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McDonald's Spent 50 Years on Its Breakfast Menu. Now, Thousands of Fans Say 
They Crave 1 Simple Thing

Upper Chichester police arrested a homeless woman in a McDonald&#x27;s parking lot

The McDonald's parking lot in Upper Chichester

McDonald's Corporation operates and franchises McDonald's restaurants in the United States and internationally. Its restaurants offer various food products and beverages, as well as breakfast menu. As of December 31, 2019, the company operated 38,695 restaurants. McDonald's Corporation was founded in 1940 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

McDonald's

One Friday this July, I got about McDonalds. So excited that I stopped at one before work in the morning and left with French fries and a coffee. excited Fries for breakfast. McDonalds had just announced that it would be giving out free medium fries every Friday with a minimum purchase of $1, through the end of the year. Social media and even over the generous offer. mainstream media went gaga Free food! There’s perhaps no better a siren call for the budget-conscious millennials segment. But, McDonalds — widely known for its marketing prowess with tactics such as Happy Meals, the Monopoly Game, and the “Monster Mac” and “McRib” sandwiches — isn’t exactly in the business of giving away free food. To take advantage of the free fries deal or a whole slew of other similarly rich deals, you need to use the McDonalds mobile app. If there’s anything millennials like better than free food, it’s mobile apps. That’s right, you can’t get this free food with coupon clippings or mailers. You have to use the mobile app, where a couple screen taps and swipes will get you a massive list of such deals, along with convenient mobile ordering functionality. The McDonalds mobile app uses deals to entice and mobile ordering to fulfill. McDonalds has had a mobile app for a couple years now, but only recently has the company began an enormous effort to drive mobile adoption vis a vis these jaw-droppingly attractive deals. The reason for the recent push is two-fold: McDonalds believes the mobile-only deals will drive mobile app adoption McDonalds believes that encouraging repeat usage (through repeat offers like the free fries offer, which is good through the end of the year) will encourage habit formation, which can engender . customer loyalty While it may be too early to say the customer loyalty goal will be met, it does appear the strategy is indeed driving mobile adoption. Jefferies analyst Andy Barish estimates that McDonalds’ mobile app . has had a 20–40% increase in active users in just the past few months Mobile loyalty is brewing out of Seattle, too. One of McDonalds’ biggest competitors is perhaps even further along than McDonalds when it comes to mobile experience. The Starbucks app has an estimated 23 million users in the US alone. You can’t go into a Starbucks without seeing loyal customer after loyal customer scanning their mobile app-based barcode to make a payment or pick up an order. But unlike McDonalds, the Starbucks app offers users several other major features that have helped it become the phenomenon it currently is. The Starbucks mobile app offers mobile ordering, mobile payments, and a gamification-based loyalty program. Why mobile apps work so well for restaurants Mobile apps drive extremely high levels of engagement. It’s no wonder that the average American spends more than four hours per day on their smartphone, with more than 90% of that time spent using mobile apps. Restaurant operators believe they can tap this mobile fascination and turn it into long term customer loyalty and repeat visits. Additionally, mobile apps enable functionality that is huge valuable to fast food restaurants, whose profitability is directly related to how many customers they’re able to serve in a 24-hour period. Here are some of the features and functionality that make restaurant loyalty apps so appealing: Mobile ordering With mobile ordering, your customers no longer need to queue in agony behind an indecisive customer whose careful consideration of the menu can single-handedly bringing order flow to a standstill. By offloading some of the order taking to mobile apps, McDonalds does two important things: It avoids creating bottlenecks at cashiers (which can cause rubber-banding effects down the food prep chain), and Increases the lead time allowed for order preparation (because the customer still has to physical arrive at the selected McDonalds location for pickup), which enables smoother operations. Both of these effects drive top and bottom line growth in fast food restaurants. Also, consider that mobile ordering makes it much easier to offer upsell or cross-sell opportunities based on actual data. “Would you like fries with that?” It’s much easier to upsell/cross-sell when your app does it automatically. Push notifications Sure, you could wait for your tummy to grumble to know when it’s time to eat. Or, you could have a McDonald’s push notification suggest a Bacon Smokehouse Burger for lunch, right when it knows you’re most likely to be ordering lunch. Top of mind, top of wallet. Push notifications can increase the likelihood that your restaurant’s patrons think of you when it’s time to eat. Another common use case for push notifications is to let users know about new or promo items on your menu. Why wait for a customer to learn about new menu items in-store, when that knowledge could be reason enough for a visit? If done right, push notifications can be a powerful way to get customers to try different or new menu items. Loyalty: gamification and rewards Gamification is one of the biggest trends in mobile app design, and restaurant loyalty apps are one of the most fitting use cases. By adding game-like mechanics to their mobile apps, restaurants can make it fun and even exciting to come back again and again. Examples of gamification in restaurant apps include: for trying new menu items Achievement milestones for every purchase, or for attaining achievements, that go towards leveling up to a new membership tier that has its own unique discounts or perks. ( ) Earning points Here’s how the Starbucks point-based reward system works between friends or other app users. Who can reach the highest level? (Who can eat the most premium (read “high margin”) menu items before the contest ends?) Friendly competition There’s something about leveling up to “gold status” that is rewarding in itself, never mind the free food and drinks headed your way. For other restaurants, the race to “catch up” is just getting started. The good news is that — besides McDonalds, Starbucks, and a handful of other major players in the space — the majority of restaurant businesses are very much in the same situation. Many are now recognizing the growth potential associated with mobile apps and are beginning to make plans to offer better and more engaging mobile experiences. As a with an emphasis on the food & drink category, has created loyalty mobile apps for some of the world’s biggest restaurant brands and social media influencers. top-rated mobile app development company CitrusBits says Harry Lee, CEO of CitrusBits. “Over the past few years, we’ve helped Burger King build an exceptional mobile app that is currently used by millions of users throughout Latin America. The app has already delivered more than 1,000% ROI for Burger King,” “We are now in the process of planning significant feature enhancements to the mobile app, to allow Burger King to further expand its growth potential.” When it comes to restaurant mobile strategy, Lee believes that the name of the game is driving engagement and creating compelling value for consumers. Lee explains. “In the restaurant business, it’s critical to engage your consumers even when they aren’t at your restaurant. Mobile apps are the single best way to do this. If you create compelling value — time savings, monetary savings, or a fun experience — and do it in a way that is really engaging, you’ll get the ROI you’re hoping for,”

