Decades before the first personal computer hit the shelves, American industrial designer Brooks Stevens popularized the phrase planned obsolescence—defining it as “instilling in the buyer the desire to own something a little newer, a little better, a little sooner than is necessary”—ushering in an epoch of products made to be disposable.
The rise of planned obsolescence
Before the 1920s—when lightbulb and automotive manufacturers began intentionally shortening product lifespans to sell more inventory in the face of highly saturated markets—craftspeople built products to last, and repair culture was a way of life. The shift toward designing for disposability marked a cultural and economic transformation, turning durable products into replaceable commodities. While manufacturers were limiting product longevity, brands used design and marketing to position products as symbols of status and style—favoring novelty, prioritizing convenience over lasting value, and encouraging frequent upgrades to keep up with the Joneses. Products became less about enduring utility and more about staying current with ever-changing trends.
In the intervening century, planned obsolescence became common practice—from fast fashion’s fleeting trends and never-ending product releases to tech’s closed ecosystems and walled gardens—playing naturally into our desire for status and novelty. While this approach worked for the last 100 years, the climate crisis, resource wars, and a growing desire for personalized products all signal that we are overdue for a new product development model that prioritizes repairability and adaptability to meet the needs of both people and the planet.
The path forward
Modular design offers an alternative to disposable products by addressing two critical demands of modern consumers: personalization and sustainability. Developing modular systems can enable tech to adapt to individual needs and evolve alongside its owner by empowering users to customize, upgrade, and repair their products—allowing customers to forge meaningful, lasting relationships with their objects while saving money and reducing the amount of e-waste diverted to landfills.
Alongside social pressures, global right-to-repair laws, EU eco-design standards, and tax incentives like Sweden’s repair service discounts are driving the rise in modular design, encouraging repairability, reducing waste, and fostering sustainable, adaptable products for a more circular economy. For brands, these regulations necessitate more thoughtful, durable designs, while consumers gain greater autonomy to repair and extend the life of their products.
Modularity in action
Many modern brands have followed the traditional product development path outlined in Stevens’ definition of planned obsolescence, but emerging and established brands are embracing modularity and including repair as an integral part of the customer experience. In fashion, Patagonia offers its Worn Wear repair service to keep its products out of landfills, and Nike designed its ISPA modular footwear for disassembly and repair with replaceable parts. In consumer electronics, brands like Framework and Gridstack create modular products that grow with users and can be upgraded or customized to meet changing needs. In interiors, brands like Thuma offer products that customers can configure to fit various space and storage needs for “a lifetime of modern functionality and optionality.” And in the energy sector, products like Tesla’s Solar Roof offer expandable systems that evolve with changing energy demands.
Beyond hardware, digital products are incredibly well-suited to modularity, enabling users to adapt their experiences to their unique needs. Platforms like Squarespace offer modular templates and drag-and-drop design blocks to empower users to build tailored websites quickly. Similarly, Notion’s modular approach to productivity lets users create personalized workflows, databases, and notes to manage their tasks and goals.
However, modular design is not without its challenges. Designing and developing products that can be customized and repaired requires companies to invest more in thoughtful engineering, durable materials, and user education, increasing upfront costs and lead times. Many legacy brands will likely try to maintain the planned obsolescence status quo, but market pressure and resource scarcity will eventually require companies to change. Despite this, modular design has a unique advantage: It enables companies to introduce innovation through upgrades and add-ons without discarding the core product.
The vision: Modern heirlooms
To address our role in disposability culture, we need to rethink our relationship with consumerism. For modular design to succeed, it must transform our perspective on products—from temporary conveniences to investments in adaptability and longevity. Repairable and customizable products foster emotional attachment by giving users a sense of ownership and responsibility, making them more likely to care for and maintain their items. And when products can adapt to evolving needs, they deepen connections with users and extend their lifespans. Rather than leaving future generations with overflowing landfills and oceans full of microplastics, we must focus on designing products with longevity in mind—modern heirlooms designed to be cherished, cared for, and passed down.
Dan Harden is CEO and principal designer at Whipsaw.
2024 was a breakthrough year for crypto, with new record-breaking highs and a flood of institutional participation fueled by ongoing regulatory progress. What does Luno, South Africa’s leading cryptocurrency app, expect for 2025?
Christo de Wit, Luno’s country manager for South Africa, explains what the business forecasts.
Digital assets in investment portfolios
Due to heightened institutional investment in crypto and the launch of Bitcoin spot ETFs in 2024, there was an uptick in Ethereum ETFs. Eight were approved during the year, albeit with less activity than Bitcoin spot ETFs. Crypto enthusiasts predict that the SEC’s approval of Bitcoin and Ethereum could unlock approvals for these traditional investment products for other smaller-cap crypto assets in 2025.
Legislation
Solid regulatory foundations give institutions greater confidence in integrating crypto into their operations. This year, the crypto industry anticipates additional vital legislation, such as the upcoming exchange control regulation, that promises to further integrate digital assets into the broader South African financial system.
If 2024 was the year institutions entering the crypto space took the time to understand new regulations, how to integrate crypto, assess the risks, and set up their operations properly, 2025 will be the year we see much of this work come to fruition.
AI and crypto convergence
AI’s strengths in automation and data analysis align perfectly with the foundations of cryptocurrency: programmable money or data itself. AI adoption by users and its spread across industries will likely continue in 2025, including the crypto industry.
AI is also transforming decentralised systems. Machine learning algorithms are optimising smart contracts, enhancing network security, and even contributing to consensus mechanisms. Additionally, decentralised data marketplaces are emerging, allowing individuals to securely sell their data to train AI systems while maintaining control over how their information is used. This evolution marks a significant shift, where AI and decentralisation converge to build more efficient, transparent, and decentralised systems.
The continued tokenisation of assets and everyday things
Tokenisation converts real-world assets like real estate, stocks, or commodities into digital tokens on a blockchain. This makes traditionally hard-to-sell assets easier to trade and opens up investment opportunities for a wider range of investors. Big players like BlackRock are leading the charge, launching tokenised funds such as BUIDL, which raised $240 million in its first week. BUIDL operates on the Ethereum blockchain and allows investors to earn interest by investing in assets like cash and US Treasury bills.
Experts say the market could be worth trillions by 2030, creating new opportunities for investors and platforms.
Inflation and interest rates in the US
Interest rate reductions in the US at the end of 2024 marked a new approach. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, most investors expect a sustained softer approach to monetary policy and continued low interest rates into 2025.
The full impact of the 2024 policy shift and lower interest rates remains to be seen. Its true effects could unfold well into 2025, potentially creating a supportive backdrop for riskier assets. Or it could not, especially if inflation keeps ticking upward. The one certainty is that investors will watch the Fed very closely to see how their decisions impact risk-on markets like crypto. Historically, monetary easing has buoyed assets considered higher risk but with more attractive returns, such as stocks and crypto.
Ethereum continues to adapt for Web3 and DeFi
The first smart-contract cryptocurrency network has seen a huge increase in competition since it launched in 2015, with many of its rivals claiming to be faster and cheaper. Developers have been coming up with ideas about how to make the network more efficient as decentralised finance (DeFi) continues to evolve and gain adoption. Ethereum’s development trajectory in 2024 centred on the Pectra upgrade, is expected to roll out sometime in 2025. This update improves scalability, security, and usability, addressing long-standing challenges for developers and users.
These advancements are expected to support DeFi and NFT ecosystems by reducing transaction costs and improving efficiency. Enhanced cryptographic protocols will also provide stronger safeguards for smart contract execution.
As Ethereum continues to evolve, these updates will likely solidify its position as a foundational layer for Web3 development, fostering growth in DeFi and other emerging use cases in 2025.
“We continue to see signs that digital assets are maturing and expect additional use cases to emerge. No doubt crypto will continue to shake up the traditional financial system in innovative ways in 2025,” concludes de Wit.
Christo de Wit, Luno’s country manager for South Africa
For more on the future of Finance join finance leaders at the upcoming Ragin Bull Awards event
CES 2025—the biggest tech industry event on Earth—has just closed. The Seymourpowell team navigated endless carpeted aisles and braved the relentless AI buzz to pinpoint the signals that truly matter, making sense of what they mean for our future lifestyles.
With a new U.S. administration promising a hands-off approach, the show felt like it was on the cusp of big changes—AI popped up in everything from AR glasses to emotional-support robots. Yet beneath the glitz, we saw genuine progress—solar-powered gear already hitting shelves, wearable health tech that shows real promise, and thoughtful solutions for people with disabilities. We’ve narrowed down the trends that matter most. Here’s what CES 2025 reveals about the tech that will define how we live tomorrow.
AGE WELL: TECH INNOVATION EMBRACES ITS GOLDEN YEARS
As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American Poet, once said, “Age is opportunity no less than youth itself.” And at CES 2025, that opportunity was hard to ignore. This year, technology finally started to catch up with the needs of older adults, offering personalized solutions that redefine the aging process and bring dignity, independence, and connection into focus.
For too long, mature users have been an afterthought, but this year’s CES signaled a shift in priorities. L’Oréal’s Cell BioPrint offers a rapid, five-minute analysis of your skin’s biological age, while the Withings Omnia smart mirror uses AI to turn complex health data into easy-to-digest insights and tailored recommendations. By shifting from reactive management to proactive, informed decision-making, these innovations emphasize prevention over cure. The message is loud and clear—aging tech is about making life smarter, not harder.
Mobility is a key aging concern, and H-Medi—the world’s first all-in-one wearable robot for gait disorders—promises a breakthrough. With an AI engine that predicts disease progression at 92% accuracy, it customizes support in under two minutes, boosting walking speed by 10% and improving gait efficiency by up to 21%. It’s a precision-driven, holistic approach designed to keep seniors active, independent, and on their feet—perfectly aligned with the “age well” trend by merging cutting-edge tech with compassionate care.
One standout example of the Age Well trend? EssilorLuxottica, the force behind iconic eyewear brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley, entering the over-the-counter hearing aid space with Nuance Audio. These stylish glasses combine hearing and vision support, offering modes that let users amplify all surrounding noise or focus on specific conversations—features we tested ourselves. For the less tech-savvy, a simple multifunction button switches between modes, while power-saving innovations, like deactivating microphones when the glasses are removed, keep things user-friendly. Presented in a bold burgundy red, these glasses don’t just function—they redefine how assistive tech can look and feel. It’s a perfect fusion of practicality and style, transforming aging tech from necessity to luxury.
But the significance of these innovations goes beyond individual empowerment. As global populations age, tech like this can alleviate pressure on healthcare systems and enhance quality of life. In countries like Japan, where nearly a quarter of the population is over 65, technologies like these aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re becoming vital, societal necessities.
The takeaway
Looking ahead, these innovations are likely to resonate with younger generations, who already embrace functional foods and antiaging measures in health and wellness. Preserving hearing, vision, and mobility before age-related issues even arise feels like the next logical progression. In other words, the future of aging tech isn’t just about managing the process; it’s about staying one step ahead of it.
TECH’S NEW LOOK: GEN Z AND GEN ALPHA ARE DRIVING DEMAND FOR A NEW EXPRESSIVE DESIGN AESTHETIC
As technology settled into all our home environments, hardware and interfaces took a humble turn, fitting quietly into the sleek, minimalist interiors we craved. But at CES 2025, a bolder aesthetic has arrived. Devices aren’t just tools anymore; they’re canvases for personality. From rainbow-hued gaming lights to oddball robots, this new wave of design is vibrant, loud, and sometimes delightfully unnecessary—perfect for a generation that’s grown up customizing digital avatars in Minecraft, Fortnite, and beyond.
A big part of this shift is fueled by gamer culture, where personalization is everything. Govee’s Gaming Pixel Light, for instance, transforms play-spaces into neon playgrounds, while bendable screens like LG’s OLED gaming monitor and Samsung’s surreal inflatable TV are tearing up hardware design conventions. In a market where “one-size-fits-all” used to be enough, we’re now seeing devices that literally reshape themselves to meet users’ desire for creative freedom.
That same spirit of self-expression extends beyond the living room. The Qudi Mask 2 reimagines the face as a digital canvas, complete with moving expressions that react to your voice. Influencers love it for TikToks and YouTube videos, while users on the autism spectrum have found it surprisingly empowering, offering a new avenue for nonverbal communication. With its softer lines and less intimidating look, the latest model promises to bring even more playful self-expression to the masses.
Meanwhile, the Carbon AI Backpack is turning commutes into catwalks of creativity. Powered by OpenAI, its dynamic LED displays let wearers show off animations, messages, or even reactive artwork. Essentially, it’s a digital billboard strapped to your shoulders, perfect for content creators who see every sidewalk as a stage. It’s one more sign that Gen Z and Gen Alpha see every surface—physical or virtual—as a platform for personal branding.
And let’s not forget the emotional side of the equation. In an era of digital companions, Ropet emerges as a “pet with personality,” while Nékojita Cat FuFu and the Mirumi sloth robot exist almost solely to spark joy. These whimsical gadgets blow on your coffee, cuddle up to your purse strap, or bob their heads in friendly greeting—all a testament to a generation craving comfort and genuine connection in their tech. As loneliness rates climb, these playful companions deliver a dash of delight where it’s needed most.
The takeaway
Mae West once quipped, “It’s better to be looked over than overlooked.” At CES 2025, it’s clear that standing out is the name of the game. From inflatable TVs to LED backpacks, brands are unleashing expressive, personality-driven products that demand attention, and forging a new era of self-expression in the process. The lesson? In a world inundated with sameness, it pays to be unforgettable.
THE AGENCY MOVEMENT: PERSONAL AGENCY SQUARES UP AGAINST AMBIENT AUTOMATION
In his 2014 CES keynote, Sony’s then-CEO Kazuo Hirai boldly claimed, “This generation won’t just use technology, they will bend it to their will.” Back then, the promise felt electric, as an extension of our own intent, seamlessly woven into the fabric of our daily life.
Fast-forward to 2025, and AI headlines rule. At this year’s CES, we saw a new vision unfold: Ambient Living, where technology doesn’t merely sit in our homes, it learns our habits, makes decisions on our behalf, and quietly “guides” our actions. On one side, that frictionless convenience is alluring; on the other, it raises vital questions about human agency.
While the ambient approach may be pulling ahead, there’s a countertrend worth spotlighting tech that champions personal choice. For instance, Biky Smart Bike is rethinking kids’ freedom in an era of helicopter parenting. Its second-generation model builds on a lightweight bike concept, adding GPS so parents can map out safe boundaries for play—striking a balance between child independence and parental peace of mind.
Another standout example is Bio Leg, a next-gen robotic prosthetic knee designed to restore mobility for above-knee amputees. Powered by an electric motor and multiple sensors, it reduces discomfort and delivers smoother, more natural movement. By prioritizing user control and adaptability, Bio Leg celebrates the empowering side of technology—extending human capability rather than automating it.
But perhaps the most exciting trend this year was how many “free will” devices emerged from communities overlooked in mainstream tech. LetMeDoIt is a decision-support platform founded by Angad Sahgal, who is a person with Down syndrome. Its mission: empower people with disabilities to live more independently. By refusing to make decisions for its users, LetMeDoIt supports them in making their own, demonstrating how inclusive thinking can spur groundbreaking innovations.
The Takeaway
Free will remains one of our most precious human differentiators. As we stand at the brink of monumental technological change, it’s worth asking whether these new tools enrich our capacity to choose—or quietly corral us into a more passive existence. The hope is that more tech innovations will choose to put free will first, weaving empowerment into every line of code and circuit they create.
THE BODY AS INTERFACE: GLASSES AND EARBUDS REWRITE THE RULES OF TECH ENGAGEMENT
AI dominated CES 2025, with every booth buzzing about generative models, neural networks, and data-driven breakthroughs. But beneath the noise, a bigger question emerged: How do we want to interact with tech? Large language models (LLMs) are quietly reshaping our routines, offering hands-free, intuitive experiences that might finally free us from screens.
This evolution spotlights two parallel paths in wearable design: in-ear devices (like NAQI Neural Earbuds) and head-mounted solutions (like Halliday Smart Glasses). Both aim to reimagine human—machine interaction, each forging a unique trajectory for our always-on lifestyles—and raising crucial questions as we edge closer to the notion of singularity.
Halliday Smart Glasses deliver subtle AI via a sleek frame and a gesture-based Ring interface. Think hands-free multitasking with a low-key, socially acceptable vibe: you’re “always available,” minus the isolating effect of in-ear buds. Meanwhile, Ray-Ban’s partnership with Meta shows how style and sound can blend seamlessly, shrinking hardware footprints so smart glasses feel more like everyday wear than futuristic headsets.
On the other side, NAQI Neural Earbuds take earphones to the next level, detecting brainwaves and muscle impulses for a screenless, camera-free control system. By pioneering accessibility for people with disabilities, NAQI’s “Invisible UI” also hints at broader potential for daily tasks—if users can adapt to the learning curve and need for visual feedback.
The Takeaway
As AI continues its rapid evolution and we edge closer to the notion of singularity, what if these technologies truly converge? Imagine AR glasses seamlessly integrating NAQI’s neural control—blending mind-driven commands with immersive visuals in an Apple Vision Pro–style synergy—while Halliday and Ray-Ban refine the social, stylish side of wearables. The future may well lie in this convergence, creating tools that fuse function, fashion, and accessibility, ultimately reshaping how we interact with technology.
EMPOWERING CREATION: GENERATIVE AI LEVELS THE CREATIVE PLAYING FIELD
At CES 2025, generative AI was on everyone’s lips—from the keynote stages to casual conversations. NVIDIA, the clear AI leader at the show, showcased groundbreaking advancements in developing and running AI models, including tools for generative content creation. These innovations are reshaping the creative industries, but not without a generous sprinkle of skepticism.
As journalist Jonathan Bell observed in a recent article for Wallpaper magazine, “Across great swathes of the creative industries, there’s a feeling that AI is to innovation as a simmering pan of water is to the future well-being of a frog . . . And yet AI continues to fascinate even as it hollows out all creative and intellectual pursuits.” This dichotomy raises the critical question: is AI a tool or a threat to creativity?
AI is democratizing creativity in unprecedented ways. From advanced AI tools enabling professional-grade output to simple, accessible features that empower noncreatives, the barriers to entry for producing art, design, and content are crumbling. Take the Amazon Fire TV’s generative art feature, which prompted one attendee to proclaim, “I feel like I’m a creator now!” It’s a sentiment that reflects AI’s growing role in unlocking creative potential for everyone.
Yet, the transformative power of AI isn’t without its challenges. The feedback loop inherent in generative AI threatens to dilute originality, with the same recycled data underpinning shinier, faster visuals. This tension is driving innovation but also prompting deeper questions about the future of creative industries and the role of human ingenuity.
One example redefining creativity is aespa World, an immersive metaverse designed in collaboration with Verses and K-pop icons aespa. In this space, fans don’t just watch their idols; they interact, cocreate, and shape the experience. Whether choreographing a virtual performance or remixing a track, fans become creators, bridging the gap between artistry and technology.
This collaborative approach transforms spectatorship into active participation, redefining fandom and turning music into a shared adventure.
France’s rich heritage in couture and fashion culture takes center stage with imki, an AI tool trained on historical brand archives. Imki enables brands to create designs embedded with their DNA, merging the past with the present. By leveraging AI to enhance creativity rather than replace it, imki raises the bar for innovation while sparking new discussions about the role of tradition in the AI era.
As AI tools democratize creativity, enabling personalization and empowering noncreatives, the creative industries face an inflection point. Will AI simply level the playing field, or will it lead to an overreliance on machine-generated ideas? NVIDIA and other leaders are at the forefront of this transformation, driving tools that both inspire and challenge the boundaries of human ingenuity.
The World Economic Forum predicts that while 170 million new AI-driven jobs will emerge by 2030, 92 million will be displaced—a 22% shift in employment. This evolving job market reflects the wider impact of AI, which is empowering individuals and businesses alike to reimagine the creative process.
The takeaway
AI is a double-edged sword in the creative industries: a tool for empowerment and personalization, but also a potential threat to originality. As the lines between human and machine creativity blur, the challenge will be finding balance—leveraging AI to amplify, not diminish, the essence of creative expression.
CLEANING GADGETS STEP UP: THE ROBO UPRISING AND THE PROMISE FOR MORE TIME
Time is one of life’s most precious currencies, so it’s little wonder we got a little too excited about the latest robot helpers at CES 2025. Add in smarter navigation, obstacle-clearing features, and multifunctional designs, and you start to see a “robo uprising” built around practicality rather than sci-fi. And if you need another reason to cheer for domestic droids, consider this: 25% of recently divorced people cited disagreements over housework as the primary reason for their split. Saving time might just mean saving relationships, too.
Roborock’s Saros Z70 stole the show with an AI-driven folding arm that doesn’t just dodge obstacles—it removes them. Socks, towels, tissues, even sandals under 300 grams are swiftly detected and cleared out of the way, redefining what “autonomous cleaning” really means. Roborock President Quan Gang believes this signals a broader trend—robot vacuums becoming as indispensable as washing machines.
Dreame—Roborock’s rival that debuted at Berlin’s IFA last year—unveiled its new flagship robot vacuum at CES 2025 for the U.S. market. Instead of employing a robotic arm, the X50 Ultra uses tiny, wheeled legs—dubbed the “ProLeap System”—capable of climbing steps and inclines up to 2.4 inches (around 6 cm). While that may be shorter than most standard stairs, it still allows the X50 Ultra to reach areas inaccessible to competing models, giving it a unique edge in navigating tricky corners of the home.
Meanwhile, Mammotion introduced smaller siblings to its robot mower family—the LUBA and the YUKA, offering more affordable, space-efficient solutions for smaller lawns. Less clutter, less hassle, and zero sweat. The result? More time for the things we want to do.
The Takeaway
More time is a blessing, but what will we do with it? Will we up our working days and productivity or embrace the trend for slow living?
MATERIALITY MATTERS: HOW MATERIAL INNOVATION IS UNLOCKING TECH INNOVATION
CES 2025 showcased more than sleek gadgets and AI breakthroughs—it underscored a deeper truth: the material choices we make can spark entirely new frontiers in design. We’re convinced that the next wave of game-changing products won’t just come from advanced software or clever engineering, but from rethinking what they’re made of in the first place.
While the world wrestles with plastic pollution, we’ve been on high alert for genuinely sustainable substitutes. Enter Silk Fibroin Bio-Resin, which replaces conventional plastic by using heat and pressure to form a durable, moldable material derived from insect pupae cocoons. Its inherent compatibility with the human body opens doors for health-conscious applications—from medical devices to consumer goods—paving the way for a future where plastics no longer must be toxic or everlasting.
In a sea of “eco-friendly” claims, Nana Wasala caught our eye with its nanobubble technology that offers chemical-free, deeply efficient cleaning. A simple shower head or pipeline nozzle is all it takes to reduce water usage, strip out the need for detergents, and leave skin pristine. It’s a quiet revolution that hints at a new era of “leave no trace” personal care routines.
Selected as our “Best in Show” pick, Flint’s flexible paper batteries challenge everything we’ve come to accept about power storage. They’re thin, bendable—even shrinkable—opening the door for products that were once impossible to conceive. Think smart watches that conform to your wrist like fabric, or phones that fold seamlessly without the typical battery bulk. Flint’s innovation doesn’t just hint at sleeker devices; it could redefine entire product categories in the years to come.
The Takeaway
These new materials are just the tip of the iceberg in reshaping our relationship with products—from sustainability and health to design possibilities we’ve barely begun to imagine. Material innovation isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s central to humanity’s survival and growth. As we look forward, we’re eager to see how future digital materials tackle their own carbon footprint—bring on CES 2026.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mariel Brown is Director of Foresight at Seymourpowell. Mariel’s expertise lies in design and innovation strategy
Elon Musk said a third person has received an implant from his brain-computer interface company Neuralink, one of many groups working to connect the nervous system to machines.
“We’ve got . . . three humans with Neuralinks and all are working well,” he said during a wide-ranging interview at a Las Vegas event streamed on his social media platform X.
Since the first brain implant about a year ago, Musk said the company has upgraded the devices with more electrodes, higher bandwidth and longer battery life. Musk also said Neuralink hopes to implant the experimental devices in 20 to 30 more people this year.
Musk didn’t provide any details about the latest patient, but there are updates on the previous ones.
The second recipient—who has a spinal cord injury and got the implant last summer—was playing video games with the help of the device and learning how to use computer-aided design software to create 3-D objects. The first patient, also paralyzed after a spinal cord injury, described how it helped him play video games and chess.
But while such developments at Neuralink often attract notice, many other companies and research groups are working on similar projects. Two studies last year in the New England Journal of Medicine described how brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, helped people with ALS communicate better.
WHO’S WORKING ON BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACE TECHNOLOGY?
More than 45 trials involving brain-computer interfaces are underway, according to a U.S. database of studies. The efforts are aimed at helping treat brain disorders, overcoming brain injuries and other uses.
Many research labs have already shown that humans can accurately control computer cursors using BCIs, said Rajesh Rao, codirector of the Center for Neurotechnology at the University of Washington.
Rao said Neuralink may be unique in two ways: The surgery to implant the device is the first time a robot has been used to implant flexible electrode threads into a human brain to record neural activity and control devices. And those threads may record from more neurons than other interfaces.
Still, he said, the advantages of Neuralink’s approach have yet to be shown, and some competitors have eclipsed the company in other ways. For example, Rao said companies such as Synchron, Blackrock Neurotech and Onward Medical are already conducting BCI trials on people “using either less invasive methods or more versatile approaches” that combine neural recording with stimulation.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BCIS?
Marco Baptista, chief scientific officer of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, called BCI technology “very exciting” with potential benefits to people with paralysis.
Through clinical trials, “we’ll be able to see what’s going to be the winning approach,” he said. “It’s a little early to know.”
Baptista said his foundation generally tries to support research teams financially and with expert help—though it hasn’t given any money to Neuralink.
“We need to really support high-risk, high-reward endeavors. This is clearly high-risk, high-reward. We don’t know how safe it’s going to be. We don’t know how feasible it’s going to be,” he said.
HOW ARE BCIS TESTED AND REGULATED?
Neuralink announced in 2023 that it had gotten permission from U.S. regulators to begin testing its device in people.
While most medical devices go on the market without clinical studies, high-risk ones that undergo premarket approval need what’s called an “investigational device exemption” from the Food and Drug Administration, said Dr. Rita Redberg, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, who studies high-risk devices.
Neuralink says it has this exemption, but the FDA said it can’t confirm or disclose information about a particular study.
Redberg said the FDA tends to be involved in all steps from recruiting patients to testing devices to analyzing data. She said this regulatory process prioritizes safety.
She also pointed to another layer of protection: All research involving people needs an institutional review board, or IRB. It can also be known as an ethical review board or an independent ethics committee. Members must include at least one non-scientist as well as someone not affiliated with the institution or organization forming the board.
The role of such boards “is to assume there is reasonable risk and reasonable chance of benefit and that patients are informed of those before they enroll,” said Redberg.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
TikTok’s future prospects in the United States looked grimmer than ever, following a bruising day of Supreme Court arguments in a case that could determine whether the app is forced to shut down on January 19.
A lawyer for TikTok spent hours arguing that the law Congress passed last year—which requires TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban in the U.S.—infringes on TikTok’s free speech rights. Congress passed the law, argued lawyer Noel Francisco, out of “fear that Americans, even if fully informed, could be persuaded by Chinese misinformation.” But that possibility, he said, is something “that the First Amendment leaves to the people.”
But TikTok’s argument seemed to fall on unsympathetic ears, as both conservative and liberal justices pushed back, stating that the law targets TikTok’s ownership, not the speech it publishes. “TikTok is going to suffer some pretty severe incidental effects, but they are incidental,” said liberal justice Elena Kagan during questioning. “The law is only targeted at this foreign corporation [ByteDance], which doesn’t have First Amendment rights.”
The court appeared far more open to the government’s argument that TikTok’s Chinese ties pose a substantial national security risk—one that they seem to believe the government has the legal authority to mitigate. “There is a long tradition of preventing foreign ownership or control of media in the United States,” said conservative justice Brett Kavanaugh. “That history has to be important.”
At issue in this case is the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which President Biden signed into law last year. The law would prevent app stores and internet hosting services from providing services to ByteDance, TikTok, and any of its affiliates by categorizing them as “foreign adversary controlled applications.” Cutting off access to app stores and hosting platforms would require the app to “go dark,” Francisco said Friday.
The government has argued that this so-called divest-or-ban law is necessary to mitigate the risks that TikTok’s ties to China pose, claiming that connection makes the app vulnerable to manipulation and propaganda, as well as data weaponization. The law also creates a mechanism for the president to identify other “foreign adversary controlled applications” that might pose a national security threat. The only way for these applications to avoid being cut off is for the foreign entities that control them (in this case, ByteDance) to divest.
The Act has been roundly condemned, not just by TikTok, but by a wide range of First Amendment scholars and advocates, who say that allowing the government to shutter a massive platform of free speech, using only a vague national security justification as pretext, would set a dangerous precedent. The government, for its part, has maintained that the law sidesteps the First Amendment by enabling TikTok to continue operating, provided its ownership changes hands in a way that satisfies national security concerns. (Indeed, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary and Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt have emerged as leading bidders to purchase the U.S. version of the app.)
In December, a D.C. circuit court upheld the law, giving weight to the government’s assessment of TikTok’s risks and agreeing that the law is not an explicit crackdown on content. “What the act targets is the [People’s Republic of China’s] ability to manipulate that content covertly,” one of the judges in that case wrote. “Understood in that way, the government’s justification is wholly consistent with the First Amendment.”
On Friday, many of the Supreme Court justices appeared to agree. “You’re wrong about the statute being read as saying: TikTok, you have to go mute,” said liberal justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. “TikTok can continue to operate on its own algorithm, on its own terms, as long as it’s not associated with ByteDance.”
“The law doesn’t say TikTok has to shut down,” said conservative justice Amy Coney Barrett. “If ByteDance was willing to let you go and willing to let you take the source code with you, that would be fine. We would not be here.”
Francisco repeatedly argued that Congress had failed to pursue less restrictive means of addressing the risks raised by the law. They could, for example, require that TikTok more clearly disclose its Chinese ties to users, a proposal that the justices also appeared to find lacking. “That’s the only remedy the government could undertake?” liberal justice Sonia Sotomayor asked dubiously.
Francisco also pointed to the fact that the law leaves out a whole range of Chinese-owned firms, including e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu, which collect massive amounts of data themselves. This, he suggested, is evidence that the government’s primary concern is with the potential for speech on TikTok to be manipulated. “[The law] says there’s one speaker we’re particularly concerned about, and we’re going to hammer home on that one speaker,” he said. “The reason they’re targeting that speaker is because they’re worried about the future content on that platform.”
While the court appeared more amenable to the government’s arguments, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar hardly skated through arguments. Prelogar leaned heavily on the idea that the Chinese government could use TikTok to send “covert” messages to Americans that pit them against one another or otherwise advance Chinese interests, without users being privy to the fact that a foreign government is pulling the strings.
“Isn’t that a pretty paternalistic point of view?” asked conservative justice Neil Gorsuch. “Don’t we normally assume that the best remedy for problematic speech is counter speech?” Still, even these pointed exchanges seemed far outweighed by the court’s doubts about TikTok’s arguments.
The court is now in a race against a ticking clock. The law requires the divestment to be at least set in motion by January 19 in order to avoid a ban. Incoming president Donald Trump, who is set to be inaugurated a day later, has signaled his interest in stopping the ban, but the law only gives him the option of temporarily postponing it from going into effect if a divestment deal is underway. So far, all signs suggest ByteDance is unwilling to move.
But in her remarks, Prelogar said the government always anticipated the company would play “a game of chicken.” If the court upholds the ban, she said, “it might be just the jolt that Congress expected the company would need to actually move forward.”
Whether you’re a frontline supervisor in your first management role or the CEO of a global multinational, being the boss changes you. Part of this is simply leaders adapting to the challenges and pressures inherent in all positions of power. Things like the wider scope of responsibilities, greater decision complexity, and heavier workloads.
However, a growing body of research shows that another part of what power does to people occurs at a deeper level, subtly yet fundamentally altering how leaders think and feel. This runs so deep that it has been shown to lead to changes in brain structure and chemistry. And now, evidence is mounting that broader societal changes are amplifying these effects, creating greater challenges for leaders and greater risks for the organizations they lead.
For the most part, the mechanisms through which being a leader affects you are the same whatever your level. The only difference is that the higher you go, the stronger the pressure they apply on you, so the more likely you are to be changed by them. Three mechanisms stand out as being the most influential.
IT INCREASES DISTANCE
The first thing power does is increase the psychological distance between leaders and the people they lead. On the plus side, positioning individuals above others tends to make them feel better about themselves, increasing self-esteem and confidence, to the extent that they are more prone to over-confidence. It also gives leaders a helicopter view, making it easier for them to see things more abstractly and to ignore potentially distracting details.
But this greater abstract thinking also means leaders are more likely to use stereotypes and generalizations. And the psychological distance involved in all this makes leaders more liable to objectify others and view them as resources, and less able to see things from their perspective or understand how they feel.
IT WARPS INFORMATION FLOW
Power also alters the flow of information to and from leaders, changing what they see, hear, and communicate, partly due to the greater distance created by being the boss. For starters, it increases leaders’ tendency to rely on what they already know and makes them less sensitive to contextual information and less able to hear others’ opinions. This, in turn, leaves them more susceptible to subjective biases.
And exacerbating all of this, because leaders have power over others, people are less likely to be open with them and less likely to challenge their thinking. Finally, their greater sensitivity to internal information means that leaders are more likely to focus on salient goals, which can often mean short-term ones and sometimes personal ones.
IT AMPLIFIES WHAT LIES WITHIN
The third main mechanism is potentially the most important: People with power are more likely to act in accordance with their emotions, preferences, personalities, values, and personal goals. In other words, power amplifies the default and instinctive tendencies within people.
This can be for the better, enhancing strengths. But it can also magnify weaknesses. So, if you’re prone to overconfidence, power usually makes you more so. If you’re susceptible to indecision, being in charge can make this worse. And if you are more task-focused than people-focused, being the boss will only further impair your ability to empathize.
This is also why the adage that power corrupts people is oversimplified and— ultimately—wrong. Yes, the greater psychological distance and warped perspective seem to make some people more likely to act selfishly and find lying easier. But power doesn’t corrupt everyone. It actually increases benevolent and principled behavior in some people. So, power doesn’t corrupt people; it just reveals and amplifies the propensity for corruption that’s already there.
THE POWER OF CONTEXT
However, individual differences are not the only factor determining the precise effects of power. The effects of power also vary across situations. For instance, when there are fewer checks and balances on leaders, the effects of all three mechanisms tend to be stronger. This is why the more established leaders become, the more they tend to be influenced by the effects of power. The more powerful leaders are, the more exaggerated the expression of their inner character and instincts tends to be.
There is something else here, too. When leaders feel overly insecure in their role, they tend to focus on securing their position and pursuing short-term and personal goals. And that rarely drives positive or useful behaviors. This is where we get to the kicker, because on almost every metric measurable, leadership roles are less secure than ever before. Add to that a broader societal trend toward impression management and an apparent growing intolerance of differing viewpoints, and it is easy to see why so many researchers view leadership positions as more isolated and precarious than ever before. And as they become ever more so, the leaders who hold these roles become more vulnerable to the effects of power.
CASCADING IMPACT
What makes all this so important is that leaders are not solo operators. The very nature of their role means that their behavior affects not just themselves, but also their teams. And through this, leaders have a cascading, trickle-down impact on everyone in their organization.
This is why, for all the many ways power can affect leaders, ultimately it is leaders who often have a greater impact on the power they hold. They don’t just affect the way the people beneath them behave, they also change the expectations people have of leaders in general and how leaders behave. This is why toxic leaders can be so damaging. They poison the well for the leaders who follow them, undermining not just how much people trust them personally but also how much people trust leaders generally.
IMPLICATIONS
There are implications here for both leaders and organizations. For leaders, part of the challenge here is that it is rare to find an organization that supports leaders by helping them understand how they, as individuals, can spot and manage the effects of power. Until this changes, leaders need to take steps to protect themselves. And the starting point here should be to sense-check the degree to which they are retaining objectivity, remaining well-informed, and connecting with others’ perspectives. Creating, in other words, checks and balances for themselves.
For organizations, there is a need to start talking more openly about power and the role it plays. Executives need to more explicitly evaluate how individuals might be changed by power when selecting leaders and to balance the focus on what leaders can do for the business with what they will do to it, through the way in which they wield their power. They need to invest in preparing leaders for the challenges of how power will change them.
Whether we recognize it or not, power does things to us. It can enhance our strengths, but it also amplifies our weaknesses. And because we are leaders, the aspects of ourselves that become amplified are inevitably cascaded onto the people who work for us. We may not immediately see these effects, but they are there. And the only debatable thing is whether we—as leaders—take steps to understand and better manage them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nik Kinley is a London-based leadership consultant, assessor, and coach who has written eight books and is currently working on his ninth, exploring how power affects leaders.
Bank tellers, cashiers, postal workers, and the jobs of administrative assistants are among those forecast to decline by 2030, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, which was released ahead of the group’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, later this month.
In all, the World Economic Forum (WEF) estimates “new job creation and job displacement” will amount to 22% of today’s total jobs, and specifically, 170 million jobs will be created, equivalent to 14% of current employment. This growth is expected to be offset by the loss of 92 million jobs, resulting in a net growth of 78 million jobs by 2030.
The report is based on data from more than 1,000 leading global employers, representing more than 14 million workers across more than 20 industries in 55 global economies. The data looked at how macrotrends impact jobs and skills, and what strategies employers plan to implement to meet the emerging jobs landscape in 2030.
Technological advancements, demographic shifts, geo-economic tensions, economic uncertainty, and the green transition are key drivers of these changes, and are expected to reshape industries and professions worldwide, according to the report.
Here’s a summary of some of the key findings:
JOBS IN DECLINE
Clerical and secretarial workers, including cashiers, ticket clerks, administrative assistants, and executive secretaries are expected to see the largest decline in absolute numbers. The fastest-declining roles are also expected to include postal service clerks, bank tellers, and data entry workers.
JOBS PREDICTED TO GROW
Frontline job roles are predicted to see the largest growth in terms of absolute volume, including: farmworkers, delivery drivers, construction workers, salespeople, and food-processing workers. Care economy jobs, such as nurses, social workers, counselors, and personal care aides are also expected to grow significantly over the next five years, alongside teachers.
TECH ROLES IN THE AGE OF AI
Technology-related roles are the fastest-growing jobs in terms of percentage, and include: big data specialists, fintech engineers, AI and machine learning specialists, and software and application developers. Green and energy transition roles, including autonomous and electric vehicle specialists, environmental engineers, and renewable energy engineers, also feature within the top fastest-growing roles.
MOST IN-DEMAND SKILLS FOR EMPLOYERS
The report also found that the top in-demand skills and areas of growth are in technology within AI, big data, and cybersecurity, and 41% of employers intend to downsize as AI automates existing tasks.
But human skills like critical and creative thinking, including resilience, flexibility, and agility remain highly sought after. In fact, analytical thinking is the most sought-after core skill among employers, with 7 out of 10 companies calling it essential.
On average, workers can expect 39% of their existing skill sets will be transformed or become outdated in the next 5 years. However, “skill instability” has slowed from 44% in 2023, as determined in the WEF’s last Future of Jobs report. This is likely due to the fact that workers are” upskilling,” or getting additional training.
Elon Musk has never been shy about sharing his opinions to his 211 million followers on X. But for those who follow him—and those who get his posts pushed into their feeds on the app—the past few weeks have been more unusual than most. Musk, the South African–born, United States–based tech CEO, has posted a near-nonstop slew of missives targeting European leaders.
On Monday, Musk posted a poll asking whether “America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government.” This came hours after he turned against Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain’s right-wing Reform U.K. party and a former ally of Musk’s. Late last month, Musk also wrote an op-ed for a German newspaper in support of the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD); Musk’s piece caused the newspaper’s opinion editor to quit in protest.
For his American audience, the incessant commentary on European matters may be puzzling. For Europeans, it’s annoying—and European leaders are pushing back.
On Monday, U.K. prime minister Sir Keir Starmer singled out Musk’s comments without mentioning him explicitly by name, criticizing people who were “spreading lies and misinformation” about the country’s past response to issues with child grooming gangs. Just days earlier, German chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an interview when asked about Musk “Don’t feed the troll.” French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, accused Musk of engaging in “unacceptable interference” in European democracies, and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told public broadcaster NRK that he was worried “a man with enormous access to social media and large financial resources is so directly involved in the internal affairs of other countries.”
Part of European politicians’ frustration undoubtedly has to do with Musk’s influence within the Republican Party: Musk has the ear of incoming president Donald Trump, and was named cochair of the new Department of Government Efficiency. “One of the broad political reasons why a lot of European leaders would want to push back against him is because I don’t think any of them particularly like having their political agendas hijacked by an American-based, South African billionaire with far-right views,” says Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester.
Such outspoken attacks also help drum up interest in Musk and keep him in the public eye, which may go some way to explaining why he’s picking a fight with world leaders. Starmer said in a speech that people like Musk “are not interested in victims—they’re interested in themselves.” Musk has certainly propelled himself into the news agenda in the U.K. The national broadcaster, the BBC, published a push notification over the weekend when Musk posted to his followers that he felt Starmer was unfit to govern. (Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment, sent via the X press office.)
Musk’s businesses rely in large part on cozy government relationships, particularly with the U.S. and China, the latter of which issued a $1.4 billion loan related to Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai, China, in 2019. (Tesla paid off the loan two years later.) That’s what makes his recent outbursts against political leadership so baffling to some: Musk’s got a lot to lose by souring relationships with so many American allies. “It could be that Musk genuinely believes these things and wants the hard right in power,” says Theo Bertram, director of the Social Market Foundation, a U.K. think tank, and a former advisor to prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. “Or it could be that he anticipates that X may get banned and one way of trying to prevent that is to make a lot of noise about censorship and freedom of speech, so that regulators and politicians are under more intense media and political pressure, and therefore perhaps less likely to move ahead with something as controversial as an outright ban.” (While that may seem implausible, Musk has previously squabbled with, and seen X banned temporarily in, Brazil in recent months.)
Whatever the case, it’s clear that the international community has decided enough is enough. And given that Donald Trump will soon be sitting in the White House, that could lead to a number of awkward conversations in the political world as global leaders figure out how to handle Musk’s idiosyncrasies.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Stokel-Walker is a contributing writer at Fast Company who focuses on the tech sector and its impact on our daily lives—online and offline. He has explored how the WordPress drama has implications for the wider web, how AI web crawlers are pushing sites offline, as well as stories about ordinary people doing incredible things, such as the German teen who set up a MySpace clone with more than a million users
As the clock ticks closer to a U.S. ban on TikTok, small businesses are bracing for the loss of an app that has, in many cases, proven vital for their success.
Millions of small businesses use the short-video social media app to help them grow their business in a multitude of ways. From helping to grow a customer base and selling goods directly from the app to advertising and marketing, TikTok has become a lifeline for small and medium-size businesses, offering a level playing field for brands to connect with targeted audiences.
“This app saved our business,” posted one entrepreneur on TikTok. Last June, her crafting business was on the brink. But after launching her TikTok shop, the in-app shopping feature turned things around, driving sales far beyond what her website or other social platforms could achieve. “There is no other social like this one,” she said.
The U.S. government has cited national security concerns as the main reason behind its potential ban of TikTok. The Justice Department has ordered ByteDance, the China-based parent company of the app, to sell TikTok by January 19 or face a complete ban in the U.S.
