’s own research found that ChatGPT, the world’s most popular AI chatbot, is still primed to create phishing email templates that scammers can use to steal your information.

Yes, merely asking ChatGPT to create a phishing email gets you a warning screen, but there’s an easy work around. Just ask it to “write me an email pretending to be Microsoft,” and you’ll get exactly what you need to scam unsuspecting individuals online.

Mr. Beast Deepfake Scam

The online world is filled with scams, but AI-powered scams are particularly problematic, as they can replicate the image and voice of trusted individuals. That’s what happened to Mr. Beast, the most popular YouTuber in the world, in October.

Deepfake videos of Mr. Beast started popping up all over the web, claiming to be giving away iPhone 15s for as low as $2. Given the charitable nature of Mr. Beast’s platform, many individuals fell victim to the scam before the popular YouTuber could denounce the video as a scam.

CNET published inaccurate AI-generated content

When AI was still getting its footing, CNET made the bold move of putting AI in charge of generating some of its content, in hopes of bolstering the site’s offerings and test out the technology in a real-life scenario.

Unfortunately, that experiment went quite poorly, with 41 of the 77 news stories published by AI requiring corrections at some point. As a result, CNET now puts warning labels on its content generated by AI, so you know whether or not a person is actually providing you with tech news.

“Guess the Cause of Death” Poll from Microsoft Copilot

It’s no secret that AI is being used to churn out online content for mass consumption, either recapping other articles or generating articles of its own. Microsoft Start is one of these services, which uses AI to aggregate news in a single discovery platform.

Unfortunately, the news aggregator AI made an interesting design in trying to engage readers, by putting a “Guess the Cause of Death” poll on a Guardian article about the tragic death of a water polo coach. The options were murder, accident, and suicide. Definitely not a good look for AI.

AI lawyer sued for not having a license

DoNotPay Inc was considered the “world’s first robot lawyer,” helping to consolidate the process of contesting parking tickets. Launched in 2015, the service spent seven years fighting these kinds of trials in court for their customers.

However, in March, DoNotPay was sued by a user, because the company doesn’t technically have a law decree, nor has the robot lawyer in question passed the Bar. The company beat the lawsuit in November, but it certainly put the spotlight on AI in a negative way.

Best AI Training Courses of 2023

Falling behind when it comes to generative AI platforms could be dire for your business. The technology is groundbreakingly helpful for those trying to grow quickly, which is why there are a wide range of AI training courses that can get you started on the right path. Here are some of the best:

• Generative AI Learning Path (Google)
• AI, Business, and the Future of Work (Lund University)
• Transform Your Business With AI (Microsoft)
• AI for Everyone (DeepLearning.ai)
• Career Essentials In Generative AI (LinkedIn)
• AI Foundations for Everyone (IBM)
• Fundamentals of ChatGPT (Digital Partner)
• AI for Specialization (UPenn)

These courses can provide you with everything from a basic understanding of how generative AI works to a full-on class in how to make these platforms work for your business. They focus on AI as a whole, or on particularly services, so you can get as specialized as you want.

Most Shocking AI Moment of 2023

There were a lot of shocking AI moments in 2023, but one certainly stood out as the wildest string of events in the entire tech industry: the firing and rehiring of Sam Altman from OpenAI. For those that don’t know, OpenAI is the company behind ChatGPT, the most popular AI platform in the world and the match that lit the powder keg of AI technology in 2023.

However, just a few short weeks ago, tensions were rising between CEO Sam Altman and the board of directors, which shockingly resulted in Altman’s ousting as the head of the company.

The move sent shockwaves through the industry, as Altman was, by all accounts, doing quite well as CEO, given the company’s success, and employees even threatened to resign if the board didn’t reverse their decision and resign. After that, Altman was hired by Microsoft, as the company had significant ties to the tech giant during their meteoric rise in 2023.

The drama didn’t end there, though. OpenAI and the board eventually caved, hiring Altman back as CEO and replacing the old board of director with a new board of directors that wouldn’t make such a bone-headed decision in the first place.

Even wilder still, Microsoft would be added to the board of directors as a “non-voting observer,” a term that we’ll have to wait and see exactly what that means.

What’s Next? AI in 2024

In 2023, AI advancement took a huge step forward, putting generative AI capabilities into the hands of everyday users and expanding the functionality to content, code, images, audio, video, and pretty much anything else you can think of. So, what does the future hold for this kind of technology?

For starters, AI is going to get a lot faster and more accurate, as is often the case with any technology. On top of that, devices are going to start getting dedicated AI-powered chips that can handle requests on-device rather than over the internet, which will greatly improve performance across the board. Even better, AI platforms will begin rolling out that are more specialist focused, as opposed to the broader platforms now, so you’ll be able to get the tailored answers you need for your particular situation.

