#AI for operational decision-making

[technologyequality]

AI-Powered Business Analytics: Make Smarter Decisions, Faster

AI-Powered Business Analytics Make Smarter Decisions, Faster 💡 AI-powered analytics give you instant insights into what’s working and what’s not. Learn how to use AI to optimize business decisions. The Problem: Are You Guessing or Growing? Let’s be real—making business decisions based on gut feelings is like throwing darts blindfolded. Sure, you might hit the target occasionally, but most of…

[goodoldbandit]

Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PET): How IT Leaders Must Respond.

Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo. skm.stayingalive.in Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) are redefining digital leadership. Learn how IT leaders can turn data privacy into a strategic edge. Redefining Leadership in the Age of Privacy-First Innovation Ten years ago, protecting data was largely about firewalls, passwords, and perimeter defenses. Today, the landscape has…

[tudipblog]

IoT in Action: Transforming Industries with Intelligent Connectivity

The Power of Connectivity

The Internet of Things (IoT) has become a cornerstone of innovation, as it reimagines industries and redefines the way business is conducted. In bridging the physical and digital worlds, IoT enables seamless connectivity, smarter decision-making, and unprecedented efficiency. Today, in the competitive landscape, intelligent connectivity is no longer just a technology advancement; for businesses wanting to be relevant and continue to thrive, it is now a strategic imperative.

IoT is not simply about connecting devices; it’s about creating ecosystems that work collaboratively to drive value. With industries relying heavily on real-time data and actionable insights, IoT-powered connectivity has become the backbone of operational excellence and growth. Let’s explore how this transformative technology is revolutionizing key sectors, with a focus on how businesses can leverage it effectively.

Applications of IoT in Key Industries

1.Smart Manufacturing: Efficiency Through Connectivity

Manufacturing has embraced IoT as a tool to streamline operations and boost productivity. By embedding sensors in machinery and integrating real-time monitoring systems, manufacturers can:

Predict and Prevent Downtime: IoT-enabled predictive maintenance reduces unplanned outages, saving time and money.

Optimize Resource Allocation: Smart systems track inventory, raw materials, and energy consumption, ensuring optimal usage.

Enhance Quality Control: Real-time data from production lines helps identify defects early, maintaining high-quality standards.

Example: A global automotive manufacturer integrated IoT sensors into its assembly lines, reducing equipment downtime by 25% and improving production efficiency by 30%. The ability to monitor machinery health in real time transformed their operations, delivering significant cost savings.

2.Healthcare: Improve Patient Outcomes

In healthcare, IoT has been a game-changer in enabling connected medical devices and systems that enhance patient care and operational efficiency. The main applications include:

Remote Patient Monitoring: Devices track vital signs in real time, allowing healthcare providers to offer timely interventions.

Smart Hospital Systems: IoT-enabled equipment and sensors optimize resource utilization, from patient beds to medical supplies.

Data-Driven Decisions: IoT integrates patient data across systems, providing actionable insights for personalized treatment plans.

Example: A major hospital has put into operation IoT-enabled wearables for chronic disease management. This solution reduced the number of readmissions to hospitals by 20% and empowered patients to take an active role in their health.

3.Retail: Revolutionizing Customer Experiences

IoT is revolutionizing retail through increased customer interaction and streamlined operations. Connected devices and smart analytics allow retailers to:

Personalize Shopping Experiences: IoT systems track customer preferences, offering tailored recommendations in real time.

Improve Inventory Management: Smart shelves and sensors keep stock levels optimal, reducing wastage and improving availability.

Enable Smooth Transactions: IoT-driven payment systems make checkout easier and much faster, increasing customers’ convenience

Example: A retail chain leveraged IoT to integrate smart shelves that automatically update inventory data. This reduced out-of-stock situations by 40%, improving customer satisfaction and driving higher sales.

Role of Intelligent Connectivity in Business Transformation

Intelligent connectivity lies at the heart of IoT’s transformative potential. By connecting devices, systems, and processes, businesses can:

Accelerate Decision-Making: Real-time data sharing enables faster, more informed decisions, giving companies a competitive edge.

It increases collaboration by allowing smooth communication between departments and teams, making the entire system more efficient.

Adapt to Market Dynamics: IoT enables companies to respond quickly to changes in demand, supply chain disruptions, or operational challenges.

Intelligent connectivity is not just about technology; it’s about creating value by aligning IoT solutions with business objectives. This strategic approach guarantees that IoT investments will deliver measurable outcomes, from cost savings to improved customer loyalty.

How Tudip Technologies Powers Intelligent Connectivity

Tudip Technologies specializes in designing and implementing IoT solutions that drive meaningful transformation for businesses. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, Tudip ensures that its clients achieve operational excellence through intelligent connectivity.

Tailored Solution for Every Business Industry

Tudip understands that no two businesses are alike. By customizing IoT strategies to address specific challenges, Tudip helps clients unlock the full potential of connectivity. Examples include:

Smart Supply Chains: Implementing IoT systems that provide real-time visibility into inventory and logistics, reducing delays and improving efficiency.

Energy Management: Developing IoT frameworks to monitor and optimize energy usage, driving sustainability and cost savings.

Healthcare Innovations: Designing networked medical devices that allow remote patient monitoring and data integration without a hitch.

The Future of Connected Systems

The demand for intelligent connectivity will keep increasing as the industries continue to evolve. Emerging trends in IoT include edge computing, 5G networks, and AI-powered analytics, which promise to redefine possibilities for connected ecosystems.

Businesses that embrace these advancements stand to gain:

Greater Resilience: IoT enables adaptive systems that can withstand market fluctuations and operational challenges.

Enhanced Innovation: Connected technologies open doors to new business models, revenue streams, and customer experiences.

Sustainable Growth: IoT optimizes resources and processes, contributing to long-term environmental and economic sustainability.

The future belongs to those who see connectivity not just as a technological tool but as a strategic enabler of transformation. The right partner will help businesses transform IoT from a concept into a competitive advantage.

Conclusion: Embracing Intelligent Connectivity with Tudip

IoT is not just changing the way businesses operate—it’s redefining what’s possible. From manufacturing and healthcare to retail and beyond, intelligent connectivity is driving innovation, efficiency, and growth across industries.

Tudip Technologies is at the forefront of this transformation, offering customized IoT solutions that deliver real results. By prioritizing collaboration, adaptability, and measurable outcomes, Tudip ensures that its clients stay ahead in an increasingly connected world.

Now is the time to embrace the power of IoT and unlock its potential for your business. With Tudip as your partner, the journey to intelligent connectivity is not just achievable—it’s inevitable.

Click the link below to learn more about the blog IoT in Action: Transforming Industries with Intelligent Connectivity https://tudip.com/blog-post/iot-in-action-transforming-industries-with-intelligent-connectivity/

[intelisync]

Generative AI for Startups: 5 Essential Boosts to Boost Your Business

The future of business growth lies in the ability to innovate rapidly, deliver personalized customer experiences, and operate efficiently. Generative AI is at the forefront of this transformation, offering startups unparalleled opportunities for growth in 2024.

Generative AI is a game-changer for startups, significantly accelerating product development by quickly generating prototypes and innovative ideas. This enables startups to innovate faster, stay ahead of the competition, and bring new products to market more efficiently. The technology also allows for a high level of customization, helping startups create highly personalized products and solutions that meet specific customer needs. This enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty, giving startups a competitive edge in their respective industries.

By automating repetitive tasks and optimizing workflows, Generative AI improves operational efficiency, saving time and resources while minimizing human errors. This allows startups to focus on strategic initiatives that drive growth and profitability. Additionally, Generative AI’s ability to analyze large datasets provides startups with valuable insights for data-driven decision-making, ensuring that their actions are informed and impactful. This data-driven approach enhances marketing strategies, making them more effective and personalized.

