#Artificial intelligence content scheduling

[kowai-kabuki-tanuki]

Annecy: A Lake of Broken Promises

Fantastic article by Matt Jones from Medium:

How Annecy 2025 exposed the widening chasm between graduate hopes and industry reality – and what must change before an entire generation of creative talent is lost forever

The picturesque lakeside town of Annecy should have been the place where dreams came true. Instead, it became the scene of a devastating awakening. As thousands of animation students clutched their sketchbooks and business cards with QR codes linking to online portfolios at the 2025 festival, the world’s premier animation celebration, they encountered a sobering truth: just 3 recruitment booths operated alongside 23 educational providers – a stark 3:23 ratio that perfectly encapsulated the industry’s fundamental supply-and-demand crisis.

The recruitment reality was brutal. Cartoon Saloon from Northern Ireland told hopeful graduates they weren’t currently hiring. Doghead from Italy maintained a booth that remained largely unstaffed throughout the festival. Dwarf offered opportunities, but only for those willing to work in France. A small recruitment room on Mifa Campus ran sessions for merely 2 days, yet was oversubscribed, leaving countless students without access.

This disconnect between aspiration and opportunity represents far more than a scheduling mishap or economic blip. It reveals a fundamental crisis brewing at the heart of the animation industry – one that threatens to squander a generation of creative talent whilst simultaneously undermining the very foundations upon which animated storytelling is built.

Key takeaways

Only a fraction of animation graduates – as few as 3 to 5 out of every 100 – secure employment in their chosen field, despite an industry valued at $400 billion globally

Major studios including Pixar have reduced their workforces by 14% whilst simultaneously increasing their reliance on artificial intelligence and sequel-based content

Animation festivals like Annecy, which should serve as crucial bridges between education and employment, are failing to provide meaningful recruitment opportunities despite charging premium attendance fees

Universities continue expanding animation programmes whilst knowing full well that industry absorption rates cannot support graduate numbers

A new model of industry collaboration, educational transparency, and creative risk-taking is urgently needed to prevent the collapse of animation’s talent pipeline

Where are the Jobs When Animation is Booming?

The question that haunts every animation graduate clutching their sketchbooks and business cards with QR codes to online portfolios seems almost absurd when set against the industry’s financial success. These students, many shy and anxious, scribble copious notes and desperately seek opportunities to showcase their work, lacking the confidence of seasoned professionals yet carrying the same creative passion. The global animation market reached $400 billion by 2024, with North America alone anticipated to grow from $23.2 billion in 2023 to $36.7 billion by 2031. Yet this prosperity hasn’t translated into opportunity for the very people who dream of creating these blockbuster films and series.

Behind the impressive box-office numbers, however, the animation industry has been experiencing seriously choppy waters. Major animation players have implemented cutbacks over the past year, with Pixar’s recent cuts affecting 14% of its workforce. The studio justified these layoffs as part of a move away from creating streaming content for Disney+ to refocus on features, but industry insiders recognise this as symptomatic of broader cost-cutting measures across the sector.

The cruel irony becomes apparent when examining what’s actually being produced. Studios are making unprecedented profits from animated content whilst simultaneously reducing the workforce needed to create it. 3 animated releases in 2024, all sequels, dominated the worldwide box-office: Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 topped with nearly $1.7 billion, followed by Universal/Illumination’s Despicable Me 4 and Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 4.

The Academic Industrial Complex

Universities have become unwitting accomplices in this crisis, continuing to expand animation programmes despite knowing that industry absorption cannot support graduate numbers. The business model is too attractive to resist: animation courses command premium fees – often reaching $50,000 annually in prestigious institutions – whilst requiring relatively modest infrastructure compared to other disciplines.

Gobelins’ 3D Character Animator certificate boasts that graduates have a 100% employment rate within 6 months of completing the program, but this represents an elite programme admitting perhaps 20 students annually. Meanwhile, hundreds of other institutions worldwide graduate thousands more students into a market that simply cannot accommodate them.

The disconnect between educational marketing and employment reality has created what industry observers describe as an “academic industrial complex.” Universities promote animation programmes using imagery of Pixar campuses and DreamWorks success stories, whilst carefully avoiding discussions of actual employment statistics. Students accumulate debt pursuing dreams that statistical analysis suggests are increasingly unlikely to materialise.

Michelle Connolly of Educational Voice observed that “Schools must stop selling 1990s-era career dreams. Our 2024 survey shows 68% of graduates need hybrid tech/art roles to survive”, yet this message hasn’t reached prospective students who continue enrolling in traditional animation programmes expecting traditional career paths.

The Festival Paradox

Annecy 2025 perfectly embodied the industry’s contradictions. The festival featured phenomenal lineups with major studios like Disney Animation, DreamWorks, and Pixar presenting new work, drawing a record 18,000 accredited guests. Yet for the students who travelled from across the globe, often spending their last savings on accommodation and festival passes, meaningful employment opportunities were virtually non-existent.

Beyond the supply-demand imbalance lay deeper structural problems. The exhibition hall for students was even reduced in size this year, with 1/3 blocked off for Mifa (aimed at buyers), along with the traditional ground floor. This physical reduction of student space in favour of commercial activities perfectly symbolised the festival’s shifting priorities.

Even established schools like MoPA admitted the exhibition costs were incredibly expensive, yet they gambled on the opportunity to promote that year’s graduates – with very few actually getting the chance to meet with recruiters. This expensive gamble proves indicative of how educational institutions are forced to compete in an increasingly desperate marketplace, whilst being particularly unfair to students from institutions that couldn’t afford booth space.

This represents the festival’s core contradiction: it markets itself as an industry gateway whilst the economics tell a different story. Students invest hundreds of pounds in passes, travel, and accommodation, often funded by family savings or student loans, based on promotional materials suggesting attendance will improve career prospects. Meanwhile, the festival charges educational institutions premium rates to compete for attention from virtually non-existent recruiters.

The Artificial Intelligence Acceleration

Perhaps no factor threatens animation employment prospects more dramatically than the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. 75% of survey respondents indicated GenAI tools, software and/or models had supported the elimination, reduction or consolidation of jobs in their business division, according to a comprehensive study of entertainment industry executives.

The impact extends beyond simple job displacement. About 33% of industry executives predicted that AI would displace 3D modellers by as early as 2026, with 25% expecting graphic designers to be affected as well. These entry-level positions traditionally served as stepping stones for animation graduates, providing essential industry experience whilst developing professional portfolios.

About 21.4% of Film, Television, and Animation jobs (or approximately 118,500 jobs) are likely to have sufficient tasks affected to be either consolidated, replaced, or eliminated by GenAI in the U.S. by 2026. California, home to major animation studios, will be impacted the most, affecting 39,500 jobs.

The technology’s advancement was evident at Annecy itself, where AI companies maintained booths that were all but empty, targeting studios rather than students. Chat3D, offering text-to-3D model generation, charged between $500–1,000 per user per month – pricing that made clear their focus on corporate clients rather than emerging artists. The sparse attendance at these AI booths suggested either industry wariness or that deals were being struck behind closed doors, away from the festival’s public spaces.

The Sequel Trap

Studios’ increasing reliance on sequels and franchise content represents another threat to emerging talent. The 2025/26 slate demonstrates an unprecedented commitment to reboots and spinoffs: Stranger Things is being animated, whilst beloved series including Gumball, Regular Show, Adventure Time, Foster’s Home, and Steven Universe are all receiving reboots or spinoffs. Even these familiar properties face production delays, further restricting opportunities for new talent.

Original content traditionally provided opportunities for newcomers to prove themselves on smaller projects before advancing to major productions. However, this shift reflects risk-averse corporate strategies prioritising proven intellectual property over creative innovation. Tom Sito, a Hollywood animation veteran now teaching at USC, suggests that the widespread cutting of jobs “bespeaks the lack of vision in a lot of the corporate strategy”.

The sequel dominance creates a vicious cycle: fewer original productions mean fewer opportunities for new talent, which reduces the industry’s creative diversity, ultimately leading to even greater reliance on proven properties. Young animators find themselves competing for positions on projects led by established teams with decades of experience, making entry-level opportunities even scarcer.

What Must Change: A 3-Pillar Solution

Festival Reform: Creating Real Opportunity

Annecy and other major festivals must evolve beyond their current model of celebration without substance. Festival organisers should implement tiered exhibition fees, charging premium rates to companies without active recruitment whilst subsidising booths for studios offering genuine employment opportunities. This would incentivise meaningful job creation whilst reducing the financial burden on organisations actually hiring.

Festivals should establish year-round digital portfolio platforms rather than relying on brief, expensive physical events. These platforms could operate continuously, providing far better return on investment for both students and employers than current festival models. Having Annecy support the thousands of students who pay dearly to attend each year feels just, and recruiters should be incentivised to use such platforms or disincentivised to ignore them.

Most importantly, festivals must abandon romanticised career presentations in favour of honest industry discussions. Panel sessions should include employment statistics, salary realities, and alternative career paths rather than perpetuating unrealistic expectations about traditional animation careers.

Educational Transparency: Truth in Advertising

Universities must implement mandatory employment outcome reporting, similar to medical schools’ residency placement rates. Prospective students deserve accurate information about career prospects before committing to expensive programmes. Accreditation bodies should require institutions to demonstrate minimum employment rates – perhaps 25% within 6 months of graduation – to maintain programme approval.

Curricula need fundamental restructuring to prepare students for hybrid careers combining animation skills with business, technology, and entrepreneurship. Rather than training students exclusively for studio employment that may not materialise, programmes should develop versatile creative professionals capable of adapting to changing industry conditions.

Industry Innovation: Breaking the Sequel Cycle

Studios should establish “original content quotas,” dedicating specific percentages of budgets to new intellectual property development. This could follow models already implemented in some territories, ensuring continued creative innovation whilst maintaining profitable franchise production.

Governments that offer tax incentives and provide funding for large employers in the creative industry to operate in their countries should mandate original content quotas and student hiring/development programmes as conditions for receiving these benefits. Public investment in studios should yield public benefit through job creation and creative diversity.

Companies should develop apprenticeship programmes providing paid training rather than relying solely on traditional hiring from oversaturated graduate pools. These programmes could identify promising talent early whilst providing practical industry experience currently lacking in 3–4 year degree programmes.

Emerging Opportunities: Beyond Traditional Animation

Despite the challenges, new opportunities are emerging for creative professionals willing to adapt. The animation industry employs more than 220,000 professionals in the United States and is expected to grow by 5% annually, though these roles increasingly require hybrid skills combining animation with technology, business, or education.

Gaming represents a significant growth area, with the gaming and animation industry reaching a massive $268.8 billion by 2025. These positions often offer more creative freedom and better employment prospects than traditional film animation, whilst still utilising core animation skills.

Virtual and augmented reality applications continue expanding, creating demand for animators in educational technology, healthcare simulation, and interactive media. These emerging sectors often welcome candidates with animation backgrounds, even if they lack specific industry experience.

Independent production has become increasingly viable through crowdfunding and digital distribution platforms. Software publishers lead the animation industry’s pay scale with a $110,000 average annual salary, whilst tools like Blender and affordable rendering services enable small teams to produce professional-quality content.

An Industry’s Reckoning

The numbers from Annecy 2025 tell a story that the animation industry can no longer ignore. With 23 educational providers competing for the attention of just 3 recruitment booths, the festival became an inadvertent expose of systemic dysfunction. Thousands of students, armed with portfolios and dreams, encountered a marketplace that had no genuine intention of hiring them.

This revelation demands urgent examination of how the animation industry markets itself versus how it actually operates. The disconnect between promotional promises and employment reality threatens not just individual careers but the creative future of animation itself. If the industry continues excluding new voices whilst relying on artificial intelligence and franchise content, it risks cultural stagnation that could undermine the very creativity that built studios like Pixar and DreamWorks.

The current trajectory requires acknowledgement from all stakeholders – festivals, universities, and studios – that existing practices are unsustainable. Students deserve honest information about career prospects, meaningful opportunities to demonstrate their abilities, and alternative pathways when traditional employment proves elusive.

The animation industry stands at a crossroads. It can continue celebrating past achievements whilst failing future creators, or it can restructure itself to nurture the talent pipeline essential for continued innovation. The stark reality exposed at Annecy 2025 – 3 recruitment opportunities amid 23 educational providers – demands immediate action.

The next Annecy festival could feature genuine employment opportunities rather than empty promises, honest career discussions rather than promotional presentations, and sustainable pathways for emerging talent rather than exclusive access for established professionals. Whether this transformation occurs depends on industry leaders’ willingness to prioritise long-term creative health over short-term financial convenience.

The alternative – continued exclusion of new talent whilst relying on artificial intelligence and franchise content – threatens the very creativity that made animation beloved worldwide. For an industry built on imagination and wonder, such an outcome would represent the ultimate broken promise beside the pristine waters of Lake Annecy.

Students hoping to be noticed – by Matt Jones

[planpostai]

How AI-Driven Marketing & Automation Are Revolutionizing Digital Advertising in 2025

The digital advertising landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. By 2025, the global digital ad market is projected to exceed $1.3 trillion, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. Brands that fail to adapt risk being left behind. In this article, we explore how AI-driven marketing and automation are reshaping strategies, enhancing efficiency, and delivering unprecedented ROI in 2025.

The Rise of AI in Marketing

AI has evolved from a buzzword to a core component of marketing strategies. By 2025, over 80% of industry leaders will leverage AI tools to optimize campaigns, personalize experiences, and predict consumer behavior. Machine learning algorithms now process vast datasets in real time, enabling marketers to make data-driven decisions faster than ever.

