Articles and Columns for September 2024

• When Should Presenters Apologize? – Referencing decades of experience as a presenter and an attendee at presentations, Jerry Lawson cautions us not to begin a presentation with an apology, which can be compelled by a tech glitch or some other reason not within our control. Lawson states that the habit of beginning with an apology is so old that it has a name in Medieval rhetoric, the captatio benevolentiae, meaning an attempt to capture the audience’s goodwill. Most importantly, It doesn’t work. Lawson highlights a range of scenarios for which an apology or no apology, are appropriate. His lesson applies to far more than presentations, as these reactions are common in a work environment where they may indeed not serve your objectives.
• AI in Finance and Banking, September 30, 2024 – This semi-monthly column by Sabrina I. Pacifici highlights news, government reports, NGO/IGO papers, industry white papers, academic papers and speeches on the subject of AI’s fast paced impact on the banking and finance sectors. The chronological links provided are to the primary sources, and as available, indicate links to alternate free versions. Six highlights from this post: Economic Policy Challenges for the Age of AI; How to Build Trust in Answers Given by Generative Ai for Specific and Vague Financial Questions; AI-Enabled Value Creation in International Business: Crossing the Boundary of Bounded Rationality; The rise of generative AI: modelling exposure, substitution and inequality effects on the US labour market; Intelligent financial system: how AI is transforming finance; and Is AI the Cornerstone for Financial Inclusion?
• 2024 Link Guide to Employment Resources – This employment resources guide by Marcus P. Zillman spans multiple sectors, sources in the private and public sectors, on-site and remote work, job search engines, resume building resources, identifying job titles and respective skill requirements, and is inclusive of a focus on new job seekers and those with years of experience. Some of the sources such as LinkedIn will be familiar, but many will be new to you and will add capabilities to your efforts to develop and execute a successful job search process.
• The ‘publish or perish’ mentality is fuelling research paper retractions – and undermining science – The “publish or perish” paradigm is increasingly antithetical to the process of scientists making important discoveries, both big and small, and then typically publishing their findings in scientific journals for others to read. This sharing of knowledge helps to advance science: it can, in turn, lead to more important discoveries. But published research papers can be retracted if there is an issue with their accuracy or integrity. And, according to research shared by Nham Tran, in recent years, the number of retractions has been rising sharply. For example, in 2023 more than 10,000 research papers were retracted globally. This marked a new record, and in combination with AI’s impact on scientific publishing, has created a volatile environment in which scholarly literature is increasingly challenged for data accuracy.
• How to Sign Up for Local Emergency Alerts Before Natural Disasters Strike – Natural disasters have affected nearly 90 percent of U.S. counties since 2013, and while many households know about preparing emergency kits, a recent FEMA survey found a large drop in how many people are signed up to receive emergency alerts and warnings. Early warning systems save lives during disasters. To ensure you can receive these warnings via your phone, text, or email, Natasha Uzcátegui-Liggett recommends and walks you through turning on your phone’s alerts and signing up for your local government’s emergency alert system.
• TikTok ban goes to the court: 5 essential reads on the case and its consequences – TikTok headed to court on Sept. 16, 2024, in a bid to overturn a law that would force the video app to divorce from its China-based parent company or be banned in the U.S. During the appearance before a panel of judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, layers for TikTok said imposing such a prohibition would have “staggering” consequences for free speech. The court hearing is the latest development in a lengthy saga over the fate of an app that is widely popular, especially among young Americans, but that many politicians in Washington fear poses or is a security risk. Eric Smalley and Matt Willimas report that the outcome of the oral arguments presented by lawyers from the U.S. government on one side and TikTok and parent company ByteDance on the other, it’s unlikely to be the end of the story. Many analysts expect the case will head to the Supreme Court.
• You want to vote in the 2024 election − here is how to make sure that your voice is heard – Voting will begin in many states in just a few weeks – Alabama became the first state to begin sending out mail-in ballots on Sept. 11, 2024. It’s one of 10 states that send mail-in ballots to voters more than 45 days before Election Day. Every state’s regulations and procedures are different, so it is vital that you understand the requirements and opportunities to vote where you live. Amy Dacey, Executive Director of the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics, American University, outlines a plan to ensure your vote and that your vote is counted regardless of where you live.
• AI in Banking and Finance, September 16, 2024 – This semi-monthly column by Sabrina I. Pacifici highlights news, government reports, NGO/IGO papers, industry white papers, academic papers and speeches on the subject of AI’s fast paced impact on the banking and finance sectors. The chronological links provided are to the primary sources, and as available, indicate links to alternate free versions. Six highlights from this post: The Imperative to Realizing AI’s Potential in Banking: Finding the Right Fit; The Impact of Cloud Computing and AI on Industry Dynamics and Concentration; Empowering Global Banking Through AI-Driven Risk Management: A Practical Framework for Optimization and Methodological Integration; AI-Driven Failed Trials in Investment Strategies: A Network Data Analysis Approach; Harvard Business School (HBS) has published a case study on DBS’ strategy towards Artificial Intelligence (AI), highlighting the bank’s use of AI; and Banks bet on a tech surge. It’s paying off big time as AI, software bring ‘sea change’ in productivity.
• Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, September 28, 2024 – Five highlights from this week: LinkedIn Halts AI Data Processing in UK Amid Privacy Concerns Raised by ICO – they automatically opted in all users; Lessons from the CrowdStrike outage; Verizon faces lawsuit over allegedly illegal collection of voiceprints; New feature of iOS 18 and later: Request or give remote control in a Facetime call on an iPhone; and Telegram Will Share User IP Addresses, Phone Numbers With Police Upon Request.
• Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, September 21, 2024 – Five highlights from this week: FTC Says Social Media Platforms Engage in ‘Vast Surveillance’ of Users; AI voices are officially too realistic; Tor Network Denies Report That ‘Anonymity Is Completely Canceled’; ‘Terrorgram’ Charges Show US Has Had Tools to Crack Down on Far-Right Terrorism All Along; and DuckDuckGo Joins AI Chat, Promises Enhanced Anonymity.
• Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, September 14, 2024 – Six highlights from this week: This is likely the biggest password leak ever: nearly 10 billion credentials exposed; How to Stay Safe From Third-Party Seller Scams; The US Supreme Court Kneecapped US Cyber Strategy; DOJ Leads Efforts Among Federal, International, and Private Sector Partners to Disrupt Covert Russian Government-Operated Social Media Bot Farm.
• Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, September 7, 2024 – Five highlights from this week: In a Big Blow to Internet Archive, Appeals Court Says Online Lending Library Is Not Fair Use; Clearview AI was keeping an illegal database of faces; gets fined; How to scan for unknown trackers that might be following you; Chase money glitch: How a viral TikTok trend turned out to just be plain check fraud; and How to scan for unknown trackers that might be following you.

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