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AI is bringing voice to the forefront of brand interactions. Smarter AI means we can talk to our technologyLLMs, software, phones, cars, fridges, and even banking apps. The novel part is this: Our technology is now talking back, and convincingly so. Brands are catching on, and the smart ones know that voice isnt just functional, it will form a core part of the brand identity itself. Voice will be the next frontier of branding. And not metaphorically. A brands literal voicethe voice(s) used for advertising, on their website, and now, in interactive AI-based conversations with customersis becoming just as ownable as elements of a visual identity. But standing out wont come from just using voice tech alone. To cut through the noise, brands will need a voice thats authentic, distinct, and is uniquely associated with their brand. The biggest brands already understand this. Theres a reason the most memorable brands choose to use the same voice actor across marketing campaigns, sometimes even across years: Consistency builds memorability, recognition, and trust. With voice AI, the opportunity for consistency and impact is even greater, and brands that embrace it will set themselves apart from the rest. TURN CUSTOMER TOUCHPOINTS INTO BRANDED EXPERIENCES The real gold in voice AI is its ability to provide both one-to-one and one-to-many communication at scale. AI is empowering brands to automate interactions across more customer touchpoints than ever before, including sales support, call center automations, and personalized ads, to name a few. As these channels incorporate voice AI, the need for consistency grows, making a singular, distinct voice more critical than ever. With voice AI, brands can hold a million individual conversations at once while maintaining both continuity and a personal touch. In customer support, an AI-powered agent can provide instant answers and even act via voice. That same voice can guide them through a product tutorial, help pay a phone bill, or introduce your brand to customers in an ad. Thats the beauty of voice AI as a brand asset: One voice can now efficiently scale, enabling a whole new level of brand cohesion across multiple interactions. Customers value predictability, and a consistent, trusted, and recognizable voice can really drive home that brand memorability and distinction. SECURE A MEMORABLE VOICE THATS EXCLUSIVELY YOURS With technology moving so fast, theres no shortage of ready-to-go AI voices. But the convenience of these voices doesnt guarantee exclusivity, and in branding, distinction is everything. The problem with 100% synthetic AI voicesvoices entirely created with AI, with no real human in the loopis threefold: They may become unavailable. They are often forgettable. They are rarely exclusive to the user. As vendors update their library or licenses expire, the voice youve been using to represent your brand could change, or even completely disappear. Even if it doesnt, chances are: Other brands and creators are using that same off-the-shelf voice, erasing any sense of individuality. As a brand, youll want at least some exclusivity for your AI voice, so you dont end up sharing it with a competitor. The reality is, the best AI voice clones come from real humans with the best voices: voice actors. You can hear a tangible difference between a synthetic AI voice and an AI voice cloned from a skilled voice talent. Done right, the one-to-one voice clone is higher quality than any synthetic voicenot only in its realism, but in its emotional nuance, uniqueness, and overall human quality. Licensing a professional voice also gives you greater control over creative direction to ensure the pronunciation of brand names and technical terms is correct. Licensed voices also offer customizable licensing suited to your specific needs, securing long-term consistency, exclusivity, and greater legal protections. Its the difference between borrowing something generic and curating a voice experience that is yours. The best, most successful branded voices in the market today are distinct and emotive. Customers wont remember an AI chatbot with a friendly middle-aged female voice, but they will remember a voice with personalityone that feels alive, intentional, and unmistakably part of the brand. Thats the future: Voice as a distinguishable brand asset, just like a logo. And by working with real humans to create a unique AI voice, youll secure something competitors cant copy: A voice that is exclusively, recognizably, and enduringly yours. Jay OConnor is CEO of Voices.com.
Category:
E-Commerce
Ransomware doesnt knock on the front door. It sneaks in quietly, and by the time you notice, the damage is already done. Backups, replication, and cloud storage help recover from ransomware, but when it strikes, these products may not be enough. You copy your data and ensure copies are recoverable when needed. Replication is often viewed as the gold standard of protection. It is fast, efficient, and seems like an easy answer. Two common types of replication are in use today. The first is physical to physical. This is when data is copied from one physical device to another, usually at a remote location. The second is physical to virtual. This is when data is copied from a local physical device to a virtual device in the cloud, commonly managed by a backup vendor. Both replication types can be useful and offer advantages, including uninterrupted service, reduced potential data loss, and data redundancy. But replication has limitations. When ransomware strikes When ransomware hits a server, the infection can spread fast. If replication is active, then corrupted or encrypted data may be copied to the secondary device. Both the original and secondary devices now contain bad data. Instead of serving as a safety net, replication can become a trap locking both environments into a compromised state. Replication can also be complex to set up and maintain, requiring skilled staff. Not every organization has the time, budget, or expertise to set up and maintain a replicated environment. Replicating to a vendors cloud can be expensive. You pay for the storage, and often for recovery and ongoing usage. Plus, if your original server goes down and you need to switch to the secondary server, you still need to rebuild the original serverreinstalling the operating system, reapplying patches, and restoring the previous configuration. This can take time depending on the environment. Where does this leave us? Should we just throw replication out the window? No, replication has its place. It can solve certain problems, especially when the risk of downtime outweighs the maintenance costs. But replication is not a cure-all. It should not be viewed as the primary recovery tool, especially against ransomware. Ask if you’re prepared Some questions can help you determine if you are ready for a cyberattack. Replication is a great tool, but ransomware can often expose its weaknesses: Have you thought about what would happen if ransomed data spread across your replicated systems? Do you know how long it would take to rebuild an original device if you had to switch over? Have you tested your recovery process end-to-end, not just the replication part? Do you understand the true cost of your replication service, including the hidden recovery fees? Look beyond replication Replication is valuable, but it shouldnt be the primary mechanism for recovery from a cyberattack. Replication comes with costs and complexity, and doesnt replace the need for a recovery strategy. So consider replication a tool in the toolbox, not the entire strategy. You need a way to quickly restore an infected device to a clean statewithout worrying whether the compromised data has spread across your replicated environment. Or whether the recovery will cost more than the attack. Users sometimes download files locally or store critical data outside of the replicated environment. A complete recovery strategy must include both servers and workstations to ensure quick recovery, regardless of which devices become compromised. When considering ransomware recovery, explore solutions that provide resilience and data integrity, and enable fast recovery when your data is compromised. Instant recovery is achievable with solutions designed to recover from ransomware and other cyber threats.Elisha Riedlinger is the COO at NeuShield.
Category:
E-Commerce
The cryptocurrency market is continuing to tumble as investors worry about risky assets, an AI and tech bubble, and a roughly 50% likelihood of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates. Closely watched digital asset XRP (XRP-USD) has fallen to $2.13 per token, a 26.55% drop from three months ago. It previously hit a high of $3.65 in July, but the cryptocurrency has been trending significantly downwards since early October. This fall keeps XRP below the critical support/resistance level of $2.20. XRP ETFs fail to boost price There were moments of hope that the price would rebound with the recent launch of three XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs). However, those hopes were soon dashed. Take Canary XRP ETF, from Canary Capital, which launched on November 13. The fund (XRPC) opened at $26.63 that first day but has since fallen 10.85%. Binance News reports that “whales” sold 200 million XRP in the 48 hours following. Blockchain company Ripple Labs is traditionally the largest owner of XRP, which is the native token of the XRP Ledger. ‘Profit-taking’ and the broader crypto slump XRP is following a similar downward pattern to other cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, the worlds most popular cryptocurrency. Its price (BTC) also began to fall in early October and has made a sharp decline since early November. This week, it experienced a so-called death cross, which is when an asset’s short-term price momentum falls below its long-term trends. As of publishing, Bitcoin sits at $91,577, a 13.26% drop from six months ago and an 18.12% drop from just one month ago. The selloff is a confluence of profit-taking by LTHs [longtime holders], institutional outflows, macro uncertainty, and leveraged longs getting wiped out, Jake Kennis, senior research analyst at Nansen, said in a statement to CoinDesk this week. Profit-taking occurs when investors cash out to ensure a higher price, rather than hold a potentially declining asset. While Bitcoin is still significantly up from a low of $74,436 in April, its gains for 2025 have been completely wiped out. It’s down roughly 2.14% year to date.