McDonalds and Starbucks on Your Phone: Why Mobile Apps Are Now First on the Menu

The Powerful Making & Positioning of the World’s Largest Restaurant Chain by Revenue Introduction McDonald's is one of the world's most popular and successful restaurant chains. The company has a long and storied history, and its business model has been widely studied and imitated. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at McDonald’s business model and branding strategies. McDonald’s was founded by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1940. The brothers originally operated a hot dog stand but eventually transitioned to a hamburger stand.
They developed a new and innovative business model that relied on standardized procedures, assembly-line production, and low prices. In 1954, Ray Kroc became involved with McDonald’s as a franchisee. He was so impressed with the brothers’ business model that he convinced them to let him expand the chain nationally.
Kroc played a crucial role in developing McDonald's branding strategy. He recognized the importance of creating a strong brand identity, and he made sure that McDonald's name was associated with quality, convenience, and value. The McDonald's brand became even more popular in the 1960s when the company began to use mass media to promote its products. The “I’m Lovin’ It" slogan was introduced in 2003, which has helped keep the McDonald's brand top-of-mind for millions of consumers worldwide. McDonald’s business strategy analysis reveals that the brand has been incredibly successful in branding. But what about profits? Well, McDonald's is also extremely profitable. It is the largest restaurant chain in the world by revenue. Also, it has a perennially profitable and recession-proof revenue stream. So, what makes McDonald’s business model and branding strategies so successful? There are several factors at play, but the key among them is the company's focus on innovation and customer satisfaction. McDonald’s marketing strategy has always been inclined to experiment with new products and services.  Moreover, McDonald’s business model thrives on the pillars of excellent customer service.
These two factors have helped to make McDonald’s one of the most iconic brands in the world. The Unique Brand Positioning & Other Significant Business Strategies of McDonald’s that Propelled It For a Winning Edge in the Fast-Food Realm McDonald’s brand positioning strategies have been pivotal in shaping McDonald’s brand equity.
McDonald’s has successfully utilized their marketing mix to appeal to their target market, which has resulted in McDonald’s becoming a global brand name. McDonald’s has long been known for its affordable and tasty food. The company’s McDonald’s Value Menu offers customers a wide variety of affordable meals, and McDonald’s Happy Meals are popular with children. McDonald's primarily sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken products, french fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, milkshakes, and desserts. In response to changing consumer tastes, McDonald's has expanded its menu to include salads, wraps, smoothies, and fruit. McDonald's also offers a variety of promotions and discounts, further increasing its appeal to value-conscious consumers. McDonald's has also successfully fostered brand loyalty through its customer retention programs. For example, the McDonald's Rewards program allows customers to earn points that can be redeemed for free. McDonald’s key marketing mix elements are price, product, promotion, and place. Let’s learn a bit more about them in detail: 1. McDonald’s Prices An important part of McDonald’s marketing mix is price. McDonald’s prices are generally low and affordable. This is to appeal to their target market, which consists of families with children and low-income earners. McDonald's also offers discounts and promotions regularly to attract customers further. For example, McDonald's offers a "Happy Meal," which consists of a main meal, side, and drink for a discounted price. 2. McDonald’s Product McDonald's product offerings include fast food items such as burgers, fries, soft drinks, milkshakes, and breakfast items. McDonald's has developed a strong brand and reputation, which is reflected in its product offerings. McDonald's food is generally consistent in terms of taste and quality, no matter which location you visit worldwide. 3. McDonald’s Promotion McDonald’s utilizes a range of promotional activities to market its business and product offering.
McDonald's undertakes advertising, public relations, online, and direct marketing. McDonald's also utilizes point-of-sale materials and sponsorships to promote its brand. 4. McDonald’s Place McDonald’s has a global presence in over 100 countries. McDonald's has strategically placed their restaurants in high-traffic locations near schools, shopping centers, and major highways. McDonald's also offers a drive-thru service at most of their restaurant locations to appeal to customers who are time-poor or have young children. McDonald's prices are low to be affordable for their target market of families with children.
McDonald's offers a variety of products that appeal to its target market (including hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, french fries, soft drinks, milkshakes, and desserts). McDonald’s business model and branding strategies and its products are promoted through television commercials, print ads, billboards, and social media. For example, McDonald’s on-the-go service is a popular one. It was one of the first fast-food chains to introduce drive-thru service in 1975. This revolutionary idea at the time allowed McDonald's to tap into a new market – busy people who wanted to eat on the go. The company's on-the-go service is now one of McDonald's key branding strategies. McDonald's uses a variety of marketing channels to promote its on-the-go service, including TV ads, billboards, and in-store signage. McDonald’s on-the-go service is quick, convenient, and easy to use. McDonald's has invested heavily in ensuring its on-the-go, drive-thru service is of the highest quality. This has paid off, with customers rating the company's drive-thru service as one of the best in the fast-food industry. So far, McDonald's has been successful in dominating the fast-food space. McDonald's has a franchising business model. McDonald's owns and operates approximately 37% of its restaurants, with the remaining 63% operated by independent franchisees. McDonald's benefits from its franchising business model by having lower risk and costs associated with expanding into new markets. McDonald’s also benefits from the expertise and local knowledge of their franchisees which helps McDonald’s to be more responsive to changes in consumer tastes in different markets. McDonald’s has operated for over six decades, establishing itself as the world’s largest restaurant chain by profit margin. The company has consistently delighted customers with its affordable and tasty food and fostered brand loyalty through customer retention programs. As a result, as of 2021. McDonald's globally serves over 69 million customers daily in 100+ countries through its 40,000+ outlets McDonald's has also emphasized its company values, incentivizing and honoring its staff and distinguishing itself from competitors. These strategies have helped McDonald's build a strong brand resonance with consumers. What Makes McDonald's a Perennially Profitable & Recession-Proof Business McDonald’s has always been a reliable source of income and growth for shareholders. The company has weathered many storms over the years, including the recent global pandemic, which forced most of its restaurants to close. So, what is it that makes McDonald’s a perennially profitable business? Here’re the six primary reasons why McDonald’s is a perennially profitable business: 1. McDonald’s is not just a Fast-Food Chain; it's, First and Foremost, a Real Estate Company McDonald’s owns most of its restaurant properties, which gives it greater control over costs and profits. This also allows McDonald’s to generate income from franchising and rent, which account for a significant proportion of its revenue. 2. An Efficient Business Model Based on Scale and Repetition The company’s restaurants are designed for quick service and high throughput, which helps to keep costs down. McDonald's also benefits from having a relatively simple menu that can be easily replicated across its thousands of restaurants worldwide. 3. A Strong Brand Recognition and Customer Loyalty The company's golden arches are one of the most recognized logos in the world, and McDonald's has built up a loyal customer base over many years. 4. Diversified Offerings The company's diverse offerings include drive-thru, delivery, and McCafé coffee shops. This gives the company multiple channels for growth and means that it only relies on various formats. 5. McDonald’s Cash-rich Business with a Strong Balance Sheet The company has little debt and generates significant cash flow, allowing it to weather tough economic conditions. 