News from October 28, 2025

Technology

Paul Afoko Plots Political Return; Eyes NPP Chairmanship Once Again

Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Afoko, has officially declared his intention to contest for the party’s National Chairmanship position in the upcoming national officers’ election. In a statement titled “Declaration of Intention to Contest the National Chairmanship Position of the New Patriotic Party,” Mr. Afoko said his decision follows extensive reflection and encouragement from party members and stakeholders who are calling for renewed leadership within the NPP. “After extensive reflection and encouragement from many well-meaning members, supporters, and stakeholders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), I am honoured to formally announce my intention to contest for the position of National Chairman in the upcoming election of national officers,” he stated. He explained that his decision was motivated by a desire to return the NPP to its founding values and democratic principles. “This decision has not been taken lightly. It comes after careful consideration and in response to the consistent calls for renewed leadership rooted in the founding values and democratic ideals of our Party,” he said. Mr. Afoko reaffirmed his loyalty to the NPP despite past challenges and said his focus remains on rebuilding and strengthening the party. “While the journey has not been without its trials, I have always chosen to prioritise the unity and progress of the NPP above all else. My focus now, as it has always been, is on the future — one where our Party stands re-energised, inclusive, and better positioned to deliver on its promise to the Ghanaian people.” He added that in the coming weeks, he will engage with party faithful and the media to outline his vision and leadership plans. “In the coming weeks, I will engage more broadly with Party faithful and the media to share my vision, ideas, and plans to lead the NPP with integrity, transparency, and a renewed sense of purpose. Let us look ahead together.” Paul Afoko was suspended in 2015 as the NPP’s National Chairman following a decision by the party’s National Executive Committee at an emergency meeting held at the party headquarters in Accra. The suspension followed a recommendation from the NPP’s Disciplinary Committee after the Council of Elders, in a seven-page petition, called for disciplinary action against him. Mr. Afoko was accused by some party members of working against the then-flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo’s chances ahead of the 2016 general elections. He reportedly failed to honour multiple invitations from the Disciplinary Committee before the recommendation for his suspension was made.

Bernard Mensah 2 days ago

Technology

Sarah Ferguson sparks fury after selling £4.2m property months before 'demanding new royal home'

Sarah Ferguson is said to be "on the edge" with "nowhere to go" as she struggles with the scandal looming over her family . Fergie and her ex-husband Prince Andrew have been facing fresh scrutiny over their scandalous relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in recent months. The former couple relinquished their royal titles earlier this month amid the backlash against them but it appears the furore is far from over. Mounting pressure for the pair to move out of the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor has reached an all-time high, but the former Duke and Duchess of York are reportedly refusing to evict themselves unless they are given two new royal properties in return. The disgraced 65-year-old prince signed a lease with the Crown Estate for Royal Lodge in 2003, which means it's legally his property for 75 years unless he chooses to willingly move out. This is something that King Charles has been reportedly pushing for years but Andrew has been digging his heels in. Little is known about Andrew's finances and how he covers the costs of his royal lifestyle after first stepping down from his official duties and public life in November 2019, the Mirror reports. Meanwhile, his ex-wife Sarah, whom he lives with at Royal Lodge, has undertaken many public business ventures over the years, including her work as an author. She sold a lavish London townhouse earlier this year, just before the fresh scandals broke, that she had only bought in 2022. The townhouse in Belgravia, which she bought for £4.2million, had been reportedly rented out to tenants for a whopping £4,000 a week. However, she suffered a major blow when selling the home this summer, having to accept £400,000 under the price she paid for it, according to Land Registry documents, the Daily Mail reports. Her spokesperson said that Sarah "wasn't looking to sell it," but this year she "was asked by the tenant to buy it, and it seemed like a good time to sell." Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here . They continued: "It's an investment property for her girls, and so the monies will be reinvested accordingly." However, the Mail reports other insiders claim the money from the house sale may have been intended to be used to help finance Andrew and Sarah's continued life at Royal Lodge. Royal expert Jennie Bond said the former couple's alleged request for two homes "beggars belief", and that "Andrew and Sarah are grown-ups with their own money and resources." She added: "They should be made to fend for themselves and not rely on the King and the goodwill of the Crown Estate. I think it would be a serious mistake if the King and the Palace agreed to such a brazen demand. Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages "You have to ask yourself whether Andrew and Sarah are completely deaf to public opinion. There is genuine outrage from the public and, indeed several prominent members of Parliament about the fact that they have lied about their friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. "And yet they seem to think they are entitled to not just one, but two, magnificent homes in the extremely royal surroundings of Windsor Great Park, almost in the shadow of the Castle itself. It is an audacious demand —and one that the Palace should outright reject." However, a source close to the former Duke and Duchess has rubbished these reports, claiming that the offer was "misrepresentative of the truth" and it has "been on the table for months."

Emma Mackenzie,Nicola Croal 2 days ago

Technology

Array Technologies Inc. (ARRY) Stock Price Prediction: 2025, 2026, 2030

Analysts are saying that Array Technologies could fall by 2030. Bullish on ARRY? Invest in Array Technologies on SoFi with no commissions. If it’s your first time signing up for SoFi, you’ll receive up to $1,000 in stock when you first fund your account. Plus, get a 1% bonus if you transfer your investments and keep them there until December 31, 2025. Solar tracking technology company Array Technologies Inc. (ARRY) has been posting strong financial growth this year, but margin pressures, the expiration of the U.S. solar tax credit and dependence on revenue from a small group of customers could put a weight on shares down the road. In this article, we’ll look at ARRY’s latest share price, Wall Street sentiment, multiyear price forecasts, and the key factors that are playing a critical role in the company’s path going forward. Current Stock Overview Market Cap: $1.3 billion Trailing P/E Ratio: 63.59 Forward P/E Ratio: 8.88 1-Year Return: 36% 2025 YTD: 44% Shares of Array Technologies are trading around $9 as of October, 2025 and have outperformed the Nasdaq year-to-date. Investors have been optimistic about solar energy stocks as they stage a comeback after dropping sharply over the past five years. ARRY trades at a better valuation than Nextracker Inc. (NXT), one of its biggest competitors, with a forward P/E ratio of 8.88 and a PEG ratio of 0.63 compared to NXT’s 17.99 forward P/E and 3.46 PEG. Array Technologies reported Q2 results in August. Revenue increased by more than 40% year-over-year, prompting management to raise guidance. The company also delivered higher year-over-year revenue growth than Nextracker in the second quarter, indicating that it’s gaining market share at a faster rate. However, tariffs could put some pressure on the company’s profits in upcoming quarters. Array Technologies sources steel, aluminum, and other components for its products, and if those inputs become more expensive due to tariffs, it can hurt Array Technologies’ profits. The potential tariff headwind comes right as the U.S. Solar tax credit is set to expire at the end of 2025. When the tax credit expires, it can reduce demand for Array Technologies’ solar tracking software. It only affects residential solar panels, but if demand for these solar panels wanes, it can translate into lower demand for commercial clients as well. Much of Array Technologies’ revenue hinges on a few key customers. Two clients accounted for 15.6% and 11.9% in 2024, and concentration has inched higher over the past few years, leaving the company vulnerable to significant revenue drops if either client cuts back on commitments. ARRY has a consensus Hold rating from 28 analysts, according to Benzinga. The average price target is $11.31 per share, which suggests a slight upside from current levels. The highest price target is $29, and the lowest is $5. The three most recent ratings suggest a near-term average target of $10.33, suggesting a 16% upside. Quick Snapshot Table of Predictions & Methodology for Forecasting Bull & Bear Case Array Technologies is showing strong growth with the possibility of new revenue streams from the artificial intelligence boom, but external pressures and customer concentration could pressure shares. Array Technologies has posted strong financial growth and raised its guidance, suggesting market share gainsAI data centers are looking for renewable energy sources, which can boost the demand for solar and Array Technologies’ solutionsArray Technologies has a lower P/E ratio and higher revenue growth than NXT, its top competitor Margin pressure from tariffs can minimize profitsThe U.S. solar tax credit is set to expire at the end of the year, which can impact growth forecastsCustomer concentration risk is significant, with more than 25% of revenue coming from two clients Stock Price Prediction for 2025 CoinCodex projects a modest increase for ARRY for the rest of the year. Although tariffs and the expiration of the U.S. solar tax credit loom large, the company is growing at a fast rate and has a reasonable valuation. Those benefits may outweigh the disadvantages for the rest of the year. Stock Price Prediction for 2026 CoinCodex’s forecast is a bit more spread out in 2026, with the average price target suggesting a slight decrease from current levels. The highest target suggests a moderate gain for shares, while the lowest predicts a moderate loss. Investors will have to assess how the expiration of the U.S. solar tax credit affects total sales. Any AI investments in solar energy can push the stock closer to the high end of CoinCodex’s forecast. Stock Price Prediction for 2030 CoinCodex projects that ARRY will fall significantly by 2030, suggesting that the expiration of the U.S. solar tax credit will have inflicted too much damage on the company’s revenue growth without significant AI investments into solar balancing it out. Investment Considerations Array Technologies is growing at a fast rate as more solar panel plants use its tracking technology. It’s outpacing competitor Nextracker while trading at a more reasonable valuation. AI investments in solar energy could turn into a major catalyst, but Array Technologies faces meaningful customer concentration risk. There are also plenty of risks due to tariffs and the expiration of the U.S. solar tax credit. Frequently Asked Questions