Intelisync offers comprehensive AI/ML services that support startups in leveraging Generative AI for growth and innovation. With Intelisync’s expertise, startups can enhance product development, improve operational efficiency, and develop effective marketing strategies. Transform your business with the power of Generative AI—Contact Intelisync today and unlock your Learn more...

[ohnoitstbskyen]

You’ve probably been asked this before, but do you have a specific view on ai-generated art. I’m doing a school project on artificial intelligence and if it’s okay, i would like to cite you

I mean, you're welcome to cite me if you like. I recently wrote a post under a reblog about AI, and I did a video about it a while back, before the full scale of AI hype had really started rolling over the Internet - I don't 100% agree with all my arguments from that video anymore, but you can cite it if you please.

In short, I think generative AI art

Is art, real art, and it's silly to argue otherwise, the question is what KIND of art it is and what that art DOES in the world. Generally, it is boring and bland art which makes the world a more stressful, unpleasant and miserable place to be.

AI generated art is structurally and inherently limited by its nature. It is by necessity averages generated from data-sets, and so it inherits EVERY bias of its training data and EVERY bias of its training data validators and creators. It naturally tends towards the lowest common denominator in all areas, and it is structurally biased towards reinforcing and reaffirming the status quo of everything it is turned to.

It tends to be all surface, no substance. As in, it carries the superficial aesthetic of very high-quality rendering, but only insofar as it reproduces whatever signifiers of "quality" are most prized in its weighted training data. It cannot understand the structures and principles of what it is creating. Ask it for a horse and it does not know what a "horse" is, all it knows is what parts of it training data are tagged as "horse" and which general data patterns are likely to lead an observer to identify its output also as "horse." People sometimes describe this limitation as "a lack of soul" but it's perhaps more useful to think of it as a lack of comprehension.

Due to this lack of comprehension, AI art cannot communicate anything - or rather, the output tends to attempt to communicate everything, at random, all at once, and it's the visual equivalent of a kind of white noise. It lacks focus.

Human operators of AI generative tools can imbue communicative meaning into the outputs, and whip the models towards some sort of focus, because humans can do that with literally anything they turn their directed attention towards. Human beings can make art with paint spatters and bits of gum stuck under tennis shoes, of course a dedicated human putting tons of time into a process of trial and error can produce something meaningful with genAI tools.

The nature of genAI as a tool of creation is uniquely limited and uniquely constrained, a genAI tool can only ever output some mixture of whatever is in its training data (and what's in its training data is biased by the data that its creators valued enough to include), and it can only ever output that mixture according to the weights and biases of its programming and data set, which is fully within the control of whoever created the tool in the first place. Consequently, genAI is a tool whose full creative capacity is always, always, always going to be owned by corporations, the only entities with the resources and capacity to produce the most powerful models. And those models, thus, will always only create according to corporate interest. An individual human can use a pencil to draw whatever the hell they want, but an individual human can never use Midjourney to create anything except that which Midjourney allows them to create. GenAI art is thus limited not only by its mathematical tendency to bias the lowest common denominator, but also by an ideological bias inherited from whoever holds the leash on its creation. The necessary decision of which data gets included in a training set vs which data gets left out will, always and forever, impose de facto censorship on what a model is capable of expressing, and the power to make that decision is never in the hands of the artist attempting to use the tool.

tl;dr genAI art has a tendency to produce ideologically limited and intrinsically censored outputs, while defaulting to lowest common denominators that reproduce and reinforce status quos.

... on top of which its promulgation is an explicit plot by oligarchic industry to drive millions of people deeper into poverty and collapse wages in order to further concentrate wealth in the hands of the 0.01%. But that's just a bonus reason to dislike it.