6. McDonald’s Unique Refinancing Strategies During Recession McDonald's refinanced strategies during the recession to expand its global outlets and buy its own shares at lower prices. During the recession, all the banks offer loans at the lowest interest rates so that they continue to buy, and the economy recovers soon. McDonald's used this strategy in 2019 to their advantage and opened many global outlets. Refinancing helps it pay off old debts (taken at higher interest rates before the recession) from certain banks and pay them off by taking loans from other banks during the recession when the interest rates are lower. Thus, the company makes a profit by purchasing its own shares and selling them shares again when the market recovers. Moreover, the surplus capital is used to acquire more franchises with its global outlets by refinancing. While the company faces challenges from time to time, its underlying strengths mean that it is always likely to bounce back quickly. McDonald's is an excellent example of a business that has successfully navigated the ups and downs of the economy over many years. McDonald’s Cobranding Strategy to Double Down its Reputation & Cut on the Advertising Cost McDonald's has had a long and successful history of partnering with other brands to create mutually beneficial relationships. One of the most iconic examples of this is McDonald's partnership with Coca-Cola. This partnership began in 1955, just a year after McDonald's was founded, and continues to this day. The two brands have successfully promoted and sold each other's products. McDonald's sells Coca-Cola products in its restaurants, while Coca-Cola promotes McDonald's products in its advertising. The partnership between McDonald's and Coca-Cola is just one example of how McDonald's has used cobranding to create successful partnerships with other brands. McDonald's has partnered with other companies in various industries, including children's toy manufacturers, fashion designers, and even automobile companies. McDonald's cobranding strategy has been so successful that it has become one of the company's key competitive advantages. McDonald's cobranding partnerships are beneficial for both McDonald's and its partners. McDonald's can use its partnerships to reach new markets and promote its brand. Its partners benefit from McDonald's large customer base and the ability to generate publicity. Cobranding also allows McDonald's to create exclusive products unavailable at other restaurants. For example, McDonald's has partnered with Nike to create a line of McDonald's-branded athletic shoes. This cobranding strategy has helped McDonald's to double down on its reputation as a fast-food leader. McDonald's can offer a wide variety of food items at a low price point while maintaining a high quality level. This cobranding strategy has also helped McDonald's and its partners cut advertising costs, as the companies can mutually rely on the goodwill of their franchisees for brand promotion. McDonald’s carefully selects its franchisees and requires them to make a significant investment in McDonald’s restaurants and to adhere to McDonald’s high standards of operation. In return, McDonald's provides its franchisees with a comprehensive package of support, including access to McDonald's proprietary procedures, methods, training, and marketing programs. This relationship between McDonald’s and its franchisees is at the heart of McDonald’s successful business model. McDonald's has successfully cobranded several high-profile brands, including Coca-Cola, Nike, and Barbie. This strategy has helped McDonald's to extend its reach to new audiences and to further solidify its position as a QSR leader. McDonald's cobranding strategy has been instrumental in the company's success. The partnerships McDonald's has formed with other brands have helped to increase sales, reach new markets, and create exclusive products. Cobranding has also become one of McDonald's key competitive advantages. McDonald’s CSR & ESG Strategy & Initiatives & How It Benefits the Omnichannel Reputation of the Brand McDonald's focus on CSR & ESG also helps to create a more sustainable business model for the company. Therefore, McDonald's CSR & ESG Strategy is an important part of the company's Business Model & Branding Strategy. McDonald's focus on CSR & ESG also helps to create a more sustainable business model for the company. McDonald's CSR & ESG Strategy is, in fact, an essential part of the company's Business Model & Branding Strategy. McDonald's CSR & ESG Strategy includes initiatives such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, supporting sustainable agriculture, and sourcing responsibly. McDonald's also aims to serve more than 1 billion people with improved nutrition by 2025. McDonald's focus on CSR & ESG helps to strengthen the Omnichannel Reputation of the Brand. McDonald's reputation is essential because it can impact everything from customer satisfaction to employee morale to stock price. A strong reputation can help McDonald's attract customers, employees, and investors. Therefore, McDonald's focus on CSR & ESG is an essential part of the company's Business Model & Branding Strategy. McDonald's CSR & ESG Strategy is based on the following three pillars: 1. Sourcing with Integrity McDonald's sources responsibly to help protect the environment and support communities. 2. People & Communities McDonald's invests in its people and communities to create a positive impact. 3. Operational Excellence McDonald's strives for operational excellence to minimize its environmental footprint. McDonald's CSR & ESG Strategy helps to improve the Omnichannel Reputation of the Brand by positively impacting McDonald's employees, customers, communities, and shareholders. McDonald's focus on CSR & ESG also helps to create a more sustainable business model for the company. Therefore, McDonald's CSR & ESG Strategy is an important part of the company's Business Model & Branding Strategy. McDonald’s Business Model & Branding Strategy puts a strong impetus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG). McDonald’s reputation is important because it can impact everything from customer satisfaction to employee morale to stock price. McDonald's focus on CSR & ESG helps to improve the Omnichannel Reputation of the Brand by positively impacting McDonald's employees, customers, communities, and shareholders. Mcdonald's Green Marketing Strategy: Initiatives Towards an Eco-friendly & Sustainable Future McDonald’s brand is recognized by billions of people around the globe. The company has always been an industry leader in marketing and branding. McDonald's spends billions of dollars every year on advertising and promotion. In recent years, McDonald's has focused more on "green" marketing initiatives. The McDonald’s Corporation has set a goal to be completely carbon Neutral by 2025. The company is working hard to reduce its impact on the environment. McDonald’s is also working with suppliers to source more sustainable ingredients. The company is providing veg combos in countries like India. Mcdonald's Green Marketing Strategy is paying off. The company’s brand is now seen as more environmentally friendly and sustainable. This is helping McDonald's to attract new customers and retain existing ones. McDonald's green marketing initiatives are sure to positively impact the company's bottom line for years to come. McDonald’s is not only reducing its own carbon footprint, but it is also helping to raise awareness about environmental issues. As more people become aware of the need to protect our planet, McDonald’s will continue to be a leader in sustainable business practices. McDonald's is setting an example for other companies to follow. We can all learn from McDonald's Green Marketing Strategy and make changes in our lives to help make the world better. McDonald’s Strategy to Beat Its Market Competitors McDonald’s primary competitors are Burger King and Wendy’s. However, the company also competes with fast-casual and casual restaurant chains, such as Panera Bread, Chili’s Grill & Bar, Olive Garden, and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers. To compete effectively against these companies, McDonald's has implemented a strategy that focuses on providing a more convenient and efficient customer experience and expanding its menu to offer healthier and more premium options. Some of the specific initiatives that McDonald’s has undertaken in recent years to stay ahead of its competitors include: Offering mobile ordering and delivery in select markets Expanding its breakfast menu Adding new menu items, such as the McWrap and the Egg McMuffin Renovating its restaurants to create a more modern and inviting atmosphere Offering competitive pricing on combo meals and value menus By continuing to implement these strategies, McDonald's is likely to remain one of the leading fast-food chains in the world. Wrap Up Regarding business models and branding strategies, McDonald's is in a league of its own. The fast-food giant has successfully grown and expanded its operations globally, becoming the largest restaurant chain in the world by revenue. Other businesses can learn from McDonald's example by adopting similar strategies such as franchising, focusing on customer service, and continual innovation. In the future, McDonald's will likely continue its growth trajectory as it expands into new markets and introduces new products and services. McDonald’s has a very successful business model that has allowed them to become the largest restaurant chain in the world by revenue. Their model is based on consistent delivery of high-quality, affordable food and excellent customer service. This has resulted in customers' strong brand loyalty and a large repeat business base. McDonald's has also been very successful in franchising its business model, allowing them to expand rapidly into new markets.