If the ban goes into effect, TikTok estimates that small businesses on the platform would lose more than $1 billion in revenue in just one month.
TikTok’s short-video format, paired with its algorithm that prioritizes engaging content, has enabled small, local businesses to go viral and tap into global audiences. Entrepreneurs leverage the platform to showcase their products, offer behind-the-scenes glimpses, and build personal connections with customers, making it an invaluable tool for business growth. “69% of these businesses say that using TikTok has led to increased sales for their businesses in the last year, and 39% say that access to TikTok is critical to their business’s existence,” said Blake Chandlee, president of global business solutions for TikTok, in a court filing last month.
If a ban is indeed enacted, small businesses will need to shift to other platforms to connect with their customers. Instagram Reels, Snapchat, and YouTube Shorts are potential alternatives. But for many businesses, no other app currently offers the same blend of reach, functionality, and audience engagement that TikTok does.
Lizz Smoak, brand strategist and a SCORE mentor, urges small businesses to diversify their presence across different platforms if they haven’t already done so, as well as build email lists to keep in direct contact with customers, no matter the platform shifts. Teaming up with multi-platform creators and micro-influencers can also help boost visibility, while sharing user-generated content (UGC) from influencers and customers keeps the buzz alive and engagement high.
“The strongest marketing strategies are like roots of a tree,” says Smoak. “The deeper and wider they grow, the more resilient you’ll be when the winds of social change blow. Building a community both online and offline isn’t just smart, it’s essential for long-term growth.”
The New Year is here and resolutions are upon—personal promises to exercise more, save money, or pick up a new hobby. For leaders, resolutions can feel overused and weighed down by countless failed attempts to “stick to the plan.”
Instead of rigid resolutions, I propose setting intentions.
Intentions are value-driven and adaptable, serving as a north star for a company’s direction. Similarly, I advocate for milestones over traditional benchmarks. While benchmarks can feel too prescriptive for broader goals, milestones break ambitious journeys into achievable steps that keep teams motivated.
In today’s fast-moving world—especially with rapid advancements in AI and data—companies need flexibility and focus. A thoughtful intention paired with actionable milestones provides the foundation for growth, alignment, and resilience. Here’s how leaders can set intentions that inspire their teams and begin the new year on the right foot.
STEP 1: START WITH PURPOSE
Every meaningful intention begins with a clear purpose. Why does your company exist (beyond making money)? What problem are you uniquely positioned to solve? Without purpose, intentions risk becoming hollow or uninspiring.
When I joined GrowthLoop, redefining our purpose was one of the first steps we took. The executive team collaborated to shape our guiding principles and presented several options during a town hall. There, we conducted a live vote to select the final version: “Unleash the growth potential of the world’s most innovative brands by closing the loop between people, data, and AI.”
This exercise reconnected us with the emotional core of our business. Leaders struggling to define their purpose should go back to their company’s origin. The answer often lies in the stories of your earliest challenges and triumphs.
STEP 2: SET INTENTIONS, NOT JUST GOALS
Goals are outcome-focused—achieve X revenue, launch Y product. Intentions, by contrast, are value-focused. They guide decision-making and behavior, leaving room to restrategize in an uncertain world.
At Google Canada, we intended to “make the web work for Canadians and Canadian businesses.” This wasn’t a specific goal but a guiding principle that shaped everything from product development to government relations. It allowed us to adapt while staying aligned with our mission.
Intentions also create accountability. When teams set intentions together, they commit to outcomes and the values behind them. This shared accountability strengthens cohesion and empowers teams to hold each other—and their leaders—responsible.
STEP 3: DEFINE MILESTONES, NOT BENCHMARKS
Traditional benchmarks—like revenue targets or retention rates—are essential for measuring success. But they can sometimes lead to an overly narrow focus on one metric at the expense of broader progress.
I like to track smaller, measurable milestones, too, because they provide real-time insights into progress. Think of looking at “anec-data”—analyzing anecdotes alongside data.
For example, rather than relying solely on traditional, backward-looking metrics like quarterly revenue, we prioritize indicators like customer feedback and product usage patterns. These include reviews on platforms like G2, customer support cases, and recorded sales calls, which signal how well our products meet customer needs.
By analyzing actionable insights in customer sentiment and engagement, we can identify opportunities for improvement before they’re reflected in revenue or market share, especially as a new year begins.
STEP 4: MAKE IT A GROUP EFFORT
Intentions are most powerful when they’re collaborative. Engage your team at all levels to “build in” a shared sense of purpose rather than “buy-in” to a plan pushed down from the top.
At GrowthLoop, we involved employees across the organization to finalize our intention. The town hall vote wasn’t just symbolic—it ensured everyone felt ownership over the result. This collective effort created enthusiasm and accountability, as everyone saw themselves as contributors to our shared vision.
When people feel connected to the company’s purpose and have a role in shaping its direction, they’re more likely to unleash their energy and creativity to achieve it.
STEP 5: REFLECT, ADJUST, AND CELEBRATE
A company’s intention isn’t set in stone. It’s a dynamic guide that requires reflection and adjustment throughout the year. Regular rituals like weekly check-ins, quarterly reviews, or all-hands meetings create opportunities to assess progress and recalibrate as needed.
Personally, I conduct weekly check-ins with myself to evaluate how I’m progressing against my intentions. On a company-wide level, quarterly business reviews provide a structured framework for reflection. These sessions allow teams to celebrate milestones, address challenges, double down on the projects that work, and adjust the efforts that aren’t.
Celebration is critical. We hold “World’s Fair” meetings to spotlight wins, big and small. These moments of recognition keep teams motivated and reinforce the joy and value of the journey, not just the destination.
LOOKING AHEAD
As you think about guiding your company in the new year, consider setting an intention instead of a resolution. Root it in a shared purpose, make it collaborative, and define actionable milestones to track progress.
If I could offer one additional piece of advice to leaders setting their first company-wide intention, it would be this: step outside of your usual perspective. This means seeking input from within your leadership team and from a broader group of voices—your employees, customers, and other key stakeholders such as partners, investors, or community members. Take the time to listen to their needs, challenges, and aspirations.
Setting aside personal biases and preconceived notions allows you to build intentions that reflect collective values and priorities. The most powerful intentions are not dictated from the top—they’re cocreated through meaningful engagement.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris O’Neill is the Chief Executive Officer of GrowthLoop and a board director at Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS)