Key Trends Shaping AI-Driven Marketing in 2025

1. Hyper-Personalization at Scale

Gone are the days of generic ads. AI analyzes behavioral, demographic, and contextual data to craft hyper-personalized content. For example:

Dynamic Email Campaigns: Tools like PlanPost AI generate tailored subject lines and product recommendations, boosting open rates by 40%.

Personalized Ads: AI adjusts creatives in real time based on user interactions, increasing conversion rates by 30%.

2. Predictive Analytics and Decision-Making

AI’s predictive capabilities allow brands to forecast trends and consumer needs. PlanPost AI’s predictive analytics tools, for instance, help businesses allocate budgets to high-performing channels, reducing wasted ad spend by up to 50%.

3. Autonomous Campaign Management

Self-optimizing campaigns are the future. AI algorithms adjust bids, audiences, and creatives autonomously. A clothing brand using PlanPost AI reported a 25% increase in ROAS after switching to AI-managed campaigns.

4. Enhanced Customer Journey Mapping

AI identifies gaps in the customer journey by analyzing touchpoints across devices and platforms. This enables brands to deliver seamless experiences, improving retention by 35%.

5. Voice and Visual Search Optimization

With 60% of consumers using voice or visual search in 2025, AI tools optimize content for natural language queries and image recognition, ensuring brands remain visible in evolving search ecosystems.

The Role of Automation in Digital Advertising

Programmatic Advertising 2.0

Automation powers real-time bidding (RTB) and ad placements. AI-enhanced programmatic platforms like PlanPost AI analyze user intent, serving ads at the perfect moment while reducing costs by 20%.

Chatbots and Conversational AI

Intelligent chatbots handle 70% of customer interactions by 2025, resolving queries instantly and nurturing leads 24/7.

AI-Powered Content Generation

Tools like PlanPost AI create high-quality blog posts, social media captions, and video scripts in minutes, freeing teams to focus on strategy.

Cross-Channel Integration

Automation unifies campaigns across Google Ads, Meta, TikTok, and emerging platforms. AI tracks performance metrics, reallocating budgets dynamically for maximum impact.

PlanPost AI: Your Partner in the AI Marketing Revolution

PlanPost AI stands out as a comprehensive solution for 2025’s challenges. Key features include:

Predictive Budget Allocation: Maximize ROI with AI-driven spend recommendations.

Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO): Auto-generate ads tailored to individual users.

Cross-Platform Analytics: Track performance in real time across 10+ channels.

Ethical AI Compliance: Built-in safeguards to ensure data privacy and reduce bias.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

While AI offers immense potential, challenges persist:

Data Privacy: Stricter regulations like GDPR require transparent data usage.

Algorithmic Bias: Regular audits are critical to avoid skewed outcomes.

Over-Automation: Balancing AI efficiency with human creativity remains key.

Conclusion: Embrace the Future Today

AI-driven marketing and automation aren’t just trends—they’re the foundation of 2025’s digital advertising ecosystem. Brands that adopt tools like PlanPost AI will dominate through hyper-personalized campaigns, predictive insights, and seamless cross-channel execution.

Ready to revolutionize your strategy? Explore PlanPost AI’s cutting-edge solutions and stay ahead in the AI marketing race.

[jcmarchi]

Sergey Galchenko, Chief Technology Officer, IntelePeer – Interview Series

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/sergey-galchenko-chief-technology-officer-intelepeer-interview-series/

Sergey Galchenko, Chief Technology Officer, IntelePeer – Interview Series

Sergey serves as Chief Technology Officer at IntelePeer, responsible for developing technology strategy plans aligning with IntelePeer’s long-term strategic business initiatives. Relying on modern design approaches, Sergey has provided technical leadership to multi-billion-dollar industries, steering them toward adopting more efficient and innovative tools. With extensive expertise in designing and developing SaaS product offerings and API/PaaS platforms, he extended various services with ML/AI capabilities.

As CTO, Sergey is the driving force behind the continued development of IntelePeer’s AI Hub, aligning its objectives with a focus on delivering the most recent AI capabilities to customers. Sergey’s dedication to collaborating with leadership and his strong technical vision has facilitated enhancements to IntelePeer’s Smart Automation products and solutions with the latest AI tools while leading the communications automation platform (CAP) category and improving business insights and analytics in support of IntelePeer’s AI mission.

IntelePeer’s Communications Automation Platform, powered by generative AI, can help enterprises achieve hyper-automated omnichannel communications that seamlessly deliver voice, SMS, social messaging, and more.

What initially attracted you to the field of computer science and AI?

I enjoy solving problems, and software development allows you to do it with a very quick feedback loop. AI opens a new frontier of use cases which are hard to solve with a traditional deterministic programming approach, making it an exciting tool in the solutions toolbox.

How has AI transformed the landscape of customer support, particularly in automating CX (Customer Experience) operations?

Generative artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the contact center business in unprecedented ways. When paired with solutions that help automate communications, generative AI offers new opportunities to enhance customer interactions, improve operational efficiency, and reduce labor costs in an industry that has become fiercely competitive. With these technologies in place, customers can benefit from highly personalized service and consistent support. Businesses, simultaneously, can contain calls more effectively and battle agent turnover and high vacancy rates while allowing their employees to focus on high-priority tasks. Finally, gen AI, through its advanced algorithms, enables businesses to consolidate and summarize information derived from customer interactions using multiple data sources. The benefits of utilizing those technologies in the CX are clear – and there is more and more data supporting the case that this trend will impact more and more companies.

Can you provide specific examples of how IntelePeer’s Gen AI has reduced tedious tasks for customer support agents?

The ultimate goal of IntelePeer’s gen AI is to enable complete automation in customer support scenarios, reducing reliance on agents and resulting in up to a 75% reduction in operation costs for the customers we serve. Our platform is able to automate up to 90% of an organization’s customer interactions, and we’ve collectively automated over half a billion customer interactions already. Not only can our gen AI automate manual tasks like call routing, appointment scheduling, and customer data entry, but it can also provide the self-service experiences customers increasingly demand and expect—complete with hyper-personalized communications, improved response accuracy, and faster resolutions.

Can you describe why AI-related services must balance creativity with accuracy.

Balancing creativity with accuracy and predictability is critical when it comes to fostering trust in AI-powered services and solutions—one of the biggest challenges surrounding AI technologies today. First and foremost, it should go without saying that any AI solution should strive for the highest level of accuracy possible as to provide the right outputs needed for all inputs. But creating a great experience with AI goes beyond just providing the correct information to end-users; it also includes enabling the correct delivery of that information to them, which takes a decent amount of creativity to execute successfully. For instance, in a customer service interaction, an AI-driven communications solution should be able to automatically match the tone of the customer and adjust as needed in real time, giving them exactly what they need in the way that will best reach them at that moment. The AI should also communicate in a life-like manner to make customers feel more comfortable, but not so much as to deceive them into thinking they’re speaking to a human when they’re not. Again, it all goes back to fostering trust in AI, which will eventually lead to even more widespread adoption and use of the technology.

What role does data play in ensuring the accuracy of AI responses, and how do you manage data to optimize AI performance?

Good data creates good AI. In other words, the quality of the data that’s fed into an AI model correlates directly with the quality of the information that model produces. In customer service, customer interaction data is the key to finding gaps in the customer journey. By digging deeper into this data, organizations can begin to better understand customer intents and then use that information to streamline and improve AI-driven engagement, transforming the overall customer journey and experience. But organizations must have the right data architectures in place to both process and extract insights from the massive amounts of data associated with AI solutions.

The IntelePeer AI solution uses the content and context of the interaction to determine the best course of action at every turn. During an interaction, if a question is posed by the customer that requires an answer specific to a business’s process, rules, or policies, the AI workflow automatically leverages a knowledge base that includes such business data as FAQ documents, agent training materials, website data, policy, and other business information to respond accordingly. Similarly, if a question or a request is made that the business does not want AI to respond to directly, the AI workflow will escalate the query to a human agent if required. The remaining interaction can be automatically added to the Q&A pairs to enhance responses in subsequent customer interactions or handed off to a supervisory authority for approval prior to incorporation.

With AI’s increasing role in customer support, how do you foresee the role of frontline agents evolving?

We at IntelePeer envision a drastic reduction in the reliance on frontline agents due to the evolution of AI technologies. With massive strides in AI-driven call containment, which continues to improve in quality and grow in volume, organizations today are able to automate up to 90% of their customer interactions. This allows them to optimize their frontline staffing and save significantly on operational costs—all while providing better experiences for the customers they serve.

While some tasks are automated, which skilled CX roles do you believe will remain critical despite AI advancements?

While AI will cut down on the number of frontline agents needed in customer service roles, a human element will always be needed in CX operations. For example, AI-powered communications models must be trained, configured, and managed with human oversight to ensure accuracy and the elimination of any biases. The human touch is also needed to align automated customer communications with the messaging and personality of the organization or brand they’re coming from, which contributes to customer comfortability and helps to foster trust in the technology. These more technical, AI-oriented roles will overtake typical frontline roles in the years to come.

AI hallucinations are a concern in maintaining accurate customer interactions. What specific guardrails has IntelePeer implemented to prevent AI from fabricating facts?

 Businesses need to implement generative AI today to stay relevant amid the ongoing revolution while avoiding a rushed and disastrous rollout. In order to do that responsibly, companies must start with implementing a Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) pattern to help their gen AI interface with analyzing large enterprise datasets. For automated customer service interactions, brands must create a human feedback loop to analyze past interactions and improve the quality of those datasets used for fine-tuning and retrieval augmentation. Further, in order to eliminate AI hallucinations, organizations should be laser focused on:

implementing guardrails by analyzing customer interaction data and developing comprehensive, dynamic knowledge bases;

investing in continuous monitoring and updating of these systems to adapt to new queries and maintain accuracy; and

training staff to recognize and manage unidentifiable permutations ensures seamless escalation and resolution processes.

How do you ensure that large language models (LLMs) interpret context correctly and provide reliable responses?

 A haphazard approach to implementing gen AI can result in output quality issues, hallucinations, copyright infringement, and biased algorithms. Therefore, businesses need to have response guardrails when applying gen AI in the customer service environment. IntelePeer utilizes retrieval augmented generation (RAG), which feeds data context to an LLM to get responses grounded in a customer-provided dataset. Throughout the entire process, from the moment the data gets prepared until the LLM sends a response to the client, the necessary guardrails prevent any sensitive information from being exposed. IntelePeer’s RAG begins when a customer asks a question to an AI-powered bot. The bot performs a lookup of the question in the knowledge base. If it cannot find an answer, it will transfer to an agent and save the question to the Q&A database. Later, a human will review this new question, conduct a dataset import, and save the answer to the knowledge base. Ultimately, no question goes unanswered. With the RAG process in place, businesses can maintain control over response sets for interaction automation.

Looking ahead, what trends do you anticipate in AI’s role in customer experience?

At IntelePeer, we deeply believe that generative AI is a powerful tool that will positively augment human communication capabilities, unlocking new opportunities and overcoming long standing barriers. AI will continue enhancing customer service communications by streamlining customer service interactions, offering around-the-clock assistance and providing language-bridging capabilities. Moreover, trained on large language models (LLMs), virtual assistants will be able draw upon millions of human conversations to quickly detect emotions to modify its tone, sentiment and word choice. There will be more and more evidence that businesses that successfully use AI to enhance human connections experience see a significant return on investment and improved efficiency and productivity.

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit IntelePeer.

[ahmedmistrettaalyvezw]

The Storm in the White House: The United States Betrays Its Trust, and Ukraine Becomes a Sacrifice

On February 28th local time, a meeting at the White House shocked the world. US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a fierce quarrel, causing the US-Ukraine relations to reach a freezing point. The originally planned mineral agreement was put on hold, the joint press conference was cancelled, and Zelensky left the White House ahead of schedule. Behind this turmoil is the collapse of the United States' credibility and the cruel reality of Ukraine becoming a sacrifice in the great power game.

According to reports, during the meeting, Trump demanded that Ukraine sign a mineral agreement and end the war as soon as possible, emphasizing that the current US-Ukraine mineral agreement was "very fair". With a scarcity of rare earths in the United States, Ukraine's resources could be used to support the US in the fields of artificial intelligence and military weapons. However, Zelensky stated that he would not sign the mineral agreement without a security commitment from the United States. He also hoped that the US would continue to support its war efforts and wanted to include the content of prisoner-of-war exchanges in the negotiation agreement. Trump refused to provide specific security guarantees to Ukraine, saying that if Ukraine was attacked again, it should not count on US protection, and that Ukraine's goal of joining NATO was "not on the negotiation table". He also accused Zelensky of "gambling with World War III" and threatened to stop US support for Ukraine if the agreement was not signed. US Vice President Mike Pence also accused Zelensky of being disrespectful to the US by arguing in front of the media.

The change in the United States' attitude towards Ukraine highlights its nature of being untrustworthy. Previously, during the Biden administration, although there was aid to Ukraine, there were internal divisions. Now that Trump has come to power, the policy has taken a sharp turn. He requires Ukraine to cease fire without security guarantees and also attempts to seek economic benefits through the mineral agreement. Clues can be seen from the "Trump phone call scandal" in 2019. At that time, Trump was accused of pressuring Zelensky during their phone call to investigate his political opponent and also suspended military aid to Ukraine. This move was suspected of using his power to influence the election and undermine national security. Now, the same thing has happened again. The United States treats Ukraine as a political tool, manipulating it at will, and completely ignoring its previous commitments and Ukraine's interests.

