The past year has seen strong job growth in the U.S., with employers adding more than 2 million jobs during 2024. But for people who have been laid off or are otherwise unemployed, those figures dont capture the challenges of navigating the current job market.As of the most recent jobs report, more than 7 million Americans were unemployed. And according to The Wall Street Journal, a significant number of those people1.6 millionhave been looking for a new job for at least six months.Average length of job searchOver the past two years, the share of people job hunting for six months or longer has increased by more than 50%. That means that on the whole, it now takes job seekers an average of six months to find a new positionabout a month longer than was typical when hiring was at its peak in early 2023.As of December, 1.8 million people were continuing to file for recurring unemployment benefits.This shift has been particularly noticeable in office jobs, especially across sectors like tech and media where workers have been subjected to layoffs in recent years. While fewer tech workers were laid off in 2024 than the year prior, more than 150,000 people were still affected by job cuts, according to Layoffs.fyi.The slower rate of hiring of unemployed workers is not necessarily reflected in the overall unemployment rate, which has remained relatively low at 4.2% despite inching up slightly in 2024. (Hiring is still robust in sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation, for example.) But in contrast to the post-pandemic hiring boom, there are fewer job openings overall, with only one job listing per unemployed worker, as compared to two listings per worker in 2022.Industry-specific factorsAs Fast Company has reported, workers faced hurdles in the job market for much of 2024. There are a number of reasons why this issue may be persisting in certain industries. Many tech companies have simply pulled back on hiring after a period of rapid growth as the pandemic faded, not to mention layoffs.There could be a mismatch between what companies are looking for in new hires and what job seekers want, particularly at a moment when some employers have implemented strict return-to-office mandates. Wage growth has fallen, which indicates that employers feel less pressure to compete for talent. Then theres the threat of AI, which has already redefined the hiring processand is slowly starting to reshape the workforce.

In recent years, doctors and patients have reported serious frustration with requirements from insurers for prior authorization before a laundry list of medical treatments and procedures can take place.In a June survey by the American Medical Association, 90% of physicians reported that the sometimes arduous process negatively affects outcomes for their patients, and nearly one in four doctors said prior authorizations led to a serious adverse effect for at least one of their patients. A widely reported study by the health policy research nonprofit KFF found the practice widespread among Medicare Advantage insurers, with an average of 1.7 prior authorization requests submitted per Medicare Advantage enrollee in 2022a total of 46 million requests.Prior authorization requirements can also be time-consuming for doctors and medical facilities, which need to document their patients need for specific care. Medical providers sometimes must engage in lengthy fax and phone correspondence with insurers before treatment begins, taking time and resources away from actual medical care.Research has shown that the vast majority of prior authorization requestsincluding more than 92% of those examined in the KFF reportare ultimately approved by insurers. But these still come at a cost for patients who experience treatment delays, doctors who need to work with health plans to see treatment authorized, and insurers themselves, who typically employ nurses and doctors to review those treatment requests.A startup called Anterior looks to make the process smoother, deploying artificial intelligence technology to help frontline employees at insurance companies review prior authorization applications. Anterior recently successfully concluded case studies with large organizations that collectively cover roughly 50 million people, with extended deals likely to be announced in the coming months, cofounder and CEO Abdel Mahmoud says. In June, the company announced it had completed a $20 million Series A funding round.Mahmoud emphasizes that Anteriors software doesnt ever reject an authorization request. Rather, its intended to process doctors requests and corresponding insurance company requirements to guide reviewersoften nursesthrough the steps, reducing the need for medical professionals to spend time at providers offices and insurance companies handling prior authorization of care.[Image: Anterior]Why are we having to have a nurse sit down working on a laptop reviewing 10 faxes a day? Mahmoud says he and his colleagues asked upon reviewing the existing system. And can we do something about that to try and reduce that burden?The AI software, named Florence after pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale, can comb through hundreds of pages of medical documentation for a particular patient and procedure. It highlights where insurers requirements to demonstrate the treatment is medically necessary are satisfied and any areas where documentation may be spotty. The AI is designed to show its work, and the user interface lets reviewers toggle between Florences analysis and specific sections of relevant documents cited by the AI, Mahmoud says.Nurses and doctors are very diligenttheyre going to check everything, he says. If something feels off to you, you can check.Mahmoud says some insurers have said theyre particularly interested in a tool that can speed up approvals of easy cases. If information is lacking, the AI can help request additional information from the doctor necessary to approve treatment. The software can in some cases help save days or even weeks of administrative processing, getting patients treated quicker, he says.Future versions may even be able to contact medical offices by phone, conducting automated conversations with providers to get more information, Mahmoud says. Meanwhile, there are companies working on the other side of the problem, creating tools to assist medical practices in filing prior authorization requests.PAs [prior authorizations] becoming more efficient should mean that they become invisible, Mahmoud writes in an email to Fast Company. Just like when you swipe your credit card, you dont think about the multiple processes happening in the background.Meanwhile, outright denials are handled outside the Florence system, and are typically issued only after a second-tier review by a physician, not just a nurse. AI should not do denials, Mahmoud says. We dont automate denials.Still, algorithmic and AI-powered tools for making medical coverage decisions have so far earned a mixed reputation. A recent article by three legal scholars in Health Affairs Forefront arguing for greater regulatory oversight of such software pointed to a 2022 McKinsey study that found AI could automate 50% to 75% of manual tasks in prior authorization and specific examples of insurers using such technology to speed the authorization process. But it also cited a Stat News series and class-action lawsuit claiming seniors in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans were denied needed rehabilitative care thanks to the use of an algorithm with a high error rate. UnitedHealthcare has denied those allegations.Its not that using AI to process prior authorization or utilization management or claims coverage reviews is inherently ethical or unethical, says Carmel Shachar, an assistant clinical professor of law at Harvard Law School and one of the authors of the Forefront report. But if you dont implement it right, it can have really negative repercussions.Another risk, Shachar says, is that streamlining prior authorization processing may encourage insurers to seek preapproval for an even wider range of treatments.We can see that prior authorization denials and claims coverage denials have skyrocketed in the last several years, which is also the time period in which AI has become more and more incorporated, she says. When they have an AI program doing that initial pass, it becomes cheaper and cheaper for them to run a PA process, which means theyre more likely to require PA for lower and lower cost services.So far, Mahmoud says, he hasnt seen insurers using the technology to expand the list of treatments requiring prior authorization. With other companies working on AI to aid medical providers in filing requests, its possible prior authorization could become a speedier and less painful process. And, he says, Anterior may benefit from potential regulations that require efficient processing of authorization requests or mandate greater transparency about how authorization requests are handled.The problem with payers is not that they dont want to do that, Mahmoud says. Its just that they are struggling in admin hell.

