Latest news with #AI-savvy
Hindustan Times
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Could AI tilt the outcome of elections?
THE GLOBAL wave of elections in 2024 was heralded as the first of the artificial-intelligence (AI) era. But opinions about what that meant varied. Would AI prompt a glut of malign deepfakes and large language model-generated spam? Or empower politicians to speak to constituencies segregated by language, and voters to find new sources of information to guide their choice? With the polls closed, votes tallied, and new and returning politicians ensconced in office, the predictions of widespread AI-powered campaigning turned out to have been accurate. An exhaustive database of elections assembled by academics representing the International Panel on the Information Environment shows that AI was used in four out of five ballots last year. The group, which models itself on the IPCC and the role it plays monitoring climate change, found AI in elections—from America to India and Britain to Indonesia. The few democracies that saw little impact from the technology tended to be small, with Botswana, Mongolia and Togo the only countries with populations larger than 2m where AI did not make an appearance. And that impact was generally unhelpful. Most of the usage was in content creation, with the ultimate source often unknown: a little under half the time (46%), the origin of content created using AI was untraceable by the panel. Of what could be traced, almost as much came from foreign actors (20%) as from local AI-savvy political groups (25%). There are reasons to keep one's identity secret that fall squarely within the rough and tumble of competitive politics. Using AI to dub a politician's speech into a minority language, for instance, could win respect from underrepresented groups—but might be less compelling if the video carried the logo of the management consultancy responsible. When domestic governments openly used AI tools, it was always benign, as in Madagascar, where the technology was used to help voter identification. Harmful uses, such as when popular dead Indian politicians were re-animated for endorsements, or when a deepfake purported to show a Bangladeshi candidate dropping out of her race, made up more than two-thirds of the recorded AI usage. Foreign actors were uniformly hostile: in the Solomon Islands, for instance, the country's 750,000 citizens were targeted by Russian and Chinese actors. One question remains unanswered. Did any of the assorted attacks, experiments and jokes actually matter? Some clearly generated discord, as in Romania, where the constitutional court noted that AI was used in an electoral-interference campaign that saw the country's presidential election annulled and re-run. But the panel's mission mirrors the IPCC's in more ways than one. The environment is changing, both groups' research confirms. But what to do about it is a decision for politicians, not panels.
Miami Herald
23-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Which skills are the most valuable in an AI-powered world of work?
In today's increasingly AI-driven world of work, success is becoming less frequently defined by technical or hard skills alone. Instead, the spotlight is shifting toward abilities like communication, adaptability, and critical thinking-so-called "soft skills." Soft skills are hard to automate, but are essential to long-term business success, notes Upwork, an online marketplace for hiring skilled freelancers. As such, they have been rebranded as "power skills"-the core competencies that drive collaboration, innovation, and leadership in an AI-driven economy. Data from The Upwork Research Institute's Future Workforce Index confirms what many already sense: Stakeholders who master power skills, especially in flexible and remote work environments, are better prepared for the future of work. And the companies that prioritize these power skills? They're the ones building truly AI-savvy, human-centered organizations. AI is reshaping work, not replacing workers When people think of the effect AI is having on the workforce, they often picture replacement: machines working faster and more cheaply than a person ever could. But the reality is more nuanced. Rather than displacing jobs outright, AI is fundamentally altering the way work is structured, executed, and valued. This transformation is elevating the importance of uniquely human capabilities. As automation becomes more common, success depends less on the individual tasks a person might do, and more on how thoughtfully they approach their work, how well they adapt to change, and how they collaborate with team members. Communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and emotional intelligence are no longer just "nice to have" skill sets-they're what separate the high-performing professionals and teams from the average. In fact, these capabilities are becoming the currency of the modern workplace. According to 2024 data from LinkedIn, communication-not coding or AI literacy-was the most in-demand skill for professionals to have. A separate LinkedIn survey also found that 69% of executives in the U.S. plan to prioritize "soft" skills when hiring professionals. These data points aren't a fluke; they're a signal that we're in a new world of work-one where being human is your greatest competitive edge. The most valuable power skills that AI can't automate Freelancers are outpacing full-time employees in power skills One of the most revealing insights from the Future Workforce Index is this: Skilled freelancers are outperforming traditional employees across nearly every key power and interpersonal skill. Among 3,000 skilled knowledge workers