Next Insurance is a fast-growing 350+ person startup based in Silicon Valley and is led by a team of experienced entrepreneurs with a history of successful outcomes

Next Insurance

The digital era has enabled an accelerated shift in consumer expectations for speed, ease, convenience, and personalization of interactions across all industries. Delightful Customer experience (CX) is no longer just a buzzword; it’s a vital element of every business strategy. In order to stay competitive in today's marketplace, companies must provide exceptional digital customer service through technology solutions that empower employees and help customers save time and money by simplifying the interacting processes. In fact, as per the recent Forbes survey, 58% of customers are willing to pay more for better customer service. In the insurance sector, customer service takes on multiple roles and features at various touchpoints, whether it is assisting a customer in identifying the right policy suitable for them or aiding them during the policy renewal process. However, everything boils down to the claims-related experience as it is one of the primary factors influencing the CX. After all, if the company fails to offer the level of support or service that they have been promising or advertising previously, it effectively nullifies the entire CX leading up to this point! As such, it is mission-critical for insurance companies to tie insurance claims activities with robust and responsive customer service so that the CX stays unaffected, or better yet, improves. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the industry’s biggest challenges and how we are using technology to bridge that gap between next-gen insurance claims management and exceptional customer service. Why Customer Service is Important When Handling Claims? Bridging the next-gen claims process and customer service is important for several reasons. For starters, customer satisfaction (NPS) goes up and retention rates ramp up when people have a positive experience with their insurance company. Those who are unsatisfied will likely switch to another provider in search of something better—or simply not renew at all. That means more money going out of pocket for customers who may otherwise be satisfied with their current policy(s). In fact, as per a recent PWC survey, 41% of surveyed customers said they are likely or more likely to switch providers due to a lack of digital capabilities in CX areas. Improved customer retention leads directly to increased profitability: As we discussed above, delighted customers mean higher premiums paid by companies like yours (and thus lower costs). Plus, the focus can be shifted to acquiring new customers and improving the market share even more. This can translate into greater profits over time because fewer policies need renewal fees or churning fees applied against them later on! To reiterate, the CX hinges strongly on claims-related experience. Main Challenge to a Better Claims Experience:  Communication, Communication, Communication As the insurance industry changes and digitally savvy customers’ expectations continue to rise, it is important for businesses to understand how they can improve their customer experience and make it more differentiating. The main challenge that many insurers face is that a large portion of customers wants to interact with their insurance company digitally faster and in a more convenient way. These customers want easy access to information and services, but they also want real-time interactions with representatives when making claims or filing an incident report. The problem that is often overlooked by many insurers is that they are not equipped to deal with this new demand. They do not have the technology or infrastructure in place to support customers who want to interact with their agents digitally. This means that many insurance companies are losing business and revenue because they cannot meet the needs of their clients. Even the ones who do manage to digitize their interactions fall short as they are unable to provide the level of omnipresence that is expected from them. In some cases, the ‘channel of preference’ matters a lot when a customer prefers specific channels to interact with the insurer. It can be calls, social media, agent-driven web chat, automated web chat, emails, or texts. In those cases, the insurers need to have a channel deflection strategy in case the volume of inquiries go beyond a certain level in some channels. The solution to this problem is simple. Insurance businesses need to to provide customers with the level of service they expect. It all boils down to how fast the claim can be lodged and processed, how simple the claims are managed end-to-end and how transparent the processing itself is. This calls for implementing new-age technology that allows agents to work remotely while still being able to interact with customers face-to-face if necessary throughout the claims process. Having a centralized yet omnipresent solution to manage communications can prove to be useful in meeting your customers where they are - online, offline, desktop, mobile, you name it. modernize claims management system How to Elevate Insurance Claims Experience? Here’s a look at how insurance companies can elevate the claims experience through technological intervention. 