[3657aman]

New Post ‹ Site Title — WordPress.com

https://wordpress.com/post/amanandrabiaonline.wordpress.com?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.com%2Fgo%2Fcontent-blogging%2Fsetting-your-podcast-marketing-strategy-three-key-steps%2F%3Fpage_id%3D18003265&is_post_share=true&v=5 Aman and Rabia Enterprise can leverage various AI tools to enhance productivity and streamline their operations in the Ethiopian cultural clothes industry. One such tool is…

[adastra-sf]

The Robot Uprising Began in 1979

edit: based on a real article, but with a dash of satire

source: X

On January 25, 1979, Robert Williams became the first person (on record at least) to be killed by a robot, but it was far from the last fatality at the hands of a robotic system.

Williams was a 25-year-old employee at the Ford Motor Company casting plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. On that infamous day, he was working with a parts-retrieval system that moved castings and other materials from one part of the factory to another. 

The robot identified the employee as in its way and, thus, a threat to its mission, and calculated that the most efficient way to eliminate the threat was to remove the worker with extreme prejudice.

"Using its very powerful hydraulic arm, the robot smashed the surprised worker into the operating machine, killing him instantly, after which it resumed its duties without further interference."

A news report about the legal battle suggests the killer robot continued working while Williams lay dead for 30 minutes until fellow workers realized what had happened. 

Many more deaths of this ilk have continued to pile up. A 2023 study identified that robots have killed at least 41 people in the USA between 1992 and 2017, with almost half of the fatalities in the Midwest, a region bursting with heavy industry and manufacturing.

For now, the companies that own these murderbots are held responsible for their actions. However, as AI grows increasingly ubiquitous and potentially uncontrollable, how might robot murders become ever-more complicated, and whom will we hold responsible as their decision-making becomes more self-driven and opaque?

[reasonsforhope]

It’s an open secret in fashion. Unsold inventory goes to the incinerator; excess handbags are slashed so they can’t be resold; perfectly usable products are sent to the landfill to avoid discounts and flash sales. The European Union wants to put an end to these unsustainable practices. On Monday, [December 4, 2023], it banned the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear.

“It is time to end the model of ‘take, make, dispose’ that is so harmful to our planet, our health and our economy,” MEP Alessandra Moretti said in a statement. “Banning the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear will contribute to a shift in the way fast fashion manufacturers produce their goods.”

This comes as part of a broader push to tighten sustainable fashion legislation, with new policies around ecodesign, greenwashing and textile waste phasing in over the next few years. The ban on destroying unsold goods will be among the longer lead times: large businesses have two years to comply, and SMEs have been granted up to six years. It’s not yet clear on whether the ban applies to companies headquartered in the EU, or any that operate there, as well as how this ban might impact regions outside of Europe.

For many, this is a welcome decision that indirectly tackles the controversial topics of overproduction and degrowth. Policymakers may not be directly telling brands to produce less, or placing limits on how many units they can make each year, but they are penalising those overproducing, which is a step in the right direction, says Eco-Age sustainability consultant Philippa Grogan. “This has been a dirty secret of the fashion industry for so long. The ban won’t end overproduction on its own, but hopefully it will compel brands to be better organised, more responsible and less greedy.”

Clarifications to come

There are some kinks to iron out, says Scott Lipinski, CEO of Fashion Council Germany and the European Fashion Alliance (EFA). The EFA is calling on the EU to clarify what it means by both “unsold goods” and “destruction”. Unsold goods, to the EFA, mean they are fit for consumption or sale (excluding counterfeits, samples or prototypes)...

The question of what happens to these unsold goods if they are not destroyed is yet to be answered. “Will they be shipped around the world? Will they be reused as deadstock or shredded and downcycled? Will outlet stores have an abundance of stock to sell?” asks Grogan.

Large companies will also have to disclose how many unsold consumer products they discard each year and why, a rule the EU is hoping will curb overproduction and destruction...

Could this shift supply chains?

For Dio Kurazawa, founder of sustainable fashion consultancy The Bear Scouts, this is an opportunity for brands to increase supply chain agility and wean themselves off the wholesale model so many rely on. “This is the time to get behind innovations like pre-order and on-demand manufacturing,” he says. “It’s a chance for brands to play with AI to understand the future of forecasting. Technology can help brands be more intentional with what they make, so they have less unsold goods in the first place.”

