 |
|
|
|||||
Earlier this month, Apple officially announced that it would be postponing the launch of some planned Apple Intelligence features to a later, unspecified date in the future. These features mainly revolved around an AI-supercharged Siri. The news of the delay sent the tech press into a frenzy, with many writers criticizing the company for failing to deliver on its promises. Additionally, people speculated that the delay of these features could impact iPhone sales this year. While the criticism is justified, I think the prediction that the delay will impact iPhone sales places too much faith in the appeal of AI. Apple delays new Siri AI features As noted by 9to5Mac, the delayed features include Siri’s ability to understand queries based on personal context (What time does dads train get in?), consider what you are doing on your screen when you ask it to carry out a certain task (Make a reservation at this restaurant), and perform in-app actions (Crop this photo using a square aspect ratio). When the news officially droppedApple made the announcement in a statement to well-known tech blogger John Gruberthere was a big reaction from the tech media, including my colleague Harry McCracken, who wrote a smart response in his newsletter, Plugged In. Reporters and Apple fans alike werent merely disappointed that Apple delayed the features; they were upset that Apple purportedly showcased the features working last yearbut in reality, that demonstration was nothing more than an animated mockup. Theres a name for products like that: vaporware, McCracken said. The tech industry is rife with examples. Apple, in its modern history, has been atypically disciplined about avoiding themwhich makes this incident only more striking. When evaluating Apples actions from this perspective, I agree. You dont expect a company of Apples caliber and market cap of over $3.2 trillion to show off what are essentially just concepts. Other companies, yes, but not Apple. What I dont necessarily agree with is the belief by some Wall Street analysts that Apples delay of some of its AI features will negatively affect iPhone sales in the near termor even into next year, when some of these features are now expected. That argument doesnt make a lot of sense to mefor two big reasons. The average consumer doesnt seem to care about AI smartphone features too much While I know that tech enthusiasts like me seem to care a lot about Apples AI offerings, I dont believe that the same holds true for average consumers (e.g. those who don’t follow tech news or consider tech gadgets to be a very important aspect of their lives). Why do I think that average consumers care so little about Apple Intelligence? Because ever since Apple announced Apple Intelligence last June and rolled it out in October, Ive never met a single person who said Apples new AI platform is why they are planning on buying a new iPhone. Ive had people tell me they bought a new iPhone 16 Pro because of the camera upgrades or because they wanted a bigger screen or a faster device. But not once has anyone ever cited Apple Intelligence as the reason for their purchase. Ive also had people tell me that they can’t wait to buy the iPhone 17 Air, rumored to be released this fall, but only because of its ultra-slim design, not because of Apple Intelligence. It’s not just my anecdotal observations that support my belief. As CNET reported in December 2024, a survey from trade journal SellCell found that 73% of iPhone owners and 87% of Samsung owners said that AI features “add little to no value to their smartphone experiences. This was on top of an earlier CNET survey that found that among the 10 things that motivate consumers to upgrade their smartphone, AI integrations took 7th place, with only 18% of respondents saying it matters (beating out phone color). The most motivating factor spurring upgrades was longer battery life (61%), followed by more storage (46%), camera features (38%), phone display/screen size (32%), keeping the ecosystem (i.e., iOS to iOS, Android to Android) (24%), and a new product release (23%). Meanwhile, in January, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuoone of the most reputable and respected Apple analystspublished a blog post stating that there was no evidence that Apple Intelligence was actually driving hardware upgrade cycles. If Kuo, SellCell, CNET, and my observations are correctand I think they arethen Apples delay of Apple Intelligence features wont have much of an impact on iPhone sales in the near term. The iPhone is already one of the most versatile AI smartphones on the market But lets say I’m wrong. Lets say the average consumer really does care that their smartphone is packed with AI. I still dont think Apples delay of some Apple Intelligence features matters that muchat least when it comes to the delays impact on iPhone sales. Why? Because the iPhone is already a powerful AI smartphoneand it has been for years. Not only are the majority of previously announced Apple Intelligence features already integrated into supported iPhones, but the App Store is filled with hundreds of AI apps, all of which allow you to expand the iPhone’s AI capabilities. These apps include chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity, plus myriad AI image-generation apps, like DaVinci and WOMBO, and AI note-taking apps like Otter. Like other tech enthusiasts, Im looking forward to the complete rollout of Apple Intelligence. But the iPhone doesnt depend on it for its AI capabilities. The iPhone is already a platform on which hundreds of AI apps and services can runand Apples delay in releasing its own AI offerings doesnt change that.