1. Infuse Data Analytics for Making Smarter Decisions Insurance companies usually have huge piles of customer data. Analytics can be leveraged to make intelligent decisions based on those data in real-time. In the past, analytics were used primarily to measure and improve operational efficiency, but now they are being applied in more strategic ways that benefit customers as well. For example, an insurance company could use analytics to identify customers who have recently been involved in an incident and determine which ones would be most likely to return for another claim in the future. This information can then be used by customer service agents who are responsible for addressing customer queries related to these claims—for instance: Agents will know who's likely to need additional assistance because they have previously submitted claims (e.g., high-risk drivers with multiple accidents) before calling back again later; Customer service agents or representatives may use this information when communicating with potential clients about options available through their policy(s). The agents can also use speech analytics to understand the tonality of the customers on call. The analytics engine can also recommend the next best action to the agents which can help them have a better conversation with the customer. Such data inputs allow customer service agents and representatives to embed value at every exchange and make the claims process frictionless. 2. Unleash the Power of Connected Claims Connected claims are a way to interact with your customers in a way that's more personal, meaningful, and convenient. They can be used to provide a more customer-oriented service, as well as to give you a better understanding of your customer's needs so that you can fulfill them. This requires the data gathered from the customers integrated with efficient IT processes and analytic solutions to act as the driving force behind the strategy-based changes. For example, if you're offering auto insurance, a connected claim could allow you to use data from sensors to provide information about what caused the loss, immediately search for the nearest garage that can fix the issue, reach out to the customer alert them of the same and sharing information that will help them get the issue sorted quickly. Overall, insurers can use advanced analytics, repair updates, and offer claims-related support using a Connected Claims system. Thus, it could also help you understand which policies are best for your customers' needs. You might also have connected claims for any time a customer uses your product or service. This can help you figure out what features are most popular among your customers, which can help make future products more effective. Addressing a pressing market gap or satisfying a customer-led demand can position your insurance company favorably amongst your target audience. 3. Embrace Automation For Faster and Frictionless Settlement Customer satisfaction is improved when claims are settled faster. This is because customers will have less time to be inconvenienced by the process and gain resolutions faster. For example, businesses can use insurance claims management software that allows them to track the progress of each claim at each stage from beginning to end. This way, they can identify issues early on and address them before a claim gets too far along in the process and becomes more difficult or time-consuming to resolve. At the same time, customers can also leverage this feature to visualize the movement of their claims and not have to follow up persistently with the insurance company. As such, it eliminates several pain points for businesses and customers and elevates their respective experiences. The insurers can also leverage hyperautomation technologies for Straight Through Processing (STP) of claims to keep up with the dynamic demands of modern-day consumers.  In this case, the insurer automatically processes claims transactions without manual intervention or input. The system ingests data digitally and processes the claims seamlessly based on decisions governed by algorithms, including predictive models and simple business rules which are controlled by the insurers. STP enables speed, consistency, and productivity while making the customer experience quicker and more convenient. Additionally, reducing the time taken for resolving claims also helps increase revenue through word-of-mouth marketing that will bring in new customers who were not satisfied with their previous experience with a competing insurer. Conclusion As you can see, the claims experience is an important part of the customer journey that deserves careful attention. Exceptional customer service can help you retain existing customers, build trust between your employees and customers, and propel your business to new heights. The way a company handles claims is crucial for generating positive reviews and testimonials about its products or services—and thus increasing its value as an insurer over time.