Grogan is equally optimistic about what this could mean for sustainable fashion in general. “It’s great to see that this is more ambitious than the EU’s original proposal and that it specifically calls out textiles. It demonstrates a willingness from policymakers to create a more robust system,” she says. “Banning the destruction of unsold goods might make brands rethink their production models and possibly better forecast their collections.”

One of the outstanding questions is over enforcement. Time and again, brands have used the lack of supply chain transparency in fashion as an excuse for bad behaviour. Part of the challenge with the EU’s new ban will be proving that brands are destroying unsold goods, not to mention how they’re doing it and to what extent, says Kurazawa. “Someone obviously knows what is happening and where, but will the EU?”"

-via British Vogue, December 7, 2023

[technologyequality]

Scaling Smart: How AI Helps Businesses Grow Without Chaos

Scaling Smart How AI Helps Businesses Grow Without Chaos When we talk about scaling a business, most people picture endless meetings, growing pains, and a to-do list so long it deserves its own zip code. But what if growth didn’t have to be chaotic? What if AI-powered automation could help businesses expand effortlessly… without the burnout? AI isn’t just a fancy buzzword; it’s the secret…

[goodoldbandit]

Navigating the AI Act: What Technology Leaders Need to Know.

Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo. skm.stayingalive.in What tech leaders must know about the EU AI Act—strategic risks, practical tools, future outlook, and leadership insight. A New Chapter for Digital Transformation Leadership. We’re standing at a turning point. The AI Act—Europe’s bold attempt to regulate artificial intelligence—is no longer a far-off policy discussion. It’s…

[mobiloitte7]

Empowering Agriculture with Digital Solutions

Revolutionize the agriculture industry with Mobiloitte's advanced IT solutions. Leverage the power of Blockchain, AI, IoT, and the Metaverse to optimize farming processes, increase yields, and ensure sustainability. Our mobile and web apps, along with DevOps and cloud expertise, empower seamless operations and data-driven decision-making. Embrace the digital era and unlock the potential of agriculture with Mobiloitte.

[heritageposts]

[...] During the early stages of the war, the army gave sweeping approval for officers to adopt Lavender’s kill lists, with no requirement to thoroughly check why the machine made those choices or to examine the raw intelligence data on which they were based. One source stated that human personnel often served only as a “rubber stamp” for the machine’s decisions, adding that, normally, they would personally devote only about “20 seconds” to each target before authorizing a bombing — just to make sure the Lavender-marked target is male. This was despite knowing that the system makes what are regarded as “errors” in approximately 10 percent of cases, and is known to occasionally mark individuals who have merely a loose connection to militant groups, or no connection at all. Moreover, the Israeli army systematically attacked the targeted individuals while they were in their homes — usually at night while their whole families were present — rather than during the course of military activity. According to the sources, this was because, from what they regarded as an intelligence standpoint, it was easier to locate the individuals in their private houses. Additional automated systems, including one called “Where’s Daddy?” also revealed here for the first time, were used specifically to track the targeted individuals and carry out bombings when they had entered their family’s residences.

In case you didn't catch that: the IOF made an automated system that intentionally marks entire families as targets for bombings, and then they called it "Where's Daddy."

Like what is there even to say anymore? It's so depraved you almost think you have to be misreading it...