Category:
E-Commerce
Every industry eventually reaches its productivity era. Manufacturing had automation. Finance had algorithmic trading. Today, real estate is stepping into its own transformation: the age of intelligent decision making. Ive seen firsthand how investors are reimagining their operations. For decades, property investment was managed with clipboards, paper checks, and late-night phone calls. It left investors buried in minutiae. Now, just as modern supply chains run on smart logistics, real estate is running on smart systems that streamline everything from payments to tenant communications. The result? A shift away from chasing down tasks and toward making wise, future-oriented decisions. FROM ENDLESS TO-DO LISTS TO INTELLIGENT DEFAULTS Smart investors are creating portfolios that think ahead. A good example of this is making sure lease renewals no longer catch the investors by surprise. To remedy this, property owners are using systems that automatically send themselves lease expiration reminders at critical times (whether that is 90, 60, 30, or 7 days beforehand). Those reminders keep each of their properties on schedule, whether the plan is to renew a great resident or list the property for new interest. This kind of intelligent default has become a hallmark of modern operations. Routine communication, recurring tasks, and renewal cycles all happen on precise schedules set by the investor. The technology follows their logic, not the other way around. These built-in prompts and automated workflows turn repetitive management into proactive planning. Investors stay focused on growth, while the system quietly handles the details in the background. KEEP CONTROL WHILE SCALING SMART As portfolios expand, control becomes the defining advantage. The most sophisticated investors are scaling through rules-based automation by adopting a digital infrastructure that mirrors their judgment across every property. Ive watched how this works in practice. Investors create specific rules that reflect their personal standards: how to screen residents, when to send payment reminders, how to communicate about maintenance. Once those rules are set, the system enforces them automatically and consistently. Each property operates according to the investors playbook, giving them confidence that every detail aligns with their approach. That way, automating doesnt mean giving up control. Instead, the investors expertise becomes codified and applied across the portfolio. This is how smart growth happens. REAL ESTATES PRODUCTIVITY ERA A new rhythm is emerging in real estate, as smart systems generate time, and time generates smarter decisions. Investors who once spent evenings chasing paperwork now spend that time analyzing portfolio trends, comparing rent performance across markets, and identifying when to refinance or expand. This productivity cycle turns operational gains into strategic insight. Each automation saves a few minutes, each saved hour leads to a better decision, and each good decision strengthens long-term performance. As more independent real estate investors adopt intelligent systems, they are operating with the same clarity and responsiveness once limited to large institutional firms, only now at the scale of individual portfolios. SMARTER SYSTEMS LEAD TO HAPPIER HOMES When operations become intelligent, the ripple effect reaches residents. Payments are made seamlessly through mobile tools. Maintenance requests route directly to the right vendor. Renewals are handled early and clearly, reducing last-minute stress for everyone involved. For example, RentRedis internal data shows that when residents use features like autopay and credit reporting, on-time payments increase to 99% and by 13 points, respectively. These tools simplify the payment process while also supporting renters financial wellness by helping them stay current on rent while building stronger credit scores. When convenience meets incentive, the result is a healthier financial ecosystem for both residents and investors. The smartest investors understand that streamlined operations lead to stronger tenant relationships. Happy renters renew leases more often, take better care of their homes, and create stability that fuels long-term returns. Intelligent systems make that balance possible, because they are efficient for investors and convenient for those who call their properties home. MEET THE MOMENT OF INFLECTION Real estate is now at the same inflection point that other industries reached when intelligence and automation converged. Smart investors are already leading this transformation, by building portfolios that run smoothly with insight, structure, and foresight. They manage by design, using systems intentionally built to reflect their standards and priorities. Each workflow, rule, and automation represents their expertise in action. The business runs with purpose, clarity, and consistency because every element has been designed to anticipate needs, maintain performance, and create stability. This design-led approach turns management into strategic execution. Investors operate within systems that think ahead, ensure precision, and keep portfolios moving in sync with their goals. This is what the age of intelligent real estate looks like: investors in control, operations running with clarity, and homes that reflect the benefit of smarter thinking. FINAL THOUGHTS The next generation of savvy real estate investors has already arrived. They have built operations that are thoughtful, predictive, and scalable. Their systems manage the details, their data fuels their strategy, and their decisions define a new benchmark for success. The age of intelligent real estate is not a future visionit is already here, reshaping how the most forward-thinking investors grow, manage, and thrive. And as more industries adopt intelligence as their foundation, real estate stands as proof that when technology aligns with human insight, innovation becomes progress. Ryan Barone is cofounder and CEO of RentRedi.