Implementing a Bridge Between Next-Gen Insurance Claims and Exceptional Customer Service

Application programming interfaces (APIs) have been around for 20 years, but, as points out, just one in five community banks in the USA had deployed APIs before 2020, and they aren’t even on the radar of at least 20% of the banks. Ron Shevlin Contrast this with Europe, where 97% of UK banks are already using them, and even the lowest uptake country, the Netherlands, has 83% of its banks deploying APIs.The reason for this huge gap between the USA and Europe is the latter’s Open Banking initiative, however Shevlin says that American banks cannot simply use this as an excuse for their low adoption of the technology. As a result of the lack of API deployment, US banks are missing out on a number of opportunities, including the reduction of time and costs in several business processes, particularly product application-related processes. The best known API providers include Stripe, Plaid and Yodlee. These three have furthered the connections between financial institutions and fintech companies. However, Shevlin says there are three fintech startups that are “poised to have a significant impact on the banking industry: Pinwheel, Sila, and Codat.” Pinwheel Pinwheel, which has just announced a $7 million funding raise, offers an API for payroll data, “that handles everything from income and employee verification to easily switching and managing direct deposit.” How would this revolutionise banking? According to a Techcrunch article, “For consumers, the main draw is automated direct deposit control, which will allow consumers to control where their paychecks go. For instance, if they want to split a direct deposit into multiple accounts, or regularly move part of their paycheck into a savings app like Digit or Acorns, Pinwheel can help them do that easily.” Sila According to Coindesk, Sila, “is an API platform that issues an ERC-20 stablecoin called SilaToken (SILA). Every transaction on the platform is done using the token, which is pegged 100:1 to the U.S. dollar. Sila plans to install card payments, international payments, business ID verification and begin issuing tokens within one business day. Its partner bank, Evolve Bank & Trust, plans to connect to the Clearing House system, a network started by big banks that provides access to instant payments.” Techcrunch comments that Sila’s API would: “Supplant ACH as the payments choice for companies who need to move money. Sila’s API for identity verification, which empowers developers to identify users and use that info in the company’s banking API, allows users to debit their accounts and move funds from one account to another. On top of that infrastructure, Sila allows for the creation of smart contracts, which should allow for more rapid deployment of financial apps.” Codat Codat, which is based in London, has an API focused on small businesses, and is signing up 10,000 new customers per month. According to TechCrunch: “Codat is building an API that connects with all the systems that hold all the relevant financial data. That type of information is usually spread across multiple systems, and small businesses often use different systems. On the other side, banks, insurance companies and more can speed up their internal processes and give you an educated answer for your next loan or insurance product.” Codat is especially on point right now as small businesses are struggling and need funds. However, the current lending processes are time-consuming and confusing. Its API simplifies and streamlines the flow of data between small businesses and financial institutions, and could potentially disrupt the way SME loans are handled today. Blockchain As an API Alternative? On the other hand, perhaps APIs aren’t the ultimate answer for a banking revolution. Brian Platz, co-CEO of Fluree, says, “The answer isn't to build a better API; rather, it is to turn the database inside out and let data escape from the walls that confine it. Blockchain is how data frees itself. It’s time to end the era of data APIs and begin to look into the blockchain.”

Are APIs the Real Banking Revolution?