Major companies like Apple and Nike must stop consuming resources and instead focus on repurposing the abundant products they have already put out into the world, writes David Recchia.No tech giant can be sure to last forever. Even seemingly bulletproof, sector-dominating household-name companies are never infallible.Take Kodak. Once a name synonymous with photography itself, its business centred on physical film. It invented the digital camera but decided not to pursue it, and eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2021.It was a similar story with Nokia. In the early days of mobile phones, when their functionality was largely a trinity of texting, calling, and playing Snake, Nokia was the only brand many of us could name. As smartphone technology emerged, Apple rapidly superseded Nokia, which eventually sold its mobile-phone business to Microsoft in 2014.Instead of reducing emissions, why not stop making new products altogether?But now, the days of giant tech brands might be numbered for a different, literally existential reason: their components, taken from natural resources, are finite, and their manufacturing processes are simply unsustainable.Countless brands and businesses publicly state their moves towards "carbon neutrality" and "net zero". But these phrases distract from the most fundamental change that's needed: instead of reducing emissions, why not stop making new products altogether, and repurpose the raft of products that already exist, but aren't being used?Big brands need to focus on circularity, not commodities. And they need to instil that in consumers, too.Sure, that's not easy when historically sales have been driven by brands pushing the idea that newer is better, that old means outdated, unfashionable, unuseful. The default has been "make more stuff, make more profit".Read: Is a plastic-free future possible?This is true for all sectors, not just tech. Take Lego, an icon of play that's almost a century old but doing better now than ever. The company's success has hinged on the fact that its bricks are universal: wherever you are in the world, whatever set you buy, whenever you bought it, those little modular bricks will fit together perfectly. Yet there must be millions of bricks sitting around unused, or worse, languishing in landfills.In terms of both its physical product and its brand platform, Lego couldn't be better suited to re-use: it states its mission is to "inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through creative play and learning". As such, it could pivot to become a facilitator of play and learning using its existing products, rather than producing new ones: after all, sustainability is inherently baked into the concept of the "builders of tomorrow", since they can't build anything if we continue to plunder the earth's resources.Lego could launch a "new" product line perhaps a "cities of the future" kit composed entirely of reused bricks and with instructions that subtly introduce the concepts and practices of building and living sustainability.There's huge potential for brands to genuinely make a differenceConsider skincare brand Dove, too, which alongside parent company Unilever has been under intense scrutiny from the likes of Greenpeace especially in light of recent news that its profits have risen, while its sustainability credentials have fallen.With the vast financial and technical resources at its fingertips, Dove could easily revolutionise its physical packaging and pivot towards refillables and product sharing systems. Its recent "Let's Change Beauty" slogan should focus on change for the planet itself as much as individual users.Huge companies have the chance to act now. They could set a world-leading, radical example by publicly stating that they've exceeded their quotas of natural resources, promising to stop extracting more, refocusing their immense resources on recycling what they already have. And maintain a sustainably profitable business model to boot.Read: "Design as we know it is doomed, but that's a good thing for designers"Such sweeping positive changes would transform their business models to become truly sustainable and could catalyse huge shifts in the way businesses operate the world over. There's no doubt this would impact the relationship we all have with the Earth, driving home a fact that's hard to confront we've taken everything we can from our planet.This might all seem like idealism, but it isn't: there's huge potential for brands to genuinely make a difference without ever straying from their core ethos and what makes them so desirable and successful.Consider the famous (now-retired) Apple slogan "think different'': the company has always been about innovation, progression it has long staked its claim as the brand that moves us forward.We need to stop using "innovation" as a shorthand for "new"And Apple is already starting to "think different": its 2024 Environmental Progress Report clearly demonstrates its mission to remain the global innovation brand of the 21st century not least through focusing on making "durable, long-lasting products" and "enhanc[ing] material recovery".It needs to go further and become the first tech company to declare a resource ceiling, no longer extracting new natural resources and instead relying entirely on recycling and reusing existing materials.The tech brands of the future need to stop making new hardware, reuse and repurpose the abundance of physical products already out there and focus instead on innovating through software alone.We need to stop using "innovation" as a shorthand for "new" and take its dictionary definition as "a new idea or method" more literally pivoting from a production and consumption model towards bold, genuinely sustainable, precedent-setting sustainability.Read: Recycled materials will give Nike "biggest impact" on sustainability says chief design officerNike could do the exact same with "Just Do It", and has started to make some (albeit small) steps in the right direction with initiatives such as its Re-Creation programme, which uses vintage and deadstock pieces to create new locally designed and manufactured products.Brands must work towards collective reinterpretations of how they view their audiences and what their core values mean and they can easily do that without ever losing ground on their position in the market.They must redirect their energies to use what they already have influence, profits, millions of loyal fans, world leadership of their markets. Business leaders have an opportunity to change the course of human history.David Recchia is executive creative director at brand consultancy The Team.The photo is by Alexandar Todov via Unsplash.The post "Companies could set a radical example by stating that they've exceeded their quotas of natural resources" appeared first on Dezeen.