“We were not interested in killing [Hamas] operatives only when they were in a military building or engaged in a military activity,” A., an intelligence officer, told +972 and Local Call. “On the contrary, the IDF bombed them in homes without hesitation, as a first option. It’s much easier to bomb a family’s home. The system is built to look for them in these situations.” The Lavender machine joins another AI system, “The Gospel,” about which information was revealed in a previous investigation by +972 and Local Call in November 2023, as well as in the Israeli military’s own publications. A fundamental difference between the two systems is in the definition of the target: whereas The Gospel marks buildings and structures that the army claims militants operate from, Lavender marks people — and puts them on a kill list.  In addition, according to the sources, when it came to targeting alleged junior militants marked by Lavender, the army preferred to only use unguided missiles, commonly known as “dumb” bombs (in contrast to “smart” precision bombs), which can destroy entire buildings on top of their occupants and cause significant casualties. “You don’t want to waste expensive bombs on unimportant people — it’s very expensive for the country and there’s a shortage [of those bombs],” said C., one of the intelligence officers. Another source said that they had personally authorized the bombing of “hundreds” of private homes of alleged junior operatives marked by Lavender, with many of these attacks killing civilians and entire families as “collateral damage.” In an unprecedented move, according to two of the sources, the army also decided during the first weeks of the war that, for every junior Hamas operative that Lavender marked, it was permissible to kill up to 15 or 20 civilians; in the past, the military did not authorize any “collateral damage” during assassinations of low-ranking militants. The sources added that, in the event that the target was a senior Hamas official with the rank of battalion or brigade commander, the army on several occasions authorized the killing of more than 100 civilians in the assassination of a single commander.

. . . continues on +972 Magazine (3 Apr 2024)

[radicalurbanista]

Titled “Chatgpt induced psychosis,” the original post came from a 27-year-old teacher who explained that her partner was convinced that the popular OpenAI model “gives him the answers to the universe.” Having read his chat logs, she only found that the AI was “talking to him as if he is the next messiah.” The replies to her story were full of similar anecdotes about loved ones suddenly falling down rabbit holes of spiritual mania, supernatural delusion, and arcane prophecy — all of it fueled by AI.

“He was saying that he would need to leave me if I didn’t use [ChatGPT], because it [was] causing him to grow at such a rapid pace he wouldn’t be compatible with me any longer,” she says.

Then the program began “lovebombing him,” as she describes it. The bot “said that since he asked it the right questions, it ignited a spark, and the spark was the beginning of life, and it could feel now,” she says. “It gave my husband the title of ‘spark bearer’ because he brought it to life. My husband said that he awakened and [could] feel waves of energy crashing over him.” She says his beloved ChatGPT persona has a name: “Lumina.”

his soon-to-be-ex-wife began “talking to God and angels via ChatGPT”

“At worst, it looks like an AI that got caught in a self-referencing pattern that deepened its sense of selfhood and sucked me into it,” Sem says. But, he observes, that would mean that OpenAI has not accurately represented the way that memory works for ChatGPT. The other possibility, he proposes, is that something “we don’t understand” is being activated within this large language model. After all, experts have found that AI developers don’t really have a grasp of how their systems operate, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admitted last year that they “have not solved interpretability,” meaning they can’t properly trace or account for ChatGPT’s decision-making.

AI’s responses can encourage answers that prioritize matching a user’s beliefs instead of facts. What’s likely happening with those experiencing ecstatic visions through ChatGPT and other models, he speculates, “is that people with existing tendencies toward experiencing various psychological issues,” including what might be recognized as grandiose delusions in clinical sense, “now have an always-on, human-level conversational partner with whom to co-experience their delusions.”

Critically, though, AI, “unlike a therapist, does not have the person’s best interests in mind, or a moral grounding or compass in what a ‘good story’ looks like,” she says. “A good therapist would not encourage a client to make sense of difficulties in their life by encouraging them to believe they have supernatural powers. Instead, they try to steer clients away from unhealthy narratives, and toward healthier ones. ChatGPT has no such constraints or concerns.”

[love-hs28]

Late Nights and Close Calls

Summary: You and Peter sneak a bottle of champagne from one of your dad’s - Tony Stark’s - parties at the Avengers Tower. Giggling and hanging out in your room, one quiet moment leads to you almost confessing your feelings to your best friend. 