Artificial intelligence has been named a disruptive force in multiple areas, including finance, healthcare, and security. The insurance sector can benefit significantly from these advancements of cognitive technology too. This is made possible with the heaps of data collected by insurance companies and not used to their full potential. In the insurance business vertical, AI can have a positive impact at every level, from automating call center request processing to helping make accurate assessments and executive-level decisions. Through its power to recognize patterns and anticipate actions, AI can provide a predictive environment where risks are anticipated and hedged. Applications of AI for Insurance There are numerous ways to use AI in the insurance industry. So far, it seems that the main areas of AI application in insurance include customer experience (58%), process optimization (43%) and product innovation (19%), from by Everest Global. Ilya Kirillov, CEO of , comments: a 2018 study InData Labs Expert consulting is an essential part of every successful AI project. At this stage of the tech maturity, professionals can help alleviate difficulties in drawing up a custom AI solution development plan and see where AI can be of biggest help in insurers’ day-to-day routing. Fraud Prevention A report by FBI shows that the cost of insurance fraud is estimated at more than . The insurance industry is prone to multiple fraud schemes due to inherent vulnerabilities of policies. However, most of fraudsters follow well-known patterns which AI can identify in a matter of minutes. The risk is to investigate legitimate claims while missing out on actual fraud. $40 billion per year This application will become even more critical in the upcoming years when more policies will be issued and handled exclusively online. AI will be able to highlight any abnormal patterns occurring during policy claim submission if any intervention or diversion have been deliberately made to the insured asset. Claim Support Right now, the insurance sector requires a lot of staff for processing and inspecting claims. This makes policies more expensive and case-solving more cumbersome. These manual tasks can be at least partially replaced with a chatbot to record the claim, verify the details, make sure it is not a fraud attempt, and pass it forward to the bank or other authorized organizations. Through computer vision, the chatbot can analyze the evidence and asses the amount of damage. This is a way to replace the lengthy process of sending an insurance inspector to take photos and make a report. Better Underwriting The most common complaint about insurance policies is typically their price. Insurance-trained AI can create personalized rates based on the client’s actual choices and lifestyle. Factors such as the distance traveled, diseases, financial stability, and more can create dynamically priced policies. For example, you could follow in Metromile’s footsteps and offering insurance based on miles traveled if you don’t use your car too often. The company uses an AI-enhanced sensor system to monitor the driver’s behavior and incidents if any. A similar solution could be created for life insurance based on data provided by fitness trackers and medical records. This is called behavioral premium pricing, and it’s about paying for what risks you take. You are no longer just a data point in a statistic; you are paying for your actions. It’s not about approximating but about taking responsibility. Better Marketing and Customer Experience It’s not only the insurance sector that can benefit from personalized marketing and retargeting based on user preferences. An enhanced online profiling tool can help insurance companies create tailor-made products for a wide array of client segments. Using natural language processing and scanning comments from online platforms and forums can lead to the creation of innovative insurance products that are more adapted to the modern client’s needs. It’s an age-old problem of listening to the client’s voice that is now solved in a new, AI-powered way. Customer experience is all about speed and reliability. The time to settle a claim is a key performance metric for the insurance industry, and if it can be reduced from days to minutes, it is enough reason for most customers to sign it, even if this means potentially trading in a part of their privacy. Possible Future Uses of AI in Insurance The next step of using AI in the insurance sector is not so much about innovating but about integrating. If right now we have different services providing us with insurance for health, car, and home, soon we can hope to see universal insurance models which are customized to the client’s needs and priced dynamically according to the perceived risk. A relevant example in this relation comes from McKinsey’s report . The narrative describes Scott, a fictional client who uses his digitally powered AI assistant, to do some daily chores. The difference from current practices is in computing the premium on the go, based on Scott’s decisions and his particular lifestyle. Insurance 2030 The first conclusion is that we can no longer have one-size-fits-all insurance. Instead, we will have an adaptable version. Also, people will become more careful and try to prevent instead of repairing or treating. This is an interesting paradigm shift since until now joining an insurance pool was about sharing risks, but AI is making us more responsible for our own actions. Is the Public Ready? Any new technology is just as good as the adoption rate. The good news is that has proven that as much as 74% of customers are willing to use computer-generated insurance advice. The promise here is about giving instant help through easy-to-use channels, such as messengers and voice. Accenture In the era when a selfie is enough to buy insurance, like in the case of Lapetus Solutions, the customer gets much more than an insurance policy. They get healthcare advice, possible savings, and dedicated products . The downside of this approach has to do with privacy. In a world where your insurance company can determine what you did last night and if you took your medication, do you feel safe or do you feel part of a Big Brother system? What is the perfect balance between customization and intrusion?

How Artificial Intelligence Is Improving Insurance

Chapter 15 from “Reinventing Societal Infrastructure with Technology” which will be released end of January. I will be posting a new section daily. Please share your feedback as this is a work in progress. This is a list of some of the Khosla Ventures’ portfolio companies that are making the biggest difference in the world today. I’ve tried to be thorough with my analysis but I may have missed one or two along the way. For that I apologize. That said, all of these companies are the reason I get out of bed in the morning and the reason I believe we are all moving forward. Health & medicine: AI & data driven change from “practice of medicine to science of medicine” and specialty by specialty reinvention of the expertise, meaning virtual primary care doctors, cardiologists, psychiatrists, oncologists, is happening in our portfolio. Companies like Alivecor enable personal cardiologist-like functions around ECG like diagnosing atrial fibrillation or reading an ECG for normality, although nothing as forward as a full cardiologist yet and definitely not the interventional cardiologist yet; to partially substitute a therapist like Ginger.io, or perhaps the primary care doctor experience like Forward, or create an AI physician like Curai. Others impact health by making accessible, population-scale genetics services like Color, or transforming xenotransplantation into an everyday, lifesaving medical procedure with eGenesis. Genalyte is tackling blood testing results and making it easier to get them in almost real-time in the doctor’s office versus a third-party lab. Rethinking Oncology is the domain of Guardant Health or Oncobox, which is personalizing genetic profiling to help oncologists decide which drug to use. Conquering infectious diseases through the innovative use of next-generation sequencing to analyze microbial cell-free DNA is something Karius does, being able to scan for 1,300 viruses simultaneously. Other companies are using software for hospitals to help doctors and nurses improve key workflows and coordinate a patient’s care through Medisas, or are focused on entirely rebuilding the next-gen health insurance company, like Oscar does. How about anticipating diseases with tools that enable physicians to predict Alzheimer’s disease before the symptoms appear like Neurotrak? For instance, Viome is using predictive biomarkers to your microbiome’s transcriptome and your blood transcriptome at the strain ro RNA level. Using the microbiome, others are creating microbial therapeutics for inflammatory diseases (Siolta) or to target bacteria based on genome (Eligo). Two Pore Guys is building a digital, hand-held, testing platform for DNA and RNA that’s as accurate as medical lab equipment, but is as inexpensive and easy to use as a blood glucose monitor. Zebra is using AI to rethink most radiologist functions for MRI, CT, x-rays for as little as $1, while Vicarious Surgical is enabling surgeons to do much much more with robots. Heartvista is developing a robust commercial MRI system that will give comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation — real-time data with much less skilled technicians! Pharmaceuticals: We believe that there will be AI based reinvention from small molecule chemicals to precise regulation of genes in the pharmaceutical space. Companies are predicting potential drug cures with the use of supercomputers, artificial intelligence, and a specialized algorithm that runs through millions of molecular structures. This can potentially reduce the cost and time involved in making new drug discoveries as our company Atomwise is doing, or combine world-leading expertise in machine learning and genome biology to transform medicine. Such is the case with Deep Genomics who are designing biologicals, or offering low-cost personalized genetic profiling to help cancer doctors decide which drugs will be most effective like Oncobox. Food & food production: AI, plant by plant robotics, and new methods to reducing chemicals, and precision agriculture are changing the way we produce and consume food. From reinventing the burger to be all plant-based to end animal husbandry,while at the same time reducing environmental impact, like Impossible Foods to creating a new plant-based egg substitute using science like Hampton Creek. What if you could develop sustainable and nutritious food products by matching the protein, fat, and carbohydrate distribution and content of traditional dairy products with a mixture of the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates from plants like Ripple? In terms of food production and restaurants, companies are using robotics to make restaurants more efficient, increase food safety, and reallocate funds to higher quality food. On the agricultural process side, imagine using computer vision and robotics to improve agriculture like Blue River (sold to John Deere), who specifically enables