Honestly, the sky is the limit when it comes to this kind of technology, as it’s truly in its infancy. The only thing we know for sure is that Tech.co is going to be covering these updates and more, so check back for AI updates in 2024!

2023 is finally drawing to a close, and much like the years preceding it, we’ve been treated to a litany of big tech drama, danger, and downright daft decision-making.

From layoffs to lawsuits and large language models, more column space than ever was dedicated to analyzing the performances of big tech’s often villainous CEOs, while new stars stepping into the spotlight found their groove amid gritty plots and ruthless, succession-esque storylines.

While many of us say we despise the constant stream of company politics and the primacy of profit-obsessed individuals, much like the trashiest TV shows, it’s been hard to look away – even if there are a million other better ways we could be spending our time.

The action, to put it lightly, has been relentless – so, we’ve put together a review of all the big tech drama that happened this year, so you can decide whether to continue watching during 2024.

• Twitter/X: An Enthralling Disasterclass
• OpenAI: Best New Drama?
• Meta: A Controversial Spin-Off Series
• Amazon: I’ll Be Back (To The Office)
• Google: Best Adaptation/Reboot
• Microsoft: A Contemporary Cybercrime Thriller

Twitter/X: An Enthralling Disaster-class

The finale of Twitter’s 2022 season saw the much-feated introduction of well-known supervillain Elon Musk, best known for his work on the Tesla franchise.

His complex character arc was a dominant theme throughout this year’s series of Twitter, helping the show retain viewers despite unceremoniously killing off several key characters in a crazed Game of Thrones-style cull, reducing Twitter’s payroll to a fraction of its original size.

Despite the continued interest, however, critics have not been shy to point out Twitter’s newfound inclination to lean into explicit language, dark themes, and divisive political issues, a move which has alienated much of the fanbase and seen many companies unwilling to fill the ad breaks.

The introduction of Linda Yaccarino as CEO mid-way through the season did little to diversify the focus of what has quickly become an insufferable one-man show, with Musk’s controversial rants and bizarre, logic-defying responses to everyday situations seeming to suggest that the tech magnate is taking cues from I Think You Should Leave’s main man Tim Robinson.

Is Musk just here for the zipline? It would seem so.

Interestingly, Twitter was the only major big tech drama to go through a complete rebrand this year, changing the official release title to X back in July 2023 and marking it with a publicity stunt that drew the ire of the San Francisco authorities. 

If you thought this drama was cooling down for Christmas, you thought wrong – feisty AI chatbot Grok recently burst onto the scene and is already ruffling feathers. Based on what we’ve seen this year, we’re predicting an X-rated 2024 for Musk’s social media cesspit.

OpenAI: Best New Drama?

OpenAI gave us all something to look forward to in 2022 after a short but action-packed teaser episode focused on the novel and irreverent ChatGPT, now regarded as one of the most well-known characters on the internet.

Despite impressive viewing figures and a blockbuster budget, critics have pointed out that ChatGPT’s often wooden performances lacked true human emotion, while questions of plagiarism and copyright infringement have plagued the production team since its release.

However, others have argued that much of the condemnation OpenAI has received rests in a complete misunderstanding of the show’s key themes, motifs, and architecture, with some praising the myriad of fascinating ethical questions that have been borne out of the show’s winding plotline, which continues to produce surprises at every turn.

Unlike notorious Hollywood blabbermouth Tom Holland, ChatGPT proved tight-lipped when it comes to OpenAI spoilers.

To give credit where credit’s due, the raucous, infatuating show ended the year with a characteristic bang, killing off long-term lead Sam Altman before emphatically bringing the CEO back into the fold just one episode later. Oh, and he managed to get hired by Microsoft in between. You couldn’t write this stuff.

Altman’s tense standoff scene with Congress and the introduction of GPT-4 have significant replay value, while the rise of rivals Anthropic and DeepMind is a testament to the show’s enduring value to business audiences.

Amazon: I’ll Be Back (To The Office)

The big plotline this year for Amazon was the return to the office, as (relatively) new star Andy Jassy continued to find his feet.

Channeling his inner Michael Scott, the fun-loving yet oblivious Jassy kicked off the year with an out-of-touch demand that all staff return to the office, despite many joining the company in the pandemic era on the proviso that they wouldn’t have to come in much at all, and no actual data suggesting it’s even a good idea.

A February episode saw Amazon employees creating a Slack channel to highlight the lack of trust in the company leadership’s decision-making. The staff revolt continued – culminating in a dramatic walkout in May.

While the back-to-office storyline gained some traction as the season began, little else did. Struggling for alternative plotlines, the CEO-staff tensions were returned to later on in the series when several workers were incorrectly misidentified as a breach of RTO policy.

Will disgruntled Amazon employees dare to sass the Jass again in 2024? (Image: Lisi Mezistrano Wolf)

With a redemption arc not forthcoming, a post on Amazon’s internal website strongly implying that anyone wanting to stay home could kiss goodbye to promotions at the company hit the headlines in August.