Category:
E-Commerce
Windstorms can seem like they come out of nowhere, hitting with a sudden blast. They might be hundreds of miles long, stretching over several states, or just in your neighborhood. But they all have one thing in common: a change in air pressure. Just like air rushing out of your car tire when the valve is open, air in the atmosphere is forced from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. The stronger the difference in pressure, the stronger the winds that will ultimately result. On this forecast for March 18, 2025, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, L represents low-pressure systems. The shaded area over New Mexico and west Texas represents strong winds and low humidity that combine to raise the risk of wildfires. [Image: NOAA Weather Prediction Center] Other forces related to the Earths rotation, friction and gravity can also alter the speed and direction of winds. But it all starts with this change in pressure over a distancewhat meteorologists like me call a pressure gradient. So how do we get pressure gradients? Strong pressure gradients ultimately owe their existence to the simple fact that the Earth is round and rotates. Wind speed and direction in the upper atmosphere on March 14, 2025, show waves in the jet stream. Downstream of a trough in this wave, winds diverge and low pressure can form near the surface. [Image: NCAR] Because the Earth is round, the sun is more directly overhead during the day at the equator than at the poles. This means more energy reaches the surface of the Earth near the equator. And that causes the lower part of the atmosphere, where weather occurs, to be both warmer and have higher pressure on average than the poles. Nature doesnt like imbalances. As a result of this temperature difference, strong winds develop at high altitudes over midlatitude locations, like the continental U.S. This is the jet stream, and even though its several miles up in the atmosphere, it has a big impact on the winds we feel at the surface. Because Earth rotates, these upper-altitude winds blow from west to east. Waves in the jet streama consequence of Earths rotation and variations in the surface land, terrain and oceanscan cause air to diverge, or spread out, at certain points. As the air spreads out, the number of air molecules in a column decreases, ultimately reducing the air pressure at Earths surface. The pressure can drop quite dramatically over a few days or even just a few hours, leading to the birth of a low-pressure systemwhat meteorologists call an extratropical cyclone. The opposite chain of events, with air converging at other locations, can form high pressure at the surface. In between these low-pressure and high-pressure systems is a strong change in pressure over a distancea pressure gradient. And that pressure gradient leads to strong winds. Earths rotation causes these winds to spiral around areas of high and low pressure. These highs and lows are like large circular mixers, with air blowing clockwise around high pressure and counterclockwise around low pressure. This flow pattern blows warm air northward toward the poles east of lows and cool air southward toward the equator west of lows. A map illustrates lines of surface pressure, called isobars, with areas of high and low pressure marked for March 14, 2025. Winds are strongest when isobars are packed closely together. [Image: Plymouth State University, CC BY-NC-SA] As the waves in the jet stream migrate from west to east, so do the surface lows and highs, and with them, the corridors of strong winds. Thats what the U.S. experienced when a strong extratropical cyclone caused winds stretching thousands of miles that whipped up dust storms and spread wildfires, and even caused tornadoes and blizzards in the central and southern U.S. in March 2025. Whipping up dust storms and spreading fires The jet stream over the U.S. is strongest and often the most wavy in the springtime, when the south-to-north difference in temperature is often the strongest. Winds associated with large-scale pressure systems can become quite strong in areas where there is limited friction at the ground, like the fat, less forested terrain of the Great Plains. One of the biggest risks is dust storms in arid regions of west Texas or eastern New Mexico, exacerbated by drought in these areas. When the ground and vegetation are dry and the air has low relative humidity, high winds can also spread wildfires out of control. Even more intense winds can occur when the pressure gradient interacts with terrain. Winds can sometimes rush faster downslope, as happens in the Rockies or with the Santa Ana winds that fueled devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area in January. Violent tornadoes and storms Of course, winds can become even stronger and more violent on local scales associated with thunderstorms. When thunderstorms form, hail and precipitation in them can cause the air to rapidly fall in a downdraft, causing very high pressure under these storms. That pressure forces the air to spread out horizontally when it reaches the ground. Meteorologists call these straight line winds, and the process that forms them is a downburst. Large thunderstorms or chains of them moving across a region can cause large swaths of strong wind over 60 mph, called a derecho. Finally, some of natures strongest winds occur inside tornadoes. They form when the winds surrounding a thunderstorm change speed and direction with height. This can cause part of the storm to rotate, setting off a chain of events that may lead to a tornado and winds as strong as 300 mph in the most violent tornadoes. Tornado winds are also associated with an intense pressure gradient. The pressure inside the center of a tornado is often very low and varies considerably over a very small distance. Its no coincidence that localized violent winds from thunderstorm downbursts and tornadoes often occur amid large-scale windstorms. Extratropical cyclones often draw warm, moist air northward on strong winds from the south, which is a key ingredient for thunderstorms. Storms also become more severe and may produce tornadoes when the jet stream is in close proximity to these low-pressure centers. In the winter and early spring, cold air funneling south on the northwest side of strong extratropical cyclones can even lead to blizzards. So, the same wave in the jet stream can lead to strong winds, blowing dust and fire danger in one region while simultaneously triggering a tornado outbreak and a blizzard in other regions. Chris Nowotarski is an associate professor of atmospheric science, Texas A&M University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Category:
E-Commerce
AI is fundamentally re-engineering how work is done, who does it, and why. From AI-assisted nursing tools enabling healthcare providers to serve more patients to robotics improving retail fulfillment efficiency, the change is monumental. Organizations must establish a common language around work to navigate this transformation effectively. This raises a critical question: Who bears the responsibility for preparing the workforce for the AI age? Industry expert Josh Bersin notes that thriving in this era requires redesigning work, jobs, and organizational modelsdeconstructing tasks, evaluating AI solutions, and defining the human role alongside automation. This imperative underscores the moral mandate of leaders to empower people, not displace thema theme explored further in his piece. It is clear that readiness cannot fall solely on employees. Leaders must rise to the challenge, driving the reinvention of work ethically and inclusively. The moral mandate of leaders AI is poised to reinvent nearly every job, with research showing that 92% of tech roles will evolve in response to automation. Yet, most employees lack the tools to navigate these shifts independently, and many HR leaders remain uncertain about future workforce needs. Expecting employees to pivot seamlessly without guidance ignores their struggles to balance work and life, let alone reimagine their career trajectories. Leaders must rise to this challenge by creating a unified understanding of work that drives intelligent workforce transformation. The imperative isn’t just about adopting AIit’s about re-engineering work in a way that ensures no one is left behind. Leadership must understand their workforce’s day-to-day activities: Which tasks are primed for AI enhancement? How can we create more opportunities? How do we ensure work flows efficiently to those best suited to perform it? Bersins research shows that to succeed with AI, companies must rethink work, jobs, and structures. This means focusing on customer outcomes, breaking work into tasks, using AI where it fits, and defining where humans add value. Leaders who do this will make AI work for their peoplenot replace them. Accountability is the new currency Todays stakeholdersemployees, customers, communities, and shareholdersscrutinize companies like never before. Business success is no longer measured by profits alone; its judged by how well organizations unlock and amplify the full potential of their people. Leaders must rethink traditional job design. Jobs consist of tasks, not skills, and people possess the skills to perform those tasks. Reskilling efforts must be task-focused, dynamic, and deeply personalized. Consider financial services. Junior analysts, whose roles are heavily impacted by AI, could become data scientists within months through upskilling in Python and AI fundamentals. This isnt just workforce optimizationits workforce empowerment. The alternative is bleak: mass unemployment, economic instability, and widening social inequalities. Failing to act doesnt just hurt employees; it undermines economic resilience. Design for meaningful work AI will eliminate some roles but create countless new opportunities. The key is ensuring that those opportunities are accessible to everyone, regardless of their starting point. Organizations need comprehensive frameworks that map jobs, tasks, processes, and career paths. Through this understanding, leaders can create clear development pathways for every employee. This isn’t just about workforce optimization; it’s about creating an environment where every individual can grow alongside technological advancement. For example, our Workforce Reinvention Blueprint pinpoints high-value areas where AI complements human capabilities. Leaders can build reskilling strategies tailored to individual aspirations and organizational goals, ensuring every employee finds meaning and purpose in their work. From incremental to transformational The journey to workforce reinvention doesnt happen overnight. Leaders must adopt a phased approach, starting with understanding their current workforce dynamics, aligning job tasks with future skills needs. Heres how companies can embrace transformation: Workforce analysis: Identify tasks for automation and map the skills needed for higher-value roles. Reskilling as a priority: Pinpoint skills gaps and offer tailored learning opportunities. Transparency in communication: Build trust by sharing the vision for AI integration and its impact. Inclusive leadership: Ensure reskilling opportunities are accessible to all employees, especially marginalized groups. Leadership that goes beyond numbers As we continue through 2025, the organizations that thrive will be those that approach workforce transformation with both boldness and responsibility. Success lies in ensuring that as work evolves, people evolve with it. This isn’t just about AI adoptionit’s about creating a future where technology amplifies human potential rather than diminishing it. The opportunity to reinvent work has never been greater; the responsibility to do so has never been clearer. Siobhan Savage is CEO and founder of Reejig. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||