In this quarrel, Ukraine has become the biggest victim. Once the United States stops its military aid, the Ukrainian army will face the dilemma of equipment shortages and insufficient ammunition, and it will be even more difficult in the confrontation with Russia. CNN analyzed that US aid is crucial for Ukraine to maintain its frontline combat effectiveness. Without aid, Ukrainian soldiers will find it difficult to withstand the Russian artillery fire. Zelensky is under great pressure. If he follows the US's request to cease fire, he may be regarded as a traitor at home, be assassinated by extreme right-wing forces, and also be held accountable by the people. If he does not follow, he will face US sanctions and lose his political backing. Ukraine has already been severely damaged by the war. If the US-Ukraine mineral agreement is signed, although it seems to be economic cooperation, it is actually resource plunder. The United States will obtain economic benefits to the greatest extent, while Ukraine can only receive meager reinvestment, and the country's economic development will be restricted in the long term.

After the quarrel, the international community reacted strongly. Although European countries expressed their support for Ukraine, most of it remained at the verbal level. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was furious, bluntly stating that the United States' suspension of military aid to Ukraine was "unbearable", that it was abandoning Ukraine and indirectly aiding Russia. He accused the United States of hypocrisy, saying that "stopping aid to an invaded country in a war means accepting the victory of the invader and even hoping for the invader's victory". Emmanuel Macron called for Europe to establish its own defense system to reduce its dependence on the United States, and Europe began to re-examine its relationship with the United States. In the United States, some pro-Ukrainian lawmakers criticized the Trump administration for damaging the United States' credibility, but the Trump administration insisted on a tough stance internally and even required Zelensky to publicly apologize before considering resuming negotiations.

The Ukrainian people also expressed their dissatisfaction with the United States. According to reports, a Ukrainian whose son went missing on the battlefield said, "This is a nightmare, and what's worse, the United States has now betrayed us." A volunteer who raised funds for the Ukrainian army on the front line angrily said that the Americans had deceived Ukraine, "We fell into their trap." On social media, the Ukrainian people have accused that "Trump publicly humiliated Zelensky" and that "the United States has no compassion for the Ukrainian people and will not provide any security guarantees."

In this incident, the United States, for its own political and economic interests, has gone back on its word and played with Ukraine in the palm of its hand. Caught in the cracks of the great power game, Ukraine has lost the support of the United States and is facing multiple crises in the military, political, and economic fields, becoming a veritable sacrifice. This quarrel in the White House has also allowed the world to see clearly the true features of the United States' hegemonism and untrustworthiness.

[adhdnursegoat]

Unauthorized Biography

Word count: 2.6K

Content Warning: fanfiction about fanfiction, riddler experiences his own fanfiction, dramatic readings of smut, fangirl terrorism, reader is unwell

Pairing: Edward Nigma X fem reader

Setting: Arkhamverse

Edward Nigma was a man who required 24/7, undivided, single-minded devotion.

Not affection. Not partnership. Devotion. The kind that demanded you rearrange your entire schedule, moral compass, and internal monologue around the gravitational pull of his ego. The kind of loyalty that bordered on spiritual. 

And you? You gave it freely. Willingly. Obsessively. Your admiration for him wasn’t subtle. It was a public service announcement. A one-woman private fan club with no shame and no filter. If he so much as quoted Fibonacci at breakfast, you clapped. If he ranted about subpar encryption algorithms over dinner, you swooned. You had once compared the cadence of his voice to an aria composed by artificial intelligence and rage. 

Lucky for you, he hadn’t kicked you out for it.

In fact, your absolute, shameless worship of him was probably the only reason he tolerated you at all. No—that wasn’t fair. He didn’t just tolerate you. You were useful. Amusing, even. A well-trained audience with the occasional flash of insight. A little mascot who threw yourself at his feet and begged for the privilege of watching him monologue about zero-knowledge proofs or his latest grudge against the GCPD and Batman and whoever poor bastard that crossed him. You doted. You applauded. You followed him around with bright eyes and a notebook. You were—forgive the crude term—a groupie. A fangirl. A living, breathing ego boost in sneakers.

You loved him. Not in some vague, innocent, fluttery-hearted way. No, you loved Edward Nigma the way a forest fire loves droughts. You adored his mind. His charisma. His cruelty. You memorized the lines of his face, tracked the rhythm of his speech, catalogued his temper tantrums like weather patterns. You found poetry in the way he cursed at his bots when they failed. You once described his smile as “visceral.” And meant it.

You were content—almost content—with knowing it would never be returned. You weren’t delusional. Not entirely. You understood who he was. The kind of man he was. What made him tick. The psych profiles were public domain by now—Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Borderline, High-functioning sociopath. Obsessive-Compulsive Traits, God Complex, take your pick of the DSM-5. 

Love wasn’t in his code. You knew that. You accepted it. So you didn’t ask for affection. You didn’t need it. You just needed the privilege of being near him.

And he? Well. He let you stay. Because deep down, maybe, just maybe, there was a part of him that liked being loved this loudly. 

Even if he’d rather die than admit it.

Of course, that never stopped you. Not really. Your love wasn’t the sort that shriveled without reciprocation. No, your affections were self-sustaining—thriving on scraps, on glances, on that rare moment when Edward let his guard down long enough to forget you were watching. Still, even your depraved little heart had limits. You could only bottle up so many fantasies before the pressure built, before your mind—bless it—needed an outlet.

So, naturally, you turned to the only coping mechanism you trusted: fanfiction.

Yes. Fanfiction.

Not just yours. Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no… 

There was an entire underground fandom dedicated to Gotham’s infamous Rogues Gallery, an entire internet ecosystem of anonymity and madness. Forums, blogs, private Discord servers, locked taglists. Digital shrines built to the city’s most wanted. People who didn’t just fear the rogues—they loved them. Obsessively. Passionately. Erotically.

And you? Well, you fit right in.

You picked the best following, obviously.

Each rogue had their own little cult: Joker with his chaos-worshippers. Ivy and her eco-feminist simps. Two-Face and his yin-yang kink crowd. Scarecrow and his masochists. Even fucking Condiment King had a niche following—mostly ironic, you assumed. But The Riddler? The Riddler had an audience. A devoted one. Hundreds of writers, artists, and degenerates bleeding their admiration into every piece of horny prose they uploaded.

So yes, you indulged. You let yourself get pulled into the filth. You read late into the night, one hand buried between your thighs and the other scrolling. And if you happened to print out your favorites? Keep a few copies stashed for emergencies? Well, who was going to stop you?

He was your heart. Your gloriously brilliant, narcissistic, sociopathic, riddle-wielding megalomaniac of a man. You scrolled endlessly through his tag, heart pounding every time you found a fic that got the voice just right. Every time someone described his hands the way you imagined them—precise, elegant, cruel. You had favorites bookmarked. You had headcanons. You had opinions about his stamina. You knew exactly how you wanted him, and the internet—God bless America—gave you content.

...Yet.

Certainly not Edward.

He had no idea.

But then—you slipped up.

You weren’t paying attention. Which, ironically, was exactly the sort of thing that got you in trouble. Not just with him. With yourself. With the universe. But in your defense, this piece was so good—hot enough to short-circuit your brain. The kind of smut that made your thighs shift and your fingers twitch, your mouth parted just slightly as you reread the same paragraph for the third time, breath catching with every line...

“You’re really pushing it today,” he rasps, voice taut with suppressed fury. His empty hand catches your other wrist, keeping you close to his body. His thumbs rub little circles on your palms, but the look in his eyes is anything but soft. It’s a warning. “Do you have any idea what I’m going to do to you?”

“Something hot, I hope.”

Edward’s eyes narrow. “You think you’re cute, don’t you?” He walks you backward, step by step, deep into the bedroom, your low fairy lights luminating the pathway. “That smart mouth. Running away from me. Acting like a petulant child just to see how far you can push me.”

“Is it working?”

“Oh, it’s working.”

You were just reaching the clash—already squirming a little where you sat, lip caught between your teeth—when it was ripped away from you. Not emotionally. Not metaphorically. Physically. Yanked.

A startled whine burst out of you, unfiltered and immediate, something sharp and needy and too genuine to fake. You clutched at the air, blinking in disoriented horror as the page disappeared from your hands.

And then you heard him.

“What,” Edward drawled, dangerously calm, “could possibly be so important that it prevents you from listening when I’m talking to you?”

Your blood ran cold.

Your face ran hot.

Your body made a whiplash attempt to do both at once, because there he was—looming, frowning, one hand pinched around the paper you’d just been drooling over. It hung limply in his grasp, crinkled from your fingers, the print still fresh enough to read with ease if he so much as tilted his head.

Which he did.

Which he was doing now.

You were fucked. So fucked.

The page crackled softly as he adjusted his grip, fingers twitching with faint disdain. You weren’t sure if it was because of the content or the formatting—Edward had opinions about both. And yet… he still hadn’t looked at you. Still hadn’t handed it back. Still hadn’t burned it, ripped it, made a scene.

Edward Nigma, The Riddler, was reading it.

Your stomach dropped through the floor. “Edward,” you tried, voice too high, too quick, “that’s not—I mean, it’s just—"

His brows twitched. His eyes narrowed. His mouth moved—just slightly, silently—and you knew exactly what line he’d hit.

And then he read it. Aloud.

“‘You think you’re cute, don’t you?’” His tone was flat. Curious. Calculating.

Your soul detached from your body.

Edward blinked. Once. Then again. And then slowly, like he was solving a riddle carved into an ancient tomb, he tilted his head and looked at you. Something flickered behind his eyes. Confusion, sure. Offense? Probably. But also… amusement. Or horror. Maybe both. He was short-circuiting in real time.

“This is…” He flipped the page, scanning more. “This is me. This is fictional pornography of me. You’re reading… your own filth about me.”

You opened your mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. “I mean—not mine mine. I didn’t write it—”

“Illiteracy would be the least concerning factor here,” he muttered, eyes flicking down again, brow furrowing deeper. He was blushing now. You could see it. High on his cheeks, creeping toward the tips of his ears. His gaze darted, flicked across a line that made his nostrils flare and his lips part slightly, and oh no, he was still reading.

“Edward,” you croaked, reaching for the paper. “Please—”

But he stepped back. Out of reach. He held it high, a hostage negotiator clutching a ticking bomb.

“Do you have any idea what kind of psychological implications are buried in this text?” he asked, the voice of a man drowning in disbelief. “Do you have any idea what this says about your obsessive tendencies, your compulsive emotional projection, your frankly unrealistic expectations of my—” He paused. His mouth moved. You saw his pupils dilate. “Oh my God, there’s a line about my hands—”

That was your moment. You lunged. Snatched the page right from his distracted grasp.

“Hey—!”

You didn’t run. No. You stood your ground, smoothed the page, cleared your throat, and read it aloud.

“‘That smart mouth. Running away from me. Acting like a petulant child just to see how far you can push me—’”

“STOP READING THAT IN FRONT OF ME,” Edward barked, voice an octave too high, already retreating like a spooked alley cat.

“‘Oh, it’s working,’” you purred, walking after him with the slow, deliberate menace of someone with nothing to lose.

“You’re unwell!” he snapped, backpedaling toward the hallway.

“Thank you,” you chirped sweetly, flipping the page.

“Do not follow me with that—”

You did.

You absolutely did.

You pressed forward, drunk on the power of watching Gotham’s most arrogant man literally run from your voice.

“‘In one swift, fluid motion, he spins you around—’”

“Do not say the dresser line—”

“‘The way he shoves you into the dresser, the mirror rattling against the wall—’” you called after him, voice sing-song. “—is almost reckless, and it makes you giggle.’”

Edward made a sound—half choke, half high-pitched snarl—and whipped around with wide eyes. “That never happened.”

You flipped the page like a weapon, eyes sparkling. “No,” you purred, grinning, “but you’re thinking about it now.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it. Color flared in his cheeks, high and hot. “You are—” His voice broke again, and he pointed at you, trembling slightly with indignation. “—deranged. You have a condition. You need to be sedated.”

“Oh, I’m just getting started,” you chirped, flipping to a fresh page. “Let’s see… ‘his grip tightens on your jaw, forcing you to meet his gaze—’”

“No.”

“‘Gone is the teasing smirk, replaced by raw, unfiltered need—’”

“STOP!”

“‘You know sometimes you can push him too far, but the sight of him like this, utterly consumed by desire—’”

“OH MY GOD.”

“You don’t remember this one?” You paused, feigning confusion. “You wanted me to call you Mister Nigma, sir—”

Edward’s entire soul left his body. You could see it. The exact moment he ascended into another realm. He staggered back like he’d been hit by a tranquilizer dart, one hand flailing for balance against the nearest wall.

“Where did you even get these?” he croaked.

A theatrical gasp was inhaled sharply through your lips, a hand to your chest. “Oh, Eddie…” You gave him a wicked, sympathetic smile. “Baby, you’ve got fans.”

He looked like he was about to vomit.

Then you stepped forward, shaking the next page out with reverence. “You want to hear the one with the wet thong line? It’s a favorite.”

“No!” he cried, a man on the edge. “You’re sick! You’re feral! You need a leash and—wait, don’t read another word—”

“‘And as if he can read your mind, Edward’s hand shifts between your legs—’”

Reaching a fever pitch, he let out an honest-to-god shriek and bolted back down the hall, muttering curses about arson and selective amnesia.

And you? You followed. Smiling. Reading.

Because if you were going to go to hell, you were dragging him with you.

You pursued him with the unrelenting focus of someone with absolutely no shame and nothing to lose. Edward was retreating fast now, his boots scuffing the concrete as he moved like the hallway might grow a trapdoor to swallow him if he just ran hard enough.