The colours and style of the 1970s influenced this renovation of a compact Paris apartment, designed by New York-based The House Special Studio.It is the first completed project by The House Special Studio, a collaboration between Greek architect and designer Kiki Goti and her partner, French filmmaker Vincent Staropoli.The blue-toned bedroom features a headboard of beige tiles and aluminium scones designed by GotiThe one-bedroom apartment serves as the pied--terre for a client who works for an international NGO and spends much of his time living abroad.He asked the duo to transform his formerly white-walled flat into a more characterful home, taking cues from the furniture, objects and artworks he has collected from his travels.The same tiles feature in the kitchen, alongside black cabinets"Given Stephan's peripatetic nature, never spending more than a week or two in Paris between assignments, he wanted his Parisian home to be a place of respite and familiarity, akin to a hotel suite where comfort and facility are readily available," said Goti.The designers looked to the 1970s, the decade of their client's childhood, as a starting point.This led them to develop a palette that includes nostalgic shades of deep blue, burgundy, terracotta and soft brown.The brown-toned lounge area centres around a vintage 1970s coffee table"The challenge of this project was to make a compact functional space that, despite its small size, has areas with different character," Goti told Dezeen."Sometimes people think that uniform white is more appropriate for small spaces, but here we argue that a small space can feel bigger if colour is used strategically to frame different areas and create distinct zones."Chevron parquet flooring was restored in the bedroom and living spaceThe first step in the renovation was to restore the chevron-patterned parquet flooring that runs through most of the home.In the bedroom, the designers used a beige tile from Portuguese brand Barro to form a headboard for the bed. This creates a pattern of repeating circles that contrasts with the zigzagging lines of the flooring.Read: Hauvette & Madani restores Haussmann-era Paris apartment to its "former glory"Above it, a blue-painted wall provides a contrasting backdrop to the Strand pendant lamp from Danish brand Muuto and aluminium sconces designed by Goti herself.Goti first unveiled these scones as part of the Alcova exhibition in Milan in 2024, alongside a matching chair.The aim in this room, she said, was to "exude an earthy and nocturnal ambience".An orange-painted corner provides a small dining areaFor the main living space, the designers created four distinct zones: a lounge area with a brown backdrop, a workspace set against an orange-painted bookcase, a similarly orange-toned dining space, and a galley-style kitchen.The lounge centres around a 1970s glass and rosewood coffee table from Brazil, found in a Paris flea market, in a nod to a country where the client lived for four years.This sits alongside a vintage leather sofa, upholstered swivel chairs, a pair of vintage 1960s wall lights and a blue ceramic mirror from artist duo Arrarka.A floating desk is built into a wall niche in the same orange toneThe desk was built into an existing wall recess, with bespoke stainless-steel details adding extra character.The designers displayed some of the owner's existing objects on the shelves, includinga series of wooden monk statues from Myanmar and an antique clock from Russia.Burgundy tiles line the walls of the bathroomThe kitchen features the same tiles as the bedroom a controversial choice, according to Goti paired with black cabinets and metallic details.A burgundy tile was selected for the bathroom, lining the walls and side of the built-in bath."A large mirror covering a big portion of the wall above the sink subtly doubles the space," said Goti.A blue ceramic mirror from Arrarka hangs beside the entranceThe designers describe the revamped home as "uncluttered, relaxing and inspiring"."What I am sure we have achieved is to create an authentic atmosphere in the space, an atmosphere that is faithful to our vision as well as true to our client's universe," added Staopoli.Another Parisian project recently featured on Dezeen saw design studio Policronica create a hotel interior using "invasive wood".The photography is by the designers.The post The House Special Studio brings 1970s nostalgia to Paris pied--terre appeared first on Dezeen.