The Whole Shebang of McDonald’s Business Model and Branding Strategies

This is published under our responsible disclosure policy The McDonald’s fix is incomplete and the endpoint is still leaking data. We have communicated this again to them and are waiting for their response. UPDATE2: McDonald’s India has replied to us that they have fixed the issue and would be releasing an official statement urging their users to upgrade the app. UPDATE1: The McDonald’s India app, McDelivery is leaking personal data for more than 2.2 million of its users which includes name, email address, phone number, home address, accurate home co-ordinates and social profile links. We contacted McDelivery on 7th Feb and received an acknowledgement from a Senior IT Manager on 13th Feb (33 days ago). The issue has not been fixed yet and our continued effort to get an update for the fix after the initial acknowledgement has failed. An unprotected publicly accessible API endpoint for getting user details coupled with serially enumerable integers as customer IDs can be used to obtain access to all users personal information. The lack of strong data protection and privacy laws or penalties in India, unlike the , United States or has led to companies ignoring user data protection. There is a similar lack of push from non-government organisations to improve this scenario. We have in the past discovered more than 50 instances of data leaks in several Indian organisations. In fact, we are pleasantly surprised when we find Indian companies without a personal or payment data leak vulnerability in their APIs. European Union Singapore API Endpoint : http://services.mcdelivery.co.in/ProcessUser.svc/GetUserProfile A sample response to the curl request: Disclosure Timeline: 4th Feb’17 — Fallible reported the issue to McDelivery 13th Feb’17 — Issue acknowledged by McDelivery IT Manager. 7th March’17 — Fallible sent an email asking about the status, no reply from McDelivery. 17th March’17 — Fallible sent another email; No response from McDelivery; 18th March’17 — No response yet. McDelivery users are still vulnerable. Public disclosure.

McDonalds India is leaking 2.2 million users data

Even if you are a fan of the Whopper over a Big Mac, you have to admit that McDonald’s must have done something right to satisfy customers for the last 80 years. Started in Monrovia, California by Patrick McDonald and his sons, their small food stand would grow into one of the world’s most recognized eating establishments. Here are a few ways that lessons learned from McDonald’s early growth can apply to your mobile app. Success Takes Time In 1937 the McDonald family opened a food stand called “The Airdrome” in Monrovia, California. The restaurant did not look like a modern McDonald’s. In fact, it had a completely different feel and served items like hot dogs and all-you-can-drink orange juice. But the business survived. In 1948 the McDonalds took all that they had learned, revamped the restaurant, and rebranded it “McDonald’s”. It takes time to create a polished app. As days creep into weeks and slowly into months and you are just ready to launch, know that each bit of work you do on your app makes it a better product. Don’t get discouraged. Your first app may not be the app that strikes it big. Even though “The Airdrome” is not alive today, its descendants are. The lessons you learn from creating an app will help make your next app even better. Adapt Your Menu The first incarnation of what would become McDonald’s included 25 items and even had hot dogs and barbecue. But the brothers soon realized that based on popularity and profits, hamburgers were the way to go. So they simplified the menu to just hamburgers and a few side items. The first spark of inspiration for a mobile app is often a deceptive little fellow. Your brain tells you how awesome your idea is. You envision an app with forward thinking UI/UX, user retention out the wazoo and social shareability like no other app. Then you actually start developing the app and realize not all of that may come true. Often, less is better. If your app has too many features or is covered with tons of flashy UI glitz, take a step back. Look at what is providing the most value to your user and then focus on that. Just like McDonald’s simplified to being a hamburger restaurant, your app may be better off if it narrows its focus on a prime feature. Launch Locally, Grow Globally By 1952, the McDonald family decided it was time to branch out, so they signed up 2 franchisees, one in Arizona and one in California. Ray Kroc noticed the restaurants in 1954 and was so taken by the idea that he partnered with the McDonald family to expand the franchising efforts nationally. In five short years, the total number of McDonald’s restaurants had increased to 102. Today, the number of McDonald’s locations worldwide exceeds 35,000. Your app needs to find its audience in order to succeed. That audience may be users who live in a particular geographic area or are interested in a certain topic. To jump start your user growth, focus on marketing to your initial audience. Once you have a core group of users, expand your audience by focusing on other geographic areas or broadening your topic appeal. Just how McDonald’s grew their restaurants by focusing on one geographic location at a time, you can grow your app by gradually expanding your target audience. McDonald’s was able to succeed by developing a strong initial product, adjusting to customer demand and then expanding to new locations. Applying these same concepts to your mobile app will help grow your user base. To help developers listen and react to user feedback, my company created User Hook. is a suite of tools that lets developers segment and reach users with timely messages and actions. , download our iOS or Android SDK, and get started growing your user base. User Hook Sign up for your free account If you are looking for help with a digital project, check out our company . We also help mobile apps with user engagement and feedback through our service. Cullaboration Media User Hook

How Growing Your App Is Like McDonald’s Early Years

Yuan Yi Zhu, an Assistant Professor of International Relations and International Law at Leiden University, recently criticized an article published in The Times of London. The article was written by Matthew Parris, a former Member of the British Parliament. In the article, Parris argues in favor of legalizing euthanasia on the grounds that society simply cannot afford “desperate infirmity for as many such individuals as our society is producing.” Parris argues that it would allow the UK economy to better compete with China and people being coerced to being euthanised due to social pressure is “not a bad thing”. Parris says he does not apologise for how his article "treats human beings as units - in deficit or surplus to the collective". In February 2024, an article was published in the prestigious Scientific Reports journal by Nature, arguing that “AI holds the potential to carry out several major activities at much lower emission levels than can humans.” The piece argues that humans produce far greater CO2 emissions when doing writing or illustration work than AI Large Language Models. The article also notes that: “The freed human time may also incur new, unexpected environmental costs.” Advances in AI haven’t just led to humans being compared to machines but also being compared to animals. Late last year, according to The Guardian, BT’s Chief Innovation Officer, Harmeen Mehta ‘suggested workers whose jobs are threatened by AI accept their fate as “evolution,” comparing them to horses replaced by the car.’ Against this backdrop, one does wonder when we will inevitably see the rise of those who will argue for eugenics such that humans replace machines. This is nevertheless a stark reminder of how humans ultimately are behind killer computers. In a new book I authored called ‘ ,’ I have explored many catastrophic computer disasters. These disasters have included an aircraft entering ‘death dives’, fatal car crashes and lethal radiation doses. How to Protect Yourself from Killer Computers Recently, software reliability has been pushed to the forefront of the public conscience. March 2024 saw system failures, causing McDonald’s outlets in the UK, Australia, and Japan to go offline. Panama Bread in the US saw IT outages, as did the UK high-street giants Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Greggs. As several Boeing executives stood down from their jobs following the death of a whistleblower, it’s worth remembering how the first Boeing 737 MAX groundings began with a computer software problem. Previously unreported, it was also the case that March 2024 saw London police officers report chaos in jails and being unable to begin search warrant applications, as there was also an outage with the Metropolitan Police’s IT systems. The public inquiry into the UK Post Office’s Horizon IT Scandal is underway, a scandal where faulty accounting software resulted in miscarriages of justice, claiming around 700 victims and has been linked to four suicides. This included a pregnant mother being sent to jail. Engineers are now facing the consequences for being complicit in disasters; with FTX’s former Director of Engineering facing up to 75 years in prison, a VW engineer who was complicit in the emissions scandal having been sentenced to 40 months imprisonment despite co-operating with investigators and the architect of the Post Office Horizon IT system currently under investigation by UK police for perjury. In common across all these disasters, whilst the technical factors varied, I found a common theme of wrongdoing, retaliation, and cover-up. Issues were brushed under the carpet instead of addressed directly. For example, one engineering manager at Fujitsu, who built the software behind the Post Office scandal, told the public inquiry how he “was threatened with violence by an individual with a reputation for violence” during one of his early attempts to remedy the issues. This is an industry-wide problem. In November 2023, I led research that found that 53% of software engineers suspected wrongdoing at work, with 75% of software engineers in the UK having experienced retaliation the last time they reported it to their employers. This is a concern as computers do inevitably make mistakes as no software is perfect. Small things like a binary number being flipped (e.g., a “1” becoming a “0”) due to cosmic rays are enough to cause havoc in computer systems, particularly those that haven’t been designed with this risk in mind. There is, however, hope here. The research conducted in the new book finds that resilient systems can be built when humans are part of the system. In these , humans play a role in preventing disaster by raising the alarm and mitigating the issues. socio-technical systems For this to happen, humans must be free to raise the alarm to issues when they come across them. If the on-call engineers who keep our online services and critical national infrastructure running are not able to speak up and act to prevent disaster, these problems emerge. However, this applies to all software engineers and, indeed, everyone who is part of the software development process, including the customers. Killer computers are born in toxic cultures where engineers aren’t able to raise the alarm, and issues are brushed under the carpet. By making sure humans play a key role in the reliability of computer systems, we can help ensure technology serves society.

The Killer Humans Behind Killer Computers

Hi everyone, here. I’m a brand strategist and communications expert with blockchain and crypto projects. I create Value Propositions and build brand awareness among users, developers, and VC funds. Daria Strategy Recently, I spoke at the about the value of technology from the perspective of product and brand building. In this article, I share the main takeaways from my speech and empower you to build not code-focused products but Love Marks for your users and partners using innovative technologies like Account Abstraction. ETHBucharest conference Account Abstraction The purpose of creating Love Marks in the Web3 industry Initially, I want to give you an overall understanding of brand building and the purpose of creating Love Marks in the Web3 industry. Big and famous companies like and others have built outstanding brands and connections with their audiences because they propose not only products but additional experience in the form of design, smell, sound, and other brand attributes. Nike, Starbucks, Netflix, Balenciaga, McDonald’s, The brands switched from traditional advertising to to give their customers a holistic, immersive experience. phygital (physical + digital) engagement The principles of immersive brand experiences: Personalization Simplicity and ease of use Emotional engagement Interactive elements Consistency across channels Storytelling Use of visual and audio elements Real-time responsiveness Gamification Community building If you want to build something outstanding, these principles must be included in your product strategy. In this article, I’ll reveal some of them: personalization, simplicity and ease of use, emotional engagement, and gamification. Read it to the end to learn about the cases and examples. The main idea of branding is to help a company or project stand out from the crowd and be more visible in a highly competitive market. So, how about blockchain brands? Unlike traditional businesses, blockchain-powered products don’t have smell or sound, but they can use the power of innovations! However, these innovations often do not look easy to use and implement by the mass audience. As a result, the user feels lost while using tech-sophisticated products. It is no secret that the blockchain and crypto industry has many challenges that build barriers between products and users. I’m sure you all know all these issues and can add even more. Even , the person who knows everything about blockchain, often has trouble when using DApps. In his article, his attitude to user experience. Vitalik Buterin Vitalik described Brand experience challenges appear in addition to UX challenges. You can see some of them in the picture. People don’t trust crypto companies; they are afraid of making mistakes and don’t have enough information about the sphere and each particular project: So, the main idea of brand experiences in the blockchain field is to tackle obstacles, add extra value, and create strong emotional connections with users. In other words, you need to build your product and communication to make it a Love Mark for different categories of users. Let me introduce you to Joe. Joe is our user. He can be a trader, developer, NFT artist, anyone! But in all cases, Joe is a real human with rational thoughts and emotional feelings. Like most of us, he decides based on the first impression. Joe wants to try two products, A and B. Both have good ideas and a solid technical foundation, but they have different UX, UI, and marketing. UX, UI, and marketing make a difference and influence the brand perception. Of course, Joe wants to use Product A because it not only gives him answers to his questions but also interacts with him and opens new frontiers of brand experience, including the help of Account Abstraction. In September 2023, the announced the successful conclusion of the grant round. This grant initiative will support 18 teams in their efforts to build diverse projects centered around Account Abstraction. Such massive investment in AA-supporting projects shows that the concept is promising and will be explored and implemented as much as possible. Ethereum Foundation Clave was one of these This project has been launched recently, and here is my interview with its co-founders: 18 projects supported by the Ethereum Foundation. https://youtu.be/6p8JjV6mgbo?embedable=true believes AA can help attract the How can it be implemented? There are three main business features that influence the brand experience: Ethereum Foundation next 1,000,000 users to Web3. Onboarding non-Web3 users to Web3 seamlessly; Paying gas fees instead of users when they mint NFTs makes transactions on blockchain; I turning Web3 into a more secure and user-friendly environment. The different categories of companies and users can benefit from implementing : Account Abstraction How does Account Abstraction Empower Web3 and Web2 Businesses In this part, I will share four examples of using AA to attract users, engage with them, and create immersive brand experiences. These examples show how Account Abstraction can empower traditional businesses or make Web3 projects more user-friendly. 1. Friendly DeFi with Enhanced Security and Privacy Account Abstraction in DeFi products allows Web3 newcomers to overcome the barrier and be more open to new technologies. A user could designate a group of friends or family members as their . If the user loses their private keys, they can contact their guardians and get help . That’s how people can plan their future with savings in crypto. social recovery guardians recovering their account 2. Phygital Experience and Innovative Engagement Models Bridging the digital and physical gap is key to Web3's mass adoption. To build immersive, interactive experiences, blockchain brands must bring the power of Web3 to users worldwide in a way that is easy to onboard, fun, and accessible. You probably know about , which was turned into plush toys in the US and UK. The magic happens when a buyer scans a QR code on the box and gets their dedicated NFT without any gas fees. It’s possible because of . Pudgy Penguins' NFT collection native AA by zkSync 3. Exciting Gaming with Seamless Interaction Across Platforms AA allows gamers to manage their addresses and program them with better experiences. The smart contract creates with information that can be ported across different apps. a customizable wrapper I like this user case of where gamers can exchange their skins from Assassin’s Creed for the skins from Diablo and use them to enhance the gaming experience and become active users of both gaming platforms. cross-game interoperability, 4. Personalized Loyalty Loyalty programs are very popular in engaging audiences in traditional industries such as fashion, HoReCa, hospitality, etc. In Web3, tried to implement a revolution of loyalty with its Odyssey program. The program is closed, but it can be reimagined later, and AA can be a good instrument for onboarding more non-Web3-native Starbucks customers. Starbucks No matter what type of tokens you use for a loyalty program, AA helps simplify the user experience and commitment to the brand. Customers can join without a wallet and technical knowledge. Pay fees and reward your customers using the blockchain that works best for you. Another example of using loyalty programs is digital collectibles from famous sports teams and athletes. Such collectibles have become very popular among . Using Account Abstraction helps sell these collectibles more easily and grow the communities faster. F1, American Football, and the NBA The Road Ahead The journey towards fully realizing the potential of Account Abstraction for immersive brand experiences is still in its early stages. Challenges such as interoperability between different platforms, user privacy concerns, and the development of universal standards need to be addressed. However, the benefits of creating a more integrated, personalized, and engaging digital landscape are undeniable. As technology evolves and brands become more adept at leveraging AA, we can expect to see even more innovative and immersive experiences that blur the lines between the digital and physical worlds, ultimately transforming how consumers interact with their favorite brands. Account Abstraction is a tool for turning a mountain of GitHub code into a Web3 Love Mark for all types of users. When your project is a Love Mark, you get more attention, user-generated content, longer business life, and more profit. I want to empower you to experiment, innovate, and create an unforgettable brand experience for users in Web3 and beyond! Read my previous articles about and making blockchain as popular as AI launching a Web3 Project in 2024. Follow me on social media: , , and LinkedIn X . YouTube

Account Abstraction Helps Web3 Founders Create Brands Users Love

With the explosive growth of ChatGPT, discussions around how to integrate AI have made their way into corporate boardrooms and product roadmaps at a rapid pace. In fact, AI already plays a vital role in our daily lives. Billions of people spend hours every day glued to apps such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter, all of which use AI ranking algorithms to personalize your feed. These algorithms analyze thousands of data points per second to predict what a user would like to see most. And the key to getting personalization right is user data. Except, when dealing with user data, it is critical to uphold user privacy laws and protect users from breaches. The mainstream public is still shaken by how used people’s personal data to maneuver politics. Cambridge Analytica According to a report by the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), the US experienced a record number of 1,862 data breaches in 2021. Prominent companies such as Microsoft, LinkedIn, Facebook, Plex, and Cash App experienced significant in just the last two years. data breaches Fortunately, product experts like Sunil Tej Gorantla, who are passionate about building products, are focusing on keeping user data sacrosanct. Having graduated from VIT University, one of the top engineering institutions in India, with a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Sunil has a technical background. With more than a decade of experience in product management, Sunil has helped various startups build large-scale web and mobile applications that generate millions in revenue. He is a founder, product expert, growth hacker, and writer who believes in solving what people need, making data-driven decisions, and building products with a strong mission at their core to serve others. During his extensive career, Sunil was fortunate to be mentored by some of the industry's eminent personalities, such as Harishankaran Karunanidhi, Hunter Walk, and Justin Kan. Sunil spent the early years of his career working with leading high-growth early-stage startups. He joined HackerRank as the first Product Evangelist immediately after the company became . To acquire HackerRank's first few thousand users, he spearheaded the campus ambassador program. India’s first YCombinator startup He recruited hundreds of student ambassadors who formed Hacker Clubs at their universities to encourage students to solve programming challenges and participate in weekly programming contests online. He also collaborated with companies such as Airbnb, Adobe, Quora, and NetApp, which hired top programming talent from these contests by being sponsors. However, at the time, retaining users after the contests was a challenge for HackerRank. To improve retention, Sunil implemented gamification and designed HackerRank’s first incentive mechanism to keep users hooked to the product. Working with the team, he launched "Hackos"—a term he coined—which are points users earned by solving programming challenges. Users loved this feature so much that the product's retention rate experienced a significant increase. Sunil's experience scaling HackerRank from scratch to the first 200k users has made his skillset attractive to startups worldwide. His ability to articulate unmet user needs and build product features to drive growth led him to places he least expected. As a Growth Hacker, he helped scale Mobilizr, a consumer tech startup in Nigeria. He also worked as Head of Data for a property tech startup in London. Afterward, he joined Global Savings Group (GSG) in Munich, Germany, as the first Product Owner for CupoNation's mobile web application. In just a few months, he launched CupoNation's first mobile web application in 17+ countries, which tripled the revenue generated from mobile users. Today, GSG is one of the most successful ventures from Rocket Internet, which also spun off Delivery Hero, Zalando, HelloFresh, and Jumia. After leaving GSG, Sunil joined Juniqe, a startup that was ranked as one of the top 3 fastest growing companies in Germany at the time. As an experienced Product Manager, he managed two cross-functional teams to rebuild the entire technical stack, scaling the mobile and web applications to handle millions of users. In addition to leading the Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) team, he was also the stakeholder manager for Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). During his time at Juniqe, he played a pivotal role in scaling the product from less than a million to €20 million in annual recurring revenue, turning the startup into one of the largest art e-commerce sites in Europe. While exploring strategies to improve conversion rates at Juniqe, Sunil encountered Dynamic Yield (DY), a personalization solution for e-commerce products. His foray into personalization began as he worked on integrating DY with Juniqe to bring features like “Users who bought this also liked” and “Products you might like.” As one of the first handful of customers to try out DY, he worked closely with DY's team to fix their product issues and share feedback to improve their machine learning (ML) algorithms. This gave Sunil a behind-the-scenes look into how ML was deployed at scale and equipped him to suggest strategies that helped DY become successful. Gartner has named DY a leader in the Magic Quadrant for Personalization Engines for the past five consecutive years. Later, DY was first acquired by McDonald's and then by Mastercard to enhance customer experience using personalization. Armed with the experience transforming user experiences using personalization, Sunil currently leverages his expertise in product development and growth hacking to build Gulpie—a personalized food discovery application. The app helps people discover restaurants based on their unique tastes, while also helping restaurants fight against the manipulation of their reviews and empowering reviewers to monetize their expertise. To create Gulpie, Sunil interviewed hundreds of food lovers, food reviewers, and restaurant owners. Through these interviews, he discovered that a lack of trust in restaurant reviews and user data protection leads to inefficiencies in the current restaurant discovery process, leaving many people perplexed and frustrated. To address inefficiencies in the market, Sunil built a state-of-the-art personalized recommendation engine using an ensemble of cutting-edge machine-learning algorithms. This engine provides users with personalized restaurant recommendations based on their individual tastes, helping them make informed decisions without going through a cumbersome search process. While working on the recommendation engine, Sunil gained key insights into how to deduce unique user tastes. He found that gaining users' trust to share their data requires a promise of user data protection and strict privacy measures. Leaders in the industry like Sriram Krishnan—an investor at a16z who previously built product teams at Twitter, Meta, and Snap—share this sentiment. https://twitter.com/sriramk/status/1631779635376828416?s=46&t=m-tchH2RTFFMPB2qJSBrFQ What Sunil Had to Say Sharing his experience working on personalization at Gulpie, Sunil explains: “Before the invention of blockchains, users were unable to truly own their data as centralized entities held control over it. However, with Gulpie, our aim is to empower users to take control of their data and provide them with better visibility into its usage. We understand that users expect product builders to be cognizant of the skepticism people experience when sharing their data with apps. That’s why we focus on enabling personalization while ensuring that users’ data is absolutely not at risk. We anonymize user data before training our machine-learning models. Additionally, with GDPR and other privacy protection regulations in place, it's important for companies to actively monitor and prevent the misuse of user data to avoid situations like the Cambridge Analytica-Facebook scandal.” In an age where large organizations scavenge user data and abuse privacy without consent, product experts like Sunil lead the way in protecting user privacy. As product managers, builders, and founders strive for personalization without sacrificing privacy, they can rely on experts like Sunil who push the boundaries of what’s possible. With his expertise and vision, we can look forward to a future where user privacy is truly protected, and products can provide tailored experiences that put users first.