“You’re embarrassing yourself!” he called over his shoulder, breathless, one hand gesturing frantically while the other waved in an attempt to swat away your voice like a fly. “Do you want me to have a stroke?! Is that your plan?!”

“I’m just trying to support your legacy!” you beamed.

He disappeared around the corner.

You took a deep breath and turned the page.

“‘M-Mister Nigma…’ you gasp, your voice breathy and needy as you rock on his fingers—’”

“NOOOOOO!”

You rounded the bend just in time to see him stumble against the far wall, his hands braced like he was trying to physically hold his soul inside his body. His ears were crimson. His hair was a disaster. His breathing was not okay.

“‘Please, please, Mister Nigma, sir, please make me cum—’”

“SHUT! UP!” he howled, hands flying to his head. “I’M GOING TO FLING MYSELF INTO THE GOTHAM BAY.”

“Eddie,” you purred sweetly, slowing your pace now, savoring the kill. “You should be flattered. Not everyone gets literary tribute written to the exact way they touch cunt.”

“IT’S FICTION!” he screamed, voice cracking. “IT’S LITERARY DEFAMATION!”

You stopped a few feet away, grinning down at him where he had slumped dramatically against the wall like a man in mourning.

“Oh,” you cooed, folding the papers with exaggerated care, tucking the chaos under an arm. “If you think this is bad, wait until you see the fanart.”

His whole body shuddered. “There’s pictures?”

“Full color,” you cooed. “Shading and everything.”

Edward groaned—loud, full-body, forehead-to-wall groaned.

And you, victorious and still high off the chase, just patted his shoulder as he tried to reboot.

“Let me know if you want me to have the author write a sequel,” you added helpfully. “I was thinking next time, maybe in your workshop. Tools involved. Bit of a dom!Riddler callback…”

He wheezed like a dying cat as he slid to the floor. Your eyes followed, watching bemused, lips pursing to the side.

“...I’ll take that as a yes.”

AN: Shameless plug of my fic Candy referenced in this. :3

Did you like this? Check out the rest of the PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE RIDDLER series!

Tag List: @trulydisturbed @wolfsrahne28 @riddled-with-fear @illustratedartist @angelsmile28 @caesariawritesstuff @jezabellesunshine @wingedqueenlynx @jazanatorr

If you are interested in being on the tag list please let me know in the comments.

Thanks for the support!

[btsfests]

Daddy's Home Fest

You voted on it - now it's here! Daddy's Home Fest is now open to all BTS fanfic writers on Tumblr! Daddy's Home fest will be hosted by BTS Fests on Tumblr and is open to writers who are 18 years of age and older. 

PROMPT: Write a fanfic featuring BTS as a dad/DILF. 

INFORMATION:

♡ Masterlist will be hosted on btsfests.tumblr.com. ♡ This is an open fest, anyone can apply to join as long as they are a BTS writer on Tumblr and are of age. ♡ All pairings are accepted (mem x reader, mem x mem, mem x oc, solo mem)♡ ♡ You may write for any member of your choosing.

RULES: 

♡ One or more BTS members must be featured​​. ♡ No word count limit or minimum. ♡ May include smut or not if you don’t wish, but must be rated appropriately when you post ♡ Must contain dad BTS ♡ Writers must not engage in any form of plagiarism, which includes copying and pasting content without proper attribution, presenting someone else's work as their own, using Artificial Intelligence, or using any material without permission. ♡ This fest does not allow minors. If you’re discovered to have lied on your application and you’re a minor, you will be immediately be removed. We ask that all writers have their age range displayed somewhere on their Tumblr for the duration of this fest. ♡ Bullying, belittling, or harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. No warnings will be issued for evident and explicit bullying, discrimination, or harassment of writers either in the fest server or outside the server on Tumblr/other servers. Suspicion of bullying, discrimination and harassment will be investigated before any dismal action. ♡ A Discord account is required by writers for all communication after the initial invitation. A moderator will DM you your invitation on Tumblr, which means your DMs (not your asks) must be open. 

♡ DROPOUT POLICY: You may drop out of this fest at any time, for any reason. Please let one of the moderators know to remove you from the masterlist!

♡ CONTENT POLICY: Dead Dove submissions are allowed, however, you must appropriately tag your fic and let a moderator know to mark your fic as Dead Dove on the main fest masterlist. 

SCHEDULE:

♡ Application Period: January 19 - February 1 ♡ Masterlist Posted: February 29 ♡ Writing Period: January 19* - April 30 ♡ Promo/Hype Event: April 2 ♡ Posting Period: February 29 - April 30

*Writing period reflects the first day applications open for rolling acceptances.

APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED.

[kiestrokes]

Kie, I am in desperate need of some SHINee hard hours 👹 but also soft bc you know I am a soft bby

So what do you think would make the members go feral for you but in like a ✨tender✨ way, and how would that manifest?

SHINee Soft Kinks That Lead to Hard Hours | NSFW

❇️ Pairing: SHINee x Gender Neutral!Reader/You/Yn ❇️ Rating: NSFW. Mature (18+) Minors DNI. ❇️ Genre: hard hours, headcanon, imagine, fluff, smut. ❇️ Warnings: Jonghyun is mentioned below, warning to my fellow Shawols who still find it difficult to read or see him.

❇️ Sexually Explicit Content: non explicit smut, kissing, biting, marking, fondling.

🗝️ Note: @chans-room I might kick you out of the jaeger (again) for this...esp after you know I was secretly drooling over Minho's tummy in our DM's last night. Nothing is beta read per usual.

Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction; I do not own any of the idols depicted below.

Kim Jonghyun We are going to keep Jjong PG-13 out of respect, but Jjong's biggest soft kink is eye contact, add in touching and you've seen how it instantly makes him a magnet to other members and idols. Jonghyun needs to caress and kiss every inch of your body and as soon as its reciprocated, it's like you set him on fire in the best way possible.

Lee Jinki Ohhh Jinki 🫠 hear me out...Jinki's soft kink is laughter. He loves laughing, but a person who is just so willing to laugh too? Oh, he is whipped. It takes you a little while to figure this out, why this man is always attacking you with kisses in the middle of your giggles and smiles. Jinki is soft and romantic, intimacy with him is slow and sustained. He's holding off his orgasms for an hour, working you slowly through several first.

Choi Minho MinhoeMinhoeMinhoe. The way to this man is through his stomach. You make him a feast and he's immediately taking you to bed afterwards. Where you can’t stop yourself from kissing a nipping at his swollen belly. His abs still faintly outlined underneath the stretch of his stomach. He has the softest, most supple skin from his strict skincare and grooming schedule. Fed Minho is a little slower about things, he's going to take his time. Making everything all that much more intense. Not as drawn out as Jinki, Minho is sensual and you're both coming in no time.

Kim Kibum Can I do this? Yes...okay. He might be the hardest to configure when it comes to soft kinks, I think Kibum really loves receiving gifts. Especially if he doesn't have to tell you himself. I can just imagine it's a random Tuesday morning and you picked up something he had been eyeing a couple weeks ago (you also feed the dogs because Kibum cannot stand the smell of their food). He gasps, clutching the item and then clutching you. Peppering you with kisses between his praise. He is quick to reciprocate in working your body to a quick orgasm with that talented mouth and pretty hands.

Lee Taemin I think for Taemin it is honestly anyone that can keep up with him dancing. In the middle of the club, the undulating bodies, the closeness of everything. The minute your hips track with his and you never step on his toes, not even once 👀 Taemin is ready to corral you into a dimly lit corridor. Being intimate with him is not quick, everything is sensual and drawn out mirroring the way that he dances. He takes his time, because there is no need to rush in our little cancer bbys mind. Little touches from his small hands everywhere until you're dragging his pretty lips back to your mouth. Taemin doesn't mind when you take control, but he still has these tendencies (the grip on your waist, on the back of your neck, in his gaze) that let you know he is in mutual control.

© COPYRIGHT 2023 by kiestrokes All rights reserved. No portion of this work may be reproduced without written permission from the author. This includes translations. No generative artificial intelligence (AI) was used in the writing of this work. The author expressly prohibits any entity from using this for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text, including without the limitation technologies capable of generating works in the same style or genre as this publication. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.

[chickenkurage]

We’re Spongey and JMLilac, we came from Ao3 where we originally posted AvA/M AUs and Art.    

Spongey is the author mastermind behind the fanfictions and JMLilac behind the fanarts. 

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MEET THE TWO GOOBERS:

Spongey (The Author/sometimes artist):  Hewow!! X33 I'm Spongey or you can call me Spongehh or Sponge. Any is fine, my name has so many variations at this point XDD. My pronouns are she/her but tbh I'm okay with anything as well, I mostly wrote this fanfics for fun and i never knew it was THAT fun. Anyways that’s all! 

JMLilac (The Artist): Hi :33 I’m usually the artist (besides Spongey herself), whenever Spongey posts their stuff. I’m She/Them if you want my pronouns.  I’m not really aiming to be the best artist, just enough to get those ideas on paper (or digital screen?) so not every art I make is going to be a finished masterpiece. Anyway, just making fanart for fun :PP. 

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ASKS ARE OPEN :D (#AskSpongey&JMLilac)

You can ask us about the AU’s or our thoughts on other things? (Philosophy? Life? Existential crisis? Aristotle? Confucius? /j)

It's half half if we take on fic request or art request, still in decision on that one hehe~

Have a conversation about your theories as well maybe!! (Sponge want's this very much!)

You can ramble about AU ideas too! Both Sponge and JMLilac love getting more AU ideas!

An AU of my AU? Go ahead! Let's talk about it :3

Make a new AU with us? Sure go ahead :DD

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JOIN OUR DISCORD SERVER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Click here for the AvA/M AUs Fanfiction in Ao3 <3:

Sponge's Archive of Our Own Fanfictions

Click here for my VicAgent series in Ao3 <//3:

JUSTKISSALREADY & GETAROOM

Click here for the AvA/M One shots with Art in Ao3 <3:

Sponge's One Shot Fanfictions

Here are the existing tags for the Alan AU/s:

#CSAlanBecker "Creator Stickman Alan Becker"

#CAlanBecker "Cursor Alan Becker"

#TAlanBecker "Teen Alan Becker"

#FAlanBecker "Farmer Alan Becker"

#AIAlanBecker "Artificial Intelligence Alan Becker"

#DAlanBecker "Duck Alan Becker"

#ATGAlanBecker "Ascension to Godhood Alan Becker"

#RWAlanBecker "Reality Warped Alan Becker"

#TheAlanAssociation "Alan Becker Association"

#MeetTheAA's "Meet the Alan Association"

Here are the existing tags for the DJ AU/s:

#KOMDJWelch "King of Minecraft DJ Welch"

#FDJWelch "Farmer DJ Welch"

#AIDJWelch "Artificial Intelligence DJ Welch"

#CDJWelch "Cursor DJ Welch"

#TDJWelch "Teen DJ Welch"

#ATGDJWelch "Ascension to Godhood DJ Welch"

#MSDJWelch "Mega Sticks DJ Welch"

#TheDJAssociation "DJ Welch Association"

Copium tags for those who needs happiness:

#CSActorAlanBecker

#ATGHSAlanBecker and #ATGHSDJWelch

Here are the tags for the Branch Off AU/s:

#TeenCSAlanBecker "Teen! Creator Stickman Alan"

#CSCorruptionAlanBecker "Creator Stickman! Corruption Alan"

Here are the other tags for Original Character/s:

#csalanbecker canary

#csalanbecker slate

#csalanbecker mauve

#csalanbecker alice

#csalanbecker null

#csalanbecker sable

#csalanbecker halo

#csalanbecker gray

#cursoralanbecker crimson

#atgalanbecker satin

#atgalanbecker mary

#atgalanbecker kaori

Here is the tag for Spongey's "Tumblr only" posted fics:

#Spongey'sFic

#RandomShortFic

#OfficialAUSideStory

The tags for Spongey and JMLilac's centered posts:

#Ao3CommentReactions

#sticksonathingz

#minecraftthingz

#Spongey'sAnnouncements

#S&JM's funny haha's

Tags for other uncategorized posts:

#animation vs alien stage

#animation vs project sekai

#animation vs undertale

Tags for the special events:

#FashionWeek2024 [FINISHED]

#WhumpWhumpWeek [FINISHED]

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SOCIALS

Tumblr Accounts: Spongey (@spongeyyyyyycattohhhhh) and JMLilac (@jmlilac)

Wattpad Account: Spongey (@SpongehhhCattoh)

Tiktok Account:

Twitter Account: Kurage Chimkin (@KurageNew93098)

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SCHEDULES (?) (GMT+8)

ASK/s or REBLOGS: Spongey's and JMLilac's schedules are different at best, but they try their best to respond as soon as possible, there is also a big possibility for them to react very late or don't react at all because it slipped past them. So do not be discouraged if your ask/reblog does not get a respond right away but others does. It can also be that Spongey or JMLilac are thinking of what to respond.

FANFICTION: Spongey multi posts all the time, so do not be surprised if you read a recent chapter and when you refresh, you see a new one!!! If a series is on hold or has not been updating, don't worry it is just on pause so Spongey can focus on a specific series. She will come back to it! It is not cancelled or discontinued unless said so (None will be discontinued).