Specks latest speaker takes the term trance music to another level. The only speaker with a built-in infinity mirror, the Gemtones from Speck is supposed to be a speaker that lets you get lost, both visually as well as lost in the music. The team at Speck jokingly refers to it as a mullet speakerbusiness in the front, party in the back. And honestly, the description fits. Its a bookshelf speaker for your cozy afternoons and a party speaker when the lights go down and the energy ramps up.This speaker doesnt beg for attention in the way many party speakers do, which is kind of the point. With its soft gray finish and an earthy leatherette strap, the Gemtones Infinity fits naturally into a living room, blending in like it belongs there. But the mirrored front panel? Thats where things start getting interesting. While it reflects its surroundings in a way that helps it stay low-key in daylight, it doubles as a hidden canvas for an LED light show when the party starts. Flip the speaker into its infinity mode, and the lights behind the mirror come alive, bouncing between layers of glass for an otherworldly effect. Its like your playlist unlocked a portal to another dimension.Designer: SpeckSpeck didnt stop at cool visuals, either. They packed the Gemtones Infinity with plenty of functionality to back up the theatrics. The speaker comes in three sizes, so whether youre outfitting a bedroom or filling a backyard, theres an option for you. Each one is built with two active drivers and a passive radiator tucked into the back, giving the sound a satisfying punch. While the exact wattage wasnt shared, you can expect this setup to deliver a solid, balanced performance that doesnt lose its footing when the bass kicks in.The infinity mirror is easily the icing on this cake. Mostly relegated to DIY craft projects or bachelor-pads, infinity mirrors are exceptionally cool, given how they look like portals into another world. The trick behind them is simple a two-way mirror and a regular mirror are kept facing each other. Add lights between and they reflect almost endlessly, creating a tunnel or portal. By putting this on a Bluetooth speaker, Specks managed to create an audio device that doesnt just sound incredible, it looks incredible too.Thanks to True Wireless Stereo (TWS) tech, you can link two speakers of the same size for stereo sound. But if youre feeling ambitiousor just really want to make an impressionyou can pair up to 50 speakers in a mix-and-match setup. Imagine starting with a single speaker on a bookshelf, then adding satellites all over your house or yard. Its a modular sound system with room to grow.The companion app lets you work all the features. Not only can you toggle between six different LED light effects, but you also get access to six EQ presets to tweak the sound for whatever youre listening to. Want bass-heavy EDM one minute and balanced acoustics the next? A few taps, and youre there. For those who like to micromanage their audio setup, this is the kind of customization that goes a long way.Battery life clocks in at a respectable 15 hours, which should keep things going long past bedtime. Whether its an all-day playlist or a late-night dance session, the Gemtones Infinity isnt going to bail on you early. Its practical enough to use every day, but its that ability to shift gears when needed that makes it feel special.Speck has pulled off something clever with the Gemtones Infinity. It combines optical illusions, home decor, and audio into one package that instantly feels very different from anything youve seen. The speakers come in 3 sizes, priced starting at $79 going up to $129 for the largest. Its the closest thing to owning a miniature disco, honestly. Audio, check, trippy lights, check, vibe check.The post Speck Gemtones Infinity Hands-On at CES 2025: A Speaker + Infinity Mirror That Dazzles and Delivers first appeared on Yanko Design.

