Fantastic nighttime Dubai skyline with illuminated skyscrapers. Rooftop perspective of downtown ... [+] Dubai, UAE.gettyIn a bold move to establish itself as the world's premier destination for digital content creators, Dubai has unveiled the Creators HQ at Emirates Towers, backed by a substantial AED 150 million ($40.8 million) Content Creators Support Fund. The initiative, which aims to attract 10,000 influencers to the UAE, represents a significant step in the emirate's strategy to diversify its economy and cement its position as a global hub for digital innovation.The launch, which took place during the third edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, marks Dubai's latest effort to tap into the booming creator economy. The summit, held under the theme 'Content for Good,' brought together an impressive gathering of over 15,000 content creators, 420 speakers, and 125 CEOs and global experts at Dubai's Emirates Towers, DIFC, and the Museum of the Future.What sets this initiative apart is its comprehensive approach to creator support. The Creators HQ isn't just another co-working space it's a full-service institution designed to address every aspect of a content creator's professional journey. Members will receive assistance with the coveted UAE Golden Visa applications, relocation support, and guidance for company setup and registration. The Golden Visa program, which allows recipients to stay in the UAE for five to ten years without requiring a national sponsor or regular renewal, represents a significant incentive for international creators considering a move to Dubai.In a significant development, the hub has already formed a strategic partnership with Meta to launch the "Creators for Purpose" program. This collaboration aims to empower regional creators to produce meaningful content that promotes positivity across Instagram and Facebook, further highlighting the UAE's commitment to fostering responsible digital content creation.MORE FOR YOUThe facility will host more than 300 events and workshops annually, offering comprehensive training programs led by industry experts. These programs will cover essential skills such as branding, video production, storytelling, audience engagement, monetization strategies, and sponsorship opportunities. Additionally, the hub will provide creative camps for youth, mentorship opportunities, and funding support for promising creators.Dubai's vision extends beyond just social media influencers. The Creators HQ aims to attract a diverse range of creative professionals, including podcasters, visual artists, advertising and marketing firms, media and music producers, animation studios, and fashion and lifestyle brands. The initiative also seeks to establish partnerships with technology companies, including streaming services, gaming and esports firms, virtual and augmented reality developers, and AI startups, creating a fully integrated creative ecosystem.The timing of this initiative is particularly strategic, as the creator economy continues to grow globally. By positioning itself as a creator-friendly destination with world-class infrastructure, tax benefits, and now specialized support for digital content creators, Dubai is setting itself up to capture a significant share of this rapidly expanding market.The creation of the Creators HQ, funded by the Content Creators Support Fund launched in 2024, demonstrates Dubai's commitment to fostering innovation in the digital content sector.This initiative aligns with Dubai's broader economic diversification strategy, adding another layer to its growing reputation as a global hub for innovation and digital media. By providing comprehensive support to content creators, from visa assistance to professional development and networking opportunities, Dubai is creating an ecosystem that could potentially reshape the global creator economy landscape.The success of this ambitious project could have far-reaching implications for both Dubai and the creator economy at large. If successful in attracting its target of 10,000 influencers, the initiative could establish Dubai as the world's premier destination for digital content creation, while simultaneously contributing to the emirate's economic diversification goals and strengthening its position in the global digital economy.As the world continues to embrace digital transformation, Dubai's investment in the creator economy positions it at the forefront of this cultural and economic shift. The Creators HQ represents not just an opportunity for content creators, but a strategic move to shape the future of digital content creation on a global scale.