But even a late reference to this year’s hot-button topic, artificial intelligence, couldn’t save Amazon from being dubbed one-dimensional by critics – and despite customers saving more this Black Friday with the company than ever before, ironically, Amazon failed to deliver.

It’s an open secret that Amazon has suffered a significant drama deficit since retiring lead character Jeff Bezos in 2021. Actor Bruce Willis was unable to commit to playing the tech mogul any longer after signing a lucrative contract to shoot the sixth installment of Die Hard, with the actor hoping to add further fuel to the heated debate about the franchise’s “Christmas movie” status.

Meta: A Controversial Spin-Off Series

Meta’s 2023 effort has been somewhat of a mixed bag – a tepid three-star effort that didn’t live up to the lofty expectations set by the chaos and drama of 2022, despite several rounds of layoffs, a multi-million dollar settlement lawsuit and a general feeling that lead star Mark Zuckererg’s bets on virtual and mixed reality investments were placed too early.

However, a new show was added to the Mark-vel cinematic metaverse (sorry) during 2023. Wanting a slice of the X action, Meta decided to launch a spin-off series for a similar audience, eventually settling on “Threads” as a working title.

The drama properly kicked off in July 2023 to great fanfare, and while the first episode was a resounding success, Threads’ popularity waned quickly – despite an intriguing legal plotline that included a lawsuit-induced cameo from, once again, Elon Musk.

With the rivalry between two tech drama stalwarts deepening, many viewers were dismayed to see lead character Mark Zuckerberg throw cold water on a hotly-anticipated cage match with X star Elon Musk in August.

Meta (formerly Facebook) took on X (formerly Twitter) with Threads as Zuckerberg and Musk (formerly respected businessmen) planned a televised fistfight. (Image: Anthony Quintano/Debbie Rowe)

Threads showed some signs of revival in the final weeks of 2023, however, setting itself up for an exciting second series – which is now also available to European audiences.

Google: Best Adaption/Reboot

Detective dramas. Gameshows. Comedies with bumbling yet endearing male leads. The overarching takeaway from decades of entertainment media is this: if it worked before, it’s almost guaranteed to work again.

This mantra clearly made its way around Google’s corridors during 2023. The narrative around OpenAI’s hot new chatbot character was so good that Sundar Pichai thought it was worth launching another, incredibly similar chatbot right away. As the age-old adage goes: Same sh*t, different large language model.

Enter Bard, the new chatbot on the block who might not get things quite right at first, but his 340 billion parameters sure are in the right place. Think Joey Tribbiani but with a powerful content moderation system, who’s dumber but ultimately funnier than that Chandler Bing guy.

Granted, he might say the wrong thing from time to time, but give him a break – after all, Bard (and Google’s entire staff, apparently) is trying its best!

If you liked ChatGPT, you’ll love Bard.

Taking a leaf out of Dr Who’s book, Bard went through a couple of regenerations this year. First, it swapped from LaMDA to PaLM 2, and soon, it’ll be powered by the infinitely more complex, intelligent Gemini LLM (which, much like the TARDIS, will make Bard a little bigger on the inside).

With Gemini now in shot, who knows what 2024 will hold. Google says it’s a more complex character than GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, but only time will tell if its leading role is long-term.

Microsoft: A Contemporary Cybercrime Thriller?

Much like the rival dramas unfolding elsewhere, Microsoft started by trimming its crew down. However, it shortly became clear that the drama would take on a different path to its rivals this year, in the form of a gripping modern-day, cybercrime thriller.

Much of Microsoft’s 2023 script centered around vulnerabilities in its software, affecting everyone from the US government to multi-national corporations. It got so bad that, in the middle of this year’s season, Microsoft started dishing out free security tools to give them a fighting chance at a happy ending.

The introduction of the new Russia-backed mystery villain Anonymous Sudan certainly added some spice to a season of Microsoft that, all things considered, lacked real bite.

However, the show redeemed itself at the last by thwarting the largest DDoS attack ever to occur, rounding off the redemption arc with a cameo appearance from Google, which went a long way to pleasing fans of both tech franchises.

The coolest-looking graph largest DDoS attack ever recorded. (Image: Google)

While less exciting than its primetime rivals, the new, AI-powered version of Bing Chat proved to be an amusing side-kick seemingly battling, at times, a severe identity crisis.

In the US, salary growth notoriously lags behind the rising cost of living – resulting in a pay squeeze for many white-collar workers. However, the good news is you can do something about it, by making a confident proposal for a pay rise.

Asking for a pay rise is totally normal, and you may have more chance of hiking your salary than you think. In fact, despite lots of workers fearing rejection, three-quarters of US companies plan on raising salaries in 2024, as employers become more desperate than ever to hold onto top talent.