farmers to spray herbicides only where weeds are present. Or to make farms more manageable with Granular (sold to Dupont) or climate insurance more accessible with Climate Corporate (sold to Monsanto)? Satellite imaging is allowing farmers to better predict and optimize farming practices like, the services provided by both Rocketlabs and Skybox. Imagine a world where we can use robotics and AI to reduce pesticides, increase efficiency, and create healthier foods — we are only at the beginning. Financial system: Large institutional bodies are often the most posed for disruption from financial services, risk & insurance, blockchain and software contracts-based services, efficient exchanges, accessibility, and even legal services. New small business and consumer services like are provided to by Square. Affirm or Fundbox can make larger purchases more accessible without credit risk, while Stripe can make payment processing easier. Even, as an example, is rethinking insurance and credit for the modern consumer — managing one’s salary, allowing the customer to allocate a small portion per month to an “emergency” amount to be used when a customer may be in a financial bind. Other companies are using blockchain to reimagine aspects of the financial system — for instance, digitizing experimental money to support blockchain to render it more liquid like BlockStream or allowing users to build Bitcoin applications using an enterprise-grade block chain API like Chain. Add adding to liquidity and efficiency are companies like Opendoor which make home selling much easier and faster. Construction & buildings, Housing: 3D-printing, modular factory built, and housing efficiency are a few areas that have opportunity. Imagine 3D-printing a house, or using manufacturing techniques to create lower cost units like Katera, or using robots to transform a small apartment into what feels like a larger space like Ori. Other companies are using robotics to make kitchens and restaurants more efficient like Spyce, and Momentum is changing city spaces by fully roboticized restaurant kitchens. Arevo, as an example, makes ultra-strong 3D-printed carbon fiber composite materials, while Vicarious is creating robots who can help construct and build, replacing human workers. Education: AI & open source reduce need for infrastructure as well as manpower for education. Imagine a platform for academics to share research papers like academia.edu or an online platform that facilitates interaction among students and instructors like Piazza. New platforms from Piazza (college) a and Kiddom for K-12, now used by one in ten of all US teachers, allow for teachers and students to share assignments, provide feedback, grade, and review reports all in one place are enabling more collaboration and better results in education. Manufacturing: 3Dprinting, robotics, new materials, AI design. Imagine 3D-printing metals like Digital Alloys. Velo3D develops a technology that will disrupt 3D-printing in metals and Arevo that is changing composites manufacturing and affordability. Add robotics technologies like Vicarious, Berkshire Grey and manufacturing, which has been relatively isolated from change is feeling the pressures and innovation. Transportation: Imagine rethinking transportation with autonomous cars and ways to help people get where they need to go faster, cheaper, and with less impact on the environment. In the future, we will simply have self-driving cars as part of a fleet of taxis such as Voyage, or perhaps have alternate shorter destination methods of getting around, such as electric skateboards, like Boosted Boards. Hyperloop? Energy & climate, including water: Some companies are developing a completely new high-power, long-cycle life, low-cost battery technology for stationary and select transit applications like Natron, or building a flexible solar cell design that minimizes the amount of semiconducting material used like Caelux. There are breakthroughs in energy conversion such as Quantumscape, a company developing the first commercial solid state electrical energy storage devices for automotive applications. Others are trying to develop and commercialize new battery technology or develop stabilization for electric grids like Varentec. There are companies who are using new techniques and approaches with technology for geothermal energy and Altarock or consuming waste gases form steel and other industrial process to turn that into useful products. Like all great technology, nuclear energy can be used to create new options for converting low-level waste into vast energy sources like Terrapower, while companies like View Glass and Soraa reduce building energy consumption. And, of course, efforts like Breakthrough Energy Ventures have the potential for incubating long-term technologies for decarbonization. **This is a section from “Reinventing Societal Infrastructure with Technology”. To read the previous section, click here.