By Andrew R. ChowJanuary 14, 2025 12:27 PM ESTWith the TikTok ban looming in less than a week, creators are scrambling to find a replacement. Many have simply migrated over to TikToks direct American competitors, like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. But another unlikely challenger has emerged: the Chinese-owned Xiaohongshu, a social media app often referred to as Red Note in English.While Red Note had previously catered almost exclusively to Chinese audiences, Americans are flooding onto the platform this week, making it the number one on the App Store for two days straight. Lemon8, a separate Chinese social media app owned by TikToks owner ByteDance, sits at number two. On those apps, Chinese influencers and fashionistas appear in between American newcomers showing off their woodworking or floating down the Mississippi River.It is unlikely Americans will settle on Red Note or Lemon8 long term: They face the same regulatory pressures that TikTok does. But these apps ascendance does reveal an acute desire from Americans to find their next social media destination; their general wariness about TikToks top American competitors; and their discontent with a ban that many see as paternalistic.It was a bit of a spite thingand I also wanted to be one of the first people over there, says Christina Shuler, an entrepreneur who runs the small business Glam Farmhouse and joined Red Note this week. Hopefully I can be part of the crowd that maybe can change how our government views this whole situation.TikTok's BanTikToks likely shuttering stems from a bill passed by Congress last year, which forced the apps parent company ByteDance to either sell it by Jan. 19, or face a ban in the U.S. TikTok took the law to court, arguing a violation of freedom of speech. But last week, Supreme Court Justices expressed skepticism about the companys legal arguments. Because ByteDance has said it will not sell TikTok, the ban will likely go into effect Sunday. (The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Chinese officials have discussed the possibility of allowing Elon Musk to invest in or run the companys U.S. operations.)Read More:TikToks Fate Arrives at the Supreme CourtSo many users are looking to establish themselves on other platforms. American companies have been preparing for this influx: Snap, for instance, announced a new Monetization Program last month, which places ads within eligible creators videos.But this week, Red Note and Lemon8 seem to be the main beneficiaries. Red Note was founded in 2013 as an online shopping guide before pivoting towards social media and e-commerce. Over 300 million people use the app, which is filled with Mandarin speakers delivering travelogues, beauty tutorials, animal videos and language lessons. Red Note also has a live online marketplace, a format extremely common in Asia, but much less prevalent in the U.S. While some new users noted that the name Red Note seems to allude to Mao Zedongs Little Red Book, the company has stressed that the names are unconnected.Before this week, the few American users of Red Note had included musicians looking to tap into the Chinese market, like John Legend and Mariah Carey. This week, a wave of TikTokkers announced on that app that they would be migrating over to Red Note, and encouraged their followers to join them.Marcus Robinson, a 29-year-old fashion designer, created a Red Note account to share his thrifting adventures and promote his clothing company, P-13. He previously had accrued 21,000 followers on TikTok, and estimates that 40% of his brands sales came from that app. I thought I was going to keep building and make a living ultimately, he says. Robinson heard about Red Note on TikTok, set up an account, and started posting. After just 36 hours on the app, he already has nearly 10,000 followers and 22,000 likes. He engages with his Mandarin-language followers thanks to translations and captions provided by CapCut, an AI-powered video editing app owned by ByteDance. I honestly feel like my brand will grow a lot quicker than it did on TikTok, he says. They're all asking for clothes, asking me to model clothes. Everything's flying right now.Shuler, the 32-year-old woodworker based in South Carolina, had been earning money from TikTok thanks to brand partnerships, the Creator Rewards program, and product commissions. Her first post on Red Note, in which she announced herself as a TikTok refugee and gave a tutorial on how to install a sliding barn door, received 10,000 likes. Right now, everyones so positive and people are caring, she says. Other videos containing the hashtag TikTokrefugee have been viewed 100 million times.Shuler says that her posts on Red Note are already performing better than those on the Meta platforms Instagram and Facebook. Unless you pay Meta to promote your posts, theyre not really going to show it to peopleso Ive seen a significant drop in engagement on both of those platforms, she says. And Facebook is just a bunch of angry people on there. So it was refreshing to get on Red Note and know that my content was appreciated.Shuler says shes even been learning a few Mandarin phrases thanks to the app. Neither she nor Robinson are particularly concerned about the data privacy worries associated with Chinese apps. If youve already bought anything from Temu or Shien, I feel like whatever data that they want, they probably already have, she says.It is quite possible that Red Notes honeymoon will be short-lived. Some users have expressed concern that Red Note will be quicker to censor content that is political, sexual or LBGTQ-related. And Red Note also faces a potential ban: While Congresss Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act singles out TikTok and other ByteDance apps, it also regulates other foreign adversary controlled applications.Nobody thinks rednote is a viable long-term replacement, wrote one Redditor on Monday. This is just a form of protest; a big middle finger to the US government and their billionaire masters.

Editor's take: Conventional wisdom suggests that a tool as powerful as the Internet should make finding employment exponentially easier for job seekers. Yet, unsurprisingly, humanity has managed to complicate it. According to data from hiring platform Greenhouse, roughly one in five jobs posted online either are not real or were never intended to be filled. Both scenarios sound equally unbelievable but critics make some compelling arguments for why it is likely true.Some suggest "ghost job" postings are actually a corporate strategy used to make onlookers believe their business is growing or actively hiring when in reality, that is simply not the case. The practice could also help executives reach quarterly goals without the backlash of removing jobs from career sites.There are plenty of other reasons that come to mind as to why a job listing might not be what it seems on the surface. For example, it is entirely possible that a company wants to make a hire eventually but doesn't have the resources or ability to do it right away.As Stack Overflow highlights, some companies are always on the lookout for new candidates but that doesn't necessarily mean they are actively hiring. Others may have simply "forgot" to take down a listing after making a recent hiring, or want to keep attracting new candidates following a hire in case their first pick does not work out for whatever reason. Worse yet, some companies post ghost jobs to make existing employees feel "replaceable" or so they believe additional help is on the way to alleviate their workload.If you are in the job market and not making much headway, consider alternative routes. Word of mouth is still incredibly powerful; reaching out to contacts you have made over the years through networking could lead to opportunities you might not have otherwise even known about. And if you're feeling overly ambitious, now might be the perfect time to branch out and start your own business. // Related StoriesImage credit: Tahir Osman, Getty Images

One of the most popular features to arrive on Android in recent years could soon get a few tweaks. Android Authority recently discovered the changes to Circle to Search in the Google app, v16.0.7.One of the upcoming changes to Circle to Search is a new feature that will assist users while playing games. This feature, called Get Game Help, is activated by a new chip. It quickly initiates a Google search with the phrase: Get help with this game.Heres the new feature in practice:Google Search Circle to Search - Get Game HelpCircle to Search will also introduce a new animation playing when you enter and exit the tool. When Circle to Search is activated on the phone, the search bar expands from a pill shape at the bottom of the screen. Once the search is finished, the search bar shrinks back into a pill-shaped G icon. The upcoming version will feature the search bar gliding up when a search is initiated and then smoothly returning to the bottom of the screen upon entry and exit.Check out the demo below.Google Circle to Search - New entry and exit animationsThe graphics look a lot like how Apples Siri works in iOS 18, no?Recommended VideosFinally, Circle to Search is expected to feature three themes for the Search bar: a standard white background, a new color-matched palette, and a translucent background.Android AuthorityGoogle first announced Circle to Search in January 2024. Initially, it was exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy S24and Google Pixel 8 series. Since then, the feature has gradually rolled out to more devices, including older Pixel models and many other handsets.Please enable Javascript to view this contentWhen the changes to Circle to Search will launch is currently unknown.Editors Recommendations

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the job cuts are necessary as the company builds the most important technologies in the world.

beyond rosetta Parallels can finally run x86 versions of Windows or Linux on Apple Silicon "Early technology preview" is promising but has lots of limitations for now. Andrew Cunningham Jan 14, 2025 12:34 pm | 13 Credit: Parallels Credit: Parallels Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreVirtualization software like Parallels and VMware Fusion give Mac owners the ability to run Windows and Linux on top of macOS, but for Apple Silicon Macs, that support was limited to the Arm-based versions of those operating systems. And while Windows and Linux both support some level of x86-to-Arm app translation that attempts to maintain compatibility with most software, there are still plenty of things that demand an Intel or AMD processor with the x86 instruction set.Last week, Parallels released a new update that partially resolves this problem: Users of Parallels Desktop Pro 20.2.0 now have access to x86 operating systems via an "early technology preview" of Parallels' "proprietary emulation engine."The technology preview is currently limited to certain 64-bit versions of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2019 and 2022. Parallels also says it has tested several UEFI-compatible Linux distributions, including Ubuntu 22.04.5, Kubuntu 24.04.1, Lubuntu 24.04.1, and Debian versions 12.4 to 12.8. Fedora will install, but it's unstable. 32-bit versions of operating systems, as well as older versions of Windows like Windows 7 or 8, aren't supported. Parallels running the x86 version of Windows 10 on an M1 MacBook Pro. Parallels' virtual CPU appears to identify itself as a 5th-generation Intel Core laptop processor. Credit: Parallels For Windows 11 and supported Linux distros, you can run existing virtual machines using the technology preview, but you can't set up new onesuseful for anyone migrating from an Intel Mac with virtual machines they'd like to keep. If you're trying to set up a new virtual machine, the only officially supported operating systems are Windows Server 2022 and Windows 10 21H2, though there are workarounds available for Windows 10 22H2 and Windows Server 2019.You won't be able to set up fresh copies of Windows 11 or some versions of Linux because the technology preview doesn't support SSE4.2, additional CPU instructions that became common in Intel and AMD processors in the early 2010s. This also means that Windows 11 24H2 VMs are entirely unsupported, since the 24H2 update requires these CPU instructions to work at all.Parallels notes that these operating systems currently run "really slow" due to the overhead required for translation. Windows takes between two and seven minutes to boot, depending on the speed of your Mac, and "the responsiveness of the operating system is low." Rather than attempting to multi-task, Parallels says you should close the app you're using before trying to open another one.Other limitations include a lack of USB passthrough support, no sound, support for just one virtual CPU core and 8GB of RAM, and a lack of support for nested virtualization (which could affect compatibility with features like the Windows Subsystem for Linux). Parallels also says that the translation overhead requires a lot of system resourcesfor example, "an Intel-based Windows 10 VM with 4GBs of RAM assigned will take 8GBs of your Macs memory."While Apple's Rosetta 2 generally does a good job of running Intel Mac apps on Apple Silicon Macs, Apple doesn't support running entire x86 operating systems using Rosetta. The Virtualization Framework built into macOS likewise only supports Arm-compatible operating systems. Though limited, Parallels' support for running x86 operating systems is a unique feature that other companies haven't been able to offer yet. It's also a bit of a blast from the past for longtime Mac usersback in the PowerPC days, Mac owners also had to rely on third-party emulation software like Connectix's Virtual PC for running x86-based operating systems and apps.Andrew CunninghamSenior Technology ReporterAndrew CunninghamSenior Technology Reporter Andrew is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica, with a focus on consumer tech including computer hardware and in-depth reviews of operating systems like Windows and macOS. Andrew lives in Philadelphia and co-hosts a weekly book podcast called Overdue. 13 Comments

HealthA range of brainwave-reading devices and other gadgets aim to monitor our nervous systems and intervene to improve our well-being. Do they work? 14 January 2025 Jake Wangner/StillsYouve achieved 40 seconds of uninterrupted focus.Apparently, this is cause for celebration. For the past 10 minutes, I have been staring at my phone, trying to move a digital ball up a hill using nothing but the power of my mind. The Mendi headset I am wearing is analysing my brain activity and reflecting that back into the game. The more I concentrate, the higher the ball climbs.This exercise is supposedly working out my mental muscle, just as one might use weights to train physical muscle, ultimately improving my focus and reducing my stress.Like thousands of others, I have spent years wearing a smartwatch that helps me track my fitness and improve my physical health. But the wearables industry has its sights set on a new target: our mental health. We now have smartwatches and brainwave-reading devices that not only analyse the state of our nervous system, but actively intervene to supposedly improve our well-being, making mental health support more accessible and wearable than ever before. We are leveraging the brains ability to rewire itself so that you can increase your emotional control, says Mustafa Hamada, Mendis chief product and science officer.As someone who suffers from stress and anxiety, I am eager to try anything that will help me control it. But with my background in neuroscience, I am cautious of believing the hype. So I delved into the growing range of devices that target concentration, focus, stress and anxiety to figure out how they might work and which might really make a difference