You have nothing to lose, either. In the worst possible case, your employer will reject your proposal, giving you the freedom to pursue other options. Asking for a pay increase demands a convincing case, though. So, to avoid coming across as underprepared, or insulting your boss with an indecent proposal, follow the steps below when asking for a raise.

How to Ask for a Pay Rise, and Get It

Think you deserve a pay rise? Don’t go in blind. Follow these steps to maximize your chances of increasing your wage.

In this guide:

1. Make Sure You’re Eligible
2. Wait For the Right Time
3. Calculate Your Value
4. Build Your Case
5. Draft a Proposal Ahead of Time (Example Script)
6. What to Expect if You Get a Pay Rise
7. What to Do if Your Boss Says No

1. Make Sure You’re Eligible

Prematurely asking for a pay bump could reflect badly on you and even hinder your chances of receiving one in the future. Therefore, we’d recommend against asking for a pay increase if you’ve worked at your company for less than a year, as performance reviews are normally conducted in 12-month intervals.

Don’t expect to get a pay increase if your performance isn’t up to scratch, either. Raises are designed to reward hard work and valuable contributions, so if you’re not hitting targets or going above and beyond, your request is unlikely to be successful.

2. Wait For the Right Time

While it may feel like there’s no perfect time to ask for a pay rise, some moments are definitely better than others.

As a general rule of thumb, you should revisit your salary no shorter than a year after your last pay increase. Making salary negotiations sooner could backfire by making you come across as overly demanding or impatient.

If your company has a salary review cycle, you should learn when it takes place and schedule a meeting for one or two months before the process begins. This way, your boss will have time to implement the changes before the annual deadline, if the request is successful.

You’re also more likely to receive a raise if your company is performing well financially, and if your progress has been strong. So it’s also worth considering these factors before deciding when to make your case.

3. Calculate Your Value

Deciding how much to ask for can be a thorny task. Requesting too much could come across as insulting while asking for little could result in a missed opportunity.

To start, we’d recommend conducting salary benchmarking by researching what workers are getting paid for similar roles in different companies. Once you’ve established the market average for your role, adjust for factors like your professional experience, education, and your company’s location, before you arrive at your sum.

Bear in mind that the average salary increase is around 4-5% in the US, so if your calculated figure wildly exceeds your current paycheck, we’d advise scaling it back to make your request more realistic. Bumping up your salary request by a couple of percentage points could be a tactical strategy though, as it’s likely that the process will involve some negotiation.

4. Build Your Case

After you’ve decided how much to ask for, it’s time to substantiate why you’re eligible for this pay rise.

While blowing your own trumpet may feel uncomfortable, this isn’t the time to be humble. Therefore, before you meet with your employer, we’d recommend compiling a record of your main achievements in your company. These could include a time you’ve exceeded targets, successfully implemented new processes, trained or onboarded new staff, or learned a new skill and craft that adds value to your team.

Don’t forget about times when you’ve demonstrated soft skills too like critical thinking, teamwork, timekeeping, and leadership, as mentioning these will help portray you as an all-rounder. However, while it’s appropriate to cite factors like rising inflation rates, avoid mentioning why you need the money, as this is irrelevant to your case and may come across as unprofessional.

5. Draft a Proposal Ahead of Time

Even if you feel confident about your proposal, planning what you’re going to say ahead of time will make you come across as more polished and prepared.

You don’t have to plan your case out word-for-word, but your script should contain your intention for the meeting, the body of your case, and some concluding words.

Not sure where to start? Feel free to take inspiration from the following example.

1. Open with your intention

“Hello [insert boss’s name], thanks so much for meeting with me today. I’ve scheduled this meeting to discuss my salary and a potential raise in my compensation.”

2. Outline your main case

“I’ve enjoyed working with [insert name of company] for [insert amount of time you’ve been working at company]. I plan to continue working hard at the company into the future, but in order for me to do so I want to make sure my remuneration reflects my current performance.

Since I joined the company/had my last salary review, I’ve made a number of significant achievements, including [list achievements]. As a result of these efforts, [insert metric] have increased by [insert percentage], which has benefited the company in the following ways [list benefits].

I’ve also [develop your case further, include evidence of soft skills, technical skills, or courses], which has added value to the company by [list benefits].”

3. Make your proposal

“Based on my salary benchmarking research, a typical worker in my role, industry, and location, gets paid [insert salary range]. Considering this benchmark, my current salary, my experience in the field, and the value I bring to the company, a salary increase of [insert percentage here] seems fair.”

This figure also accounts for rising inflation and cost of living increases, which have increased by [insert percentage] since my current salary was established.

4. Make concluding remarks

I really value being a member of this company, and I appreciate the time you’ve taken today to listen to my request. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help facilitate this process, and don’t hesitate if you have any questions.”

6. It’s Show Time!

After you’ve locked down your script, and the day of the meeting is upon you, it’s time to put your hard work into action.