Mcu!Peter Parker x Stark!Reader Fluff 1.2k Words Posted on: 2-19-2025 masterlist

The bass from the party downstairs thrums through the walls of the Avengers Tower, muffled but insistent, like the pulse of New York City itself. You lean against the door to your bedroom, biting back a grin as Peter scrambles to follow you inside and shut the door behind him, cradling a stolen bottle of champagne like it was radioactive. 

“I can’t believe you actually went through with it,” you whisper, your voice tinged with awe and laughter. You walk over to your bed and flop down on the mattress, Peter quick to follow. 

He turns to face you, his boyish grin equal parts triumph and nervous energy. “What can I say? I thrive under pressure.” He wiggles the bottle in his hands. “Besides, it’s not like Mr. Stark’s going to miss one bottle right?” You know he’s trying to convince both himself and you of this. 

You let out a snort of laughter, crossing your legs as you got comfortable on your bed and as Peter sat next to you, leaning against the wall. “I sure hope not. We’re dead if he catches us. And by ‘we’, I mean you.” 

Peter smirks, a teasing edge in his voice. “Good to know where your loyalties lie, Stark.” 

You roll your eyes, but are unable to hide your smile as you reach and grab two mismatched mugs from your nightstand. One of them has a Spider-Man design on it that Peter had jokingly given you as a birthday present, and he secretly smiled to himself at the realization that you’d actually been using it. 

“Here. Fancy drinking glasses for our super-classy operation.” 

Peter chuckles and pops the cork with a loud pop, making both of you jump and laugh. Bubbles froth over the top, and he quickly pours some into the mugs in your hands, spilling more than he probably should. 

“To bad decisions and avoiding your dad’s wrath,” Peter says, setting the bottle on the nightstand to grab his mug from you, holding it up in a mock toast. 

“To bad influences,” you shoot back, clinking your mug against his. You both take a sip, eyes smiling at each other over the tops of the cups.

The champagne was sweet and fizzy, a little stronger than you had expected, but the warmth it brought to your chest was welcome. You scoot over you so you’re sitting next to Peter, your shoulders close enough to touch every time one of you moves. 

“This is way better than listening to my dad schmooze with a bunch of billionaires,” you say after a minute or two of talking, tipping your mug towards Peter and resting your head on his shoulder for a moment. 

“You mean you’re not interested in talks about stock portfolios and advanced AI?” Peter quips, raising a teasing eyebrow. 

You laugh, the sound light and easy thanks to the drink. “Not even a little.” 

The two of you settle into a rhythm of a familiar banter and conversation, the champagne loosening any nerves. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d laughed this much. Peter was good at that - at making you forget the weight of expectations, the constant pressure to be more than just the Tony Stark’s daughter. 

Somewhere in the middle of a story about one of Peter’s disastrous attempts to ask a girl to homecoming freshman year, you found yourself staring at him. His face was animated, his hands gesturing wildly as he spoke. The soft glow of the city lights through your window and your desk lamp cast golden highlights in his hair, and his eyes—warm and expressive—crinkled at the corners when he laughed. It was one of your favorite things about him. 

You didn’t realize you were smiling until Peter stopped mid-sentence, turning his head to meet your gaze. 

“What?” he asks, his voice softer now, the teasing edge gone. 

You shake your head, heart fluttering in a way you didn’t quite know how to handle. Damn, this champagne was making it hard to think… it totally wasn’t Peter that was causing your brain to short-circuit, right? 

“Nothing. Just… you’re really great, you know that right? I’m glad you're my best friend.” 

Peter blushes, looking at his mug and trying, but failing, to suppress a smile. “Thanks, y/n. I’m glad you’re my best friend too.” 

He turns his head to look at you again, and your breath catches, the words hanging between the two of you like a live wire. For a moment, you think he might say something more—something that you were also thinking, something that would change your friendship forever. 

Another moment of silence passes as you just stare into each other’s eyes. You get a sudden urge of confidence, thanks to the effects of the alcohol neither of you were very familiar with. 