Imagine the bustling floors of tomorrows manufacturing plant: Robots, well-versed in multiple disciplines through adaptive AI education, work seamlessly and safely alongside human counterparts. These robots can transition effortlessly between tasksfrom assembling intricate electronic components to handling complex machinery assembly. Each robot's unique education enables it to predict maintenance needs, optimize energy consumption, and innovate processes on the fly, dictated by real-time data analyses and learned experiences in their digital worlds. Training for robots like this will happen in a virtual school, a meticulously simulated environment within the industrial metaverse. Here, robots learn complex skills on accelerated timeframes, acquiring in hours what might take humans months or even years. Beyond traditional programming Training for industrial robots was once like a traditional school: rigid, predictable, and limited to practicing the same tasks over and over. But now were at the threshold of the next era. Robots can learn in virtual classroomsimmersive environments in the industrial metaverse that use simulation, digital twins, and AI to mimic real-world conditions in detail. This digital world can provide an almost limitless training ground that mirrors real factories, warehouses, and production lines, allowing robots to practice tasks, encounter challenges, and develop problem-solving skills. What once took days or even weeks of real-world programming, with engineers painstakingly adjusting commands to get the robot to perform one simple task, can now be learned in hours in virtual spaces. This approach, known as simulation to reality (Sim2Real), blends virtual training with real-world application, bridging the gap between simulated learning and actual performance. Although the industrial metaverse is still in its early stages, its potential to reshape robotic training is clear, and these new ways of upskilling robots can enable unprecedented flexibility. Italian automation provider EPF found that AI shifted the companys entire approach to developing robots. We changed our development strategy from designing entire solutions from scratch to developing modular, flexible components that could be combined to create complete solutions, allowing for greater coherence and adaptability across different sectors, says EPFs chairman and CEO Franco Filippi. Learning by doing AI models gain power when trained on vast amounts of data, such as large sets of labeled examples, learning categories, or classes by trial and error. In robotics, however, this approach would require hundreds of hours of robot time and human oversight to train a single task. Even the simplest of instructions, like grab a bottle, for example, could result in many varied outcomes depending on the bottles shape, color, and environment. Training then becomes a monotonous loop that yields little significant progress for the time invested. Building AI models that can generalize and then successfully complete a task regardless of the environment is key for advancing robotics. Researchers from New York University, Meta, and Hello Robot have introduced robot utility models that achieve a 90% success rate in performing basic tasks across unfamiliar environments without additional training. Large language models are used in combination with computer vision to provide continuous feedback to the robot on whether it has successfully completed the task. This feedback loop accelerates the learning process by combining multiple AI techniquesand avoids repetitive training cycles. Robotics companies are now implementing advanced perception systems capable of training and generalizing across tasks and domains. For example, EPF worked with Siemens to integrate visual AI and object recognition into its robotics to create solutions that can adapt to varying product geometries and environmental conditions without mechanical reconfiguration. Learning by imagining Scarcity of training data is a constraint for AI, especially in robotics. However, innovations that use digital twins and synthetic data to train robots have significantly advanced on previously costly approaches. For example, Siemens SIMATIC Robot Pick AI expands on this vision of adaptability, transforming standard industrial robotsonce limited to rigid, repetitive tasksinto complex machines. Trained on synthetic datavirtual simulations of shapes, materials, and environmentsthe AI prepares robots to handle unpredictable tasks, like picking unknown items from chaotic bins, with over 98% accuracy. When mistakes happen, the system learns, improving through real-world feedback. Crucially, this isnt just a one-robot fix. Software updates scale across entire fleets, upgrading robots to work more flexibly and meet the rising demand for adaptive production. Another example is the robotics firm ANYbotics, which generates 3D models of industrial environments that function as digital twins of real environments. Operational data, such as temperature, pressure, and flow rates, are integrated to create virtual replicas of physical facilities where robots can train. An energy plant, for example, can use its site plans to generate simulations of inspection tasks it needs robots to perform in its facilities. This speeds the robots training and deployment, allowing them to perform successfully with minimal on-site setup. Simulation also allows for the near-costless multiplication of robots for training. In simulation, we can create thousands of virtual robots to practice tasks and optimize their behavior. This allows us to accelerate training time and share knowledge between robots, says Pter Fankhauser, CEO and co-founder of ANYbotics. Because robots need to understand their environment regardless of orientation or lighting, ANYbotics and partner Digica created a method of generating thousands of synthetic images for robot training. By removing the painstaking work of collecting huge numbers of real images from the shop floor, the time needed to teach robots what they need to know is drastically reduced. Similarly, Siemens leverages synthetic data to generate simulated environments to train and validate AI models digitally before deployment into physical products. By using synthetic data, we create variations in object orientation, lighting, and other factors to ensure the AI adapts well across different conditions, says Vincenzo De Paola, project lead at Siemens. We simulate everything from how the pieces are oriented to lighting conditions and shadows. This allows the model to train under diverse scenarios, improving its ability to adapt and respond accurately in the real world. Digital twins and synthetic data have proven powerful antidotes to data scarcity and costly robot training. Robots that train in artificial environments can be prepared quickly and inexpensively for wide varieties of visual possibilities and scenarios they may encounter in the real world. We validate our models in this simulated environment before deploying them physically, says De Paola. This approach allows us to identify any potential issues early and refine the model with minimal cost and time. This technologys impact can extend beyond initial robot training. If the robots real-world performance data is used to update its digital twin and analyze potential optimizations, it can create a dynamic cycle of improvement to systematically enhance the robots learning, capabilities, and performance over time. The well-educated robot at work With AI and simulation powering a new era in robot training, organizations will reap the benefits. Digital twins allow companies to deploy advanced robotics with dramatically reduced setup times, and the enhanced adaptability of AI-powered vision systems makes it easier for companies to alter product lines in response to changing market demands. The new ways of schooling robots are transforming investment in the field by also reducing risk. Its a game-changer, says De Paola. Our clients can now offer AI-powered robotics solutions as services, backed by data and validated models. This gives them confidence when presenting their solutions to customers, knowing that the AI has been tested extensively in simulated environments before going live. Filippi envisions this flexibility enabling todays robots to make tomorrows products. The need in one or two years time will be for processing new products that are not known today. With digital twins and this new data environment, it is possible to design today a machine for products that are not known yet, says Filippi. Fankhauser takes this idea a step further. I expect our robots to become so intelligent that they can independently generate their own missions based on the knowledge accumulated from digital twins, he says. Today, a human still guides the robot initially, but in the future, theyll have the autonomy to identify tasks themselves. This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Reviews editorial staff.

Jeff Bezos sorts decisions into two categories those you can walk back, and those you can't.The concept of "one-way door" and "two-way door" decisions is meant to help big companies move quickly.AWS CEO Matt Garman recently talked on a podcast about the decision-making framework.Have you ever wondered how Amazon calculates risky decisions? Founder Jeff Bezos famously simplified the process by sorting decisions into two camps one-way doors, and two-way doors.The concept, intended to help a big company categorize decisions and move quickly, appears to be alive and well within Amazon four years after Bezos announced he was stepping down as CEO.Matt Garman, the CEO of Amazon Web Services, broke down how he applies Bezos's decision-making model on a recent episode of The Verge's "Decoder" podcast."Well, part of my job is to make the one-way door decisions," Garman said. "So I think that framework is, it's a useful one to think about. And just to clarify, in case you're not aware of it, largely that's how you go fast. You try to define what those decisions are."Bezos has previously said that a common pitfall for companies is employing a "one-size-fits-all" model sacrificing speed by not knowing what to run up the flagpole, and when. Ideally, two-way-door decisions require minimal executive oversight, if any.Garman agrees."You want the people that are owning those teams at the edges of the organization that really own those products to make important decisions because they know best about their product," Garman said. "But they're also decisions that could be undone if we decide that it wasn't the right thing to do."Garman said he's rarely the expert on any particular subject AWS is working on and doesn't try to pretend otherwise, instead devoting time to absorbing their views."And so I make sure that I listen and leave space for those experts who spend all of their days thinking about that to weigh in as to how they've come up with their recommendation, how they think about what we should do," Garman said.The cloud services CEO also asks questions. Garman said he sees his "non-expert" point of view as essential to the decision-making process, as a zoomed-out focus can help him bridge knowledge gaps between one area of the business and another."I try to make sure that, as an organization, we've connected those dots and then ask the right sets of questions," Garman said.Garman said his role leading AWS, ultimately, is to keep things moving by handing down the final word. After all speed is of the essence."And then if there's a tiebreaker decision I'll have to do it so that we can move fast," Garman said. "I think the place we don't want to be in is to sit there and just debate forever. At some point, you need a tiebreaker decision, and that's what I view my job as doing as well."

In the midst of the devastating wildfires that have raged through the Los Angeles area over the last week, thousands of residents are grappling with the fallout, from the tangible losses more than 12,000 structures were damaged or destroyed to the sentimental generations of memories gone. What can be even more overwhelming for victims is figuring out what to do next and how to begin to recover. Californians arent alone. In recent years, major natural disasters have devastated communities throughout the country. Last falls Hurricanes Milton and Helene damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes. Over 2,200 structures were destroyed in the 2023 Maui wildfires. According to Bankrates 2023 Extreme Weather Survey, over the past decade, 57 percent of US adults were forced to shoulder costs because of hurricanes, tornados, wildfires, earthquakes, flooding, or heavy snow events.In the aftermath of such events, residents likely need to file insurance claims and apply for assistance. This process can be arduous, with those impacted required to submit detailed lists of items lost according to a 2023 Insurance Information Institute survey, fewer than half of homeowners had prepared personal inventories of their belongings to document such losses. Making matters more complicated, in California, a home insurance crisis looms after thousands of homeowners in fire-prone areas were recently told that their policies were not being renewed. The state has some safeguards in place: Those dropped from their plans could enroll in Californias FAIR plan, an insurance program that the state established in the late 1960s that offers minimal fire coverage for high-risk properties as a last resort. Recently implemented insurance reforms in California will also require insurers to offer new policies in fire-prone areas and could bring back insurers like State Farm that previously dropped policy holders in high-risk regions. Residents without insurance can access aid through the Federal Emergency Management Agency or state assistance programs. Heres how to start the process to receive relief.Your first call should be to your insurance companyAfter local authorities have deemed it safe to return to your home after a disaster, assess the damage and reach out to your insurance company by phone or app to start a claim as soon as you can. Take photos and videos of any damage dont throw away damaged items or make repairs until an insurance adjuster has completed their assessment. There may be delays due to the ongoing nature of the disaster, as well as its scope, says Jeff Schlegelmilch, the director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at the Columbia Climate School. Fires are still ongoing, and it may be unsafe for adjusters to access the area. The number of homes that were impacted and need to be evaluated can add to the lag.Dont make repairs before your insurer has assessed the damage, as it may void your coverage, George Hooker, an attorney at Cole, Scott, and Kissane who specializes in property insurance claims, said by email. If you took pictures and video documentation of your home and belongings before the damage, this can be useful to substantiate your losses with your insurance company. Fortunately, damage from smoke and fire is covered under standard homeowner and renters insurance policies in California, according to the Insurance Information Institute. California regulation requires homeowners and renters insurers to immediately pay policyholders one-third of the estimated value of their belongings and a minimum of four months rent in the event that you are completely displaced, known as additional living expense. The FAIR plan covers up to $3 million in damages for residential policyholders and only reimburses the cost of renting a property thats similar to your home. Keep all receipts for expenses like lodging, car and furniture rental, or laundry so you can be reimbursed later.Ask your insurance company when you can expect them to come assist you, Hooker says: Some insurers offer emergency response services to help you secure your property and avoid further damage. Make sure you get a claim number write it down which can help you when following up on the status of your claim down the road. Follow up with your insurance company if they havent scheduled your assessment. After an adjuster assesses the damage, they will determine how much the insurance company will pay you. You may be given a settlement offer on the spot, but do not sign offers right away, as you may be entitled to more money. If you disagree with the assessment from your insurance company, you can hire a public adjuster for a fee. Their second opinion can help you when negotiating with your insurance company. You can also appeal any decisions made by your insurance company.Keep detailed notes and send a follow-up email after every conversation with an insurance representative or adjuster to document your progress. If the claim is accepted, you may receive one or multiple checks based on the extent of the damage. The amount of time insurance companies have to pay out claims depends on where you live. States like Arizona and Kentucky must send checks within 30 days while Texas laws require insurers to send payment within five days. Claims involving mortgage lenders and for significant damage can take longer to process; you can file a complaint with the states insurance department if your insurance company is dragging their feet. Usually, though, insurance companies are fairly prompt in paying disaster victims, Schlegelmilch says.Residents with rental insurance should also reach out to their carrier and document any damages whenever its safe to return to the property, Hooker says.Whether youve been impacted by a fire or flood, the advice is the same: Document the damage and contact your insurance company as soon as possible, Hooker says.Its worth noting that some types of damage may be covered differently depending on the disaster, he says. For instance, standard homeowners insurance policies usually do not cover flood damage, so it is useful to check on the type of coverage you have. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has a detailed step-by-step guide on how to submit an insurance claim after a natural disaster and how to navigate the process moving forward.What to do if you dont have insuranceFor those without homeowners or renters insurance, you can apply for relief through FEMA. (Those with insurance are also eligible for FEMA assistance.) Fill out the application at DisasterAssistance.gov, on the FEMA app, or by phone at 1-800-621-3362. Youll need your Social Security number, description of the damage caused, your annual household income, contact information, and bank account information for direct deposit. A FEMA inspector will call and ask about your damages within 10 days of applying for aid. Youll receive an eligibility decision within 10 days of that call. If youre eligible for aid, youll receive a check or direct deposit at that time. FEMA assistance can be used to pay for rent or lodging expenses if you are displaced and home repair and replacement. Applicants can expect to receive this aid fairly quickly, Schlegelmilch says. Hooker also suggests checking if your state or city is offering disaster relief. Aid organizations like the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army operate shelters and service sites offering access to caseworkers to help with financial assistance. These disaster assistance centers are where you can talk to case managers to determine what forms of aid youre eligible for. For example, if you have insurance, you are ineligible for certain types of public assistance, Schlegelmilch says. These can be really complex dynamics, he says. Disaster assistance centers, or a reputable nonprofit that offers disaster case management, is your best resource to help navigate this. If you can afford it, some law firms also provide assistance for disaster victims to access available aid. Again, you can find these centers listed on your local emergency management offices website or local chapters of organizations like the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, and the United Way. Some banks also offer disaster assistance. US Bank runs a disaster hotline to help customers determine which programs theyre eligible for. Golden 1 Credit Unions Community Emergency Relief program provides loans with flexible payment options. Check with your bank to see if they have disaster relief programs available.Finding somewhere to liveTo find immediate shelter housing, DisasterAssistance.gov has an emergency shelter page with resources for housing. The California Office of Emergency Services also has a list of available shelters. You can learn about other disaster assistance programs and housing and rental assistance information at a Disaster Recovery Center. To find one near you, enter your address in FEMAs DRC locator. You can use the cash advance your insurance company gave you for additional living expenses to help pay for temporary housing. After you apply for disaster assistance through FEMA, you may find out you qualify for transitional housing, which covers hotel stays while youre displaced. Airbnb is also offering free temporary housing for people impacted by the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Fill out the application for housing through the county website. Dozens of Southern California U-Haul facilities are offering free storage options for those impacted by wildfires. Youre still responsible for making mortgage payments even if a disaster has destroyed your home, but you can request mortgage forbearance to pause or lower payments by calling your mortgage lender.If youre a renter, you have the right to terminate your lease if youre unable to live in the property. Refer to your lease for instructions on how to either pause rent payments or terminate the lease. For help paying for longer-term housing, FEMA offers continued temporary housing assistance programming. Eligible residents who need more than two months of FEMA rental assistance can apply to receive rental assistance for another three months or longer. Renters and homeowners can call FEMAs helpline at 1-800-621-3362 to request an application. Outside of FEMA assistance, residents may need to secure housing on their own, a process only made more difficult by housing shortages and price gouging. Six months after the Maui wildfires, thousands of residents struggled to find housing. Already, rents are skyrocketing in Los Angeles. Potential housing options include extended stay hotels, short term rentals, and corporate housing that accepts public customers. United Corporate Housing and Corporate Housing by Owner, for instance, are offering temporary housing for California wildfire victims.While the recovery from natural disasters often takes years, theres still a lot of help that impacted residents can get now. 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