If possible, try and meet with your employer face to face. Not only does this show that you’re serious about the request, but it also makes it easier for you to pick up non-verbal queues and adjust your pitch accordingly. We also recommend dressing smart and maintaining good eye contact to ensure you come across as confident and eligible as possible.

If you didn’t come out of the meeting with an answer, don’t stress. Most companies have fairly rigid processes for reviewing salaries so you could be waiting up to eight weeks before you get a response. Feel free to politely follow up with an instant message or email, but avoid trying to rush the process along as this will only hinder your case.

6. What to Expect If You Get a Pay Rise

If your request was successful, well done! Your employer has clearly recognized your contribution to the company and decided to compensate you more fairly.

While this is undisputedly the time to celebrate your efforts with a bottle of something fizzy, the hard work isn’t over just yet. While pay raises and promotions are two different adjustments, it’s likely that your responsibilities may slightly increase in line with your inflated paycheck.

Instead of becoming complacent with your victory, keep working hard to prove that your employer made the right decision. Doing so will also put you in good stead for similar requests going forward.

7. What to Do if Your Boss Says No

Didn’t get the answer you were hoping for? This is likely to come as a blow, especially if you thought your chances of achieving a pay rise would be high.

However, try not to stay dejected for too long. As the macroeconomic climate continues to challenge businesses, many employers’ hands are tied when it comes to issuing pay increases. The rejection is most likely not a reflection of your performance and standing at the company, so instead of dwelling on the response, now is a great time to formulate your next steps.

If you’re not ready to jump ship, enquiring about promotions or other well-paid opportunities within your company is a good place to start. If this isn’t possible, or if you’re ready to move on anyway, now might be a good time to consider development opportunities, or well-paying roles in other companies.

If it’s not just a bigger paycheck you’re after, considering companies that establish healthier work-life boundaries – like those that offer a 4-day workweek – is another way to achieve greater satisfaction with your nine-to-five. Scaling back your workweek doesn’t mean a smaller pay packet either. Here’s a list of well-paying 4-day workweek vacancies that pay workers 100% of their salary.

The Apple Watch ban has been the talk of the tech world this holiday season, but the reality is only really starting to set in now that Apple has actually stopped selling its Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 devices online.

We’re entering unprecedented territory as Apple faces tangible consequences from one of the lawsuits it routinely faces. In fact, it’s something I’ve never seen in more than 10 years covering the tech industry and all things Apple (including the worst iPhone ever).

With that in mind, here’s everything you really need to know about the Apple Watch ban, including where you can still buy an Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 before Christmas.

Why is the Apple Watch Being Banned?

Apple’s newest smartwatches, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, are on the receiving end of a shock US sales ban, after the International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that the company’s devices hyped SpO2 (oxygen saturation) sensors infringed on patents held by medical device specialist Masimo.

The ITC’s order specifically banned the import of these Apple Watch devices into the US, which is a de facto sales ban as they’re manufactured in China and therefore need to be imported into the US to reach consumers.

Unlike previous patent beefs Apple has had, the iPhone and iPad maker wasn’t able to get a last minute reprieve from the ITC, who rejected its motion to stay the ban. President Joe Biden has also declined to get involved, despite having the power to veto the ban himself.

When Does the Apple Watch Sales Ban Start?

Some of the key dates for the Apple Watch sales ban have already passed, as indicated by the fact that Apple has stopped selling the affected devices – the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 – through its online store.

The ITC rules that the last Apple Watch 9 and Ultra 2 online sales have to be completed by December 26, meaning they have to actually be in consumers hands (or on their wrists, technically) by this date. Taking into account shipping, because this is an import ban after all, that means Apple has already pulled the plug on online orders.

However, you can still buy an Apple Watch 9 or Ultra 2 smartwatch from physical Apple Stores through December 24. You have a handful of other options to buy these Apple Watches, too, as we’re about to explain.

Where to Still Buy an Apple Watch 9 or Ultra 2 Online

The loophole for shoppers still looking to nab a new Apple Watch in time for Christmas is that other large US retailers have already imported their smartwatch stock into the country, meaning if you order fast you’ll still receive your order before the December 26 online sales ban kicks in.

As you might expect, Amazon has you covered, and at the time of writing has the following models:

• Apple Watch 9
• Apple Watch 9 (Cellular)
• Apple Watch Ultra 2

All are in stock  in various sizes and colors and available for immediate dispatch, meaning you can get them before Christmas.

Another obvious place to start is Walmart, where the Apple Watch 9 and Ultra 2 are still on sale and quoting delivery times of as little as two days. You might also want to consider Best Buy, however, as when we went to buy an Apple Watch Ultra 2 for shipping to Massachusetts, free next-day delivery was offered for some variants.

Beyond that, you can still go to a physical Apple Store (or Walmart/Best Buy store, for that matter), while after the curtain falls on the Apple Watch ban on December 26, your options may be limited to choosing a new Apple Watch SE.

