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Influencers get a lot of stick these days. The latest thing theyre being blamed for: shark attacks. Scientists have noted a recent rise in shark attacks, and according to new research published in the journal Frontiers in Conservation Science, of the 74 recorded bites in the seas around French Polynesia, 5% were assessed as acts of self-defense. Professor Eric Clua of PSL University in France, who led the research, holds social media responsible. I dont encourage, as many influencers do on social networks, [people] to cling to a sharks dorsal fin or stroke it, under the pretext of proving that they are harmless, Clua told The Times. The sharks here feel like family, one such influencer with 111,000 followers wrote in the caption of an Instagram post. In one picture, she is seen grabbing the nose of a shark; in another, she reaches out and gently pushes its nose as it swims toward her. Dont get it twisted, the sharks dont give a f*** about me, she adds in the caption. Which absolutely makes me a crazy shark lady. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taylor Cunningham | Sharks & Freediving (@taylork.sea) While they might feel like family, that doesnt mean the sharks consent to being used as props in a social media posta lesson some people have unfortunately learned the hard way. Earlier this year, a tourist vacationing in the Caribbean was allegedly trying to take a photo of a bull shark swimming in shallow waters when it bit off both her hands. Although sharks are not naturally inclined to bite humans, they are wild predators that will act in self-defense. Researchers examined a global database known as the Shark Attack Files and found more than 300 incidents fitting the same defensive pattern, dating back to the 1800s. Most of these bites involved small and medium-size sharks, including gray reef sharks, blacktip reef sharks, and nurse sharks. When it comes to great whites, which are more dangerous, humans are generally wise enough to steer clear. People know the difference between a [Yorkshire terrier] and a pit bull, whereas they dont know the difference between a blacktip reef shark and a bull shark, which are their marine equivalents, Clua said. They are responsible for fewer than 10 human deaths a year worldwide. Whereas dogs are responsible for more than 10,000 deaths and are perceived positively by the public. Even using the term shark attack is misleading, researchers argue, as it creates the perception of sharks as aggressors and undermines conservation efforts that rely on public support. Around 100 million sharks are killed annually (about 274,000 per day), targeted for their fins, meat, and as bycatch. As it stands, they have more reason to be scared of you than you have of them. So, if you find yourself swimming alongside a shark, the scientific advice is simple: Look, don’t touch.
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E-Commerce
The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. Doom-and-gloom narratives about artificial intelligence going rogue to the detriment of humans are a staple of popular culture. For some people, just say AI, and visions of Skynet from the Terminator movies taking over the world will instantly pop into their heads. Skepticism about AI isnt just in the realm of science fiction, of course. As AI becomes more mainstream, legitimate concerns about its accuracy, privacy, transparency, and the possibility of job displacement continue to be voiced. Theres simply not an overabundance of trust when it comes to AI. A quick internet search will turn up plenty of surveys indicating more people than not are tired of the hype around AI and worried about potential risks. I have a different point of view. Im not the guy to ask about the downsides of AI. Im the guy who says a world you cant even imagine is right around the corner, thanks to AI. What happens with this new technology is entirely up to us. Its ours to own and do amazing things to make lives better. If we embrace and employ it wisely, AI will be a tremendous positive for people. I believe in AI for good. Why Im optimistic I come to my optimism in the most personal way possible. Technology changed my life and perhaps even saved it. In my mid-20s, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, a chronic condition where my immune system attacked insulin-producing cells in my pancreas. For years, my body was a constant chemistry experiment due to a lifelong dependence on prescription insulin. I had to check my blood sugar with a fingerstick 10 times a day, and then inject myself with insulin another 10 times a day. Administering too much or too little made for some very panicky moments. Today, I have an insulin pump attached to one side of my abdomen and an insulin sensor on the other. Those two amazing devices communicate in real time and deliver the proper dosage I need to stay healthy. It just happens automatically. The result is that Im blessed with a safer, more productive, and more enjoyable life. So, I have a deep appreciation of the profound and transformative nature of technology in our lives. Lets extend this to AI. I recently spoke with leaders at a hospital network who are reimagining how AI can improve care. Their vision? When a child is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, theyre immediately supported by a lifelong AI assistantone that understands their condition, offers guidance, and grows with them. I wish Id had that kind of support years ago. Its not about replacing doctors or caregivers. Its about augmenting care with intelligencesafely, consistently, and with empathy. Thats just one example. I believe AI should be used to solve real human problems making essentials like food, shelter, healthcare, and opportunity more accessible to more people. The promise of AI is longer, healthier lives. Smarter, more sustainable systems. At its best, AI doesnt remove the human element, it amplifies it. Thats what this moment demands, not just building technology, but building a better world with it. We still need guardrails Now, theres a difference between being optimistic and a starry-eyed Pollyanna. This vision only happens if AI is carefully curated and managed. Secure guardrails must be in place to ensure AI is used responsibly, ethically, and morally. We must be careful to ensure AI models are free of biases and inaccuracies. And in the workplace, we must deploy AI to help people perform their jobs better, not replace them. The biggest worry I hear about AI is the fear of employment loss. Trust me, I get how AI can be a scary topic if we think it will impact our livelihoods. But history is a good guide in showing us what ultimately happens when new technologies emerge and change the old ways of doing things. Consider some of the great shifts of the past, whether it was the Industrial Revolution, the manufacturing revolution, or the computing revolution. There was always the concern that the machines were coming for our jobs. Yes, there were adjustment periods. But the jobs didnt go away. They just changed. In the process, quality of life improved. Well likely see something similar with AI. The people who will thrive in this new era and have nothing to fear are those who learn to use AI in their daily roles. Thats because humans will always be in the loop. Well be the ones overseeing and orchestrating AI processes. Instead of AI eliminating roles for humans, we should think more about the era of the super-human thanks to AI. Great technology reduces tedious work, makes our lives easier, and allows us to focus on the activities that make our careers more rewarding. AI will take that to the next level. Weve all been hearing so much about the potential of AI agents to help us do our jobs. But they will need watchful management and governance to ensure they aid, not hinder, our businesses. Well need to be attentive stewards to increase AIs veracity and credibility to ensure it becomes practical in our lives. When properly managed, I unequivocally believe AI should be embraced, not feared. If we do that, powerful agentic systems will do far more than make our businesses hyperproductive. They will transform everything. What this world looks like in 10 years will be extraordinarythanks to AI. Steve Lucas is CEO and chairman of Boomi. Hes the author of the new book Digital Impact: The Human Element of AI-Driven Transformation.