Category:
E-Commerce
When I was a kid, my favorite place in the world was hunched over a sewing machine. Id cut up old jeans, hand-stitch fabric scraps into new outfits, and dream of someday seeing my clothes walk a runway. My notebooks were full of fashion drawings. Somewhere in my teens, that dream slipped quietly into the background. Life pulled me in a different direction. But this year, thanks to AI, I finally staged my first runway show at New York Fashion Week. Okay, not at the literal Fashion Week runways in Manhattan but on social media where people are scrolling for Fashion Week content. And the wild part? I pulled it together in one Friday night using my own AI-powered fashion brand, yanabanana. The tech stack behind the catwalk The show was called The Stockholm Archipelago Collection, inspired by a trip I took to Yasuragi, a Japanese-style spa perched on the water outside Stockholm. Architectural shapes, blue kimonos, and tall pines by the water were my mental mood board as I was designing my collection. Heres how I translated inspiration into a digital runway: Sketch to photo: I started with a rough sketch of each look. Using Google’s Nano Banana image generation model, I transformed my doodles into photos. Sometimes I generated two photos (a start and end scene) that would ultimately create a more interesting runway moment. Models on the runway: Through prompt engineering, I iterated until all my looks walked the same runway that I had decorated with my photos of the water view from Yasuragi. Static to cinematic: I turned the images into short clips with Midjourneys video model. It worked but Ill be experimenting with different video models next season. Runway fluidity is tricky! Custom soundtrack: Every show needs a vibe, so I used Suno to generate an original Scandinavian inspired track to set the pace. Cut & polish: Finally, I stitched it all together in iMovie, as old-school as it gets in the age of AI. The result? A minute-long AI-powered runway film that could almost pass for an indie cut of a Fashion Week show. AI is the new sewing machine What I love about this process is that AI collapsed the barrier between imagination and execution. Ten-year-old me could only dream of sourcing fabrics, hiring models, and booking a venue. Today all I need is a sketch, a stack of AI models to create virtual human models, and a little curiosity. And yet, the story didnt stop at the digital runway. From sketch to closet At one point, I even thought about building a platform where fashion designers could sketch with AI and then manufacture their garments. That idea simmered until I stumbled on Flair, an early- stage startup already doing exactly that. I joined one of their sessions with a roomful of fashion designers during San Francisco Design Week this spring. The format was like an AI version of Project Runway. Everyone created some designs, and whichever one got the most votes on their platform over the next week would be brought to life. Mine won. I sent in my measurements, and last week a package arrived. Inside was a dress that had started as a doodle on my notebook, passed through Flairs AI workflow, and emerged as a real garment stitched together in the physical world. Slipping it on for the first time was magic. It was the same rush I felt as a kid cutting up old jeans. Except this time the runway wasnt just in my imagination. It was hanging in my closet. The bigger picture For me, yanabanana isnt about building a traditional fashion house. Its about asking what does a fashion brand born in the age of AI even look like? Maybe it doesnt need to produce clothes at all. Maybe its runways live on Instagram, soundtracked by generative beats, designed with prompts instead of pins. And maybe, sometimes, those designs make the leap from pixels to fabric. And maybe thats exactly what makes it fashion-forward. Yana Welinder is Head of AI at Amplitude. She was CEO and founder of Kraftful (recently acquired by Amplitude).
Category:
E-Commerce
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