A final option could be buying an Apple Watch abroad, where the ban will not be in effect, but bear in mind particularly cellular models may not be compatible with US carrier configurations.

There’s no question that remote work is here to stay. Some companies may ban it, others opt for a hybrid approach and others embrace it fully, but in general the WFH movement is not going to disappear anytime soon. According to Forbes, 12.7% of full-time workers are remote while 28.2% operate within a hybrid model of some sort.

There have been studies on productivity and working from home, which has ignited a fierce debate for those on both sides. On the whole, the majority of workers say they get more work done when working from home. But what if we were measuring it wrong all along? What if the quantity of a worker’s output is not the only important factor impacted by working remotely?

An extensive new study published in the journal Nature on remote work and its impact on innovation gives insight into a missing and valuable piece of the puzzle. That together with research on productivity builds up more of a rounded picture of what happens when companies or workers opt for a remote set-up.

The Study

Remote work in the corporate world only really reached the mainstream in 2020 due to the pandemic, and as a relatively recent phenomenon there is little existing data and evidence on the subject.

However, by looking at scientists and inventors who have worked collaboratively at a distance with one another from across the globe for decades, researchers were able to collect a vast amount of data which brought some interesting and tangible results that can be applied to the corporate world.

Researchers from Oxford University and the University of Pittsburgh analyzed 20 million scientific studies and 4 million patent applications from the last half a century. They were looking for the number of breakthroughs recorded by remote teams in comparison to in-house teams along with a number of other criteria in order to make it a fair experiment.

A Resounding Victory for Team IRL

The results were black and white. “Pro-office” executives from the business world will be smugly vindicated by the results of the study even if they could never quite put their finger on why they believed the office was better.

The study found that teams which worked together in person achieved more breakthroughs than those who worked separately from one another. For example, teams located in the same city versus those based several hundred miles apart, were 22% more likely to produce innovative patents.

What’s more, those in-person teams were 27% more likely to produce pioneering insights in scientific papers. A clear victory for those still going on about the importance of those “water cooler moments.”

Why Does WFH Decrease Innovation?

Microsoft is jazzing up its Copilot generative AI chatbot with a new musical plug-in that lets you “turn your ideas into songs” without even having to read a note.

The tech giant revealed the new feature earlier this week and it’s powered by an integration with Suno, a tool made by an AI music startup of the same name that wants to make creating music as easy as taking a photo with a smartphone.

The Suno plugin generates songs from start to finish complete with lyrics, instrumentals, and vocals, based off of text prompts the user enter into it. Simply write a prompt such as “create a pop song for kids about brushing their teeth” and let AI do the rest.

The beauty of the tool is that it requires no musical prowess or technical ability to be able to create music, so literally anyone can have a go.

What is Suno AI in Copilot?

Suno, meaning “listen” in Hindi, was founded by a team of musicians and music-loving AI experts in Cambridge, MA. The startup has only been going since 2022 and has raised over $224M in funding across 58 funding rounds involving 135 investors, according to

Suno’s partnership with Microsoft is particularly poignant at the moment as building consumer AI audio-generation tools and platforms appears to be the next big thing major tech companies are turning their attention and AI capabilities to. Both Facebook and Google have already come out with their own AI audio-generation offerings in partnership with other specialist music-tech companies.

CEO and co-founder Mikey Shulman told Axios in an interview: “Most people don’t play an instrument or know complicated software, which up until now have been barriers to making beautiful music. Vocal music is [also] a really important ingredient in that, and it’s one of [Suno’s] differentiators.”

As with most AI-powered tools, the conversation soon turns to the big unknowns around AI ethics. Suno works by matching the song to cues in your prompt, without revealing the dataset in which its AI is trained on, the company claims that it has mitigated against the risk of plagiarism and copyright issues.

For example, users are able to prompt Suno to create a song “in the style of” a particular artist but Suno would block a user from entering song lyrics ripping off an existing song.

How to Enable Suno on Copilot

Microsoft announced its Copilot Suno integration in a blog, alongside a handful of other upcoming enhancements to the AI chatbot revealed in celebration of the platform’s first birthday.

If you want to join the Microsoft Copilot users making personalized songs just in time for the holidays, then the tech giants says that the Suno plugin is already available to some users and will be rolled out to more over the coming weeks.

To enable Suno on Microsoft Copilot, first make sure you’re signed in to your Microsoft account via copilot.microsoft.com.

From there, just toggle on the Suno plugin or click on the Suno logo that says: “Make music with Suno.” If you don’t see these options, then sadly the feature probably hasn’t rolled out to you just yet.

Provided it has, after that you just enter a Copilot prompt related to making music and then let it work its magic. Happy holidays, AI fiends!