Marc Guberti 2 days ago

Technology

OpenAI live blog - Sam Altman hosts AMA: Time, how to watch, and how to submit questions

OpenAI is going live today to answer all your questions. The event will feature a Q&A session with CEO Sam Altman and CTO Mira Murati, two of the most influential figures shaping the company's future of AI. During the live discussion, the pair are expected to share updates on OpenAI’s roadmap, safety priorities, and what’s next for multimodal AI — including text, image and voice capabilities. They may also field audience questions about the company’s direction, competition and future model releases. It’s one of the rare times Altman and Murati appear together live, offering an inside look at the company that’s redefining how we use AI every day. You may like Sam Altman just teased GPT-5 with one question — and the answer says it all Sam Altman just teased GPT‑6 — and it's more personal than ever ChatGPT is getting some exciting new features — but only if you pay $200 a month Start time and how to watch The OpenAI Q&A will start at 10:30 a.m. PT (1:30 p.m. ET). You can livestream the event from OpenAI's website . We're not sure how long the event will last; the previous OpenAI live stream only went for about half an hour.

Amanda Caswell 2 days ago

Technology

AI is More Than Stock Market. It’s Economic ‘Stimulus’

OpenAI logo NurPhoto via Getty Images There’s a lot of talk about AI as a bubble. Since ChatGPT’s launch, AI stocks have driven 75% of S&P 500 returns, 80% of earnings growth, and 90% of capex growth, according to Morgan Stanley data. But at this point, AI is no longer just a market story. The multi-trillion-dollar investments around it (emphasis on investment) have also become an anchor of economic growth. In fact, AI spending (proxied through investment in software and computers) accounts for 6% of economic output but contributes more to GDP growth than consumer spending, the backbone of the U.S. economy. The catch is that this boom is pure capex with a long and unclear ROI, driven by FOMO in an increasingly monopolistic, winner-takes-it-all tech sector. Even Big Tech execs admit as much. “When you go through a curve like this, the risk of underinvesting is dramatically greater than the risk of overinvesting,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai said during Alphabet’s earnings call last August. “There’s definitely a possibility, based on past large infrastructure buildouts and how they led to bubbles, that something like that could happen here,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on the Access podcast this month. The risk isn’t just in overspending but also in the concentration of that spending. By Morgan Stanley’s estimates, the top 10 AI spenders now account for roughly 33% of total spending among the 2,000 largest U.S. publicly listed companies. MORE FOR YOU That’s well ahead of the 25% share from the biggest telecom infrastructure builders during the dot-com bust. “While this narrative may have longer to run, analogies to the 1999–2000 ‘Cisco moment,’ when a few companies slowed investment on fears of overheating, are increasing,” said Morgan Stanley CIO Lisa Shalett. But not all spending is built on unrealistic predictions. Gil Luria, head of technology research, says Big Tech’s investment is still tied to real demand from real customers — not just hype. “Microsoft Azure, AWS and Google Cloud have real demand from real customers and are deploying compute against that in a thoughtful way. Marginal players like OpenAI, Oracle and CoreWeave (and many others) are being propped up by NVIDIA generating demand that is not yet real,” he told me. But for every megacap with real, cash-backed demand at the top, there are dozens of companies just trying to front-run a future that might never come. If or when things break, analysts say one of the earliest canaries in the coal mine will be the jobs market. “Investors should pay more attention to the labour market. The dot-com bubble only burst once U.S. jobs started to be cut,” macro strategist Mike Bell told me. The bottom line is that both markets and economic growth are hanging by a thin thread of capex “stimulus” from a handful of companies. And if AI is a bubble, the economy could very well pop with it. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions

Dan Runkevicius,Senior Contributor 2 days ago

Technology

West Bengal CEO assures no genuine voter's name will be dropped in SIR exercise

Kolkata, Oct 28 (PTI) West Bengal chief electoral officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal on Tuesday said not a single genuine voter’s name would be struck off the list following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. He was hopeful that the the list would be 100 per cent fair and transparent. “I would like to assure you that not a single legitimate voter’s name would be excluded from the list. We are hopeful that it would be a 100 per cent fair voter list,” Agarwal told reporters. He was talking to reporters following an all-party meeting at the CEO office here. The Bengal CEO said currently there are 7,66,37,529 voters in the state. “We didn’t have time in Bihar. We have got the time in Bengal. So, there’s no opportunity to create any confusion. The increase in voters compared to 2002 is normal. Many people’s names have been transferred,” he said. Elaborating on the process, Agarwal said from November 4, the survey will begin door-to-door in Bengal. “Enumeration forms will be distributed door-to-door. The BLOs will go door-to-door to collect the information. All data will be available on the BLOs’ app. It will be compared with the voter list from 2002. Based on that, SIR will be issued. Each voter will have a separate QR code,” he said. The CEO clearly stated that if one’s parent’s name is in the voter list from 2002, there is no cause for concern. “However, if any person’s name is missing from the voter list following the revision of the electoral rolls, a notice will be sent and a hearing will be held,” he stated. Agarwal also said in case of any confusion, there would be a help desk in each district to resolve issues. PTI SCH MNB

News18 2 days ago

Technology

DGCA approves empanelment of 10 new aeromedical evaluation centres

New Delhi, Oct 28 (PTI) Aviation watchdog DGCA on Tuesday said it has approved empanelment of 10 new aeromedical evaluation centres, a move that will help expedite the medical examination process for pilots and other licence holders. “The addition of aeromedical evaluation centres will significantly boost the overall capacity for conducting DGCA Class 1, 2, and 3 medical examinations, ensuring early and timely access to the medical examination facilities for the pilots in India,” according to an official release. Earlier this month, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) decided to empanel private aeromedical evaluation centres for conducting civil aviation medical tests. “Previously, eight centres were empanelled by DGCA with the sanction for Class 1 initial medical examinations only… these new centres are bestowed with the responsibility of all types of DGCA medical examinations, including special, post temporary unfit and even age specific medicals. These centres are strategically distributed across geographical locations in India,” the release said. PTI RAM IAS TRB

News18 2 days ago

Technology

Arunachal CM emphasises govt's vision for merit-driven recruitment system

Itanagar, Oct 28 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday emphasised the government’s vision of a fair, transparent, and merit-driven recruitment system. Khandu was addressing a gathering after felicitating successful candidates of the Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination (CHSLE) 2025, and presenting appointment letters at an event here. The CM lauded the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) for conducting the CHSLE 2025 in record time – completing the entire recruitment process, from advertisement to final recommendation, within three months, setting a new benchmark for administrative efficiency and integrity. More than 21,000 candidates appeared across 113 venues, reflecting the growing trust of the Arunachalee youth in the transparent system established under the APSSB framework, and out of them, 64 were selected on merit, according to a CMO statement. Notably, seven ST candidates secured positions under the unreserved category, exemplifying the state’s rising talent and competitiveness, it said. The chief minister highlighted that the establishment of the APSSB was one of the most significant governance reforms undertaken by his government. “The Board was created not by chance but by choice, through an Act passed by the state legislative assembly, with the moral commitment to end corruption and favoritism in recruitment,” he said. Praising the APSSB for introducing the Answer Key Challenge System for the first time, Khandu said this initiative reflects the government’s culture of transparency and accountability. “Transparency is not just a process, it is a culture we are building in Arunachal Pradesh,” he said. Addressing the newly appointed candidates, Khandu urged them to uphold the highest standards of honesty and dedication. The chief minister reiterated his government’s commitment to empowering the youth through regular, transparent recruitment drives by APSSB and the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC). He also underlined ongoing investments in skill development, entrepreneurship, and sports to create multiple avenues for youth employment and growth. “Through institutions like APSSB, we are shaping a future where merit is celebrated, hard work is rewarded, and honesty is honored. In the next 10-15 years, the Arunachal government will have an efficient, capable and meritorious workforce,” Khandu added. PTI CORR NN

News18 2 days ago

Technology

Amazon is pushing out thousands of workers into a job market that suddenly isn’t hiring

In June CEO Andy Jassy, who has aggressively sought to cut costs since becoming CEO in 2021, said that he anticipated generative AI would reduce Amazon’s corporate workforce in the next few years. Jassy said at the time that Amazon had more than 1,000 generative AI services and applications in progress or built, but that figure was a “small fraction” of what it plans to build. Jassy encouraged employees to get on board with the company’s AI plans after it announced plans to invest $10 billion building a campus in North Carolina to expand its cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Since 2024 started, Amazon has committed to about $10 billion apiece to data center projects in Mississippi, Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina as it builds up its infrastructure to try to keep up with other tech giants making leaps in AI. Amazon is competing with OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and others. In a conference call with industry analysts in May, Jassy said that the potential for growth in the company’s AWS business is massive. “If you believe your mission is to make customers’ lives easier and better every day, and you believe that every customer experience will be reinvented with AI, you’re going to invest very aggressively in AI, and that’s what we’re doing. You can see that in the 1,000-plus AI applications we’re building across Amazon. You can see that with our next generation of Alexa, named Alexa+,” he said. Teams and individuals impacted by the job cuts will be notified on Tuesday. Most workers will be given 90 days to look for a new position internally, Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology at Amazon, wrote in a letter to employees on Tuesday. Those who can’t find a new role at the company or who opt not to look for one will be provided transitional support including severance pay, outplacement services and health insurance benefits. Amazon has about 350,000 corporate employees and a total workforce of approximately 1.56 million. The cuts announced Tuesday amount to about a 4% reduction in its corporate workforce. Amazon’s workforce doubled during the pandemic as millions stayed home and boosted online spending. In the following years, big tech and retail companies cut thousands of jobs to bring spending back in line. The cuts announced Tuesday suggests Amazon is still trying to get the size of its workforce right and it may not be over. It was the biggest culling at Amazon since 2023, when the company cut 27,000 jobs. Those cuts came in waves, with 9,000 jobs trimmed in March of that year, and another 18,000 employees two months later. Amazon has not said if more job cuts are on the way. Yet the jobs market which has for years been a pillar in the U.S. economy, is showing signs of weakening. Layoffs have been limited, but the same can be said for hiring. Government hiring data is on hold during the government shut down, but earlier this month a survey by payroll company ADP showed a surprising loss of 32,000 jobs losses in the private sector in September. Many retailers are pulling back on seasonal hiring this year due to uncertainty over the U.S. economy and tariffs. Amazon Inc. said this month, however, that it would hire 250,000 seasonal workers, the same as last year’s holiday season. Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said in a statement that the layoffs “represent a deep cleaning of Amazon’s corporate workforce.” “Unlike the Target layoffs, Amazon is operating from a position of strength,” he said. “The company has been producing good growth, and it still has a lot of headroom for further expansion in both the U.S. and overseas.” But Saunders noted that Amazon is not immune to outside factors, as global markets tighten and underlying costs climb. “It needs to act if it wants to continue with a good bottom-line performance. This is especially so given the amount of investment the company is making in areas like logistics and AI. In some ways, this is a tipping point away from human capital to technological infrastructure,” he said. Amazon will post quarterly financial results on Thursday. During its most recent quarter, the company reported 17.5% growth for its cloud computing arm Amazon Web Services.

Eva Roytburg,Michelle Chapman,The Associated Press 2 days ago

Technology

Hurricane Melissa: Why the 'supercharged' Category 5 storm approaching Jamaica is so powerful - and dangerous

A Category 5 hurricane is expected to make landfall in Jamaica on TuesdayIt has already been linked with at least seven deaths across the Caribbean A combination of factors mean that ‘Hurricane Melissa’ has become incredibly strong Climate change has likely helped intensify it, experts say They warn it could be one of the most devastating storms to ever hit the island nation Jamaica is bracing for impact, as a potentially catastrophic storm rages towards it. Thousands of British holidaymakers are reportedly stranded in the Caribbean island nation, with Hurricane Melissa expected to make landfall on Tuesday afternoon UK time (October 28). It has been classed as a Category 5 tropical cyclone - the most intense and dangerous category - meaning that wind speeds have reached over 157 miles per hour. This means that there will likely be widespread destruction of buildings and infrastructure, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the US, as well as a very high risk of injury or death. Tragically, the impending storm has already been linked with at least seven casualties. Three were in Jamaica as people tried to prepare, its Ministry of Health & Wellness says, while there have been four others reported in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. A BBC reporter at the scene in Kingston says that the power is already out across much of the capital, and the Government says hospitals have now entered emergency mode as they wait for the storm to hit. Climate and extreme weather scientists warn that this will probably be one of the strongest storms the country has ever seen, one which is likely to cause catastrophic damage. But what exactly has caused Hurricane Melissa to become so powerful – and just how much of an impact could it have on the people living and holidaying there? Here’s what the experts have to say: Why is Hurricane Melissa so dangerous – and what part does climate change play in this? Unfortunately, a perfect storm of conditions have intensified Hurricane Melissa – and as such, have made it more dangerous. Dr Emily Vosper, a senior research associate in climate extremes at the University of Bristol, said this will be one of “the strongest hurricanes to hit Jamaica in living memory”. But the slow-moving nature of Melissa, known as a stalling, was what made it especially hazardous. “Moving at around 5km per hour, Jamaica will be exposed to high levels of rainfall for a prolonged period of time, increasing the risk of severe flooding,” she said. At the UK’s National Centre for Atmospheric Science, researcher Dr Akshay Deoras said that warm oceans were a key ingredient for strong hurricanes. “The part of the Atlantic where Hurricane Melissa is churning is like a boiler that has been left on for too long,” he said. “Ocean waters are around 30  degrees Celsius, two to three degrees above normal, and the warmth runs deep.” Climate change has warmed the oceans, giving them more energy to fuel storms like Melissa, he added, and “she would not have been able to intensify so rapidly or sustain her strength” over cooler seas. “Developing a hurricane is like teamwork between the atmosphere and the ocean, so ocean warmth alone is not enough. The atmosphere also needs to be in a conducive state for a cyclone to intensify. Hurricanes require good ventilation, allowing heat and moisture to rise freely. For Melissa, we have a perfect combination: a very warm ocean below and an atmosphere acting like a well-ventilated chimney, helping the storm strengthen.” Over at the University of Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, climate damage analysis expert Dr Mireia Ginesta said that a warmer climate can make storms both wetter and stronger. “When the atmosphere heats up, it can hold about 7 % more moisture for every degree of warming. This means that tropical cyclones now tend to produce heavier rainfall. “On top of that, rising sea levels mean that storm surges are now starting from a higher baseline, making coastal flooding more dangerous,” she continued. For Hurricane Melissa, it was still too early to say exactly how much climate change made it worse compared to natural variability. “[But] what we do know is that today’s warmer oceans, moister atmosphere, and higher sea levels influence every single storm by increasing its potential for heavier rain, stronger winds, and higher storm surge.” How much damage is the storm likely to do? According to the UK’s Met Office, Hurricane Melissa could bring “catastrophic damage” to parts of the Caribbean. The mountains of Jamaica could receive up to one metre of rain, “resulting in life-threatening flash flooding and landslides”, its forecasters said in a social media post. Destructive winds and storm surges were also likely, with the hurricane’s wind speeds already estimated to be over 200mph. But Hannah Cloke, a hydrology professor at the University of Reading, warned that rapid intensification of storms like this will become more common as the climate continues to change. “This is not a hypothetical scenario to be imagined. This is a real and deadly storm,” she said. “This is one of those worst-case scenarios that you prepare for but desperately hope never happens. The whole country will have a deep and permanent scar from this beast of a storm. It will be a long and exhausting recovery for those affected.” Professor Ralf Toumi, the director of the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, said that the Caribbean is a known area of hurricane activity. But although Jamaica has had plenty of time and experience to prepare for this, but people’s vulnerability increased in areas of lower wealth. “Saving lives is the priority,” he added. “I suspect when we see the total damage we will see the limits of preparedness that a country like Jamaica can afford.” Dr Leanne Archer, another climate extremes researcher at the University of Bristol, said that “supercharged” hurricanes like this can have a particularly big impact on small islands like Jamaica, as most of their populations and infrastructure are located along low-lying areas of the coast. “This means the impacts of flooding from storm surge and extreme rainfall have a higher risk of impacting a large percentage of the population,” she continued. “Hurricane Melissa is yet another stark reminder that islands such as Jamaica face the brunt of accelerating extremes amplified by climate change, despite being among those who are the least responsible for the problem.” If you’re worried about friends or loved ones living or holidaying in Jamaica right now, its Public Broadcasting Corporation is providing live updates on social media. You can find them on X (formerly Twitter) here, and on Facebook here.

Amber Allott 2 days ago

Technology

OpenAI completes conversion to for-profit business after lengthy legal saga

Restructuring paves way for ChatGPT maker to more easily raise capital and profit off its AI technology

Guardian staff and agency 2 days ago

Technology

Scarlett Johansson’s ‘Eleanor The Great’ Is Now Streaming - How To Watch

June Squibb in "Eleanor the Great." Sony Pictures Classics Eleanor the Great, which marks Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, is new on digital streaming. Read on to find out where you can watch the movie at home. Eleanor the Great held its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes International Film Festival and was released in theaters on Sept. 26. The official summary for the film reads, “In Eleanor The Great, June Squibb brings to vivid life the witty and proudly troublesome 94-year old Eleanor Morgenstein, who after a devastating loss, tells a tale that takes on a dangerous life of its own. Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut is a comically poignant exploration of how the stories we hear become the stories we tell.” ForbesHow New Bruce Springsteen Movie Spent $42 Million Of Its Budget In New JerseyBy Tim Lammers Rated PG-13, Eleanor The Great also stars Erin Kellyman, Jessica Hecht, Rita Zohar and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Eleanor the Great is new on digital streaming via premium video on demand on Tuesday on such digital platforms as Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Prime Video and YouTube. A listing on Prime Video confirmed that the digital purchase price is $24.99, while the rental price is $19.99 for a 48-hour period. Scarlett Johansson Was Deeply Moved By The ‘Eleanor The Great’ Script The script for Eleanor the Great, written by Tory Kamen, had a rare effect on Scarlett Johansson, according to Deadline. MORE FOR YOU “When I read it, I cried, and that almost never happens,” Johansson told Deadline in May. “Sometimes you’ll read a script that’s really moving. When I read Jojo Rabbit, I cried. Sometimes a script will move you like that, which is extraordinary.” ForbesWhen Is ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’ Coming To Streaming?By Tim Lammers In turn, Kamen— who told Deadline that she was trying to get the movie made for eight years— was blown away by Johannson’s commitment to make it happen. “Scarlett, with all of her goodwill and her power and reputation in this industry, used that capital to make this type of movie where a 95-year-old woman is ambling in the city, and it’s a character piece,” Kamen told Deadline. “It’s small and it’s not a very loud movie. That speaks volumes to the type of artist she is, and the type of person she is,” Kamen added. “These are really hard movies to get made: small, character-driven, independent movies where nobody kisses.” Forbes‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Ends Theater Run. How Much Did It Make?By Tim Lammers Eleanor the Great has earned $2.489 million domestically and more than $48,000 internationally for a worldwide box office tally of $2.5 million-plus to date. Information about the film’s production budget has not been released. Eleanor the Great earned a 66% “fresh” rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics based on 131 reviews. The RT Critics Consensus for the film reads, “Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut may have the pitfalls of an unsteady visionary, but this ultimately uneven caper is greatly amplified by June Squibb's exquisite performance.” In addition, Eleanor the Great earned a 94% “fresh” Popcornmeter score on RT based on 100-plus verified user ratings. The RT audience summary reads, “A resonant story that bridges generational gaps, Eleanor the Great is the kind of film that will make you laugh, cry, and hug everyone you love.” Rated PG-13, Eleanor the Great is new on PVOD. Forbes‘Tim Burton: Life In The Line’ Docuseries Is Now Streaming – How To WatchBy Tim Lammers Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions

Contributor,Tim Lammers 2 days ago

Technology

Broadcom (AVGO) Stock Price Prediction: 2025, 2026, 2030

Analysts are saying that Broadcom could fall by 2030. Bullish on AVGO? Invest in Broadcom on SoFi with no commissions. If it’s your first time signing up for SoFi, you’ll receive up to $1,000 in stock when you first fund your account. Plus, get a 1% bonus if you transfer your investments and keep them there until December 31, 2025. Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) is a leading artificial intelligence chipmaker that has outpaced the stock market on strong AI demand. Revenue and profits are growing at an impressive rate, but with significant customer concentration, an AI spending decline could drag down shares. In this article, we’ll look at AVGO’s latest share price, Wall Street sentiment, multiyear price forecasts, and the key factors that are playing a critical role in the company’s path going forward. Current Stock Overview Market Cap: $1.63 trillion Trailing P/E Ratio: 86.71 Forward P/E Ratio: 36.76 1-Year Return: 98% 2025 YTD: 49% Broadcom stock is trading around $334 as of October, 2025. Shares have nearly doubled in the last year, far outpacing both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, as they hover near all-time highs. The chipmaker has delivered impressive revenue growth for several quarters, including 22% year-over-year growth in Q3 FY25, reported in September. AI revenue growth was a key highlight, with that segment up 63%. Broadcom CEO Hock Tan said the company expects its AI segment to deliver its 11th consecutive quarter of growth in Q4. Broadcom also comes with high profit margins and an attractive dividend growth rate. Its net profit margin almost quadrupled to 25.95 in Q4. The company regularly boosts its dividend by 10% or more each year and has the financial strength to maintain pace. However, Broadcom has significant customer concentration risk, with its top five customers representing more than 40% of total revenue in 2024, and the chipmaker has said that this concentration may increase. Any supply chain issues could prolong orders, making it more difficult for Broadcom to serve its customers. Meanwhile, competition for AI chips remains tight, with Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) as two top rivals.AVGO has a consensus Buy rating from 30 analysts, according to Benzinga. The average price target is $339.52 per share, which suggests a slight upside from current levels. The highest price target is $420, and the lowest is $210. The three most recent ratings suggest a near-term average target of $416.67, suggesting a 24% upside. Quick Snapshot Table of Predictions & Methodology for Forecasting Bull & Bear Case Broadcom has been a standout chipmaker amid the AI boom, but stiff competition and its focus on a small number of customers are concerns. Broadcom’s AI chips are a top choice in a high-growth industryThe company’s AI revenue continues to expand rapidly and is on pace for its 11th consecutive quarter of growthBroadcom has high profit margins, which support a healthy dividend growth rate Customer concentration risk is significantIf AI demand slows down, Broadcom can face a considerable year-over-year revenue declineCompetition is intense from top rivals, Nvidia and AMD Stock Price Prediction for 2025 CoinCodex projects a moderate increase in Broadcom’s stock price by the end of the year, with the slight possibility of a small decline. The AI boom and Broadcom’s positioning should help it stay on investors’ radars and potentially bring in gains. Stock Price Prediction for 2026 CoinCodex projects Broadcom shares will lose value next year, with even the highest price target suggesting a slight decline. The worst-case scenario is only a moderate drop, but there still isn’t any upside seen, based on the current price targets. A slowdown in AI spending would be necessary to drag down the stock. AVGO can also go down if competitors like Nvidia and AMD gain market share and take customers away. Stock Price Prediction for 2030 CoinCodex suggests a meaningful correction will take place for Broadcom stock in 2030. This forecast suggests that competitors gain ground and hyperscalers pull back on their AI spending. However, if tech giants continue to pour money into AI, these forecasts likely won’t play out. Investment Considerations Broadcom has positioned itself to be a top beneficiary of the AI boom, and its AI segment is on pace to grow for the 11th consecutive quarter. Revenue growth is impressive, and profit margins continue to increase, but customer concentration and competition are two noteworthy risks. Broadcom is suitable for investors who want exposure to an established AI stock that pays a dividend. Frequently Asked Questions

Marc Guberti 2 days ago

Technology

5 Ways To Turn A Layoff Into A Career Change Opportunity

A layoff can be the turning point that leads to a more fulfilling career change. The dreaded email arrives unexpectedly. Or maybe you saw it coming for weeks. With Amazon reportedly cutting 30,000 corporate jobs, Target announcing layoffs and similar headlines across industries, this reality is hitting professionals everywhere. Being laid off feels unsettling at best. But here's what many successful professionals have discovered: a layoff can be the catalyst for a career change that propels you toward work you actually love, rather than one you simply tolerate. The key is resilience—the ability to transform adversity into opportunity. Here are five strategic ways to transform a layoff into a launchpad for your next chapter. 1. Conduct a Brutally Honest Career Audit Before you frantically update your resume and start applying to similar positions, take a breath. This moment of disruption is your opportunity to examine whether you've been on the right path. Many professionals spend years climbing a ladder only to realize it's been leading them away from what matters most. Start by asking yourself difficult questions: What parts of your previous role energized you? Which tasks made time fly by, and which made you watch the clock? What drained you? What meetings did you dread? Were you in the right industry? Did your company's values align with yours? Do you thrive with autonomy or prefer structured guidance? Do you prefer working with others or focusing on independent projects? Sometimes we convince ourselves we're satisfied because the salary is competitive or the title is impressive, but a layoff strips away those justifications. Understanding your true preferences is crucial for identifying career paths that will actually suit you. Action Step: Create a spreadsheet listing every significant responsibility as "Energizing," "Neutral," or "Draining," then research careers that maximize the energizing elements. MORE FOR YOU 2. Invest Your Severance in Skills—Not Just Survival Once you've identified your target direction, you'll likely discover a gap between your current capabilities and the requirements of your desired role. Closing that gap requires strategic investment. If you received a severance package, you have a unique opportunity. The conservative approach is to save every dollar for basic expenses while searching for a similar job. Instead, strategically invest a portion of that severance in acquiring the skills, credentials or knowledge that will fund a career change. You don't need to be reckless. Even if you have a modest cushion, consider allocating 10% to 20% of your severance toward professional development that aligns with your newly identified career goals. Strategic investments might include: Courses, certifications or programs that directly address skill gaps between your current capabilities and your target role Professional associations in your target industry Industry conferences (many offer virtual options at reduced rates) Subscriptions to industry publications and thought leaders Action Step: Create a budget covering six to 12 months of expenses, then allocate $1,000 to $5,000 to career transition resources. Enroll in at least one high-quality course within two weeks. 3. Rebrand Yourself Before You Re-Enter the Market One of the biggest mistakes professionals make during a career change is relying on their old personal brand. Your resume and LinkedIn profile still emphasize expertise in the industry you're leaving behind. Successful career changers understand that you're reframing your existing experience through the lens of your new career. For example, the project management skills you developed in healthcare operations are absolutely relevant to program management in tech. The client relationship expertise you built in financial services translates directly to customer success roles in SaaS companies. Here's how to rebrand yourself effectively: Update your LinkedIn profile: Rewrite your headline to reflect your target role, not your previous one. Instead of "Former Senior Manager at [Company]," try "Operations Leader Transitioning to Product Management." Your summary should tell the story of your transition: why you're making this change, what transferable skills you bring and what value you'll create in your new field. Revise your resume: Emphasize transferable skills and relevant accomplishments. Use the language of your target industry. Study job postings and incorporate the terminology and keywords that appear repeatedly. Create content: Demonstrate your knowledge and passion for your new field by writing LinkedIn articles, starting a blog, or contributing to relevant online communities. Action Step: Overhaul your LinkedIn profile and resume to reflect your career transition. Create and publish at least one piece of content that demonstrates your enthusiasm for your new field. 4. Embrace a Portfolio Career or Side Hustle The traditional career change model involves leaving one full-time job and finding another full-time job in a different field. But this approach is risky, often slow and leaves no room for experimentation. You're either in your old career or your new one, with no middle ground. A more flexible approach is building a portfolio career or launching a side hustle that allows you to test and develop your new direction while maintaining some income security. This might mean taking on freelance projects in your target field, starting a consulting practice or creating a small business that aligns with your interests and skills. This approach offers multiple advantages: It generates income during your transition, reducing financial pressure It allows you to build real-world experience and credibility in your new field It provides valuable market feedback so you'll quickly learn whether your new direction is viable and fulfilling It creates options, and you might discover that you prefer the flexibility of portfolio work to traditional employment Action Step: Identify three ways you could generate income in your target field within 30 days through freelance platforms, consulting opportunities or contract roles. Secure at least one paid engagement within the next month. 5. Reframe Your Narrative From Victim to Architect The most important shift you can make is psychological. How you tell the story of your layoff, to yourself and others, will significantly impact your career change success. If you frame yourself as a victim, you'll approach your job search from a position of weakness. If you frame yourself as the architect of an intentional career change, you'll project confidence and purpose. Practice articulating your story in a way that's honest but empowering. When networking contacts or interviewers ask about your situation, you might say: "I was affected by layoffs at [Company], which gave me the opportunity to reassess my career direction. I realized I wanted to focus more on [new field] because [compelling reason]. I've been investing in developing [relevant skills] and I'm excited about bringing my background in [previous field] to this new challenge." This narrative: Acknowledges the layoff without dwelling on it Emphasizes your agency and intentionality Frames your diverse background as an asset rather than a liability Action Step: Write out your career transition story in 150-200 words and practice delivering it until it feels natural. Identify 10 people in your network who might have connections to your target field and reach out with your new narrative. Seize the Moment Being laid off is undeniably difficult. It disrupts your routine, challenges your identity and creates financial uncertainty. But it also creates a forced pause that allows you to reconsider your professional trajectory without a steady paycheck keeping you on autopilot. The professionals who thrive after a layoff resist the urge to immediately recreate what they had before and instead use this disruption as a catalyst for intentional career change. Your layoff doesn't define you—but how you respond to it will. The question isn't whether you'll recover, but whether you'll use this moment to create something better than what you had before. If you liked this, you’ll also want to read: The AI Boom Is Here But Small Businesses Bet On Human Skills Career Change After 50: Why Midlife Is The Best Time To Pivot 5 Side Hustle Secrets To Avoid Burnout While Working Full-Time More from me: Explore my latest Forbes articles Subscribe: Join my free newsletter for weekly strategies to create freedom, flexibility and fulfillment at work. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions

Caroline Castrillon,Senior Contributor 2 days ago

Technology

Will Roku Stock Rally On Its Upcoming Earnings?

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Getty Images Roku (NASDAQ:ROKU) is anticipated to announce its earnings on Thursday, October 30, 2025. Revenues are predicted to approximate $1.2 billion, reflecting a 13% increase year over year, according to consensus estimates, while earnings are expected to be about $0.09 per share. This growth is likely fueled by robust performance in Roku’s platform operations, especially in its advertising division, which has been gradually expanding. Throughout the last two years, Roku has enhanced its integrations with third-party partners and demand-side platforms (DSPs) to more effectively meet the needs of enterprise advertisers, while the introduction of Roku Ads Manager has attracted small and mid-sized businesses. Furthermore, Roku’s acquisition of Frndly, a subscription-based streaming service, in May 2025, is also anticipated to contribute to growth. The company currently boasts a market capitalization of $14 billion. In the past twelve months, revenue was $4.4 billion, and the company posted operational losses amounting to $-156 million alongside a net income of $-62 million. While much will hinge on how the results compare with consensus and expectations, gaining insights from historical patterns could favor event-driven traders. There are two approaches to accomplish this: grasp the historical odds and arrange your position ahead of the earnings announcement, or examine the relationship between immediate and medium-term returns following earnings and adjust your position after the earnings are announced. With that in mind, if you are looking for potential gains with lower volatility compared to individual stocks, the Trefis High Quality portfolio offers an alternative – it has surpassed the S&P 500 and yielded returns greater than 105% since its inception. Roku's Historical Probability of Positive Post-Earnings Returns Here are some insights regarding one-day (1D) post-earnings returns: MORE FOR YOU In the last five years, there have been 20 earnings data points documented, with 9 positive and 11 negative one-day (1D) returns recorded. Thus, positive 1D returns were observed approximately 45% of the time. However, this percentage falls to 42% when evaluating data from the last three years instead of five. The median of the 9 positive returns is 12%, while the median of the 11 negative returns stands at -10% Additional data on the observed 5-Day (5D) and 21-Day (21D) returns following earnings are compiled along with the statistics in the table below. 1D, 5D, and 21D Post Earnings Return Correlation Between 1D, 5D, and 21D Historical Returns A relatively lower-risk strategy (though potentially ineffective if the correlation is weak) involves analyzing the correlation between short-term and medium-term returns following earnings, identifying the pair with the highest correlation, and executing the relevant trade. For instance, if 1D and 5D exhibit the strongest correlation, a trader could take a "long" position for the next five days if the 1D post-earnings return is favorable. Below is some correlation data based on a five-year and a more recent three-year history. Note that the correlation 1D_5D signifies the relationship between 1D post-earnings returns and the subsequent 5D returns. Correlation Between 1D, 5D, and 21D Historical Returns Discover more about the Trefis RV strategy which has surpassed its all-cap stocks benchmark (a compilation of all three: the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000), delivering considerable returns for investors. Alternatively, if you’re seeking upside with a smoother experience than an individual stock like Roku, take a look at the High Quality portfolio, which has exceeded the S&P and achieved returns of over 105% since its inception. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions

Contributor,Justin Sullivan,Trefis Team 2 days ago

Technology

International laws need to be updated for a ‘machine-governed economic system,’ says CEO of stablecoin giant Circle

“Most of our legal systems are not built around the idea of a corporation itself being entirely run by machines on the internet,” he added. “My own belief is that over the next five years—and certainly over the next five to 10 years—almost every legal system in the world will need to be a machine-governed economic system.” Allaire’s comments come as nations race to catch up with the breakneck pace of AI development and the increasing adoption of blockchain technology at major financial institutions. Since January, all 50 U.S. states have introduced AI-related legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. That includes California, which passed a law in September to require AI developers to publish public frameworks about how their models incorporate industry best practices, among other requirements. Alongside the rush of AI-focused legislation, governments, especially the U.S., have also prioritized the passage of regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrencies. In July, President Donald Trump signed a bill that spelled out legal guardrails for stablecoins, or cryptocurrencies pegged to underlying assets like the U.S. dollar. And the Senate is deliberating over the passage of a broader bill that governs crypto market structure and includes text about which federal agencies will regulate which classes of crypto assets. The recent crypto legislative push is an about-face for the federal government, which, under President Joe Biden, cracked down on crypto companies in what industry boosters said was a form of “regulation by enforcement.” “There’s been a lack of clarity on regulations,” Jenny Johnson, CEO of asset manager Franklin Templeton, said at the Fortune Global Forum, referring to the obstacles that have prevented large finance companies from adopting crypto. But with the recent passage of stablecoin legislation and upcoming negotiations over the crypto market structure bill, that appears to have changed. Now, traditional financial institutions like Franklin Templeton and the bank Standard Chartered have leaned even further into digital assets and transact “on chain,” or on blockchains. “We have had, and have had for a long time… a conviction that most, if not all things, will settle on chain,” said Bill Winters, CEO of Standard Chartered, at the event.