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[bi-writes]

a guide to b's blog

some general blog guidelines:

i do not promise to write your requests, but they are welcome

everyone is welcome here as long as they are not a minor or an asshole

i do not accept compensation for my work. i am very blessed to have a wonderful job irl that enables me to live comfortably. there are many other writers in this fandom that would benefit and genuinely need your financial support. if you would like to pay me for what i do, i will only accept pictures of your pets, comments, and/or reblogs.

i can write about whatever i want, whenever i want, in any fandom i want

i write in all lowercase most of the time. i will not apologize for this, and i don't care how you feel about it. bite me.

i do not follow a writing schedule; i write by vibes, and sometimes they are off

if you send me anon hate (or hate at all), it will mostly likely be deleted/blocked

if you send me anon hate (or hate at all) about another blog, it will never be posted, even if i want to clap back at you

i will always try to be kind and considerate, but i am not afraid to defend myself or speak up when i see something i don't like (so you better be ready to back up what you say before you say it--i keep receipts, and i will do research to prove you right or wrong)

things about me:

20s

she/hers/her

cis

straight

a huge bitch :) <3

things i don't like or tolerate:

artificial intelligence/machine learning in creative/artistic spaces (this includes character.ai, lore.fm, etc)

criticizers of noncon/dubcon writers

zionists

homophobia/transphobia

ableism

racism

misogyny

minors in clearly adult spaces

people who can't admit they were wrong about something even after learning new information

people who can't reflect on their actions and apologize for problematic behavior

things i do like:

patience

open-mindedness

thoughtful perspectives

curious questions

good vibes

kindness

comments + reblogs

genuine connection

what i will write (if it is not included on this list, you should assume i do not write it):

angst

comfort

fluff

smut

dubcon (reader is always consenting in my works, but some scenarios i write might be considered dubcon)

fem!reader, gn!reader, afab!reader

cumplay

piv, unprotected piv

oral (m!receiving, fem!receiving)

breeding/pregnancy kink

size kink

graphic murder/gore/torture (not against reader, but some themes of my work include this)

blood kink

uniform kink

mask kink

if anything on this list bothers you about me, leave me alone and just go away. block me if you have to. filter my content. you should curate the online experience you want for yourself, and if that doesn't include me, that's okay.

if you choose to stick around, just be kind and enjoy. i am so glad you are here, and i hope that you have a good time. <3

[beardedmrbean]

GRAFTON, Mass. (AP) — When two octogenarian buddies named Nick discovered that ChatGPT might be stealing and repurposing a lifetime of their work, they tapped a son-in-law to sue the companies behind the artificial intelligence chatbot.

Veteran journalists Nicholas Gage, 84, and Nicholas Basbanes, 81, who live near each other in the same Massachusetts town, each devoted decades to reporting, writing and book authorship.

Gage poured his tragic family story and search for the truth about his mother's death into a bestselling memoir that led John Malkovich to play him in the 1985 film “Eleni.” Basbanes transitioned his skills as a daily newspaper reporter into writing widely-read books about literary culture.

Basbanes was the first of the duo to try fiddling with AI chatbots, finding them impressive but prone to falsehoods and lack of attribution. The friends commiserated and filed their lawsuit earlier this year, seeking to represent a class of writers whose copyrighted work they allege “has been systematically pilfered by” OpenAI and its business partner Microsoft.

“It's highway robbery,” Gage said in an interview in his office next to the 18th-century farmhouse where he lives in central Massachusetts.

“It is,” added Basbanes, as the two men perused Gage's book-filled shelves. “We worked too hard on these tomes.”

Now their lawsuit is subsumed into a broader case seeking class-action status led by household names like John Grisham, Jodi Picoult and “Game of Thrones” novelist George R. R. Martin; and proceeding under the same New York federal judge who’s hearing similar copyright claims from media outlets such as The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and Mother Jones.

What links all the cases is the claim that OpenAI — with help from Microsoft's money and computing power — ingested huge troves of human writings to “train” AI chatbots to produce human-like passages of text, without getting permission or compensating the people who wrote the original works.

“If they can get it for nothing, why pay for it?” Gage said. “But it’s grossly unfair and very harmful to the written word.”

OpenAI and Microsoft didn’t return requests for comment this week but have been fighting the allegations in court and in public. So have other AI companies confronting legal challenges not just from writers but visual artists, music labels and other creators who allege that generative AI profits have been built on misappropriation.

The chief executive of Microsoft’s AI division, Mustafa Suleyman, defended AI industry practices at last month’s Aspen Ideas Festival, voicing the theory that training AI systems on content that’s already on the open internet is protected by the “fair use” doctrine of U.S. copyright laws.

“The social contract of that content since the ’90s has been that it is fair use,” Suleyman said. “Anyone can copy it, recreate with it, reproduce with it. That has been freeware, if you like.”

Suleyman said it was more of a “gray area” in situations where some news organizations and others explicitly said they didn’t want tech companies “scraping” content off their websites. “I think that’s going to work its way through the courts,” he said.

The cases are still in the discovery stage and scheduled to drag into 2025. In the meantime, some who believe their professions are threatened by AI business practices have tried to secure private deals to get technology companies to pay a fee to license their archives. Others are fighting back.

“Somebody had to go out and interview real people in the real world and conduct real research by poring over documents and then synthesizing those documents and coming up with a way to render them in clear and simple prose,” said Frank Pine, executive editor of MediaNews Group, publisher of dozens of newspapers including the Denver Post, Orange County Register and St. Paul Pioneer Press. Several of the chain’s newspapers sued OpenAI in April.

“All of that is real work, and it’s work that AI cannot do," Pine said. "An AI app is never going to leave the office and go downtown where there’s a fire and cover that fire.”

Deemed too similar to lawsuits filed late last year, the Massachusetts duo's January complaint has been folded into a consolidated case brought by other nonfiction writers as well as fiction writers represented by the Authors Guild. That means Gage and Basbanes won't likely be witnesses in any upcoming trial in Manhattan's federal court. But in the twilight of their careers, they thought it important to take a stand for the future of their craft.

Gage fled Greece as a 9-year-old, haunted by his mother's 1948 killing by firing squad during the country's civil war. He joined his father in Worcester, Massachusetts, not far from where he lives today. And with a teacher's nudge, he pursued writing and built a reputation as a determined investigative reporter digging into organized crime and political corruption for The New York Times and other newspapers.

Basbanes, as a Greek American journalist, had heard of and admired the elder “hotshot reporter” when he got a surprise telephone call at his desk at Worcester's Evening Gazette in the early 1970s. The voice asked for Mr. Basbanes, using the Greek way of pronouncing the name.

“You were like a talent scout,” Basbanes said. “We established a friendship. I mean, I’ve known him longer than I know my wife, and we’ve been married 49 years.”

Basbanes hasn’t mined his own story like Gage has, but he says it can sometimes take days to craft a great paragraph and confirm all of the facts in it. It took him years of research and travel to archives and auction houses to write his 1995 book “A Gentle Madness” about the art of book collection from ancient Egypt through modern times.

“I love that ‘A Gentle Madness’ is in 1,400 libraries or so,” Basbanes said. “This is what a writer strives for -- to be read. But you also write to earn, to put food on the table, to support your family, to make a living. And as long as that’s your intellectual property, you deserve to be compensated fairly for your efforts.”

Gage took a great professional risk when he quit his job at the Times and went into $160,000 debt to find out who was responsible for his mother's death.

“I tracked down everyone who was in the village when my mother was killed," he said. “And they had been scattered all over Eastern Europe. So it cost a lot of money and a lot of time. I had no assurance that I would get that money back. But when you commit yourself to something as important as my mother’s story was, the risks are tremendous, the effort is tremendous.”

In other words, ChatGPT couldn't do that. But what worries Gage is that ChatGPT could make it harder for others to do that.

“Publications are going to die. Newspapers are going to die. Young people with talent are not going to go into writing,” Gage said. “I'm 84 years old. I don’t know if this is going to be settled while I’m still around. But it’s important that a solution be found.”

[caspira-writes-fanfiction]

Ozzie's Secret

Ozzie remembers the first time him & Fizz say "I love you" but Fizzarolli doesn't. Oh, the silly things fevers do.

(This is a chapter from a larger story on ao3 but it works okay as a standalone. ao3 link in title!)

Asmodeus missed Fizzarolli. He hated to admit it, it felt selfish to, but he did. Fizzarolli had won Mammon’s competition for a second time and he was more popular than ever. He’d been working twelve hour days with Mammon four days a week since Ozzie’s opened a few months ago. On his long days, it was easier for Fizz to stay at his apartment closer to Greed. His schedule had been packed with meetings and rehearsals and most recently, filming. The documentary that Mamm wanted was finally in production. Meanwhile, Asmodeus had been busying himself with the new FizzBots. The new telescoping arms and legs weren’t turning out to be as reliable when a computer made the decisions and not Fizzarolli, no matter how artificially intelligent. Asmodeus was seriously considering blocking Mammon’s number with the amount of calls he’d been getting from the other Sin today.

The days were so much longer without Fizzarolli to come home to.

He felt silly for finding himself missing the other, Fizz would be over tomorrow. During the other three days of the week, Fizz headlined at Ozzie’s. Working seven days a week wasn’t the most sustainable for Fizzarolli, but Asmodeus tried to make up for it by creating “conditions” for Fizz’s workplace safety. Very similar to the bills he would make for Fizz to ease the shame of caring for himself, these conditions mostly involved care tasks Fizz was expected to engage in before being allowed to perform. It was also a way to put Fizz on payroll for more than a few hours a day. That not only helped pay off his debts a bit quicker, but it also put more money in Fizz’s pocket.

The three days of the week that he got to spend with Fizz were some of his favorites. It hardly felt like work at all, it was a great reward for the other half of the week being dedicated to business. Rumors of Lust and Fizz being an item had circulated throughout tabloids ever since Fizz won Mammon’s pageant the first time, they’d been more popular since Ozzie’s opened. One tabloid had even questioned if Lust was in love. Asmodeus didn’t worry about it, rumors like this had circulated before. He was thousands of years old, time was different for him. Rumors didn’t necessarily hold the same weight. And they were just that, rumors. Lust was perfectly content to tell himself that.

Still, the days were so much longer without Fizzarolli to come home to.

Asmodeus couldn’t deny the way his heart picked up when his phone buzzed with a message from Fizz.

Froggy: You’re not in your office? TheBigO: No. Testing more designs today. Froggy: Oh! You’re in the workshop! TheBigO: No again, Fizzy. I’m in the factory. TheBigO: Wait, are you in my office? Froggy: Well not anymore. You’re not there.

Had Asmodeus gotten the day wrong? Was he working on a club day? He checked twice, it was still Thursday. Fizz wasn’t supposed to be over until tomorrow morning, tonight if Lust was lucky, but it was the middle of the day. Fizz was supposed to be rehearsing and shooting all day. If not for the documentary, then for commercials.

TheBigO: I thought you were working in Greed today. Froggy: Nope! Not anymore! ;p TheBigO: Oh? What’s the special occasion? Froggy: I’m hot! TheBigO: Well, yeah you are ;) TheBigO: But how did that get you out of work early? Froggy: Why don’t you come back and find out, Big Daddy?

Asmodeus was more than intrigued at what Fizzarolli had in store for him. This wasn’t the first time he’d surprised Ozzie with something sexy, but he didn’t usually ask Asmodeus to take time off work. Not half a day, at least. And Mammon wasn’t generally one to let his employees leave early, even his most profitable. Asmodeus was curious; excited with a hint of concern. He finished his work quickly and was quick to head back home.

The penthouse was quiet when Ozzie arrived. Fizz had said he’d left the office, he wanted Lust to come find him. Odds were good he was in the bedroom then.

“Fizz?” Asmodeus called out as he started down the hall. He wasn’t necessarily expecting a response, he definitely wasn’t expecting the jester to jump down from the ceiling and tackle him.

“Tag!” Just as quickly as Fizz had appeared, he’d run off and disappeared.

“What the…?” Ozzie mumbled to himself as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. He blinked as he tried to figure out how Fizzarolli had managed to disappear down the hall quickly enough that Ozzie really didn’t know which door he could have slipped behind. “Oh, you slippery little devil….” Ozzie was grinning wickedly. So this was how it was going to be? Well, game on.

Ozzie was startled by an air horn as he turned a corner. The sound of Fizz’s laugh bounced towards the kitchen.

Fizz slipped out of a cabinet and between Ozzie’s legs as the sin checked in the cabinet above. He evaded Ozzie in the living room by sliding under the sofa and running once Lust picked it up. The library had been an adventure; Fizz had dislodged more than a few tomes and nearly knocked over a bookcase while climbing the walls. He managed to escape narrowly, nearly getting caught by his tail as he laughed down the halls. Asmodeus chased behind Fizz happily, cat and mouse was wonderful foreplay.

Fizzarolli bounced between walls and hid behind doors. Ozzie was always one step behind, but Fizz really was slippery. It wasn’t until they got to the bedroom that Asmodeus was able to pin him down.

Fizz’s laughter roared as Ozzie straddled him, pinning him to the bed with his hands above his head. He loved when Ozzie held him down like this. His body, however, was not a fan of stagnation. His laugher died out as he felt the lead weight of exhaustion fall over his body. His skin felt raw against his clothes, his muscles ached and he quickly became keenly aware of each joint that wasn’t supported. It became harder to hold the smile on his face. It was hard to catch a breath and even his eyes ached. He blinked as he focused up on the Sin pinning him down. He licked his lips. He hadn’t realized until now that both his mouth and his lips were dry. Fizz had been going non stop lately, he hadn’t had an opportunity to sit still. Now that he was forced into slowing down, he realized just how horrible he felt.