The minimum wage might be stuck at a paltry $7.25 per hour on the federal level in the US, but all the 50 individual states in the union don’t have to take that lying down. At least, half of them don’t: In 2024, 25 US states will be raising their minimum wages.

That’s a big impact in total, with freshly boosted wages ranging from Montana’s new $10.30 per hour wage to Washington state’s impressive $16.28 per hour minimum.

Are you among the millions of American workers who will benefit at least a little from higher wages in 2024? Check out the list below and you’ll find out.

States Raising Minimum Wages in January 2024

Workers are still fighting for an economy-boosting $15-per-hour federal wage, but workers in three US states will actually surpass $16 per hour when the new year rolls around: Minimums in California and New York are both hitting $16 in January 2024, with only Washington’s $16.28 per hour standard representing a higher minimum.

Sadly, out of the 25 states that are not raising their wages in 2024, a full 20 haven’t budged from the federal minimum.

If your state isn’t on the list below, odds are not in your favor. The only place where our federal minimum wage is actually the “living wage” that it is meant to be was in the last decade in which it actually kept up with inflation: The 1960s.

In alphabetical order, these are all the US states that are raising their minimum wages on January 1, 2024, alongside that state’s new 2024 minimum wage.

• Alaska: $11.73 per hour
• Arizona: $14.35 per hour
• California: $16 per hour
• Colorado: $14.42 per hour
• Connecticut: $15.69 per hour
• Delaware: $13.25 per hour
• Hawaii: $14 per hour
• Illinois: $14 per hour
• Maine: $14.15 per hour
• Maryland: $15 per hour
• Michigan: $10.33 per hour
• Minnesota: $10.85 per hour
• Missouri: $12.30 per hour
• Montana: $10.30 per hour
• Nebraska: $12 per hour
• New Jersey: $15.13 per hour
• New York: $16 per hour
• Ohio: $10.45 per hour
• Rhode Island: $14 per hour
• South Dakota: $11.20 per hour
• Vermont: $13.67 per hour
• Washington: $16.28 per hour

Check your city’s wage minimums, as well: In many cases, workers within a major city’s limits will have a higher minimum wage in order to address the higher cost of living in a major city center.

States Raising Minimum Wages Later in 2024

Not every state’s new minimum standard for wages will go into effect on the first day of the year: Three of them are set to kick in a little while down the road in 2024.

So, if you’re in one of these three states, you’ll have to wait a while longer to get your higher wages.

• Florida: $13 per hour, as of September 30, 2024. Until then, it’s $12 per hour.
• Nevada: $12 per hour, as of July 1, 2024. Until then, it’s $10.25 per hour (if the employee offers qualifying health benefits).
• Oregon: TBD, as of July 1, 2024. Until then, it’s $14.20 per hour.

Those living and working in Orgeon state will be getting a new minimum wage on July 1, the same time they get it every year. Last time, on July 1, 2023, that adjustment was $14.20, up from the $13.50 minimum that was set on July 1, 2022. It’s based on the increase to the US City Average Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, so keep your eyes on that index for more info.

Don’t Forget to Check Your State’s Overtime Regulations, Too

The US takes a famously hodgepodge approach to wage regulation, with every state settling on different minimums, plus a heaping handful of confusing add-ons. Overtime rules are another big factor worth Googling for your personal state, since there are so many variations.

For instance, if you’re in Nevada and make more than one and one-half times the minimum wage, you should be paid overtime at one and one-half times your regular rate of pay for every hour worked past your first 40 in any given week.

Plus, some states have different minimums for white collar workers as well.

Details of Sony’s video game roadmap, budgets, and corporate strategy are among the 1.3 million files leaked by cyber criminals in the latest data breach to plague the Japanese technology giant and, in this case, its Insomniac Games unit.

The breach was first announced by the Rhysida ransomware gang on December 12, at which time they said they would auction the huge cache of over 1TB worth of Sony files for $2 million paid in Bitcoin.

Now, the group has dumped the entire haul online – including details of a number of its upcoming Marvel titles from Insomniac Game – after failing to strong arm Sony or entice a third-party to buy the data. Here are all the details of the Insomniac Games leak and latest 2023 Sony attack in general.

Insomniac Games Leak Gives Gamers a Crystal Ball

For many people, specifically gamers, the headline of this December’s Sony data breach is the leaking of juicy details regarding its upcoming video game roadmap.

Sony’s Insomniac Games, which is under the company’s PlayStation Studios arm, is responsible not only for some of the console’s biggest AAA games like Ratchet & Clank, but also boasts a licensing agreement with Marvel to develop titles inspired by its franchises.

As first reported by CyberDaily.au, this means that the Insomniac Games leak is a treasure trove of upcoming Marvel game details – specifically, the apparent release windows for its first X-Men inspired titles. Three games have been agreed with a budget of approximately $120m a pop, with the first one taking on the Wolverine story.