We know it's exciting, but make sure your device is secure and set up correctly before you start tinkering with it.

Treatments for rare diseases are hard to create and expensive to deliver, but there is new hope for editing the software of the genome.

Two eyes in the sky are now trained on Earth, locating the worst offenders for releasing methane, wherever they may be.

Visual Concepts has announced WWE 2K25, the next iteration of 2Ks yearly wrestling series. Its launching for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and PC, with more information on its Superstars and features coming on January 28th. A release window has not been confirmed, but the title is due to launch this year.Aside from the announcement teasing the series return in bigger, bolder, and better than ever fashion, there arent many gameplay details. However, the first screenshots on Steam showcase Superstars like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Liv Morgan, Bayley and Damian Priest.The announcement comes a day after 2K shut down servers for WWE 2K23, rendering its multiplayer and community creations unavailable. Current owners can enjoy the single-player component, but its been delisted from storefronts alongside its DLC. WWE 2K24 remains the only title with multiplayer, though 2K has yet to clarify its server timeline (especially in the wake of WWE 2K25s announcement). Stay tuned for more details on the sequel in the coming weeks.https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1876470368027783583

Creativity is the art of making mistakesPublished inThe Medium BlogSent as aNewsletter3 min readJust now-- Welcome back to the Medium Newsletter (its so good to be back!)Issue #240: who the Pope would play in Baldurs Gate 3 and a good reason to read moreWhat does the phrase getting out of your comfort zone really mean, especially when it pertains to writing?When you stretch your limits, you redefine comfort, says Cara J. Stevens for The Writing Cooperative. What once scared you becomes part of your new normal. She explains how the real benefit goes beyond just learning a new skill. You expand your tolerance for discomfort and develop grit the real star of the show.To find what to actually do to grow, Stevens suggests trying new uncomfy ways to use your skills rather than just doing more of the same. Here are a few ways to turn a resolution of writing more into activities that may feel unsafe or new (for now):Try writing a story that makes you uncomfortable: Every time you write the thing that scares you, you become more of the writer you want to be.Submit your work to a Medium publication: Submitting your work feels scary because it opens the door to rejection. But rejection is a sign youre trying.Write a pitch for your favorite magazine or local newspaper: Dont just brainstorm within your usual writing lane. Challenge yourself to think up ideas that feel different, bigger, or bolder than your usual work.Of course, doing something new means youre signing yourself up for blunders. In The essential art of making mistakes, James Bareham (former creative director at some of my favorite websites ever) explains how thats not a bad thing. Making mistakes is being creative, he writes, going on to recommend embracing your worst work as fuel for iterative inspiration:Experimentation is essential to the creative process, and making mistakes doubly so because its often the accidents that lead to something interesting.Great stuff to readThis story introduced me to Jackie Shane, an influential transgender R&B singer particularly active in the 50s and 60s, who is featured in a new documentary. Its just one example of how artists of underrepresented identities are often missing from mainstream music history. Her song Any Other Way is now in heavy rotation in my playlists.A studio director of the video game Baldurs Gate 3 recently confirmed that two copies were sold in The Vatican. For Christina Koh, it begged the delightful and bizarre question: What kind of character would Pope Francis play?If (like me) youre already struggling to find the time for your New Years Resolutions, Roy Phang presents a solution in How 60 Minutes a Day Can Change Your Life, where he shares his journey committing to a daily coding learning ritual but only for three months, not forever. The lesson: Instead of thinking about what you want to spend an hour a day doing for an entire year (terrifying), think about a smaller span of time.Your daily dose of practical wisdomIf youre having trouble writing, youre not reading enough. (David Todd McCarty)