Asmodeus could see the way Fizzarolli’s demeanor changed only seconds after being pinned into place. His face fell, he had trouble keeping his eyes open. He’d been doing a lot of running, sure, but even breathing seemed to be a labor for him. As Asmodeus looked closer, he could see that Fizz was sweating, he was sure he’d find flushed skin under his foundation. Fizzarolli looked miserable.

“You’re really not feeling well, are you?”

Fizzarolli’s lip trembled as he was confronted with the question. No, he didn’t feel well, he didn’t feel well at all. The world spun as Fizz shook his head in response. He didn’t know how to get it to stop, he let out a whimper as closing his eyes didn’t seem to work. Fizz understood high pain days, but this was something different. Similar, but different enough that it threw Fizz off. He hated new symptoms, they made his anxiety skyrocket. He knew he wasn’t dying but that didn’t stop him from spiraling into thoughts of doctors and hospitals and what if his life was stripped away from him again?

“Hey, hey now.” Oz let go of Fizzarolli and moved do sit down beside him. He now understood what Fizz had meant earlier when he’d said he was hot. As Asmodeus shifted to wipe tears from Fizz’s cheeks he could feel the heat pulsing from Fizzarolli’s skin. “Babe, you’re burning up.”

The yelp that Fizzarolli gave out at Ozzie’s comment instantly made the Sin regret his word choice. It also added an additional layer of worry about the situation. Fizzarolli was very delicate right now.

“Sorry.” Asmodeus shushed. He watched with added concern as the clown curled onto his side, pulled his horns down over his eyes to block out light and wrapped his arms around himself tightly.

“I meant to say that you have a fever.”

Fizzarolli didn’t move from his position except to press the palms of his hands against his eyes to relieve some pressure. He took a few deep breaths. Breathing wasn’t hard, he was just in pain. When he lowered his palms, he peeked out from under the edge of his hat and gave Asmodeus a smile. “I told you I was hot” his tongue hissed at the other playfully. He left it sticking out. The energy he’d had just minutes ago was gone, but it was clear he was making an effort.

Even while sick, Fizzarolli was adorable. Asmodeus smiled down at him lightly. “Stay there. I’ll be right back.”

Asmodeus returned a few minutes later with a pink first aid kit, an ice bucket without champagne but instead, a bottle of water and damp washcloths. Fizz grumbled as the bed dipped next to him. He’d gone back to closing his eyes but peeked one open as Asmodeus sat next to him.

“Alright Froggy, lets see just how hot you are.” Asmodeus pulled a thermometer out of the kit.

Fizz gave a lazy chuckle. “ ‘s that for my mouth or my ass?”

“Your mouth” Ozzie laughed. He placed a gentle hand against Fizz’s thigh. “Though, if you’d like a little probing, we can arrange for that.”

The twinge of pain that crossed Fizz’s face as Asmodeus touched his thigh was enough of an answer though. Ozzie held the thermometer out towards Fizz’s mouth and let the demon wrap his tongue around it. Ozzie tried not to worry himself too much as he waited for the thermometer to beep with its results.

Fizz’s fever was high. Concerningly high. Asmodeus was quick to press the cold cloths against Fizz’s neck and back. Fizzarolli visibly relaxed as the cold water from the cloths reminded him what it felt like to not be boiling. Asmodeus was able to relax a bit more too. He turned back to the first aid kit and looked through the medicines stored until he found a fever reducer that wouldn’t interact with Fizz’s other medications. He put two in his hand and held it out to Fizz.

Fizzarolli knew the routine. His tongue licked up Ozzie’s arm and wrist to tease him before taking the pills. He drank from the water bottle as if was offered to him then returned to resting. Hopefully these would help, and soon. Fizzarolli really hated how his clothes scratched against his skin and Ozzie’s touch burnt. Still, there was nowhere Fizzarolli would rather be right now.

He hadn’t realized how much Ozzie’s presence seemed to help settle him until Oz was getting out of bed again to put the first aid kit away. Fizzarolli pouted and stretched his hand blindly out towards the other until he reached something solid. The sound of Ozzie’s humming settled him even more. He could feel his hand being grabbed and held.

“I’m just putting the first aid kit away.” Asmodeus reassured. He returned to bed a moment later and laid down parallel to Fizzarolli. He brought Fizz’s hand up to his mouth and gave it a kiss. Lust’s chest swelled as Fizzarolli’s face split into a large, lazy grin at that.

They lay like that for a while. Asmodeus knew that Fizzarolli needed to rest. He hoped that the cold cloths helped, he hoped that the medicine would help. It was unsettling seeing Fizzarolli so listless. Asmodeus didn’t like that his touch hurt instead of comforted. That wasn’t common between them.

The room stayed quiet for several minutes. Asmodeus had dimmed the lights which seemed to help Fizzarolli relax more. The rain tapped lightly against the windows. Fizzarolli stirred occasionally, he was never quite comfortable enough. Finally, that was enough.. Fizzarolli pushed himself up from the bed and started wandering around the room.

“Fizz?” Asmodeus sat up along with him but he didn’t leave the bed. He watched curiously for a few moments. Fizzarolli was laughing, but Asmodeus had no idea at what. Lust climbed out of bed and started walking towards Fizzarolli to get a better read on him, but Fizzarolli saw Asmodeus’s reflection in the window averted him. His legs grew taller than Ozzie, his arms stretched over his head and Fizzarolli bridged over Asmodeus. He tried to kick over, but more or less ended up landing on his face.

Asmodeus snapped and closed his bedroom doors before Fizz could slip away from him. The clown managed to get back onto his feet by the time Ozzie had crossed the room to him.

“Fizz, come on. You’re sick. You need to rest.”

“What’re you talkin’ about?” Fizz’s words slurred together. He didn’t meet Ozzie’s eyes. “I was just-” Fizz yawned. He stood precariously, using his telescoping arms as support and took a few steps forward. His legs were extra noodly as he walked. “Just practicing for my act tonight!���

Asmodeus took a step along with Fizzarolli, doing his best to play defense. Lust was very worried. Fizzarolli needed to be lying down right now. “Babe, it’s Thursday.”

“Hmm?” the world spun as Fizz turned his head to face Asmodeus. He’d been feeling fine earlier, and laying down had been boring and painful. He was fine. Once the dizziness cleared, he’d be fine.

“You don’t have an act tonight. Stop practicing and get to bed!” He was exasperated, but playfully so. It didn’t matter though, Fizz didn’t really hear what Asmodeus had to say.

His head felt lighter than his body. His body didn’t actually really feel real. He tried to concentrate on the fiery blue but that was difficult. “Oz….I….I don’t….” he tried to blink, but his vision was growing blurrier. He took a step towards Ozzie, his foot didn’t feel as stable touching the ground as it should. “I feel…” He thought he could hear Asmodeus faintly, but the last thing Fizzarolli remembered thinking was how pretty Lust’s dark purple floors were.

“Fizzy!” Asmodeus was quick to catch the falling imp. He was dead weight in Ozzie’s arms.

The first thing Fizzarolli noticed as he came to was Lust’s voice.

“Yes, thank you. Thank you very much, I’ll see you soon. Yes.” Click. The next thing Fizzarolli noticed was that he was being held. If he pressed his ear up close enough to Oz’s chest he could hear his heartbeat. It was beating really fast.

Bright glassy eyes blinked up at the Sin. His hand rested against Ozzie’s chest as Fizz tried to remember how his voice worked.

“Oh!” Ozzie sounded surprised. Bull looked concerned, Ram was excited. Ozzie’s face was struck with worry, but split into a relieved grin once he caught the jester’s eyes. “You’re awake. How are you feeling?”

Fizzarolli smiled as Ozzie did, large and content. Asmodeus was safe, Asmodeus was calm, Asmodeus was home. His fingers ran along Ozzie’s chest, tracing lazy heart patterns against it. “Hi.”

Ozzie softened. How in Hell did he manage to be so cute so fucking often? Fizz had terrified Asmodeus by passing out, but the Sin was feeling a little better now that he was awake and talking. Asmodeus was far from being calm about Fizzarolli’s condition, but he was feeling a little more stable. Ozzie bent down to rest his head against Fizz’s. “Hi.” He gave Fizzarolli a kiss on the cheek. Fizz giggled.

“We’ve got to get your fever down, Fizzy.” Asmodeus informed his clown as he started heading towards the en suite. Fizzarolli continued to giggle. That was….mildly concerning. Asmodeus reminded himself that Fizzarolli was awake and help was on the way. Conscious was better than unconscious, even if delirious.

Fizzarolli had commissioned multiple sets of horns since receiving regular paychecks, two specifically for the bath. Fizz was very sensitive about his horns, Asmodeus hadn’t gotten close to trying to look or touch them. He had no interest in it, there were plenty of other parts of Fizz he was more than happy to put his hands on. But when Fizzarolli couldn’t even really help take his clothes off, Asmodeus had to get creative with how he was going to protect the non-water proof fabric that his horns were currently made out of.

One kaiju sized condom (non-lubricated of course, in favor of fabric protection) fit the jingly horns well enough. Asmodeus had to tie a knot on the top of Fizz’s head to keep it secure, but his little laughing jester didn’t seem to mind. He managed to crack a joke or two, though they weren’t nearly as funny as Fizz seemed to think they were.

The laughing only stopped once the two of them were submerged chest deep in the large crystalline tub. Asmodeus had done his best to make sure it wasn’t too cold for Fizzarolli, but that didn’t stop Fizz from nearly ripping out a few chest feathers as he got acclimated to the temperature change.

“Breathe through it.” Asmodeus took a deep breath to model for Fizzarolli who was no longer dead weight, he was tenser than stone. “You’ll get used to it soon and then it’ll feel so good.”

With time and gentle reassurance, Fizzarolli’s body did gradually ease to the temperature of the water. He even let Asmodeus rub his back without showing signs of pain. The moment was very nearly peaceful.

“I love you, Asmodeus.” Fizzarolli hummed. His voice was lazy and soft, tired and content. It broke the silence that had predicated the past several minutes. Asmodeus didn’t know how to process what he'd just heard.

“What’d you say?” He looked down carefully at Fizzarolli, who was curled happily against Lust’s chest, eyes closed and more than content to be allowed to just lay there. Fizzarolli smiled at the question and hummed again happily.

“I love you.”

Asmodeus didn’t know how to respond at first. He’d never had those words spoken to him before. He wasn’t expecting it, he didn’t know how to respond. He didn’t need to, though. Fizzarolli yawned, stretched, then continued to talk.

“I’s okay if you don’t. I don’ expect it…...it’s….it’s a lot, I know.” Fizzarolli paused. “You just….you make everything so much better.”

Fizz sounded like he was trying not to cry. The poor thing. He was delirious, certainly that’s what was happening. He was delirious and exhausted, he didn’t know what he was talking about. Asmodeus was quick to respond with reassurances. “Hey, shh. No tears, Froggy. I’ve got you.”

Lust had never said I love you before, but he was considering it.

Fizz seemed to be a bit more lucid by the time they were finished in the bath. Fizz refused to wear anything other than silk or satin pajamas today but that was no problem, they had an assortment of options to choose from. Fizzarolli also refused to be anywhere other than Lust’s arms, but just like with the pajamas, Asmodeus didn’t mind. In fact, he found himself preferring it. He was getting better at reading Fizz’s energy from afar, but Lust’s real power was in the sensation of touch. With Fizzarolli so close, he could almost feel what Fizz was.

The way Fizzarolli hid in Lust’s chest as one of Bell’s physicians came to examine him was sharp and electric. Fizz was scared. Asmodeus knew to be gentle then, to keep him as close as he could and only let the doctor near when necessary. He did most of the talking for Fizz while the jester hid his face in Ozzie’s chest and shook. If Lust listened carefully, he could hear Fizz singing to himself in whisper. Asmodeus couldn’t tell if the shaking was from fear of fever, that uncertainty didn’t sit well with him. He held Fizzarolli a little bit closer.

Fizzarolli's temperature was still high, his response time was delayed, and not all of his answers to their questions made total sense. Asmodeus ran through each symptom he had observed for the doctor, his hand placed protectively against Fizz’s back. That had helped with the shaking a bit.

“Was there anything else?” Asmodeus asked Fizzarolli. “Anything I didn’t say? How are you feeling?”

Fizzarolli squirmed in Ozzie’s arms. He pouted and nodded. “My horns hurt.”

Nobody had really known that was possible. They hadn’t hurt since the accident. They’d burned down close to the base but not so far that there were any raw spots. The tension in the room was palpable when the doctor said they’d have to look at Fizz’s horns to make sure there wasn’t a problem. Doctors were allowed to see his horns, they had a legitimate medical reason to. Asmodeus still wasn’t allowed to see the horns, but Fizzarolli also wouldn’t let him leave. The conundrum had taken several minutes of negotiation to figure out how to handle. It had nearly put Fizzarolli to tears twice but Ozzie was able to manage his anxieties and they were able to come up with a compromise.

Asmodeus sat on the far edge of the bed with his back turned to Fizzarolli. One of Fizz’s arms was extended so that it wrapped three times around Oz’s waist with enough leftover for Asmodeus to pepper kisses along his hand and down his arm. It allowed Asmodeus to be present and his anxious energy could be used to distract Fizz. Every time Fizz squeezed his hand or whimpered, Asmodeus poured more attention in finding sensations that would transfer through to Fizz. Fizzarolli was delicate right now, he needed to be treated preciously.

The doctor reasoned that Fizzarolli’s horns were aching at the break, likely due to the severity of his fever. He put a cooling gel that should help numb the pain over the effected area.