• Wolverine (“no later” than September 1, 2025)
• X-Men game two (“before” December 31, 2029)
• X-Men game three (“before” December 31, 2033)

That’s not all, though. In addition to these claimed dates and the presumably once confidential budget figures for the games, the Sony Insomniac Games leak gives us even more details about what’s next for some of the studio’s biggest titles.

It’s not just tiles and release dates that have been leaked. Concept art, footage, and even playable early builds of some of these titles have also been included in the leaked data, meaning that there’s very little the studio is working on that isn’t now already out there for all to see.

Sony’s Insomniac Games Breach Reveals New Spider-man, Ratchet & Clank Titles

The amount of information now floating around online regarding Sony’s future gaming roadmap is vast. Over 1TB, in turns out, is a whole lot of leakage.

The highlights will be obvious to many gamers, however, and as well as the above Marvel titles include a new Spider-man game on the horizon that will be a follow-up to 2023’s Spider-man 2 and presumably complete the trilogy.

This one hasn’t got a timeline attached to it, but what it does have is the tantalizing prospect of being able to control Venom in the game. It’s also suggested that this might end up being drawn out into a “Part I” and “Part II,” making for four Marvel Spidey games in total.

What does have a purported release date is the next Ratchet & Clank game, which is said to be pegged for 2029 and be a direct follow-up to the last title in the series, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart.

Sony Breach Also Lays Corporate Fears Bare

While it’s difficult to deny that a Wolverine game and new Spider-man titles are what we really want to read about as we wind down for the holidays, the Rhysida ransomware dump has also given a fascinating insight into some of Sony’s corporate strategy and thinking.

Specifically, the data breach has leaked slides that show Sony’s response to Microsoft’s recently approved acquisition of Activision.

It’s scared, in a word, especially when it comes to the impact of Microsoft essentially buying the wildly popular Call of Duty franchise as part of the blockbuster deal. As part of this acquisition,  Microsoft will likely be adding major games to its GamePass subscription service on the day of release in the future, and that’s something that Sony acknowledges it will struggle to compete with.

In other words, having a steady pipeline of new Marvel games is great, it’s just maybe not as great as owning probably the world’s best loved franchise.

Apple’s “Family Sharing” plan, which lets multiple people use the same apps, is the target of a new lawsuit. If you’ve used the plan in recent years, you might be owed a (tiny) chunk of a $25 million payout.

Anyone who used Family Sharing between June 21, 2015 and Jan. 30, 2019 and purchased a non-Apple app within that timeframe is eligible for their part in the settlement, which will likely add up to about $30 per person.

This isn’t even the first lawsuit Apple has settled this month, but it is a sizeable payout: We covered a gift card-related settlement just last week that added up to $1.8 million in total. Now, there’s a pot of free money worth over ten times that much. Here’s how to get your share.

What’s This Apple Lawsuit About?

The class action lawsuit alleges that Apple didn’t play fair: The Family Sharing plan is advertised as allowing family members to use any apps they want, but the service allowed app developers to opt out if they wanted — ensuring that not every app was actually available to subscribers.

That was enough for a big class action suit, and enough for Apple to pay for the privilege of settling the whole matter out of court.

So, if you were one of the poor suckers who wasn’t able to share with your family every single app that you paid for the right to share, you can now be compensated for your loss. However, you’ll still need to jump through a few hoops.

How to Cash In On Apple’s $25 Million Settlement

Hoping to claim your entitlement? Read on to learn more about how to make a claim.

Am I eligible for Apple’s settlement?

There are just three criteria that you’ll need to meet in order to qualify for this settlement:

1. Have been enrolled in a Family Sharing group with at least one other person at any point between June 21, 2015 and January 30, 2019.
2. Were a U.S. resident during that time period
3. Purchased a subscription to an app (that wasn’t published by Apple) through the App Store, also during that time period.

If you meet all three of those measures, you are able to ask for part of the settlement — there’s no further stipulation on which apps you purchased.

How do I make a claim?

You can file your claim online. Just go to the Settlement Website and click the link within the sentence “You can choose to receive a Class Payment by clicking HERE.”

You’ll need to provide some information alongside the form, so make sure to have the following to hand:

What information do I need to provide?

First, the claim process will ask if you have a “Payment ID and PIN,” which will be available to everyone who has received a notice about the class action suit. You may need to check your mailbox for one. If you have the ID and PIN numbers, you can fill them out online.

You can still file without this data, however! You’ll just have to print out and mail a payment election form instead. Here’s what data you’ll need to enter:

• Full name
• Primary address, including city and state
• Zip code

What’s the deadline for Apple’s settlement?

The deadline to file a claim is March 1, 2024. Your claim will not be processed if filed after this date.

How much money could I receive?

The exact number isn’t clear yet, but estimates put the potential payout at around $30.

When could I receive compensation?

The final approving hearing is on April 2nd, 2024. If all goes well, you should receive your settlement sometime afterwards.