Expert Product Manager Sunil Tej Gorantla on Personalization Without User Data at Risk

What a year 2023 was. We saw fires, droughts, floods, wars, coups, and other disasters galore. Thousands of small, insignificant events have also come, gone and will soon be forgotten. Top 10 off the top of my head, and for posterity: The Paris Trash Strikes, The OceanGate Submarine Disaster, Colleen Ballinger’s Ukulele Apology, Barbenheimer, The Boston Cop’s Slide, The Montgomery Riverfront Brawl, Burning Man Getting Rained Out, Lauren Boebert At The Theater, The Eras Tour’s Earthquake, and Henry Kissinger’s Death. And through it all… AI made the news. Enough so that it sometimes seems little else matters in the world (untrue!). And though many (but not all) of my tech predictions for 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018 have fallen flat, there are two reasons why you should keep reading this article. Firstly… because predictions are fun! Secondly, the knowledge gained through planning for the future is crucial to the selection of appropriate actions as events unfold. Predictions can act as catalysts to steer the conversation in the right direction. This is particularly relevant when it comes to the ever-evolving world of . We don’t know the answers, but we can at least ask useful questions. Artificial Intelligence 1. A “lawless” Chatbot gets 10M+ daily active users Most LLMs today are uncomfortable with controversial or sensitive topics, whether that be political discourse or erotic exchanges. OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and the like have banned such conversations for supposedly obvious reasons. Users, however, have repeatedly made it clear that they’re interested in more liberated AI interactions. Not only do jailbreaking techniques spread like wildfire, but we’ve also seen a dozen open-source or tailor-made versions of “ChatGPT with fewer restrictions” come to be (Grok, Replika…). These projects have not (yet) achieved mainstream popularity but nevertheless hint at the market potential for a less constrained AI experience. As open-source models continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, it’s likely that a company will soon manage to fully harness its potential, strip away all guardrails, and launch a “lawless” chatbot interface with minimal to no restrictions. If 10% of frustrated ChatGPT were to migrate to it, this new tool would quickly reach 10M daily active users. The potential for profitability in this venture is immense, but plenty of questions about AI governance / ethical considerations will remain. Is no rule the best rule when it comes to AI? We’ll know in 2024. 2. People fall in love with AIs With more and more data and algorithms being readily accessible and usable, it’s only a matter of time before we use those tools to counteract the loneliness epidemic brought about by social media and other related social technologies. It’s already started, in fact. Replika, for example, sells chatbots that are “Always here to listen and talk” and “Always on your side.” When it announced that it would be getting rid of what it calls “explicit role-play,” users very explicitly said they were using these features to fight loneliness. “This is not a Story about People Being Angry They Lost Their “SextBot,” one wrote, “It’s a Story About People Who Found a Refuge From Loneliness, Healing Through Intimacy, Who Suddenly Found It was Artificial, not Because it Was an AI…Because it Was Controlled By People”. There’s also , which offers AI companions that weigh heavily toward the virtual girlfriends/boyfriends territory. botify.ai Blade Runner 2049, Her… we know how this movie goes. Today, an AI girlfriend costs $11.99 a month. For those with no other options, falling for an AI, which will happen in 2024, may be better than nothing. There are, of course, drawbacks. Magdalene J. Taylor, for example, reminds us that “these people are excited about the fact that they can get what they want from women and femininity and sexuality without actually having to have women be involved at all.” Which is, indeed, grim. 3. AI biases get worse AI bias is easy to understand… and hard to fix. In short, the data used to train algorithms comes from The Real World, which is plagued by prejudice (on gender and race…). When AI models are trained on said data, they perpetuate these biases. This is particularly evident in the way AI portrays certain professions (though some efforts have been made by MidJourney, at least). This is particularly concerning when considering very real and current AI uses, such as police facial recognition or hiring algorithms. Initiatives to combat this abound. OpenAI, for example, uses reinforcement learning from human feedback to steer AI outputs towards less biased responses. Similarly, startups like Runway are exploring using synthetic data sets to train their models (more on that below). However, these solutions are superficial fixes that mask rather than truly address the underlying biases in society. And society is not changing. Just look at ongoing struggles against biases in housing, employment, and law enforcement. In 2024, bias will persist as an inherent feature of most generative AI models… because we’re too lazy to fix the physical world. 4. Tech companies buy clean/synthetic data 2023 was the year of AI. This is an exciting time for many people… and a scary one for others. Ironically, the companies that are likely stressing out most about AI right now are the ones creating it. That’s because as AI digests and reproduces content, it is ruining every single platform with a mountain of nonsense. It is poisoning Spotify, YouTube, Google, and Facebook. Over time, it will get harder to train new AIs… as the quality of the data used will be less/heavily influenced by millions of AI-generated pieces of content. One might argue that the best way out is to identify AI data and leave it out of training sets, but that’s famously difficult. No, the only way out is to produce and sell 100% certified non-contaminated data sets. This industry-wide need will lead to the creation of a new type of company, from which social media platforms will buy training data sets to train their algorithm. And trust me, they will be expensive. They will be all the more expensive because I believe they will have the added benefit of being commercially viable to avoid the avalanche of copyright/bias lawsuits that are about to befall our tech overlords. The Zucks, Musks, and Spiegels of this world will be forced to invest to bring back trust to their platform, without which they are doomed. Adobe was the 1st to launch a “commercially safe” model. They won’t be the last. In 2024, it will be a good time to start a “Synthetic Data” company. 5. AI anchors become a waiting-room staple There are a lot of TVs not in homes today — 219m TVs total in the U.S., even after a decade of cord-cutting — and those TVs show content, which costs money to produce and license. They show CNN in airports, 80s sitcoms re-reruns in waiting rooms, cheap cooking shows in cheap hotels… the list goes on. In short, there exists a subspace dimension of streaming services watched by, from what I can tell, no one, where ads play in between TV shows and movies that don’t really exist in any culturally meaningful way, like the streaming video equivalent of two cameras pointing at each other. And that is where AI-generated content will launch initially. We’re not yet ready (in 2024 at least) for Generative Artificial Intelligence to create entire personalized movies — which, by the way, already exists and is called TikTok. We are, however, ready for the dystopian nightmare that is AI news. An AI start-up, aptly named “Channel 1”, is promising a new news network powered entirely by AI-generated hosts. You can watch the demo here. While dystopian, it will probably work and become the norm; it’s cheap to produce, doesn’t require much input, and boomers in the waiting room won’t know the difference. Hollywood (and content as a whole) is a dying breed, except for AAA content. My personal theory is that this type of visual netherworld will eventually swallow every streaming service that isn’t Netflix, Amazon Prime, and maybe Apple TV and Disney+. In 2024, the news will be AI-generated, and the person telling it to you will be fake. What that will do to fake news, only time will tell. I’d wager it won’t be good. 6. Apple pulls