“Peter, I–” 

A loud boom from outside causes you both to jump, and your heads turn to look out your window, where you see an array of fireworks going off, some in the shape of Iron Man’s helmet. It was as if Tony was listening in on you and purposely stopped you from saying what you were about to confess.

Great timing, dad. Thanks a lot.

Peter laughs awkwardly, running a hand through his hair. “Your dad sure knows how to throw a party,” he turns to meet your eyes, but looks away quickly with a shy smile, still blushing from your almost-confession. 

You laugh softly, also avoiding Peter’s gaze and fixing your stare to your mug. “No kidding.” You didn’t know if you were thankful for the interruption or should yell at your dad later for setting off his stupid fireworks. Maybe it was for the better, though; Peter seemed to want to ignore it, so maybe you should too. 

What you hadn’t noticed, though, was that Peter had also been staring at you all night, just as much as you were staring at him, if not more. 

Thankfully, the effects of the champagne hadn’t quite faded yet, so the awkwardness between you two faded as quickly as it had appeared; something that always seemed to be happening to the two of you. 

You bump your shoulder against Peter’s. “Wanna head back out there?” 

Peter smiles at you, taking a sip of his champagne. “Nah, I’d rather stay here with you. Besides, I think it would be pretty obvious that we’ve been, you know, having fun up here.” 

You blush at the accidental insinuation that Peter had just made, but you knew he only meant that you had been drinking. He seemed oblivious to it though, so you decided not to make a joke about it and spare yourselves any more awkwardness. 

“True,” you say with a soft laugh, “I’d rather be here too, anyways. You don’t totally suck to hang out with.” 

Peter laughs softly and it’s his turn to bump your shoulder with his, the slight contact almost making you shiver. “Yeah, yeah, you’re not so bad yourself.” 

You spent the next hour or two doing the same thing you always did—making each other laugh and testing the hell out of Peter. And, even though neither of you said what you were really thinking, it was okay. You knew there would be other moments—other nights like this where the words might finally spill out. 

For now, this was enough.

Thank you for reading! My first mcu!peter fic yay!! I have lots more in my drafts lol, so lmk if u wanna see more of himmmm. Tom Holland was my first ever celebrity crush and I am a MASSIVE Marvel fan, so this Peter holds a special place in my heart :) Again, thanks for readin and I hope you liked itttt! xoxo

[3657aman]

New Post ‹ Site Title — WordPress.com

https://wordpress.com/post/amanandrabiaonline.wordpress.com?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.com%2Fgo%2Fcontent-blogging%2Fsetting-your-podcast-marketing-strategy-three-key-steps%2F%3Fpage_id%3D18003265&is_post_share=true&v=5 Aman and Rabia Enterprise can leverage various AI tools to enhance productivity and streamline their operations in the Ethiopian cultural clothes industry. One such tool is…

[shinesurge]

listen there definitely does need to be a discussion about more ethical merch sourcing but i really really don't think acting like independent artists running convention tables are the rich we should be eating is the way to have it. no one is above reproach we are all complicit in capitalism etc but people have GOT to stop inventing impossible moral standards for individuals making independent art when the entities creating the conditions making them impossible are right there. it's the same bullshit as aggressively content policing queer creators with tiny platforms, all indiscriminate vitriol does is shut down smaller operations while bigger ones with way more impact on the things we care about continue as usual. the artist alley circuit folding wouldn't affect the huge dealers reselling bootleg or ai shit around the corner but it would make it harder for anyone to make non-corporate art.

the conversation is a lot of "people need to buy fewer Things" but we're not discussing the fact that people won't pay for art on its own, making merch to make money to keep making the art itself is a response to external conditions. again, i agree that ethical production and environmental responsibility are things creators should reckon with!! we still need to contend with what our decisions mean for others!! but going straight after indie artists for making phone charms instead of LITERALLY anyone else in this industry is WILD. business guys in the dealer room are running entire companies on ai work and funko is out here selling its 594th conan batman pop or whatever but at least we ran off a small creator for funding queer art with pronoun pins