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E-Commerce
The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. We all want our companies to make a real difference, but how often does our message truly cut through the noise? It’s a complex challenge: How do we ensure our genuine efforts to create social impact actually resonate with the people we want to reach? Because in today’s world, simply doing good isn’t enough; we need to communicate the impact of that work effectively to build trust and inspire real change. Build trust through transparency These days, with everything online, people expect brands to be upfront and honest. Being transparent isnt just a nice thing to do; its how to build trust. Patagonia stands out in this area, demonstrating how their sustainability efforts and environmental impact can cultivate a loyal customer base that genuinely trusts their brand. With initiatives like Footprint Chronicles, they give a peek behind the curtain, showing where their products come from and exactly how they affect the environmentfor example, in terms of carbon footprint and water use. This level of transparency has not only built trust with Patagonias customers but also inspired confidence in their brand. Research shows that genuinely conveying your social responsibility values and illustrating how you operate by those values, significantly enhances consumer trust and loyalty Engage employees and communities Effective engagement goes beyond building trust; it’s also about connecting with employees and communities in meaningful ways. Ben & Jerry’s does a great job of getting their employees and customers involved in social justice initiatives and sharing their stories in different ways. They highlight the contributions of employees and customers who are making a difference, fostering a sense of belonging and connection. At Humble, our model is built on empowering customers to support important causes while getting games, books, or software they love. Through our Humble Choice subscription service and monthly bundles, we make it easy for our community to contribute to charities while shopping for great deals. We also use our platform to help our charity partners get their message out to more people. Each month, we feature a selected charity partner across our social media channels and dedicate space on our YouTube channel for them to share their mission and work with our community of millions. Additionally, we profile their initiatives on our blog, providing additional visibility and context about the causes we support. This approach not only highlights these organizations impactful work, but also demonstrates how businesses can use their platforms to authentically amplify significant social and environmental causes. By finding ways to foster these types of connections, businesses can strengthen their audiences engagement with the social impact initiatives theyve worked hard to build. Beyond initiative-by-initiative engagement, companies that are doing this work should consider implementing proactive communication strategies that focus on telling the companys overall social impact story in an authentic and engaging way. As an example, our recently finalized 2024 Social Impact Report highlights our efforts across the year, colorfully illustrating how the $12.4 million we raised with our community last year made a meaningful difference for more than 4,500 charities worldwide that we were able to support. Strategies for authentic communication To build engagement and trust around their CSR initiatives, companies can adopt specific social impact communication strategies: Transparency in reporting: Be open and share detailed reports about your social impact. Its a great way to make an impression with your audience and show youre truly committed. TOMS Shoes sets a great example by sharing comprehensive reports on their One for One model, which outlines the impact of every purchase on communities in need. Companies should consider tracking metrics like community feedback or employee engagement levels to enhance their reporting. Storytelling: Tell stories about the impact of your work. It helps people really connect emotionally with what youre doing. Warby Parker effectively highlights the lives changed through their buy-a-pair, give-a-pair program. For instance, they share stories of how access to glasses has improved education and education outcomes for recipients, showcasing the tangible difference their initiative makes. Regular updates and engagement: Make sure you keep your community in the loop about what youre doing and how its going with regular updates. Salesforce excels at this by providing annual sustainability reports that detail its initiatives. Companies can also use platforms like newsletters or social media for ongoing engagement. Understand your audience: Really knowing what your audience cares about is key to making your message land. Use the right tone, speak their language, and focus on what matters to them. At Humble, we understand that our community is passionate about gaming and giving back. On the product side, we curate bundles that align with these interests, pairing great content with opportunities to support meaningful causes, and then we take every opportunity we can to tie it all together with relevant outreach through blogs, videos, social media, and more. This approach strengthens engagement and reinforces shared values. A call to action When companies communicate well, it can bring everyone togetheremployees, customers, and the wider community. It can build trust, get people involved, and help create real change. As we continue our journey at Humble, we remain committed to these principlesleveraging our platform not only as a marketplace but as a tool for meaningful change driven by our passionate community of gamers and givers alike. By focusing on clear, relatable communication, we can collectively strengthen our ability to create the positive change the world needs.
Category:
E-Commerce
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