“Don’t put that hat back on.” Asmodeus ordered when he heard the tell tale jingle bells move. Ozzie pointed to Fizz’s dresser where his three favorite horn sets lay. “The blue pair. They’re quieter, softer, and more breathable. He’ll be more comfortable in those.”

When Fizzarolli was appropriately dressed again, Asmodeus was dragged back into bed where Fizz eagerly climbed back in his arms. The two of them settled. Lust whispered quiet praise to Fizzarolli, he helped coax Fizz into drinking a pink sparkly fever reducer produced from Belphagor herself. He was unsuccessful in getting him to eat anything but managed to feed Fizz ice chips to help keep him hydrated.

The physician gave Ozzie a small bottle of pink shimmering liquid and a package of stickers that would help keep Fizz’s fever under control between medicine doses if necessary. They were pink and shaped like hearts. The doctor promised to be back tomorrow morning to check in on them and left their card in case they were needed earlier.

Fizzarolli liked the stickers. He managed to convince Asmodeus to put one on each of his cheeks and three down his spine. Fizzarolli stole one and slapped it in the middle of Ozzie’s chest. He chuckled as he pointed at it. “Third nipple.”

Asmodeus chuckled too. He loved how Fizzarolli was always finding something to smile about. He saw the good and whimsy in everything, it was admirable.

“Let’s get some sleep, Fizz.”

Fizzarolli didn’t argue. He yawned and stretched, repositioning himself until he was comfortable against Ozzie’s chest.

“G’night, Ozzie” Fizzarolli said at four in the afternoon. “Love you.”

For a second time that night he’s used the L word at Asmodeus. Fizzarolli fell into sleep shortly after but Lust stayed up for many more hours. I love you. It had to be the fever that made Fizzarolli say it. Asmodeus couldn’t be sure he even knew what he was saying, let alone really meant it. Still, Lust couldn’t stop thinking about it. Fizzarolli was something special, he was like no other demon Asmodeus had ever known. He couldn’t help but wonder if the tabloids were right. Could Lust be falling in love? It didn’t feel like falling to Ozzie; falling was turbulent, Asmodeus was scared of falling. Asmodeus didn’t feel scared with Fizzarolli, though. He felt excited with Fizz, usually he felt like flying.

Fizzarolli slept for many hours and he slept hard. On more than one occasion, Asmodeus had to wipe Fizz’s drool from his chest and he was hard pressed to be able to move under Fizz’s dead weight. Asmodeus was glad that Fizzarolli was getting rest. He looked peaceful. Lust was thankful that he could help Fizzarolli get there. Eventually, Lust was calm enough to drift into sleep himself.

When Asmodeus woke again hours later, Fizzarolli was anything but peaceful. He’d flopped from his spot on Asmodeus’s chest, taking much of the blanket with him, and was currently squirming and trying to fight his way out of the tangled mess he’d managed to get himself into. Oz could see well enough by the glow of the fireplace, but he brought the lights up a fraction to get a better look.

Fizzarolli wasn’t awake, but maybe he should be. He’d worked himself up into a fit; he was sweating and panting, the soft noises Fizzarolli was making sounded distressed. A nightmare? Lust carefully helped Fizz untangle himself from the blankets. Fizz continued to thrash.

“Fizzy…” Asmodeus gently poked the other, testing to see how difficult it would be to wake him. He was warm again. Asmodeus checked the time. He’d overslept, Fizz was due for his second dose of medicine an hour ago. “Hey now, okay.” Lust carefully cradled the clown in his hands and brought him back up to his chest. Fizzarolli thrashed against him at first, but woke up shortly after being picked up. Bright, terrified eyes blinked up at Ozzie.

“It’s alright, you’re safe.”

Fizz continued to stare, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. Tears pricked at his eyes as he tried making sense of what was happening. He was just in the middle of the most horrible dream.

“You were having a nightmare. It’s not real.”

If it wasn’t real, then why was he shaking? Fizzarolli wiped at his cheeks, he pulled at the neck of his pajamas where it was starting to itch. He could feel three pairs of eyes studying him. After a few moments, Asmodeus spoke again.

“Would you be more comfortable without those?” Lust asked, toying with the hem of his pajamas. He was careful to help Fizz out of the sweaty slip when he nodded. It took several more minutes for Asmodeus to convince Fizzarolli that he was sick, and that the pink bottle was medicine and not something that would hurt him. Asmodeus couldn’t convince Fizzarolli that the stickers would help, so they went without.

Asmodeus draped the blanket over them again and held Fizzarolli close. He was still shaking, part of it was residual fear that Fizz had to let wear off, but not all of it. Hopefully that meant his fever was breaking.

“What can I do, Froggy? What’s going to help?” Asmodeus asked, desperate to try and help Fizz settle. He placed his hand along the small of Fizzarolli’s back, holding him close.

Fizzarolli thought about his answer for several seconds before looking up at Ozzie. He looked so small when he did, it had been a long time since he’d made such a request. “Can you tell me a story?”

Fuck, he was cute. Lust wasn’t the storyteller that Fizzarolli was, but how could he say no to that face?

“Alright.” Ozzie made sure Fizz was positioned comfortably against him. His hand supported Fizz’s bottom, holding his hip in a way that stretched it while Fizz’s arms stretched up and around Asmodeus’s neck. He supposed an extended stretch could be comfortable for someone who’s spent the better part of their day laying down or sleeping. When he could feel Fizz relax in his position, Asmodeus began.

“Once upon a time there was a king. He lived in a beautiful castle, in a kingdom that he built himself. He lived for pleasure, both for himself and for his people. The king had a happy kingdom, he had a happy life. One day, the king was introduced to someone from another kingdom. I don’t think they knew it, but this someone was special. He had the ability to find pleasure in even the worst moments. He stared darkness in the eye and found a way to turn it into light. And he needed the king’s help.”

Fizzarolli yawned. He pressed a lazy kiss to Lust’s chest. “Did the king help him?” Fizz sounded half asleep already.

Asmodeus hummed. “Of course he helped. But there’s more.”

“The king helped him. Over time, the two of them grew to be friends. With each thing that the king did to help, his friend shined brighter and brighter. He was dazzling. The king hadn’t thought he was lonely. He wasn’t when his friend was around, but when he was away he wondered how he’d ever gotten on with his day. His friend brought light into the dark.”

“A good friend” Fizz mumbled. Ozzie agreed.

“There were very few people the king could relate to, but he felt seen with his friend. He wanted nothing but the best for him. He wanted his friend around all the time. He had never felt this way about anybody else, he didn’t know what to call it. The king was afraid to name how he felt about the other. He wasn’t supposed to have a favorite, he was supposed to want for all, to want blindly for pleasure. But his friend was the greatest pleasure he’d ever known. For a while he’d tried to want for others. He still wants for his kingdom and his people, but he wants more than just pleasure. He wants the other’s light to brighten his days.”

Fizzarolli hummed. He was dead weight against Asmodeus, barely hanging on to consciousness.

“I love you, Fizzarolli.”

Fizzarolli’s lips curled into a large, sleepy smile. His tongue stuck out as if he was starting to say I love you too but became too tired and never did. Cute Asmodeus thought.

Fizz slept peacefully for another four hours, but Ozzie didn’t get a wink of sleep. He’d just told Fizzarolli he loved him. Lust had never used the love word before, not in regards to someone else. He hadn’t thought it was an option for a Sin like himself. He was Lust, he was the Big Sexy. He was a thrill, he wasn’t the long term plan.

But Fizzarolli wasn’t most, he was special. He saw beauty in the strange and always had a way to make someone laugh. He brought joy to Ozzie’s day, he made things better. He inspired him and comforted him. Fizzarolli understood him in a way most others couldn’t, Asmodeus cared about his jester deeply. More than anyone, really. Lust was pleasure, but Fizzarolli was Lust’s greatest pleasure. He had so much to thank Fizzarolli for.

Asmodeus thought about that as the doctor returned in the morning and diagnosed Fizz as dehydrated. He thought about it as he comforted Fizzarolli who was less than excited about his best vein for intravenous fluids being in his neck. He thought the phrase many times while he and Fizz lay still and waited for the treatment to be over. He thought about loving Fizz as he dressed him in his softest sleep shirt and carried him to their sofa where they spent the day watching Hell-A-Novella reruns. He thought about love each time he checked the imps temperature that day.

There were a lot of things that Asmodeus loved about Fizzarolli, but there was nothing he loved more than to be woken up to the fiery little devil's face grinning down at him the next morning. Fizz’s eyes were bright, but not with fever. His smile was pointed and deliberate. He sat upright, straight and strong, with his legs straddling Lust’s chest. His hand cupped Ozzie’s cheek. Asmodeus blinked a few more times, trying to clear sleep from his eyes. They weren’t in bed, had they fallen asleep watching television last night?

“Good morning, sleepy heads!” Fizz’s hands moved to give Ram and Bull gentle noogies to help wake them up.

Asmodeus stretched and sat up. He watched, amused, as Fizzarolli climbed him to perch against his shoulder. “Someone’s feeling better.”

Fizz nodded. “Mostly. I’m hungry.”

“Is that why you woke me up?” Fizzarolli’s laugh was the answer. Lust pushed himself off the sofa and the two of them headed towards the kitchen.

“I’m glad you’ve got your appetite back.” Asmodeus mused as he watched Fizzarolli start in on a stack of waffles as tall as his torso. It had taken him over an hour to convince Fizz to drink half a cup of pho yesterday, this was a much welcomed change.

Fizzarolli responded by beaming at Asmodeus before eating a waffle in two big bites. “I’m starving, didn’t you feed me?”

“You didn’t want to be fed!”

Fizzarolli rolled his eyes and ate another waffle, that didn’t’ sound very much like him. He must have been sick. One arm extended back into the kitchen in search of peanut butter, that’s what this breakfast needed

“Well I bounce back fast.” Fizz dipped his third waffle into the peanut butter jar and tried it. He moaned loudly and rolled his eyes back. Peanut butter was what this breakfast needed. After taking several seconds to savor the savory and the sweet, Fizz looked back over at Asmodeus. He laughed at the king’s expression.

“Was I a good patient? You don’t look like you’ve gotten much sleep.”

Asmodeus chuckled. “Before or after the slipperiest game of tag I’ve ever played?”

“What are you talking about?”

Ozzie stilled. Had Fizz forgotten about that? What else didn’t Fizz remember? “What all do you remember?”

Fizzarolli thought for a moment. “I remember waking up with a bitch of a headache. Mammon had me shooting the commercial for the Bots. The lights were….really bright. He told me to get my shit together.”

“And that’s it?”

“We watched television yesterday.”

Asmodeus scanned Fizzarolli’s face for any indication that he was lying, but there was nothing. So he didn’t remember saying I love you.

“Why? Did I do something embarrassing? Say something ridiculous?”

Now wasn’t the time to have that conversation. Asmodeus didn’t know how to explain his love to Fizz right now. For now, this was Ozzie’s secret.

Asmodeus smiled and shook his head. “You started a very chaotic game of tag. Made a lot of dick jokes. But no, you were a fine patient.”

Fizzarolli snorted. “That does sound like me.”

Asmodeus took a sip of his coffee, Fizz reached to the plate in the center of the table and grabbed another piece of bacon. The two of them smiled when they caught each other’s eye.

“Thank you, Asmodeus.”

Fizzarolli had no need to thank him. If anything, Asmodeus should be thanking Fizzarolli. He’d given him plenty of worry over the past few days, but every bit of that worry was worth it. Fizzarolli gave Asmodeus so much good. Fizzarolli gave him love.

[uncloseted]

I think Tumblr ate my question (if I didn't, I'm soz), but who are some of your favorite thinkers, writers, YouTubers, directors, or just people in general ?:)

Anonymous asked:

Who are your favourite academics to read?

Anonymous asked:

Hi! i hope you had a good holiday season if you celebrate any and just a good week in general! What are some topics you think you could talk about forever? and in a similar vein, what are some people you just find really intelligent or important or just really cool and fascinating?

I'm sorry I've been away from this blog for a bit! I got caught up with the holidays and then a friend staying with me and the fires here in LA, but I should be back to a regular posting schedule now. I'm not really doing academic anything as much as I'd like to these days, but here are a few that come to mind:

Nonfiction Writers:/Thinkers

Oliver Sacks

Ester Perel

Jean Baudrillard

Hilary Putnam

Chuck Klosterman

Fiction Writers:

Banana Yoshimoto

Erin Morgenstern

Becky Chambers

Douglas Adams

YouTubers/Content Creators:

Contrapoints

PhilosophyTube

Mia Mulder

Kadija Mbowe

Savannah Brown

Directors:

Wong Kar-Wai

Alejandro Jodorowsky

Pedro Almodovar

Masaaki Yuasa

West Anderson

Hayao Miyazaki

Generally Cool People:

Patti Smith

Alexa Chung (you can tell how long I've been on Tumblr from this answer 😭)

Iris Apfel

There are definitely other ones that are missing here but these are a few that come to mind, at least.... in terms of topics I could talk about forever, that's pretty much anything and everything because, as you know if you read this blog, I'm a yapper. But a few are the brains in a vat thought experiment, the concept of the simulacra and how it intersects with our current media culture, John Mulaney and Olivia Munn's relationship, prison abolition, the panopticon of social media and how it's contributing to increased rates of anxiety, Taylor Swift's public image and why Midnights was a bad idea, the dangers of artificial intelligence in the context of misinformation and disinformation, anything to do with ageing and life extension research, anything to do with mental healthcare and mental illness, anything to do with weird medical conditions that people can develop, the metaphysics of gender, and, of course, Skins.

[jcmarchi]

The Impact of AI and LLMs on the Future of Jobs

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/the-impact-of-ai-and-llms-on-the-future-of-jobs/

The Impact of AI and LLMs on the Future of Jobs

Artificial intelligence (AI) has grown tremendously in recent years, which has created excitement and raised concerns about the future of employment. Large language models (LLMs) are the latest example of that. These powerful subsets of AI are trained on massive amounts of text data to understand and generate human-like language.

According to a report by LinkedIn, 55% of its global members may experience some degree of change in their jobs due to the rise of AI.

Knowing how AI and LLMs will disrupt the job market is critical for businesses and employees to adapt to the change and remain competitive in the rapidly growing technological environment.

This article explores the impact of AI on jobs and how automation in the workforce will disrupt employment.

Large Language Models: Catalysts for Job Market Disruption

According to Goldman Sachs, generative AI, and LLMs can potentially disrupt 300 million jobs shortly. They have also predicted that 50% of the workforce is at risk of losing jobs due to the integration of AI in business workflows.

LLMs are increasingly automating tasks previously considered the sole domain of human workers.  For instance, LLMs, trained on vast repositories of prior interactions, can now answer product inquiries, generating accurate and informative responses.

This reduces the workload of human staff and allows for faster, 24/7 customer service. Moreover, LLMs constantly evolve, going well past customer services and being utilized in various applications, such as content development, translation, legal research, software development, etc.

Large Language Models and Generative AI: Automation

LLMs and generative AI are becoming increasingly prevalent, which could lead to partial automation and the potential displacement of some workers while creating opportunities for others.

1. Reshaping Routine Tasks

AI and LLMs excel at handling repetitive tasks with defined rules, such as data entry, appointment scheduling, and generating basic reports.

This automation allows human workers to focus on more complex tasks but raises concerns about job displacement. As AI and LLMs become more capable of automating routine tasks, the demand for human input decreases, consequently triggering job displacement. However, jobs that require a high degree of human oversight and input will be the least affected.

2. Industries at Automation Risk

Sectors with a high volume of routine tasks, like manufacturing and administration, are most susceptible to AI and LLM automation. Due to their ability to streamline operations like data entry and production line scheduling, LLMs are a risk to jobs in these sectors.

Source

According to the Goldman Sachs report, AI automation will transform the workforce with efficiency and productivity while also putting millions of routine and manual jobs at high risk.

3. Potential Loss of Low-Skilled Jobs

The impact of AI on the low-skilled workforce is expected to grow in the future. ​The skill-biased nature of AI-driven automation has made it more difficult for those with less technical knowledge to grow in their employment. This is because automation widens the gap between high and low-skilled workers.

Low-skilled workers can only retain their jobs through high-quality education, training, and reskilling programs. They may also face difficulty transitioning to newer, higher-paying, and high-skilled jobs that use AI technologies.

This becomes more evident as the latest McKinsey report predicts that low-wage workers are 14 times more likely to need a job switch. Without upskilling or transitioning to new, AI-compatible roles, they risk being left behind in a rapidly evolving job market.

4. Role of AI and LLMs in Streamlining Processes

A significant shift occurs within the business landscape due to the growing adoption of AI and LLMs. A recent report from Workato reveals a compelling statistic: operations teams automated a remarkable 28% of their processes in 2023.

AI and LLMs are game-changers, reducing operating costs, streamlining tasks through automation, and improving service quality.

The Future of Work in the Age of AI

While AI is inevitable, with enough resources and sufficient training, employees can use AI and LLMs to increase productivity in their daily routine tasks.

For instance, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) states that customer support agents using a generative AI (GPT) tool increased their productivity by around 14%. This shows the potential of collaboration between humans and machines.

While AI undoubtedly changes the job market, its integration should be seen as an opportunity rather than a threat.  The true potential lies in the collaboration between human intuition, creativity, and empathy combined with AI’s analytical prowess.

Reskilling For LLMs and Generative AI

While GPT could generate texts and images, its successors, like GPT-4o, seamlessly process and generate content across text, audio, images, and video formats.

This shows that the new multi-modal LLMs and AI technologies are evolving rapidly. Reskilling becomes essential for both modern organizations and workers to survive due to the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of jobs. Some of the important skills include:

Prompts Engineering: LLMs rely on prompts to guide their outputs. Learning how to create clear and concise prompts will be a key factor in achieving their true potential.

Data fluency: The ability to work with and understand data is essential. This covers collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data, influencing your interaction with LLMs.

AI literacy: Foundational knowledge about AI, including its capabilities and limitations, will be essential for effective collaboration and communication with these powerful tools.

Critical thinking and evaluation: While LLMs can be impressive, assessing their outputs is important. Assessing, updating, and analyzing the LLM’s work is essential.

Ethical Implications of AI in the Workplace

The presence of AI in the workplace has its pros and cons, which must all be carefully considered. The former, of course, increases productivity and reduces costs. However, if adopted detrimentally can also have adverse effects.

Here are some ethical considerations that need to be part of the larger narrative:

Algorithmic Bias and Fairness: AI algorithms have the potential to reinforce biases found in the data they are trained on, which could result in unfair recruitment decisions.

Employee Privacy: AI relies on vast amounts of employee data, raising concerns about potentially misusing this information, which could lead to unemployment.

Inequality: The increased use of AI in workflows presents challenges like inequality or inaccessibility. Initiatives like upskilling and reskilling programs can help reduce AI’s negative impacts on employees across organizations.

Workplace paradigms are shifting as a result of AI and LLMs integration. This will greatly impact the future of work and careers.

For further resources and insights on AI and data science, explore Unite.ai.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil Senate committee approves AI regulation bill

Legislation debated in plenary; urgent vote scheduled for next Tuesday

The Brazilian Senate’s Temporary Committee on Artificial Intelligence approved a bill on Thursday (5th) to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Brazil. The bill started to be debated in plenary, senators have approved an urgent motion, but the vote was postponed to Tuesday (10).

The bill was proposed by Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco, who aims to finalize the vote this year during his tenure. The rapporteur, Congressman Eduardo Gomes, has presented seven versions of the report, significantly altering the text.

The report outlines the creation of the National System for Regulation and Governance of Artificial Intelligence (SIA) to oversee AI usage in the country. Under this system, the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) will coordinate the activities of regulatory agencies in each sector.

One of the main changes was the removal of the so-called high-risk classification for AI systems used by big techs—algorithms for purposes such as content promotion. According to the bill, this regulation will be addressed through specific legislation.

Continue reading.

[tycseo]

10+ ways technology is changing Public Relations

For brands seeking impact and longevity, technology is becoming the secret weapon in public relations. With real-time data, targeted outreach, and automation tools, agencies now deliver faster, smarter, and more effective PR campaigns. Let's explore how this shift is happening and what it means for the future.

1. AI-powered media monitoring

Artificial Intelligence tools help PR teams track brand mentions, competitor activity, and industry news in real-time. This allows faster response to potential crises and more relevant outreach to journalists and influencers.

2. Social listening tools

PR isn’t just about talking anymore—it’s about listening. Social listening tech helps brands understand public sentiment, uncover trends, and identify potential advocates or critics.

3. Data-driven storytelling

With analytics and insights readily available, PR professionals now craft stories backed by real data. This increases credibility and allows targeted messaging that actually resonates.

4. Influencer collaboration platforms

Digital PR platforms simplify influencer discovery, outreach, and campaign tracking. This helps brands collaborate authentically and measure impact more precisely.

5. Smart press releases

From embedding multimedia elements to tracking reader engagement, digital press releases are now interactive, measurable, and far more effective than their traditional counterparts.

6. Real-time crisis management

Thanks to instant alerts and social dashboards, PR teams can manage a brand crisis the moment it arises—often before it snowballs.

7. Content automation tools

Scheduling tools and AI-assisted writing software streamline content calendars, freeing PR professionals to focus more on creativity and strategy.

8. SEO-integrated PR

Public relations now works closely with SEO, ensuring that brand messages are not only newsworthy but also searchable and shareable.

9. Virtual events & digital launches

Tech allows brands to host press events, product launches, and panel discussions virtually—expanding reach and cutting costs.

10. Blockchain for transparency

Blockchain is starting to play a role in PR, offering transparency in advertising metrics and media spending.

11. Media database platforms

Smart databases help PR professionals find and pitch the right journalist for every story, improving outreach efficiency.

How agencies are adapting

Leading agencies are now blending traditional expertise with cutting-edge tools to create agile PR strategies. The modern-day campaign isn’t just pitched—it’s programmed, measured, and optimized in real-time.

Moreover, TYC Communication, a premier online PR company in Delhi, has consistently embraced innovation to stay ahead in the PR landscape. From data-led media strategies to influencer collaborations and digital storytelling, their comprehensive PR services help brands stay visible, relevant, and respected. Whether it’s for startups or established businesses, TYC offers tailor-made communication solutions powered by technology and driven by creativity.

[agolaaa]

2025 Digital Marketing Trends: What You Should Really Pay Attention To

If you’ve been paying even a little attention to digital marketing lately, you’ll know things are moving faster than ever. Platforms change, algorithms shift, and customer behavior keeps evolving. What worked last year might not work today—and what’s working today might be gone by next quarter.

It can feel a bit overwhelming, sure. But here’s the good news: if you stay curious and pay attention to the right trends, there’s huge opportunity to stand out. Whether you're already in the field or just starting your journey through the best digital marketing training institute in Calicut, understanding the pulse of 2025 gives you a major edge.

1. Welcome to the Age of Real-Time Experiences

Marketing is no longer just about putting content out there and hoping people see it. In 2025, it’s about responding while it’s happening—right in the moment.

Think live streams, interactive polls, flash deals during events, or even AI-powered chat assistants that talk to customers at midnight. Real-time engagement is now a core part of strategy, especially in e-commerce and service-based industries.

2. Storytelling > Hard Selling

Let’s be honest: people don’t like being sold to. At least, not directly. What they do love is a good story.

Brands that can wrap their message into a narrative—about a mission, a journey, a personal experience—are finding it much easier to connect with audiences. It’s not about pushing a product. It’s about pulling people in with emotion, relevance, and relatability.

3. AI Is Helping, But Human Creativity Still Wins

Everyone’s talking about artificial intelligence, and yes, it’s a big deal. It helps with automating repetitive tasks, generating ideas, and even scheduling campaigns. But here’s the kicker—it doesn’t replace creative thinking.

In fact, the best marketers right now are the ones who use AI as a tool, not a crutch. They let it handle the backend, while they focus on crafting bold ideas, unique angles, and messages that sound like they came from a real person.

4. The Death of the Third-Party Cookie is Real

Browser cookies—those tiny data files that track your every move online—are fading out. Privacy laws and consumer pushback have forced platforms to rethink how data is collected.

As a result, marketers are shifting focus to first-party data—info gathered directly from your audience via sign-ups, feedback forms, or gated content. This makes email marketing and CRM systems more important than ever.

5. Search Isn’t Just Google Anymore

Search engine optimization (SEO) isn’t just about ranking on Google. People are now “searching” on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, and even LinkedIn.

Each platform has its own rules and algorithms. That means your content has to be optimized for where your audience hangs out, not just for traditional search engines. Understanding platform-specific search behaviors is a critical new skill.

6. Digital Marketing Is Becoming More Localized

While the internet connects the world, customers still care about what’s happening in their area. Hyperlocal marketing is on the rise, using geotargeting, local SEO, and community-focused campaigns.

If you're promoting a business or service, tailoring your strategy to a specific city, language, or even neighborhood can drastically improve engagement.

And yes, that includes people looking for the best digital marketing training institute in Calicut—they’re searching locally too.

7. Email Is Making a Comeback—With a Twist

It might surprise some, but email marketing is still one of the highest ROI channels around. The difference now is how emails are being written.

Gone are the boring newsletters. In their place? Story-style formats, curated content digests, and personalized emails that talk like a friend, not a corporation. A strong email list is a goldmine—if used right.

8. Your Personal Brand Matters More Than Ever

People trust people more than companies. Whether you’re a freelancer, job-seeker, or business owner, your personal brand is a major asset.

Being active on LinkedIn, sharing behind-the-scenes on Instagram, or even starting a blog can build credibility and open doors. Clients and employers now Google you before they hire or buy. Make sure they find something worth their time.

9. Short Learning Cycles Are Replacing Traditional Degrees

Here’s something that’s become crystal clear in 2025: you don’t need a 3-year degree to start working in digital marketing. What you need is skills, hands-on practice, and the ability to adapt quickly.

That’s why so many learners are choosing the best digital marketing training institute in Calicut instead of traditional routes. Institutes that focus on live projects, real tools, and actual industry challenges are the ones producing job-ready professionals.

10. Platforms Come and Go—But Strategy Stays

It’s easy to get caught up in whatever platform is trending this month. Threads today, TikTok tomorrow, something new next week. But if you know how to build a good campaign—identify an audience, craft a message, and choose the right timing—you can adapt to any platform.

The fundamentals are what set you apart. And that’s what solid training focuses on—not just learning tools, but understanding strategy.

Final Thoughts

Digital marketing in 2025 isn’t just about being online—it’s about being intentional, creative, and quick to adapt. The landscape will keep changing, but those who stay curious, keep practicing, and learn from the right sources will always stay ahead.

If you're someone thinking about breaking into this space, consider your options wisely. The best digital marketing training institute in Calicut won’t just give you certificates—they’ll give you confidence, clarity, and real-world skills that matter.

You don’t need to be a genius. You just need to start. And there’s never been a better time than now.