Ben Weiss 2 days ago

A Story of South Asian Art review – banging sculpture marred by dreary neighbours

<strong>Royal Academy, London</strong> <br>Mrinalini Mukherjee’s surreal spins on Indian folk and sacred art are powerfully fascinating, but they gain nothing from works shown with them here

Jonathan Jones 2 days ago

Trump’s third term? Don’t laugh. He’s never let the rules stop him before | Arwa Mahdawi

He has floated the idea more than once – and his inner circle is already gaming it out. The US constitution might say no, but Trump has a habit of finding his way around even the biggest obstacles, writes Arwa Mahdawi

Arwa Mahdawi 2 days ago

Technology

Why Smart CMOs Are Using AI To Fund Brand Building, Not Cut Costs

When the Harris Poll surveyed marketing executives at last week's ANA Masters of Marketing conference, only 30% said they'd recommend their profession to young people. Meanwhile, 44% suggested electrician careers instead. That divide isn't about pessimism. It's about strategy. The conference revealed a widening competitive gap - not between companies using AI versus those that aren’t, but between CMOs using AI efficiency gains to fund brand building versus those using it to justify budget cuts. The former are quietly pulling ahead. The latter are wondering why their efficiency improvements aren't translating to growth. A new Harris Poll on career advice had marketers recommending becoming an electrician more than becoming a marketer. Steven Wolfe Pereira The Math That Separates Winners From Losers One of the best presentations at ANA Masters this year was from Newell Brands, the maker of Elmer’s Glue, Rubbermaid and everyone’s favorite pen - Sharpie. Working with her tech partner Adobe, President Melanie Huet demonstrated how her team works with AI on everything from consumer insights to making new creative assets. In one video, she explained how they have compressed months of consumer research into days using synthetic AI personas. "The AI one is just as great, if not better," she said about the AI-generated insights. “If there’s anything we want to change, we just immediately start re-prompting based on our personas.” Newell Brands President Melanie Huet showcased practical examples of how AI is making marketers work smarter and faster. Steven Wolfe Pereira MORE FOR YOU The efficiency gains are real. But they create a critical decision point. Option A: Cut the marketing budget by the same percentage as the efficiency gain. If AI makes you 80% more efficient, reduce spend by 80%. Show the CFO immediate cost savings. Book the win. Option B: Keep the same budget. Use AI to handle commodity execution. Redirect the savings toward strategic brand building that AI can't replicate. According to a 2024 Google/WARC study analyzing European brands, companies that invest 50-60% of their marketing budget in brand building - with 40-50% on performance tactics - see dramatically higher returns. The research shows that short-term ROI averages £1.87 for each £1 invested. But when sustained brand-building effects are measured, this increases to £4.11 - a 120% improvement. Finding the optimal balance between investment in upper funnel (brand building) and lower funnel (performance) activities can be a challenge for marketers. Most companies are choosing Option A. The smart ones are choosing Option B and not telling competitors. What Smart Marketers Understand That Others Miss As the CMO of KraftHeinz, Todd Kaplan could have discuss all of the innovative ways his team are using AI across their portfolio of more than 200 brands including Heinz, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Oscar Mayer, and Philadelphia. In fact, Heinz had one of the first true viral AI campaigns back in 2022 when it used the DALL-E 2 image generator to prompt phrases like "ketchup," "ketchup bottle," and "ketchup in space," and the AI consistently generated images that resembled Heinz’s iconic packaging. However, he chose not to make AI the focus of his presentation and instead made the case for brand building in a data-driven world. It was a pretty compelling case: while competitors obsess over AI-optimized efficiency, his team is doubling down on what algorithms can’t manufacture - emotional connection. His presentation centered on understanding that "emotion, not information, is the primary driver of most consumer choices." KraftHeinz CMO Todd Kaplan makes the case for brand building in the AI era. Steven Wolfe Pereira In an era where AI can generate infinite marketing variations and analyze every data point, Kaplan argues that emotion becomes the scarce resource worth fighting for. It’s the inverse of what most CMOs are doing: instead of using AI to automate emotional appeals through synthetic personas and sentiment analysis, Kraft Heinz is using AI efficiency gains to fund the deeply human creative work that actually moves people to choose their brands. "Emotion, not information, is the primary driver of most consumer choices", said Kaplan. When AI can generate infinite information and insights, emotion becomes the scarce resource worth investing in. This isn't nostalgia for pre-digital marketing. It's recognition that when everyone has access to the same AI tools optimizing for the same performance metrics, sustainable competitive advantage shifts to what can't be commoditized: authentic emotional resonance built through creative excellence and cultural understanding. The kind of work that requires experienced human judgment, not just better prompts. LVMH Global Brand Officer Mathilde Delhoume gave an inspiring talk on "The Art of Crafting Dreams". Steven Wolfe Pereira LVMH’s Global Brand Officer Mathilde Delhoume delivered perhaps the conference's most illuminating contrast to the efficiency-obsessed AI narrative. Her presentation on "The Art of Crafting Dreams" centered on four pillars that AI fundamentally cannot commoditize: Exceptional Craft, Elated Customer, Extraordinary Creativity, and Elevated Culture. While other CMOs discussed compressing timelines and reducing costs, Delhoume articulated luxury’s core business model: they don’t solve problems - they create desire. In her framework, going for "80/20" efficiency gets you fired the next morning. Perfection isn’t the goal; it’s the minimum requirement. This isn’t romantic idealism about craftsmanship - it’s a business strategy that again recognizes when everyone has access to the same AI optimization tools, the competitive advantage shifts entirely to what algorithms cannot replicate. NewellBrands, KraftHeinz, and LVMH are just three examples of brands offering a preview into how smart marketers are using AI strategically. They leverage automation for the operational infrastructure - media planning, customer research analytics, performance tracking. But the savings don’t go to the CFO as cost reductions. They fund the exceptional craft, the creative excellence, the cultural positioning that creates desire and emotional connection rather than merely satisfying needs. The sustainable advantage shifts to what AI can't easily replicate: deep brand equity, emotional connections, cultural relevance, mental availability built over years. The Real ROI Picture Most CFOs Miss Research from Ahrefs' 2025 study found that branded mentions, branded anchors, and branded search volume are the top three factors correlated with AI Overview presence. As AI-powered search expands, brand strength increasingly determines visibility—both with humans and algorithms. Kantar CEO, Americas Jeff Greenspoon discusses the connection between brand value and enterprise value. Steven Wolfe Pereira In a standing-room only panel session, Jeff Greenspoon, Kantar’s CEO for the Americas, shared data that should terrify every c-suite cutting marketing budgets. Kantar’s BrandZ valuation work - tracking 14,000 brands across two decades - reveals a widening gap between companies that treat brand building as measurable enterprise value versus those that see it as soft spending. "We believe in the connection between brand value and enterprise value," Greenspoon explained at the conference. In a later interview with The Drum, Jeff further explained how "too many conversations are about efficiency. We want to be the effectiveness layer that helps CMOs show their CFOs exactly what brand investment delivers." The distinction matters because Kantar’s data shows what most attribution models miss - that brand strength directly correlates with total enterprise value. This isn’t just marketing ROI, but actual enterprise value. Kantar’s BrandZ Global Top 100 reached record total brand value in 2025, driven overwhelmingly by brands that maintained consistent long-term investment even while optimizing tactical efficiency. Greenspoon’s framing cuts through the AI efficiency hype: "Anyone can build tech. What matters is what you train it on. And we’ve got decades of evidence for what actually makes brands grow." That evidence base - spanning 50 years of brand-growth data, 4.5 million consumer respondents, and 22,000 brands - points to a clear pattern. The brands dominating enterprise value aren't those that cut fastest or automated hardest. They're those that used efficiency gains to fund the brand building that creates "meaningful difference to more people." Kantar's BrandZ’s report tracks the Global Top 100 list of the world’s most valuable brands. Spoiler Alert: traditional attribution models significantly undervalue brand building A Nielsen 2025 study found that companies measuring only short-term performance miss approximately 50% of their marketing ROI. Brand awareness campaigns show a 1% increase in brand awareness leads to 0.4% short-term sales lift but 0.6% long-term sales increase—the long-term effect is 50% larger and typically unmeasured. McKinsey research on performance branding found companies applying data-driven approaches to brand building report marketing efficiency gains of up to 30% and incremental top-line growth of up to 10% without increasing budgets. One consumer goods company optimized creative rotation across channels using better MROI measurement, resulting in a 14% increase in advertising impact on sales. The CMOs cutting budgets based on AI efficiency are optimizing for metrics they can measure (short-term performance) while accidentally defunding the work that drives sustainable competitive advantage (long-term brand equity). What Winning Organizations Actually Do General Motors CMO Norm de Greve described his strategy: moving from "buyer of marketing to makers of marketing" in the AI era. GM brought brand strategy, social media, and analytics in-house - both the strategic and commodity work AI can accelerate. But they're "keeping agencies focused on breakthrough creative and what they do best." General Motors CMO Norm de Greve described his strategy: moving from "buyer of marketing to makers of marketing" in the AI era. Steven Wolfe Pereira This is the emerging playbook: Automate the execution layer. Use AI for media planning, content production variations, data analysis, campaign optimization—work where speed and efficiency create value. Keep these costs low and let AI drive continuous improvement. Invest the savings in strategic differentiation. Fund the business strategy, brand building, creative development, cultural insights, and strategic positioning that creates defensible competitive advantage. This is where humans with judgment make decisions AI can't replicate. The math is compelling. If AI makes your execution 70% more efficient, you of course could cut your budget by 70%. However, the smart marketers would maintain their budget, get the execution done with 30% of resources, and invest the remaining 70% in brand building that competitors cutting budgets can’t afford. The Self-Assessment Framework The ANA conference provided an unintentional litmus test for separating the CMOs who’ll survive the next five years from those who won’t. If you’re facing the efficiency versus effectiveness dilemma - and every marketer is - here are the questions that reveal which side of the divide you're on: How are you measuring marketing ROI? If you’re focused primarily on short-term attribution and performance metrics, you’re likely undervaluing your brand building by 50% or more. Marketers always identify measurement as a growing priority, but many still lack frameworks that capture long-term brand impact. You can’t manage what you don’t measure - but you're destroying what you measure wrong. Where are AI efficiency savings going? This is the defining question. If they’re flowing back to the CFO as cost reductions, you’re choosing short-term P&L improvement over long-term competitive position. If they’re being reinvested in brand building, you’re using AI strategically. The decision you make here determines whether you’re still relevant - as a brand, a business, and an executive. What's your brand building allocation? Research suggests 50-60% of budget should fund brand building with 40-50% on performance. Most companies are heavily skewed toward performance because it's easier to measure—exactly the work AI is commoditizing. If your budget allocation looks like everyone else's, your competitive position will too. How are you developing strategic judgment? If junior marketers are learning to prompt AI efficiently, that's not enough. They need to develop the strategic thinking that determines which AI outputs are valuable—something that requires years of domain expertise. Companies eliminating these development opportunities today are creating their own talent crisis tomorrow. What’s your Marketing Efficiency Ratio (MER)? E-commerce brands typically target 3-5x (total revenue divided by total marketing spend). If your MER is improving but revenue growth is flat, you’re getting more efficient while becoming less effective. Congratulations - you've optimized your way to irrelevance. Why This Matters Now The ANA conference made one thing brutally clear: we're in a brief window where strategic choices about AI will determine competitive positions for the next decade. Companies cutting marketing budgets based on AI efficiency will report strong short-term margin improvements. They'll look smart for 18-24 months. Then they'll discover their brand equity has eroded, their talent pipeline has dried up, and competitors who reinvested in brand building have pulled ahead. Companies maintaining budgets while using AI to fund brand building will face skeptical CFOs for the next 18 months. They'll need to defend investments with long-term payback periods while showing strong short-term efficiency gains. But in three years, they'll have competitive advantages competitors can't easily replicate. The electrician statistic - 44% of marketing executives recommending trade work over marketing - reflects this divide. The executives recommending trade work are those watching their profession commoditize. They built careers on execution excellence that AI now performs faster and cheaper. The executives quietly recommending marketing careers? They're the ones who understand that when everyone has the same tools, judgment becomes the only sustainable advantage. They're using AI to fund the brand building that creates that advantage. The Bottom Line AI isn't making marketing obsolete. It's separating strategists from tacticians faster than anyone expected. The tacticians are celebrating efficiency gains while commoditizing their own expertise. The strategists are using those same efficiency gains to fund competitive advantages AI can't replicate. Adobe CMO Lara Hood Balazs sees CMOs as the Chief Transformation Architects of the AI era. Steven Wolfe Pereira Your choice isn't whether to adopt AI. Everyone will. Your choice is whether to use AI for cost reduction or competitive differentiation. Whether to cut budgets or reinvest in brand building. Whether to eliminate junior roles or reimagine them. Whether to optimize for quarterly metrics or sustainable advantage. The CMOs still in the room five years from now will be those who understood that efficiency isn't strategy. The real opportunity isn't automating marketing—it's using automation to finally afford the kind of brand building that actually drives long-term growth. Adobe CMO Lara Hood Balazs framed it perfectly at the conference: CMOs must become "Chief Transformation Architects" in the AI era. The job isn't managing the marketing department's AI adoption—it's architecting how AI transforms the entire enterprise's relationship with customers, markets, and growth itself. That's a role that requires strategic vision, not operational efficiency. It's a seat at the table that gets earned through demonstrating enterprise value creation, not cost reduction. Those are the CMOs who'll be recommending marketing careers in 2030. The ones cutting budgets today? They're the ones their kids will ignore when they suggest becoming electricians instead. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions

Contributor,Steven Wolfe Pereira 2 days ago

Offshore windfarm projects may be exempted from new UK nature rules

Exclusive: Firms say added costs would mean they are unable to install enough turbines to meet green energy goals

Helena Horton Environment reporter 2 days ago