surveyed, freelancers consistently reported stronger capabilities in effective communication, critical thinking, adaptability, and problem-solving. While some of the gaps may appear small at first glance, they reflect a meaningful pattern: Freelancers are actively developing the skills that increasingly define success in a tech-augmented workplace. How dynamic, trust-based work accelerates power skills These numbers also show us that people with strong power skills thrive in situations that require flexibility, dynamic thinking, and a diversity of viewpoints. And comfort working in these environments is precisely what gives freelancers an advantage-and offers a blueprint for organizations looking to close skill gaps. Freelancers regularly operate outside traditional hierarchies. They're accustomed to: Switching contextsManaging multiple client relationshipsSolving open-ended problemsCommunicating value in different waysWorking with different technologiesCollaborating across time zones On the whole, freelancers find the work requiring these skills to be enjoyable; 83% say their work positively contributes to their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. And 82% believe they have more work opportunities today than they did a year ago, compared to just 63% of full-time employees. Reframing soft skills as business-critical power skills Organizations that want to stay competitive need to audit how they nurture, assess, and reward power skills. Embedding the evaluation of these skills into hiring and onboarding processes, professional development curricula, and performance systems is no longer optional-it's a strategic necessity. For leaders, this starts with reshaping workplace dynamics to mirror the adaptability and autonomy freelancers experience. Such an approach might entail: Encouraging experimentationPromoting cross-functional collaborationInvesting in peer mentoring and coaching programsEmphasizing power skills and people skills in workplace learning and upskilling For professionals, the same principles apply. You can: Look for stretch assignments that challenge your communication or conflict-resolution abilitiesJoin a feedback circle or mastermind groupRead books on emotional intelligence, self-awareness, leadership skills, and decision-making Power skills aren't just career assets-they're the foundation of resilience in an unpredictable world. And the companies and professionals that lead with empathy, adaptability, and creativity will be the ones shaping the future of work. Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation. This story was produced by Upwork and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. © Stacker Media, LLC.
Martechvibe
06-06-2025
- Business
- Martechvibe
AdLift Announces the Launch of Tesseract
Tesseract delivers actionable insights for AI-savvy marketing strategies, whether it's identifying brand mentions in ChatGPT outputs or assessing visibility in Google's AI Overviews. Topics News Share Share AdLift Announces the Launch of Tesseract Whatsapp Linkedin AdLift has announced the launch of Tesseract. Tesseract is a tool designed to help brands, agencies, and marketers track and amplify their presence across the rapidly expanding landscape of Large Language Model (LLM) powered search platforms, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity. AdLift Inc., now part of Liqvd Asia, has been at the forefront of innovation, bringing together talent to deliver the best solutions. With Tesseract, they're taking AI-powered marketing to the next level. As AI reshapes the way consumers find and interact with content, traditional SEO methods are fast becoming obsolete. This technology is built to unlock this new frontier, giving brands real-time visibility into how they are being discovered and represented within AI-powered responses. It helps marketers to not only monitor but also optimise their digital footprint where it counts—in the very engines powering the next generation of search. 'Search is undergoing a seismic shift. The dominance of traditional search engines is being challenged by AI-native platforms that interpret and present information differently,' said Prashant Puri, CEO & Co-Founder of AdLift Inc. 'Brands that don't adapt risk becoming invisible in this new landscape. Tesseract is our answer to this challenge—a revolutionary tool that puts brands back in control of their digital destiny.' ALSO READ: Unlike legacy SEO platforms, Tesseract decodes how LLMs display, prioritise, and contextualise brand content. Whether it's identifying brand mentions in ChatGPT outputs or assessing visibility in Google's AI Overviews, the platform delivers actionable insights for AI-savvy marketing strategies. 'AI agents are the future, and businesses are seeing the transformation since their introduction. There's a massive opportunity across industries, and with the Tesseract tool, we are proud to enjoy the first mover advantage of this service,' said Arron Goodin, Managing Director, AdLift Inc. 'As an agency, we are committed towards innovations, helping our clients and building a competitive edge with enhanced efficiency and deeper industry insights.' Arnab Mitra, Founder & Managing Director of Liqvd Asia, commented, 'At Liqvd Asia, innovation is our core. With Tesseract, we're not just responding to the AI revolution—we're shaping it.' 'This product reflects our commitment to empowering brands with cutting-edge solutions that anticipate the future of digital marketing. We believe Tesseract will be a game-changer, enabling brands to thrive in an AI-first world where visibility means everything.' By launching Tesseract, AdLift reaffirms its commitment to pushing the boundaries of digital innovation. ALSO READ:
