IT Pros ‘Extremely Worried’ About Shadow AI: Report By John P. Mello Jr. June 4, 2025 5:00 AM PT ADVERTISEMENT Enterprise IT Lead Generation Services Fuel Your Pipeline. Close More Deals. Our full-service marketing programs deliver sales-ready leads. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! Learn more. Shadow AI — the use of AI tools under the radar of IT departments — has information technology directors and executives worried, according to a report released Tuesday. The report, based on a survey of 200 IT directors and executives at U.S. enterprise organizations of 1,000 employees or more, found nearly half the IT pros (46%) were “extremely worried” about shadow AI, and almost all of them (90%) were concerned about it from a privacy and security viewpoint. “As our survey found, shadow AI is resulting in palpable, concerning outcomes, with nearly 80% of IT leaders saying it has resulted in negative incidents such as sensitive data leakage to Gen AI tools, false or inaccurate results, and legal risks of using copyrighted information,” said Krishna Subramanian, co-founder of Campbell, Calif.-based Komprise, the unstructured data management company that produced the report. “Alarmingly, 13% say that shadow AI has caused financial or reputational harm to their organizations,” she told TechNewsWorld. Subramanian added that shadow AI poses a much greater problem than shadow IT, which primarily focuses on departmental power users purchasing cloud instances or SaaS tools without obtaining IT approval. “Now we’ve got an unlimited number of employees using tools like ChatGPT or Claude AI to get work done, but not understanding the potential risk they are putting their organizations at by inadvertently submitting company secrets or customer data into the chat prompt,” she explained. “The data risk is large and growing in still unforeseen ways because of the pace of AI development and adoption and the fact that there is a lot we don’t know about how AI works,” she continued. “It is becoming more humanistic all the time and capable of making decisions independently.” Shadow AI Introduces Security Blind Spots Shadow AI is the next step after shadow IT and is a growing risk, noted James McQuiggan, security awareness advocate at KnowBe4, a security awareness training provider in Clearwater, Fla. “Users use AI tools for content, images, or applications and to process sensitive data or company information without proper security checks,” he told TechNewsWorld. “Most organizations will have privacy, compliance, and data protection policies, and shadow AI introduces blind spots in the organization’s data loss prevention.” “The biggest risk with shadow AI is that the AI application has not passed through a security analysis as approved AI tools may have been,” explained Melissa Ruzzi, director of AI at AppOmni, a SaaS security management software company, in San Mateo, Calif. “Some AI applications may be training models using your data, may not adhere to relevant regulations that your company is required to follow, and may not even have the data storage security level you deem necessary to keep your data from being exposed,” she told TechNewsWorld. “Those risks are blind spots of potential security vulnerabilities in shadow AI.” Krishna Vishnubhotla, vice president of product strategy at Zimperium, a mobile security company based in Dallas, noted that shadow AI extends beyond unapproved applications and involves embedded AI components that can process and disseminate sensitive data in unpredictable ways. “Unlike traditional shadow IT, which may be limited to unauthorized software or hardware, shadow AI can run on employee mobile devices outside the organization’s perimeter and control,” he told TechNewsWorld. “This creates new security and compliance risks that are harder to track and mitigate.” Vishnubhotla added that the financial impact of shadow AI varies, but unauthorized AI tools can lead to significant regulatory fines, data breaches, and loss of intellectual property. “Depending on the scale of the agency and the sensitivity of the data exposed, the costs could range from millions to potentially billions in damages due to compliance violations, remediation efforts, and reputational harm,” he said. “Federal agencies handling vast amounts of sensitive or classified information, financial institutions, and health care organizations are particularly vulnerable,” he said. “These sectors collect and analyze vast amounts of high-value data, making AI tools attractive. But without proper vetting, these tools could be easily exploited.” Shadow AI Everywhere and Easy To Use Nicole Carignan, SVP for security and AI strategy at Darktrace, a global cybersecurity AI company, predicts an explosion of tools that utilize AI and generative AI within enterprises and on devices used by employees. “In addition to managing AI tools that are built in-house, security teams will see a surge in the volume of existing tools that have new AI features and capabilities embedded, as well as a rise in shadow AI,” she told TechNewsWorld. “If the surge remains unchecked, this raises serious questions and concerns about data loss prevention, as well as compliance concerns as new regulations start to take effect.” “That will drive an increasing need for AI asset discovery — the ability for companies to identify and track the use of AI systems throughout the enterprise,” she said. “It is imperative that CIOs and CISOs dig deep into new AI security solutions, asking comprehensive questions about data access and visibility.” Shadow AI has become so rampant because it is everywhere and easy to access through free tools, maintained Komprise’s Subramanian. “All you need is a web browser,” she said. “Enterprise users can inadvertently share company code snippets or corporate data when using these Gen AI tools, which could create data leakage.” “These tools are growing and changing exponentially,” she continued. “It’s really hard to keep up. As the IT leader, how do you track this and determine the risk? Managers might be looking the other way because their teams are getting more done. You may need fewer contractors and full-time employees. But I think the risk of the tools is not well understood.” “The low, or in some cases non-existent, learning curve associated with using Gen AI services has led to rapid adoption, regardless of prior experience with these services,” added Satyam Sinha, CEO and co-founder of Acuvity, a provider of runtime Gen AI security and governance solutions, in Sunnyvale, Calif. “Whereas shadow IT focused on addressing a specific challenge for particular employees or departments, shadow AI addresses multiple challenges for multiple employees and departments. Hence, the greater appeal,” he said. “The abundance and rapid development of Gen AI services also means employees can find the right solution [instantly]. Of course, all these traits have direct security implications.” Banning AI Tools Backfires To support innovation while minimizing the threat of shadow AI, enterprises must take a three-pronged approach, asserted Kris Bondi, CEO and co-founder of Mimoto, a threat detection and response company in San Francisco. They must educate employees on the dangers of unsupported, unmonitored AI tools, create company protocols for what is not acceptable use of unauthorized AI tools, and, most importantly, provide AI tools that are sanctioned. “Explaining why one tool is sanctioned and another isn’t greatly increases compliance,” she told TechNewsWorld. “It does not work for a company to have a zero-use mandate. In fact, this results in an increase in stealth use of shadow AI.” In the very near future, more and more applications will be leveraging AI in different forms, so the reality of shadow AI will be present more than ever, added AppOmni’s Ruzzi. “The best strategy here is employee training and AI usage monitoring,” she said. “It will become crucial to have in place a powerful SaaS security tool that can go beyond detecting direct AI usage of chatbots to detect AI usage connected to other applications,” she continued, “allowing for early discovery, proper risk assessment, and containment to minimize possible negative consequences.” “Shadow AI is just the beginning,” KnowBe4’s McQuiggan added. “As more teams use AI, the risks grow.” He recommended that companies start small, identify what’s being used, and build from there. They should also get legal, HR, and compliance involved. “Make AI governance part of your broader security program,” he said. “The sooner you start, the better you can manage what comes next.” John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John. Leave a Comment Click here to cancel reply. Please sign in to post or reply to a comment. New users create a free account. Related Stories More by John P. Mello Jr. view all More in IT Leadership

How Deepfakes Are Created Generative AI models enable the creation of highly realistic fake media. Most deepfakes today are produced by training deep neural networks on real images, video or audio of a target person. The two predominant AI architectures are generative adversarial networks (GANs) and autoencoders. A GAN consists of a generator network that produces synthetic images and a discriminator network that tries to distinguish fakes from real data. Through iterative training, the generator learns to produce outputs that increasingly fool the discriminator¹. Autoencoder-based tools similarly learn to encode a target face and then decode it onto a source video. In practice, deepfake creators use accessible software: open-source tools like DeepFaceLab and FaceSwap dominate video face-swapping (one estimate suggests DeepFaceLab was used for over 95% of known deepfake videos)². Voice-cloning tools (often built on similar AI principles) can mimic a person’s speech from minutes of audio. Commercial platforms like Synthesia allow text-to-video avatars (turning typed scripts into lifelike “spokespeople”), which have already been misused in disinformation campaigns³. Even mobile apps (e.g. FaceApp, Zao) let users do basic face swaps in minutes⁴. In short, advances in GANs and related models make deepfakes cheaper and easier to generate than ever. Diagram of a generative adversarial network (GAN): A generator network creates fake images from random input and a discriminator network distinguishes fakes from real examples. Over time the generator improves until its outputs “fool” the discriminator⁵ During creation, a deepfake algorithm is typically trained on a large dataset of real images or audio from the target. The more varied and high-quality the training data, the more realistic the deepfake. The output often then undergoes post-processing (color adjustments, lip-syncing refinements) to enhance believability¹. Technical defenses focus on two fronts: detection and authentication. Detection uses AI models to spot inconsistencies (blinking irregularities, audio artifacts or metadata mismatches) that betray a synthetic origin⁵. Authentication embeds markers before dissemination – for example, invisible watermarks or cryptographically signed metadata indicating authenticity⁶. The EU AI Act will soon mandate that major AI content providers embed machine-readable “watermark” signals in synthetic media⁷. However, as GAO notes, detection is an arms race – even a marked deepfake can sometimes evade notice – and labels alone don’t stop false narratives from spreading⁸⁹. Deepfakes in Recent Elections: Examples Deepfakes and AI-generated imagery already have made headlines in election cycles around the world. In the 2024 U.S. primary season, a digitally-altered audio robocall mimicked President Biden’s voice urging Democrats not to vote in the New Hampshire primary. The caller (“Susan Anderson”) was later fined $6 million by the FCC and indicted under existing telemarketing laws¹⁰¹¹. (Importantly, FCC rules on robocalls applied regardless of AI: the perpetrator could have used a voice actor or recording instead.) Also in 2024, former President Trump posted on social media a collage implying that pop singer Taylor Swift endorsed his campaign, using AI-generated images of Swift in “Swifties for Trump” shirts¹². The posts sparked media uproar, though analysts noted the same effect could have been achieved without AI (e.g., by photoshopping text on real images)¹². Similarly, Elon Musk’s X platform carried AI-generated clips, including a parody “Ad” depicting Vice-President Harris’s voice via an AI clone¹³. Beyond the U.S., deepfake-like content has appeared globally. In Indonesia’s 2024 presidential election, a video surfaced on social media in which a convincingly generated image of the late President Suharto appeared to endorse the candidate of the Golkar Party. Days later, the endorsed candidate (who is Suharto’s son-in-law) won the presidency¹⁴. In Bangladesh, a viral deepfake video superimposed the face of opposition leader Rumeen Farhana onto a bikini-clad body – an incendiary fabrication designed to discredit her in the conservative Muslim-majority society¹⁵. Moldova’s pro-Western President Maia Sandu has been repeatedly targeted by AI-driven disinformation; one deepfake video falsely showed her resigning and endorsing a Russian-friendly party, apparently to sow distrust in the electoral process¹⁶. Even in Taiwan (amidst tensions with China), a TikTok clip circulated that synthetically portrayed a U.S. politician making foreign-policy statements – stoking confusion ahead of Taiwanese elections¹⁷. In Slovakia’s recent campaign, AI-generated audio mimicking the liberal party leader suggested he plotted vote-rigging and beer-price hikes – instantly spreading on social media just days before the election¹⁸. These examples show that deepfakes have touched diverse polities (from Bangladesh and Indonesia to Moldova, Slovakia, India and beyond), often aiming to undermine candidates or confuse voters¹⁵¹⁸. Notably, many of the most viral “deepfakes” in 2024 were actually circulated as obvious memes or claims, rather than subtle deceptions. Experts observed that outright undetectable AI deepfakes were relatively rare; more common were AI-generated memes plainly shared by partisans, or cheaply doctored “cheapfakes” made with basic editing tools¹³¹⁹. For instance, social media was awash with memes of Kamala Harris in Soviet garb or of Black Americans holding Trump signs¹³, but these were typically used satirically, not meant to be secretly believed. Nonetheless, even unsophisticated fakes can sway opinion: a U.S. study found that false presidential ads (not necessarily AI-made) did change voter attitudes in swing states. In sum, deepfakes are a real and growing phenomenon in election campaigns²⁰²¹ worldwide – a trend taken seriously by voters and regulators alike. U.S. Legal Framework and Accountability In the U.S., deepfake creators and distributors of election misinformation face a patchwork of tools, but no single comprehensive federal “deepfake law.” Existing laws relevant to disinformation include statutes against impersonating government officials, electioneering (such as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, which requires disclaimers on political ads), and targeted statutes like criminal electioneering communications. In some cases ordinary laws have been stretched: the NH robocall used the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and mail/telemarketing fraud provisions, resulting in the $6M fine and a criminal charge. Similarly, voice impostors can potentially violate laws against “false advertising” or “unlawful corporate communications.” However, these laws were enacted before AI, and litigators have warned they often do not fit neatly. For example, deceptive deepfake claims not tied to a specific victim do not easily fit into defamation or privacy torts. Voter intimidation laws (prohibiting threats or coercion) also leave a gap for non-threatening falsehoods about voting logistics or endorsements. Recognizing these gaps, some courts and agencies are invoking other theories. The U.S. Department of Justice has recently charged individuals under broad fraud statutes (e.g. for a plot to impersonate an aide to swing votes in 2020), and state attorneys general have considered deepfake misinformation as interference with voting rights. Notably, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) is preparing to enforce new rules: in April 2024 it issued an advisory opinion limiting “non-candidate electioneering communications” that use falsified media, effectively requiring that political ads use only real images of the candidate. If finalized, that would make it unlawful for campaigns to pay for ads depicting a candidate saying things they never did. Similarly, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) have signaled that purely commercial deepfakes could violate consumer protection or election laws (for example, liability for mass false impersonation or for foreign-funded electioneering). U.S. Legislation and Proposals Federal lawmakers have proposed new statutes. The DEEPFAKES Accountability Act (H.R.5586 in the 118th Congress) would, among other things, impose a disclosure requirement: political ads featuring a manipulated media likeness would need clear disclaimers identifying the content as synthetic. It also increases penalties for producing false election videos or audio intended to influence the vote. While not yet enacted, supporters argue it would provide a uniform rule for all federal and state campaigns. The Brennan Center supports transparency requirements over outright bans, suggesting laws should narrowly target deceptive deepfakes in paid ads or certain categories (e.g. false claims about time/place/manner of voting) while carving out parody and news coverage. At the state level, over 20 states have passed deepfake laws specifically for elections. For example, Florida and California forbid distributing falsified audio/visual media of candidates with intent to deceive voters (though Florida’s law exempts parody). Some states (like Texas) define “deepfake” in statutes and allow candidates to sue or revoke candidacies of violators. These measures have had mixed success: courts have struck down overly broad provisions that acted as prior restraints (e.g. Minnesota’s 2023 law was challenged for threatening injunctions against anyone “reasonably believed” to violate it). Critically, these state laws raise First Amendment issues: political speech is highly protected, so any restriction must be tightly tailored. Already, Texas and Virginia statutes are under legal review, and Elon Musk’s company has sued under California’s law (which requires platforms to label or block deepfakes) as unconstitutional. In practice, most lawsuits have so far centered on defamation or intellectual property (for instance, a celebrity suing over a botched celebrity-deepfake video), rather than election-focused statutes. Policy Recommendations: Balancing Integrity and Speech Given the rapidly evolving technology, experts recommend a multi-pronged approach. Most stress transparency and disclosure as core principles. For example, the Brennan Center urges requiring any political communication that uses AI-synthesized images or voice to include a clear label. This could be a digital watermark or a visible disclaimer. Transparency has two advantages: it forces campaigns and platforms to “own” the use of AI, and it alerts audiences to treat the content with skepticism. Outright bans on all deepfakes would likely violate free speech, but targeted bans on specific harms (e.g. automated phone calls impersonating voters, or videos claiming false polling information) may be defensible. Indeed, Florida already penalizes misuse of recordings in voter suppression. Another recommendation is limited liability: tying penalties to demonstrable intent to mislead, not to the mere act of content creation. Both U.S. federal proposals and EU law generally condition fines on the “appearance of fraud” or deception. Technical solutions can complement laws. Watermarking original media (as encouraged by the EU AI Act) could deter the reuse of authentic images in doctored fakes. Open tools for deepfake detection – some supported by government research grants – should be deployed by fact-checkers and social platforms. Making detection datasets publicly available (e.g. the MIT OpenDATATEST) helps improve AI models to spot fakes. International cooperation is also urged: cross-border agreements on information-sharing could help trace and halt disinformation campaigns. The G7 and APEC have all recently committed to fighting election interference via AI, which may lead to joint norms or rapid response teams. Ultimately, many analysts believe the strongest “cure” is a well-informed public: education campaigns to teach voters to question sensational media, and a robust independent press to debunk falsehoods swiftly. While the law can penalize the worst offenders, awareness and resilience in the electorate are crucial buffers against influence operations. As Georgia Tech’s Sean Parker quipped in 2019, “the real question is not if deepfakes will influence elections, but who will be empowered by the first effective one.” Thus policies should aim to deter malicious use without unduly chilling innovation or satire. References: https://www.security.org/resources/deepfake-statistics/. https://www.wired.com/story/synthesia-ai-deepfakes-it-control-riparbelli/. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107292. https://technologyquotient.freshfields.com/post/102jb19/eu-ai-act-unpacked-8-new-rules-on-deepfakes. https://knightcolumbia.org/blog/we-looked-at-78-election-deepfakes-political-misinformation-is-not-an-ai-problem. https://www.npr.org/2024/12/21/nx-s1-5220301/deepfakes-memes-artificial-intelligence-elections. https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-elections-disinformation-chatgpt-bc283e7426402f0b4baa7df280a4c3fd. https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/new-and-old-tools-to-tackle-deepfakes-and-election-lies-in-2024. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/regulating-ai-deepfakes-and-synthetic-media-political-arena. https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/political-deepfakes-and-elections/. https://www.ncsl.org/technology-and-communication/deceptive-audio-or-visual-media-deepfakes-2024-legislation. https://law.unh.edu/sites/default/files/media/2022/06/nagumotu_pp113-157.pdf. https://dfrlab.org/2024/10/02/brazil-election-ai-research/. https://dfrlab.org/2024/11/26/brazil-election-ai-deepfakes/. https://freedomhouse.org/article/eu-digital-services-act-win-transparency. The post The Legal Accountability of AI-Generated Deepfakes in Election Misinformation appeared first on MarkTechPost.

Fifteen Iranian students and researchers sued the Trump administration for completely halting student visa interviews while it determines whether to vet all visa applicants’ social media accounts.The suit, filed against Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a Virginia federal court, claims that the pause on student visa interviews violates the Administrative Procedures Act, a law prohibiting capricious rule-making. The complaint is currently sealed. In an email, Curtis Morrison and Hamdi Masri, lawyers for the students, noted that the State Department has required visa applicants to disclose their social media handles since May 2019. Visa applicants from certain Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, are already subject to “extensive social media vetting,” Masri said, adding that Trump seemed to want to “ensure students entering align with his political values.”The students and researchers who brought the suit against Rubio were admitted to universities across the country — including Yale, Ohio State, and the University of South Florida — for graduate programs in computer science, engineering, finance, and other disciplines. Per their attorneys, each of the students had already attended visa interviews, but all of their applications are currently “awaiting national security vetting.” Some of the students were interviewed over a year ago.The pause on student visa interviews is part of the Trump administration’s multi-pronged attack on universities and international students. On Wednesday, Rubio said the State Department would start working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese Students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.” On May 22nd, DHS rescinded Harvard’s access to a federal database used to track foreign students’ enrollment, putting nearly 6,800 people enrolled at Harvard at risk of immediate deportation until a federal judge intervened.Rubio has also suspended the visas of international students involved in pro-Palestine protests on campus. More recently, the State Department restricted visas of “foreign nationals who are responsible for censorship of protected speech in the United States,” i.e., regulators who enforce the European Union’s Digital Services Act.See More:

Time spent in apps always peaks during the holiday season. The key to making that uplift work for your user acquisition is tackling it from all angles - from optimizing existing channels to expanding into new ones. That way, you can generate the installs and ROAS you need to start the new year off right.That’s why we invited three ironSource experts to this edition of our Angles of Acquisition webinar series:- Noa Eckstein, Head of Business Operations at ironSource Luna, covered building holiday-themed creatives that spike IPM - Sarah Chafer, VP US Sales at ironSource Sonic, discussed how to set up an offerwall campaign that'll generate record ARPU - Jess Overton, Director of Demand at ironSource Aura, walked through setting up an on-device campaign at a time when everyone's buying new phones Read on for a summary of the webinar or watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvewwdzvVBMConsumer insights during the holidaysTo kick off, Marketing Director at ironSource Lauren Baca set the scene with consumer insights during the holidays pulled from ironSource and M&C Saatchi Performance’s holiday marketing playbook:- 75% of consumers plan on purchasing clothes and footwear as gifts this year, making them the most popular gifts across all generations. - 65% of consumers plan to spend more or the same on holidays gifts this year compared to last year - 28% of consumers plan to start shopping in the fall and 27% of consumers plan to start shopping on Black Friday or Cyber MondayDownload the report for more data and insightsWith a better understanding of how consumers plan to shop and celebrate this season, Lauren passed the mic to our ironSource experts to break down some best practices for optimizing UA - from how to build holiday-themed creatives to making the most of a unique ad unit all the way to how to leverage a time when everyone's buying new phones.How to build holiday-themed creatives that spike IPMNoa explained that while the holiday season feels quite special, the marketing problems you face during the winter months are the same problems you face every other season - you need to find the best content and creatives, you need to optimize key channels, and you need to utilize your data better. The only difference? Your creatives get a holiday makeover.During the holidays, people tend to be their most emotional - it’s a time for nostalgia and thinking about friends and family. This emotion is a key ingredient to building high-IPM creatives - the goal is always to get users to go from seeing a creative to actually feeling something that encourages them to download, and the holidays are a time when that’s even more feasible.So if IPM has the potential to be so high, why wouldn’t you invest in building holiday creatives? Noa covered a few reasons why some studios might choose not to:- Holiday creatives can cost a lot to run and need more resources and attention to build, but may only run for a very short amount of time - Most creatives don’t end up scaling and often fail - it is more challenging to find the winning creative within such a short time period - Users who see a holiday-themed creative may expect to play a holiday-themed game, so you might need to adjust your gameplay or pay closer attention to user quality. - On the flip side, there are tons of data that show why you should invest in building holiday creatives, according to data from the ironSource Luna platform:- IPMs are significantly higher throughout the holiday season due to more engagement in apps and on phones (2021, US, iOS)- In fact, game installs surged 3x during the week of Christmas (2021, US, Facebook)- Advertisers test 2x the amount of creatives during the holidays, which means you don’t want to be left behindLooking deeper, Noa explained that building holiday-themed creatives can have a positive impact on your team and collaboration:- It’s an opportunity to refresh, prevent fatigue, and get creative in a unique way - Holiday elements trigger a lot of emotion leading to higher intent- You can create a really healthy dialogue between your creative team, UA team and product team as everyone works on holiday plansNext, Noa gave us some proof and walked through case studies. First, she presented a game studio that works with ironSource Luna that changed the sword in their playable ad to a Christmas tree, which had a huge impact on IPM during the holidays. It performed so well that the studio chose not to deactivate the creative after the holidays - and it remained the top-performing creative even two months after Christmas day. In another example, the holiday-themed creative was a top performer until the end of April.Last, Noa showed what happened when Luna tested three different Halloween-themed creatives for a game studio. For the first one, the Luna team took an existing high-performing creative and just put a Halloween theme on top of it. For the second one, Luna replaced a mermaid’s head with a pumpkin head and changed the pointer to a witch's hand. Neither of these variations are showing positive results yet - but that may change the closer we get to Halloween! For the third variation, Luna built a creative where the witch is playing the Halloween-themed game, which became one of the most successful creatives for this title and led to a 20% higher D7 ROAS.So how can you find this same success without heavy production?- Use real footage of real people that show pure emotion - Test holiday figures - snowflakes, witches, pumpkins - to spice it up - Give the pointer and buttons a holiday theme, like Santa Many advertisers are taking advantage of this time of year to increase performance, but you need to weigh that against the internal resources you have to build a new set of creatives. There are other ways to optimize your holiday strategy, such as with the offerwall - which leads us to our next angle.How to set up an offerwall campaign that'll generate record ROASNext up, Sarah Chafer discussed best practices for running offerwall campaigns during the holidays. First, she started with a brief background, explaining that the offerwall is a user-initiated, rewarded in app marketplace with three main constituents: developers use the offerwall to grow revenue, user retention, and app engagement, without cannibalizing IAP. Advertisers use the offerwall to reach a unique, quality audience that is looking for a transaction of some sort and will remain highly engaged in the app. Consumers engage with the offerwall for app discovery and brand discovery, all while getting further and deeper into the app they’re already using.So, how does this all work together - how do the advertiser and consumer come together in that moment or transaction? Sarah ran through a few of the most popular offerwall pricing models to help advertisers get campaigns started:Cost per engagement (CPE): Here, advertisers only pay when a user installs an app and completes a specific engagement event. This is all about getting users deeper down the funnel. Ask yourself, what do you want the user to do to remember the app and what would encourage them to use it again?Multi-reward cost per engagement (MR-CPE): In this pricing model, you pay in incremental steps as a user works towards completing a deep engagement event. This way, you can reward the user for completing more actions - not only installing and opening, but installing, opening and downloading a coupon or making a purchaseCost per action (CPA): You’ll pay when a user completes a quiz, action on a website, or purchases from a brand. This is the most common format during the holidays and it can be used in a lot of creative ways. Cost per install (CPI): You’ll pay each time a user installs your app, which is really about getting your app out there in the market and driving app discovery. Surveys: Pay when a user completes a survey to help you better understand user behavior - how they feel, what are their thoughts, what are they into, etc. Next, Sarah dove into best practices for mastering this ad unit during the holidays - saying that the most important thing to keep in mind is timing.There are tons of new devices entering the market - all the major players are releasing the latest versions of their best-selling devices and if you’re an early adopter of technology, you may already have one. Device sales increase heavily starting now and many will end up wrapped up as gifts. Starting with the offerwall now can help you be top of mind as new devices enter homes globally. Second, with holiday shopping starting earlier this year compared to last year according to our report, it’s important to remind users that the holidays are coming and that right now is the time to shop. You can provide this sense of urgency in your messaging, which we will discuss in the next section. Third, level up with currency sales and double down on rewards on key shopping days, like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Consumers will be inclined to engage with an offer that gives them extra rewards. As an advertiser, you can double down on your bid - the reward is higher, the traffic is higher. In fact, we’ve seen around a 35% lift in conversions during previous currency sales. Once the timing is right, how do you get your creative to capture all the great offerwall traffic?Stay competitive with special promotions, also known as currency sales. We know that users are looking for deals - 40% said that rewarded ads influence their purchasing decisions according to our report. Whether you’re offering a sale or special package, get creative and switch it up frequently to stay fresh, unique and competitive. Going back to providing a sense of urgency, it’s important to be reminding users not only to shop but who to shop for. Include “gifting” and “holiday” in your messaging and add holiday-themed graphics to your creatives, which are consistent reminders that the holidays are coming. You can even call out someone in particular with phrases like - “for that someone special in your life,” or “for your pet” to get consumers thinking about their gift lists. The Tapjoy offerwall has a shopping tab, which gives consumers a better understanding of what our advertisers do by highlighting their packaging, merchandising, and best-selling products. Give the shopper an idea of who your brand is and what will be shipped to their home.Overall, the offerwall is an excellent touchpoint to reach high-intent users that will drive high ROAS. If you’re looking to expand your touchpoints even further, on-device advertising is a unique way to take advantage of the new phones entering the market - covered by Jess Overton.Setting up on-device campaigns when everyone's buying new phonesJumping off of Sarah’s point that there are tons of new devices sold, unboxed, and unwrapped this time of year, Jess shared that 51% of consumers plan to give a new device as a gift for the holidays. With each new device, consumers get access to new forms of entertainment - Jess even alluded it to the world’s greatest mall. Ultimately, how consumers decide to interact with their devices is a function of the apps they download and engage with.Jess shared that 95% of users that will be unboxing new devices this Christmas will be downloading apps in the first 48 hours. During those 48 hours, consumers will install 60% of the apps they’ll download for the lifetime of the device. If you look at your device's home screen and ask yourself, “when was the last time you downloaded a bunch of apps?”, it’s probably been a while. That’s the power of capturing a download at device activation.ironSource Aura partners with top device manufacturers and mobile carriers to deliver app discovery experiences directly to users on their devices so you can get your app discovered at key moments during the device lifecycle, whether it’s during device activation on Christmas morning or after a major operating system update. On-device marketing enables dynamic bidding and endless opportunities for optimization, which is largely impossible on traditional preload channels. Being able to meet users at moments when they're ready to discover and experiment with new apps along with first-class optimization capabilities means that on-device marketing is a channel that converts potential users into high-value customers.There are three things to keep in mind about running on-device during the holiday season. First, holiday-ify your creatives. Second, you can reach a range of demographics for your app and price accordingly. Third, sit back and watch that LTV rack up.Holiday-ify your creativesData shows that tailoring your on-device creatives to the audience and the placement can generate a significant uplift in performance. For example, you can add a holiday graphic or theme, such as a Santa hat, to your app icon on the device setup placement. Or you can show real people in the holiday spirit on the full-screen offer placement.Reach a range of demographics and price accordinglySecond, you need to ensure the bid for each demographic. This is especially important during the holidays, because you only get one shot. There’s only one Christmas morning, consumers only unbox your device once, which means you as the advertiser have to get your bids right the first time. So pay attention to price and understand which demographics are most important to your campaign.To paint a better picture, Jess broke down demographics of device activations last Christmas: the Boomer group is slightly less represented, with 15% activating new devices. 29% of activations came from Gen X, 25% from Millennials, and 21% from Gen Z. Bottom line? The on-device channel is a great way to get in front of hard-to-reach demographics, such as the older than 55 group. For Gen Z who are bombarded with ads, the on-device channel cuts through the noise and gives you a way to reach these users in a different mindset.Prepare for long LTVOn-device channels are a much slower burn in terms of LTV and app engagement. When you think about Christmas morning and setting up your new device, you might download a travel app, food delivery app, a few shopping apps, a bunch of games, but you’re not ordering food right away or booking your next trip on Christmas. Ultimately, you’ll see users start to engage more at D14 or D30, and this effect is even more significant during the holiday season. After all, we spend a lot more time on our phones and dabbling with apps.Having a multi-channel approach to your holiday advertising strategy is critical, and being well-informed on how to optimize all of those components is a huge benefit. If you’ve made it this far, you should have all of the best practices you need to drive high-performing creatives, create an offerwall strategy that converts, and leverage a time period high in device activations.

2022 on-device mobile advertising overview and 2023 trendsWith new app sectors, device models, and marketing techniques shaping 2022, it’s crucial to stay up to date on the next big opportunities in on-device advertising. As 2023 begins, let’s explore what worked this past year and what will continue to be important.The smartphone industry in numbersLet’s first look at the state of the mobile ecosystem in 2022.- Worldwide smartphone shipments in 2022 were around 1.2 billion (1)- Samsung held 22% of the market share in 2022, maintaining the No. 1 position (1)- Total shipments of 5G-enabled smartphones were expected to reach 650 million units by the end of 2022 (2) - Android maintained its position as the leading mobile operating system worldwide in the fourth quarter of 2022 with a close to 71.8% share (3)- Trends in the market- The amount of devices sold and the technology they’re equipped with has a huge impact on what is possible with on-device advertising.Incorporating CTV into your on-device advertising strategyCTV, connected TV advertising, is expected to receive huge advertising investments in 2023, growing at a rate of 27% according to MarketingDive, making it a great time to consider how you can incorporate CTV advertising into your on-device advertising strategy.First, with a seemingly unlimited number of streaming services available today, it’s becoming harder for users to keep up with paid subscriptions. To create a more sustainable revenue stream, many platforms are working on offering less expensive plans with an ad-supported option.Second, as it stands, 95% of TV ad spend comes from Fortune 500 companies focused on branding, but these companies only represent 33% of US business revenue. With TV bigger than any other social network, the channel needs to be accessible to all kinds of advertisers. CTV advertising, a performance marketing channel (WiFi has a static IP, which allows advertisers to link every device in a household), makes that possible all while delivering 900K impressions per second in the US alone.On top of that, CTV can work in conjunction with your existing on-device advertising strategy, when the app is already on the phone, to increase engagement and retention. For example, CTV advertising can be used as a form of push notifications to encourage users to open your app for the first time or recommend a new way to engage with the app’s features. As the technology continues to evolve, more opportunities will unfold, such as opening the app directly from the CTV ad to start interacting immediately. With CTV advertising, your on-device advertising efforts could have an even greater impact.Listen to our podcast with Vibe, an all-in-one TV ad platform.Using AI to create more efficient on-device advertising experiencesIn the current macroeconomic climate, it’s even more critical to find ways to stand out on channels you’re already using, like on-device advertising. How? Utilizing innovative technology such as AI to make your efficient channels more efficient.AI will create better advertisements by writing headlines and creating ads - you can use generative AI to create text and images for your on-device advertising notifications and full-screen offer campaigns. AI can also enable predictive analytics - discovering insights, making predictions, and unifying your data - when it comes to on-device advertising, these tools can help you determine which audiences you should be reaching and how that audience is engaging on their devices.Most interestingly, however, is the opportunity to improve interactivity with users through creatives. For instance, a full screen on-device ad for an eCommerce app could allow users to try on various items to see which looks best. A full screen ad for a food delivery app could allow you to take a virtual tour from a nearby restaurant to your home to get a feel for how fast delivery can be.Today, AI is well equipped to help you drive productivity and creativity across your media mix.Growing smartphone brandsSamsungAs of January 2023, Samsung has a market cap of $335.28 billion according to Companies Market Cap. On top of that, Samsung’s brand value was evaluated at $87.7 billion in 2022, which represents 17% growth compared to $74.6 billion in 2021, ranking the company in 5th for three years in a row on Interbrand's Best Global Brands of 2022.Samsung’s Galaxy Z series, where their foldable phones live, are the market leaders in the foldable space. In fact, from January to October 2022, the number of foldable smartphones Samsung contracted to enterprise customers increased by 105% compared to the same period in 2021 according to Samsung. At CES 2023, Samsung announced a new technology for foldable phones, Flex Hybrid.Samsung also recently unveiled the Galaxy S23 series. The main upgrade on these devices is the 200-megapixel main camera, along with the use of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which will allow for better AI performance and power efficiency.On top of that, while many large chip manufacturers have begun scaling back their chip production due to external concerns, Samsung will increase chip production in 2023, especially at its largest semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek. This prepares them to take a big portion of market share as demand for chips returns to normal levels.Learn more about Samsung in 2023.GoogleWith the release of Google’s revolutionary Pixel 6, housing Google’s first Tensor chip, at the latter end of 2021, Google saw massive sales growth in the first half of 2022. According to Canalys, Google sales in North America were up 380% in Q1 2022 year over year and 280% in Q2 2022 year over year. For reference, leaders in market share only saw 1-4% annual growth.In 2022, Google iterated on the Pixel 6 with the Pixel 7, which is powered by the next-generation Google Tensor G2 processor. First of all, Pixel 7 is “sleek, sophisticated and durable” and the regular size is more compact than Pixel 6. The Pixel 7 is also being shipped with Android 13, the best Android experience yet.So, what’s expected in 2023? According to rumors, it might be the best year for Pixels yet, marked by the company carving its own way rather than following others. One new innovation in 2023 includes the Pixel fold, otherwise known as the Pixel notepad. With the release of this device, Google will have beaten Apple to the foldable space. Google also plans to release the Pixel Tablet, which means they’re beginning to challenge the Apple dominant tablet market. Along with new innovations that push the envelope, Google will also improve on their already high-performing devices. We can expect Google to release the Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, and 8 Pro throughout 2023. These are phones that will continue to appeal to the masses and keep Google in the spotlight.Top 5 app categories using on-device advertising in 2023It’s also important to have an idea of which app categories are on the rise, so you can learn how and why advertisers are finding success through this channel.1. Brands with apps are investing in on-device advertisingAs marketing teams face budget cuts, brands are rethinking their spend and focusing on channels where consumers are most active - mobile.In fact, according to Oberlo, mobile advertising spend in the US in 2023 is expected to reach $355.1 billion, surpassing $300 billion for the first time. Ultimately, now that mobile has a larger audience, higher usage levels, and is more reputable, big brands are beginning to look beyond traditional channels, to on-device advertising, to get in front of new, quality users through their phone screens.McDonald’s Spain achieves 64% app launch rate and drives over 34K installs with Aura2. Food and rapid delivery apps are continuing to growCOVID-19 accelerated the shift to ordering in from delivery apps rather than eating out. Since then, many other factors have continued to drive the food delivery app industry forward - convenience, increased demand, safety, etc. In fact, the entire food delivery app industry is expected to reach $320 billion market size by 2029 according to Business of Apps. Ultimately, with more delivery riders and route optimizations technologies, delivery is faster and cheaper than ever, driving incremental growth despite diminishing COVID-19 protocols.Glovo increased Aura installs by 5x and decreased CAC by 60%Rapid delivery apps, or apps that deliver groceries within 10-30 minutes of app order, are also attracting millions of users and big name investors. Rapid delivery apps are largely operating out of major cities across the UK, US, and Europe, with a few first movers leading the market in these areas - Getir, Flink, Gorillas, Gopuff, Weezy, Dija, Jiffy, Fancy and Snappy are all notable names.Read more about rapid delivery apps3. Classified apps are allowing users to buy and sell wherever they areAs the economy faces uncertainty, people are spending time sifting through their belongings and making decisions about what to keep and sell. Now classified platforms, especially on mobile, represent a major opportunity for growth.eBay Kleinanzeigen (Classifieds) boosts installs with AuraSubito looked to Aura to boost engagement 4x, grow scale, and diversify their user acquisition strategyMilanuncios reduces cost per lead 47% with Aura4. News apps are users go-to to stay updated on current eventsThe share of US consumers reading online news on a smartphone more than doubled between 2013 and 2022 according to Statista. “News on the go” through mobile devices has become the norm. This means that news apps are no longer an add-on to people’s typical news source, but the main character - encouraging news apps to focus on their app discovery and user acquisition strategies. We’ve seen a similar trend in Europe as well over the last year.SmartNews drives 35 million installs and meets retention goals with AuraHow Le Figaro reduced costs 70% and reached retention goals in 3 months with Aura5. eCommerce apps are making it easier to shop from your phoneSimilarly to news apps, eCommerce apps have also seen immense growth, creating a more competitive environment - more than half of all internet traffic comes from a mobile device. This is most likely due to the effects of COVID-19, which turned people away from brick and mortar. In 2023, smartphone retail eCommerce sales are expected to pass $432 billion, up from $148 billion in 2018 according to Statista.OTTO sees over 100% MoM growth and significantly increased ROI for their ironSource Aura volumeAliExpress Russia drives over 400K installs and exceeds their KPI goals with ironSource AuraOzon drives over 900K installs and exceeds KPI goals with ironSource AuraOverall, the state of the smartphone industry, key trends in the Android market, and the growing app categories, all have had an impact on the success of ironSource Aura. With on-device advertising becoming more prevalent, Aura saw a record year in 2022.The growth of AuraIn 2022, the team at ironSource Aura focused on expanding the on-device channel’s available touchpoints so advertisers like you can continue to drive value and meet valuable users at scale. New placements - such as the Discovery Widget that offers new apps to users directly from their device’s +1 screen on a daily basis - use contextual information to reach users in the right ways and at the best times for maximum, long-term engagement.ironSource Aura also expanded to new carrier and telco partners in 2022 beyond our current partnerships with Samsung, Vodafone, Orange, and Boost - announcing our Samsung partnership in MENA.It’s been an incredibly successful year thanks to both our advertiser and telco partners. Looking forward to continued success in 2023!Full list of Aura’s on-device advertising content from 2022Case StudiesFugoVery/DentsuInspired SquareDish Retail Wireless engages its 8M customers with AuraBlogsLaunching a new report "5G: The consumer perspective"4 ways advertisers can optimize their 5G on-device advertising strategyThe mobile advertising ecosystem in SpainHow agencies can drive incremental growth through mobile on-device campaignsHow to leverage on-device advertising to create a frictionless install experience7 questions to ask yourself when evaluating a new user acquisition channelThe first 30 days of an on-device campaignLooking to boost your game’s LTV? Try an on-device advertising campaignNo guts, no glory: MAD//Fest 2022 with ironSource AuraThe 3 most important KPIs running an on-device acquisition campaignAn inside look at the Japanese mobile economyThe what, why and how of web-to-app acquisition campaignsArticlesHospitality Tech | Four Ways Hospitality Marketers Can Innovate in the Post-Pandemic Future via a Mobile AppRCR Wireless News | The new device experience: How mobile carriers successfully ‘get in’ on the app economyTotalRetail | How to Leverage Your App to Get More CustomersPodcastsAdam Hadi, Current | How to deeply integrate influencer marketing into your productJean-François Grang, Purchasely | How to succeed with a subscription monetization model for your appDave Edwards, Audiomack | Bridging the knowledge gap between music creators and the app economyAndre Kempe, Admiral Media | Back to the basics: How will performance marketing survive?Tobias Boerner, Fastic | The real people behind your app: community-based apps and the growth loopPeter Fodor, AppAgent | Storytelling and mobile apps: a tale as old as timeKaran Bhavnani, Tripledot | Growth trends: team structure and experimentation in a high growth environmentGreg Turtle, What3Words | Gaining a growth edge with media for equity dealsAdrienne Rice & Sarah Chafer, M&C Saatchi Performance | What consumers want from brands this holiday seasonThomas Petit | How to optimize your subscription app today to grow tomorrowResearchBack to school shopping trends for your app or brand in 2022Travel is back in-style: 6 trends advertisers should keep in mind in 20228 key findings to help you master your holiday advertising strategyWebinarBuilding your 3 pronged holiday UA strategy: Creatives, offerwall, and on-device advertisingReports5G: The Consumer PerspectiveOn-device advertising 101: A report by Singular and ironSource AuraThe 2022 modern mobile consumer: app discovery and monetizationThe mobile marketers’ guide to mastering the holiday seasonResourcesCanalys QualcommStatista

When we launched Badberries a year ago, I thought I understood what challenges we’d face. Finding clients. Creating standout work. Building our reputation. Yes, these were true. But what I’ve come to realise is that the heart of all these challenges revolves around a single question: where do we invest our time? The invisible client that never sleeps Every agency has two distinct sides that constantly compete for attention. The first is client delivery – the work that pays bills and builds reputation. The second is the business itself – operations, growth, and longevity. I’ve started thinking of this second side as our “invisible client.” Like any client, it has deadlines, demands, and deliverables. But unlike external clients, this one never stops needing attention, never wraps a project, and never takes a holiday. The challenge? If you neglect client work, you have no income. If you neglect the invisible client, you have no future. Complementary founders as strategic advantage Recognising this tension early was crucial to our survival. As managing director with a background in complex agency projects, I bring planning and operational expertise. Meanwhile Dani Wolf, our creative director and my co-founder, ensures our output remains distinctive and compelling. Together, we lead a team of designers who execute our vision for clients. This complementary partnership has been fundamental to our success. When we first discussed starting the studio, Dani appreciated my approach, recognising how proper structure could give the creative work room to flourish. He saw how systems would help us be more efficient, meet deadlines consistently, improve collaboration and help the creative process flow better. This balance allows us to serve both our visible and invisible clients more effectively than either of us could alone. When urgent client needs arise, we can divide and conquer, one of us focusing on delivery while the other keeps our business moving forward. Time as investment currency In a service business where we essentially buy time – from ourselves and our team – and sell it to clients, we’ve learnt to think of time allocation as investment decisions. This may sound very dry, but it’s necessity to recognise it. In the creative industry, there are typically two pricing approaches: value-based and time-based. Value-based pricing operates on the principle that the worth of the work transcends the time invested in creating it. There’s a famous anecdote about Paula Scher, the legendary Pentagram designer, who reportedly designed the Citibank logo during a meeting on a napkin. As she famously said, “It took me a few seconds to draw it, but it took me 34 years to learn how to draw it in a few seconds.” “The main question isn’t how to manage time, it’s how to invest it wisely.” As a new business, we made the conscious decision to adopt time-based pricing. Not because we don’t value our work, but because it creates transparency with clients while protecting us from scope creep. It’s given us the clarity and flexibility needed in our first year, allowing us to be agile while maintaining healthy margins. More importantly, it’s forced us to be intentional about where we invest non-billable hours. When you track time meticulously, you quickly see which activities generate returns and which don’t. The art of delegation One of our biggest time management lessons has been understanding what to outsource and what to handle ourselves. The equation isn’t simply about cost, it’s about strategic focus. We quickly outsourced accounting and legal services, areas where mistakes would be costly and specialised expertise is essential. This decision, while an investment, freed mental space and reduced stress considerably. For marketing, our approach has evolved. We initially outsourced social media management but brought it back in-house when we realised we were still finding our voice. Conversely, hiring a PR specialist to build brand awareness has been transformative precisely because it’s a specialised skill neither of us possesses. The question isn’t what can we afford to outsource? It’s what can we afford not to outsource if we want to grow? Beyond billable hours Six months into our journey, we faced an uncomfortable truth – while we were steadily winning client work, these projects had limited portfolio potential. This realisation sparked a multi-pronged approach. First, we became more intentional about which client projects we pursued, weighing creative potential alongside financial return. Sometimes a smaller budget project with greater creative freedom became a better long-term investment than a larger but creatively constrained opportunity. Second, we carved out specific time for “studio projects” – self-initiated work that might not generate immediate revenue but would demonstrate our capabilities, showcase our passions as a business, and attract the type of clients we ultimately wanted. Fluid time allocation What we’ve ultimately learnt is that time allocation isn’t about rigid formulas, it’s about maintaining a fluid, responsive approach while never losing sight of both sides of the business. Our approach continues to mature. Some weeks demand intense focus on client delivery; others allow more investment in the invisible client. The key isn’t perfect balance in any given week, but ensuring that neither side gets neglected over the longer term. This fluidity extends to how we work as founders and how we blend our work and personal lives. Dani, a morning person, starts early when he’s most energised. As a night owl, I often put in hours after my son’s bedtime. We’ve even started taking a couple of weekend hours to plan the week ahead, as we found weekdays often began with immediate client needs that left no space for strategic thinking. I’m not advocating for poor boundaries. But as founders, finding the rhythm that works for your life circumstances is essential. Another lesson our invisible client has taught us. Looking forward A year in, we’re still refining this balance. But we’ve learned that the main question isn’t how to manage time, it’s how to invest it wisely across both sides of our business. For those starting their own creative venture, recognise early that your invisible client demands as much strategic thinking as any external project. Build systems that acknowledge both sides need nurturing, be intentional about outsourcing, and remember that sometimes the most valuable hours you spend won’t appear on any client invoice. Natasha Szczerb is managing director and co-founder of design and branding studio Badberries. Industries in this article Recent Jobs

You likely already know EZVIZ for its innovative smart home security solutions. It has become one of the leading brands in the space, offering quality solutions to suit every home. However, you might not have heard about its sustainability efforts. The brand is committed to making its products as green as possible, both in the immediate term and in the future. What is EZVIZ doing to improve sustainability? EZVIZ has a long-term initiative dedicated to sustainability called EZVIZ Green. It’s a two-pronged approach that includes both product design and collaborative campaigns to further offset emissions. Starting with the products themselves, EZVIZ incorporates a number of eco-friendly measures that are both convenient for users and help to reduce the impact on the environment. For instance, EZVIZ has reduced plastic usage throughout the entire product cycle, from the packaging materials to the products themselves. Many EZVIZ cameras are compatible with solar panels to reduce the reliance on conventional power sources, and you can even take things a step further, opting to power your entire smart home with solar energy. The products also use highly efficient components to reduce power consumption, and are designed to be durable and updatable. EZVIZ pushes over-the-air updates to all of its products. So even if they’ve been on the market for a while, products continue to receive the latest features and security updates. Effectively, it means customers can keep using the same cameras for longer, both saving them money and reducing e-waste. EZVIZ In addition, EZVIZ has a partnership with an organisation called Treedom. Funded by the sales of EZVIZ Green products, they grow an average of two trees per day as part of a global forest plan. The trees are carefully selected by working with local experts and farmers to bring as many benefits as possible to the local ecosystem, and the progress is tracked online, so you can watch the impact of the campaign in real time. EZVIZ encourages customers to participate in its sustainability efforts by promoting its #GreenerWithEZVIZ campaign. When choosing an EZVIZ green-labelled product, customers are invited to join the tree-planting efforts to make a real impact across the globe. How can battery-powered cameras be better for the environment? The EZVIZ Green initiative starts with product design, and battery-powered EZVIZ cameras are a key part of this plan. EZVIZ battery cameras incorporate a technology called AOV (Always-On Video) which uses battery power more intelligently. It allows the camera to record 24/7 while reducing energy waste and extending battery life. It’s both better for the environment and also makes the products more convenient for the user. EZVIZ incorporates plenty of other eco-friendly technologies to further its sustainable goals, too. For instance, ColorFULL tech allows for high-quality color night vision, without disturbing the local environment with additional light pollution. In addition, the energy-efficient components used in EZVIZ products help to cut down on power usage. The batteries are designed to last as long as possible. Not only in terms of endurance, wherein they don’t need to be charged as frequently, but also in terms of lifecycle. When buying an EZVIZ product, you can rest assured that it’s designed to keep working in the long term. Frequent OTA updates also keep EZVIZ battery cameras feeling fresh, with all the latest features, so users can go for longer without needing to upgrade to a newer model. It’s easier on the wallet, it’s less hassle, and it’s better for the environment. As mentioned earlier, many EZVIZ cameras are compatible with solar panels, which means they can be charged using the power of the sun, rather than charging from the mains, which can contribute to carbon emissions. If you’re interested in picking up an eco-friendly EZVIZ smart camera, here are a few that we’d recommend checking out: EZVIZ CB8 Lite Outdoor PT Battery Camera EZVIZ The CB8 Lite is the perfect solution for users who want a budget-friendly camera that doesn’t sacrifice features. It has pan and tilt functionality, all-day AOV recording and color night vision. Of course, it’s also compatible with solar panels, so you can achieve your security goals and your sustainability goals in one go. Learn more about the EZVIZ CB8 Lite. EZVIZ CB5 Battery Camera EZVIZ The EZVIZ CB5 has a built-in solar panel, so it’s one of the easiest ways to get started with a green approach to home security. It also has an incredibly clear 4K resolution, making it one of the highest-resolution security cameras on the market. Combine that with AOV technology, which can record all day without sacrificing so much battery life, and you’ve got a very tempting camera. Learn more about the EZVIZ CB5. EZVIZ CB90x Dual 4G Battery Camera with Solar Panel Kit EZVIZ The CB90x Dual is an ingenious solution that incorporates dual pan-and-tilt cameras to cover a massive area using a single product. It also boasts 4G wireless connectivity, so you can install it anywhere, and you won’t need to worry about wires or Wi-Fi range. It’s the first camera of its kind to offer seamless switching between Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity, ensuring reliable video capture in all conditions. What’s more, ColorFULL tech means that it can see in the dark without creating any light pollution. The EZVIZ CB90x Dual 4G Kit will debut in June 2025. Stay tuned for more details on this amazing all-rounder.