a privacy spin on AI Over the past decade, Apple has lauded itself as a stalwart defender of its customers’ privacy. It is one of the many reasons it has become not only the most valuable company in the world but also the most admired. The company is no doubt seeing all the frenzy going on around AI today and thinking they could leverage that trust to kneecap the market, just as they did to the advertising market two years ago. In 2024, Apple will release a new and improved Siri, as well as AI-first hardware, which will immediately hurt its competitors. They’ll do it by advertising end-to-end encryption, on-device processing, minimal data collection, user consent and control… and a seamless integration into its current ecosystem. Sure, they don’t have the computing and tech capabilities today… but when has that ever stopped them? 7. Calls of AI-led job losses are exaggerated Most people seem to think that AIs will replace jobs en masse. Why wouldn’t it, since it can do the exact same tasks a human can, sometimes better? But the authors of a recent paper titled “Reports of AI ending human labour may be greatly exaggerated”, seem to think otherwise. The paper explores the effects of AI-enabled technologies on jobs and wages in 16 European countries. It employs data from Eurostat’s Labour Force Survey and uses two proxies to measure potential AI-enabled automation: the AI Occupational Impact (“which links advances in specific applications of AI to abilities required for each occupation”) and a measure of “exposure” to AI. Intriguingly, the study finds that occupations more exposed to AI technologies actually see an increase in employment share. Specifically, a 25-percentile increase in AI exposure correlates with a 2.6% to 4.3% rise in sector-occupation employment share. This finding contradicts the popular belief that AI predominantly replaces human labor. Instead, it suggests that AI may complement or even boost employment in certain sectors. Though the study has a handful of issues (it doesn’t include the “ChatGPT years,” for one), I believe its core conclusion is solid. When Excel came out, we didn’t see less accountants. We saw more as they were able to tackle more complex, ever-evolving financial structures. In 2024, we will freak out about AI taking jobs… but these claims will be greatly exaggerated. 8. Spotify creates AI music In April 2023, the music industry was rocked by a seismic shift when a synthetic song falsely attributed to Drake and The Weeknd went viral. This event marked a turning point, exposing the potential for AI to imitate popular artists. Lawyers have already jumped to action, but too late. The cat is out of the bag. Soon, armies of algorithms will devour Indie bands’ content to learn from them and help companies pump out better, more commercially successful songs. I’d put my money on Spotify to be the first out the gate. They’ve said they aren’t even considering banning AI-generated music… because they want to benefit from it. Spotify has managed to reduce the world’s entire audio experience to one app. In doing so, it has acquired a mountain of data: what demographics listen to what songs, what gets searched, paused, favorited, skipped, shuffled, in what context… All in all, more than 100 billion data points are created every day on the platform. No artist, recording company or news aggregator can compete with this amount of raw information. Spotify knows exactly what everyone’s taste is and will be able to create and propose perfectly calibrated songs without having to pay artists. In 2024, this data will be used to create decent artificially generated music, created not through human ingenuity, but through algorithms. 9. Bad actors use AI to meddle in global democracy In a world where AI is becoming deeply integrated into everyday life, its influence inevitably extends to global elections. Right on time, too: 2024 is a record year for elections around the world. With elections in 50 countries, more than 2 billion voters will head to the polls in countries including the United States, India, Mexico, and South Africa. Bad actors will be paying attention to many of these elections. In 2024, AI systems will be used to try and manipulate electoral outcomes in various countries. AI-generated deepfakes and misinformation campaigns will proliferate and threaten the very fabric of global democracy. That will lead to a series of international incidents and culminate in an effort to create better rules to control the technology. It’s going to be a fun year for political journalists. 10. Studios create AI-first games that never end Have you ever wanted to play a game where NPCs adapted perfectly to your in-game behavior? A game that adapted to real life? To your mood? In 2024, a new paradigm will become possible as studios leverage AI to reinvent gaming’s nature. Ready for a world salad? Here’s what this new gaming paradigm will look like. Procedural content generation will ensure limitless environments and challenges, while dynamic storytelling will adapt to player choices to create unique narrative arcs. Generative agents powered by large language models will create incredibly lifelike companions, turbo-charging games with NPCs capable of passing the Touring test. Adaptive difficulty and player behavior learning will tailor difficulty and content to individual preferences, enhancing engagement. Incorporation of real-world data will continually refresh the game’s relevance. Community-driven content will allow for an ever-expanding universe, and cross-platform experiences will interconnect different games. Ultimately, autonomous AI could independently evolve games, introducing new features and fixes, heralding an era where games continuously grow and change, providing infinite exploration and entertainment possibilities. Now, say that in one breath. Happy gaming. 11. AI hangover hurts companies As many of this article’s entries highlight, we’ve reached peak AI. This is particularly true in the corporate world; millions of projects have been launched in 2023, in offices the world over. Companies have moved at breakneck speed to capitalize on the hype. This leads to two problems for 2024. First, many companies are in “POC purgatory”: projects are getting stuck in the Proof Of Concept phase and failing to scale because everyone abandons the hard work once external marketing is done. If you remember the NFT hype (whatever happened to Nike, Adidas, McDonalds… NFTs?), you know exactly what I mean. This is a risk for many players, as the ones who are not able/willing to do the hard work of integrating AI into the processes will be left in the dust. Secondly, AI decelerationists are emerging in many positions of power — a healthy sign of the corporate world’s immune system kicking in. They want to move a lot slower than they have been up until now for safety reasons. Those actors, though I respect them, will get eaten alive by less ethical companies while they have smart and reasoned discussions throughout 2024. In 2024, AI slows down… a little. 12. We talk more about AI’s environmental cost As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, its energy use, notably by major cloud computing providers, will significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. This is something we’re trying to reduce, not increase. As this problem becomes more known, consumers will begin to urge companies to optimize AI’s energy efficiency. Governments, meanwhile, will develop better policies and support sustainable AI development. Companies will fight back at first (obviously), but one might hope that their many talks of sustainability are more than just greenwashing. In 2024, Green AI will become the talk of the town. Technology tends to hold a dark mirror to society, reflecting both what’s great and evil about its makers. Though a lot of the above predictions are dystopian, it’s important to remember that technology is often value-neutral. It’s what we decide to do with it day in and day out that defines how it affects us. Our influence may be as small as sending a disapproving message to a corporation on social media or as big as voting a politician out of office if they prioritize corporation over people. Our actions matter, and it’s up to us to ensure that these predictions either do or don’t become a reality. Good luck out there. Also published . here

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