MotoGP racing, the pinnacle of motorbike competition, requires precision and skill–and some scraped elbows and knees.   Image: Ducati/Lenovo Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. MotoGP is high-speed, high-tech motorcycle racing. The fastest riders in the world compete on specialized, purpose-built motorcycles from companies like Ducati, Honda, Yamaha on the world stage in this series, which is considered the most prestigious in the game. Riders reach incredible speeds on their machines up to 220 miles per hour, and races can go 350 turns with gravity-defying leaning that scrapes elbows and knees. This Grand Prix is for the toughest of the tough on the moto circuit.  Behind the riders and the machinery is a boatload of data and technology; we’re talking massive amounts of data in numbers that make your head spin. As tech company Lenovo puts it, when it comes to MotoGP–a sport in which every millisecond counts–data can mean the difference between a first and last place finish.  Lenovo and Italian motorbike manufacturer Ducati work hand in hand to create a champion racing team with information gathered by 50-plus sensors that track tire rotation, speed, grip, acceleration, and more. Motorcycle racing, at the highest echelon, has evolved way beyond just the machinery or even the skill of the rider. Without the technology, any team would be left in the dust.  The data journey In the past, the only way to evaluate the outer limits of what a motorbike could endure was to disassemble a crashed bike. Today, a multi-pronged approach to data collection takes that process up several notches. Every time a bike enters the pit garage, an in-person team and a crew from the Ducati Lenovo Remote Garage at Ducati’s headquarters in Bologna, Italy analyzes performance.   Via 50 sensors on each bike, Ducati engineers collect tons of data they can parse and assess. Image: Ducati/Lenovo No matter where the team is racing, data streams in from the motorbike sensors. Off-site engineers analyze information from the track, making tiny tweaks to the bike and its operation. That way, every qualifying lap may be reviewed and fine tuned for the best competitive outcomes.  “We debrief after each session, aligning with the rider on the sections and corners in which we think that he can improve his performance,” says David Attisano, the data and performance analysis manager for Ducati Racing. “We review with the rider his maneuvers and what we can expect to improve and how. For example, if the data shows that the rider can brake two meters later than he is, that’s a huge distance in this race.”  For the MotoGP series, Ducati has three different teams with a total of six riders. Each Ducati rider receives the data not just about his own ride but for all the other riders, so they can track what the other five are doing. That’s a giant amount of data. “We can push each other to the limit because we can see what the other riders are doing and comparing, then we can highlight and suggest some changes in their riding style,” Attisano explains.  Through its partnership with technology company Lenovo, Ducati collects and analyzes data to push its bikes to the limit and win races. Image: Lenovo/Ducati Per official MotoGP rules, the sensors can’t transmit the data while the bikes are in motion. As soon as the bike gets to the garage, the engineers download the data. From this point, the data analysis process begins. At this point, the partnership is especially critical as the servers are developed by Lenovo specifically for Ducati. On top of that, there are data signals created with a custom algorithm and simulating based on engineering knowledge about the bikes. The team can even create a detailed “digital twin” of the course that maps each twist and turn, using 200GB of data per circuit. “If the rider tells us that the traction control is not working properly, our electronics engineers can adjust the ECU,” says Attisano. “In our competition, the human factor is very important. We rely on the data and the humans do the last mile to gain the result and to achieve victory.”  Sure, data clearly plays a big part, but human interpretation is still a critical aspect to translate the results. Even those who know nothing of motorcycles can create algorithms or artificial intelligence to offer some hints or tips, but without input from the team, the data has no context. The technology, Attisano emphasizes, is intended to augment the capabilities of human beings, not to replace them.  Italian motorbike manufacturer Ducati makes high-speed, high-tech machines. Image: Ducati/Lenovo “The behavior of the bike is very complicated–it’s very difficult to understand if you have not studied it at university,” he says. “In our experience, the exchange of knowledge between engineers and data scientists is very important.”  Ducati’s data collection on the competitive side feeds into the safety and reliability for all riders, including those who like to take their motorbike for a spin on any given Sunday; not just competitive situations. Every time the bike emerges from the pit at a MotoGP race, the engineers strive to be sure it’s in good form and safe for the rider. Every improvement via the data collected from 50 tiny sensors on each factory-made racing bike leads to a better ride for casual street riders, too.

Spoons, knives, and forks encrusted with gems, or fashioned by hand in sterling silver twisted to look like ribbons: We are in the dawn of a new age of beautifully crafted eating utensils. But it’s hard to call it a trend. Indeed, since Homo sapiens first showed up on this planet 300,000 years ago, stylish diners have progressed past eating with our hands, or with twigs and bones, to inventing implements that do more than just transport food from plate to mouth.Chelsie CraigGlass mosaic cutlery set by Arthur Ristor. Records show that from the earliest days of the privileged classes, ambitious hosts have created tablewares out of precious materials. Beyond their utilitarian function, these very fine and often novel implements added exoticism, status, and sparkle to a table. There are surviving examples of eating utensils throughout history, from the bronze knives and forks and wooden spoons found in the tombs of the pharaohs to the silver spoons and ladles discovered intact in the ruins of Pompeii.Whether Viking, Greek, Mandarin, Ottoman, or Saxon, cutlery styles have continually evolved. The one constant: The most creative tablescapes have included artisanal cutlery of distinction and rarity. These objects, including Renaissance travelers’ bejeweled portable cutlery sets and 16th-century apostle spoons, were designed for dining, and also to dazzle and impress. Once the classic trio (spoon, knife, fork) was established, the race began for ever more elaborate versions. Precious and semiprecious gems, silver and gold, rare woods, coral, and ivory were transformed into utensils crafted with great originality and beauty.Chelsie CraigSterling silver and diamond ribbon cutlery set by Leo Costelloe. The Victorians, with their aspic sickles, grape scissors, and terrapin forks, took it to the next level by inventing an eating tool for every conceivable situation. Meanwhile, in Russia, the House of Fabergé supplied silver and gold tableware to imperial palaces (much of which was melted down by the Bolsheviks during the revolution). In the U.S., Tiffany & Co. was the Gilded Age go-to for elegant flatware services with pieces numbering in the hundreds.Many artists have taken a stab at designing cutlery over the years. In 1966 Claude Lalanne designed her iconic Iolas silverware—complete with forks, knives, spoons, implements for eating fish, and cake knives—in a design that mixed interlacing leaves with crustacean motifs. If that sounds Dalíesque, the surrealist himself created silver-gilt cutlery, including a three-pronged elephant fork with two ruby eyes. In the 1930s the mobile master Alexander Calder put his own spin on utensils with sets fashioned from brass, iron, and silver wire.Chelsie CraigThe Totemic Devotion Cutlery set by Alighieri with 24 karat gold plated stems. Today a new generation of artisans is creating cutlery that is as much sculpture, or table jewelry, as it is functional object. It’s a phenomenon driven by the rise of art and design fairs. The contemporary consumer has a feast of new choices, and the global market of patrons abounds. No matter what you may be eating or how you may be serving it, consider the thoughts of one of my brilliant aunts, who is also a wonderful hostess: “Always remember, eye appeal is half the meal.”Coffee spoons by Thalia Maria Silver.This story originally appeared in the May 2025 issue of Elle Decor. SUBSCRIBE