Khosla Ventures’ Companies Making A Difference Right Now

1. WWF To Use Blockchain To End Illegal Fishing and Tuna Fishing Slavery The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) announced on its official that it would start using blockchain technology to put an end to illegal fishing, and slavery in the tuna industry. This technology would enable buyers to know if the producer was unregulated, or abused human rights, by scanning a QR code with their smartphone. WWF-Australia, WWF-Fiji, and WWF-New Zealand have joined forces with blockchain tech firm ConsenSys, seafood traceability tech specialist TraSeable, and tuna fishing and processing company Sea Quest Fiji Ltd. The project would focus on the Pacific Island tuna industry. website 2. Decentralised Insurance Could Be Next Bee Token, the startup trying to decentralise Airbnb, and financial services platform WeTrust, have . The two San Francisco-based blockchain startups will do so by creating a “decentralized insurance layer based on crowdsourced security deposits”. The target audience for this project are people already into cryptocurrencies. However, they are not the only ones to believe blockchain technology could revolutionise the insurance industry. Ken Markle, Ageas UK Head of Strategic Development, said that this technology , by improving the transaction process. Markle is also a representative of , another project wanting to use blockchain technology to improve the insurance industry. partnered to decentralise insurance could cut administrative costs by up to 30% B3i 3. One of South Korea’s Largest E-commerce Platforms Is Adding 12 Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Included One of South Korea’s largest e-commerce platform, WeMakePrice, has announced to its payment platform OnThePay. Examples of cryptocurrencies which are going to be included are Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin. The platform, also known as Wemepu, is working in collaboration with the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Bithumb. This is the first time that an e-commerce of this size has offered cryptocurrency payments. However, considering that almost every big business group in the country owns stakes in cryptocurrency companies, it should not come as a surprise. it will add 12 cryptocurrencies 4. Japanese Electronics Merchant Yamada To Accept Bitcoin Payments Japan’s largest consumer electronics merchant has partnered with Bitflyer, and is now trialling Bitcoin payments in its stores. The adoption will be gradual, . It will then expand to the rest of the country. One is in the business district of Tokyo, while the other one is in an area frequented by tourists. According to by the company, the trial started on January 27. The company hopes to increase Bitcoin awareness and usage. A settlement cap of 300,000 Yen ($2,760) has been set on individual accounts. Yamada Denki starting with two stores located in Tokyo an announcement To receive our daily news roundup in your mailbox, sign up here: http://bit.ly/BlockExNewsRoundup

29/01/2018: Biggest Stories in the Cryptosphere

If you’ve been living under a rock or buried in projects throughout 2017, this is the article for you. A lot happened in 2017 that we’ve been carefully watching at setting up 2018 for a lot of action and innovation. X-Team , You can also use this as a guide to plan out your growth as a developer in 2018 to help you get on more innovative projects. React vs. Vue.js Let’s get straight to the good stuff: This time last year, not many had faith that would ever become a big competitor to when it comes to major companies adopting it, but it was impossible to ignore Vue this year, even sending Angular a bit into the shadows in terms of developer hype. Vue React As we look ahead to 2018, we’re about to embark on an intense next 2 years filled with a lot of excitement for . Vue But let’s not forget React still has the financial backing of one of the richest companies in the world, not to mention some incredibly talented maintainers. Both core teams also collaborate and inspire one another. So what’s giving Vue the spotlight? Vue is doing all the things that make developers happy: really Vue is lightweight, easy to learn, has incredible tooling, has great state management and routing built-in (!), etc. Vue’s community certainly isn’t as large as React yet, but communities grow based on whether the core team has great ambassadors and listens to its community (both of which are in place). When it comes to pleasing developers, let’s not forget Facebook’s epic fail this year with the BSD + Patents license snafu that went over with developers. really well Sure, Twitter wars never killed a framework, but we’ve seen before how mismanagement (ex: Angular 2 delay) can create a window of opportunity to allow an alternative to step in and take the spotlight. Here’s a great write-up on from this year. React vs. Vue vs. Angular The likely end scenario? Facebook does what it does best: copy the innovators and the world continues to use React. Every JS developer should still consider learning Vue.js, as it’s made a big enough splash to where we are starting to see the requests for Vue.js developers for hire come in, meaning you can create some value for yourself in the short-term at least. Next.js And then there’s , which we’ll call ‘insurance for React.’ Next.js in terms of tooling, code splitting, routing and state management, allowing you to also retain the massive React ecosystem and support. React coupled with Next.js gets you much closer to the Vue experience Next is also especially useful for server-side rendered apps built in React, an increasing trend on its own. Plus, add in (created by the same team) and you have a super fast way to deploy your React apps. Now.js As the Vue vs. React debate continues among development teams and managers, expect to see more and more adoption of Next in tandem with React. Angular Despite Angular’s growing difficulties at pleasing developers, it will still continue to be a widely used framework in 2018. Many major companies adopted Angular 1.0 years ago, and as they look to migrate to something better in 2018–19, they’ll be looking at React or Vue.js as potential alternatives to Angular 2. Angular’s remaining advocates have taken the stance that Angular will be the JS framework of choice for the enterprise because big companies like OS projects backed by a big company (Google). But can’t the same argument be made about React and Facebook? Here’s everything you need to know about what happened to Angular in 2017. Reason It’s always worth paying attention to anything that Facebook is using in production. Facebook now uses (their take on the already well-established OCaml) , among other projects (WhatsApp, Instagram, Ads, etc.). Reason for the web version of Facebook Messenger In 2017, they also released which creates bindings for React so you can actually write Reason code that compiles to idiomatic ReactJS. reason-react So imagine not needing to install Babel (+ many plugins), Flow, etc. and only needing the power of OCaml + Reason (which now supports React bindings). That’s a big trend waiting to explode. Reason gained far more attention this year in the JS realm than most other compile-to-js languages (sorry Elm, we still love you anyway), so it’s definitely one to keep watching and playing with in 2018. GraphQL is a query language for APIs (think: a modern take on REST). GraphQL GraphQL lived up to the hype in 2017, as major companies like all now have GraphQL-based APIs. Yelp, Spotify, Github, Walmart, NYTimes, etc. Some of these APIs are even exclusively GraphQL, with no REST option even available. Put simply: innovative companies are placing their bets on GraphQL. RESTful APIs are certainly far from dead, but again, looking at the trends of where startups are moving, GraphQL is a popular option. Alternatives like Falcor, on the other hand, are barely ever discussed anymore. This is definitely the time to start learning GraphQL if you want to get jobs at innovative companies. Redux, Relay Modern and Apollo is the ever-popular / project that quickly became the go-to solution for state management and data fetching in React. Redux Dan Abramov Andrew Clark But GraphQL really shook things up for Redux, primarily when it comes to data fetching. We now have (created by Facebook) and , GraphQL client frameworks that let you fetch and pass GraphQL data into your React app more efficiently than Redux can. Relay Modern Apollo But as one developer about Relay/Apollo/Redux: points out These frameworks and their benefits do not have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, using them together can provide a nice separation of concerns that is so important in web development. This means you can still use Redux in tandem with Relay, using Redux for local state and some complex non-server state and then Relay for fetching. But the community is anxious for something to simplify this (and so far the only response is Vuex/ or ). Vue.js /Apollo Cashay Storybook Wow, Storybook really blew up in 2017. is an environment for defining, developing, and testing UI components. Storybook It went from practically dead at the start of the year, to massively popular in mid-2017 thanks to a huge community effort. It’s such an inspiring story of how open source work should evolve and worth reading about. It’s so incredibly useful (and even fun to use), letting you build and test UI components in isolation. It’s like a living UI styleguide that actually provides real value to the developer. You’ve likely come across an open source project using Storybook already, but to see it in action for yourself, check out the Storybook for Airbnb’s date picker. If you want to stand out as a developer in 2018, then show up to an interview with a Storybook from your last project. Also check out , a Storybook alternative that the engineering team at for their components library. Bonus: react-bluekit Netflix is using Prettier As the name suggests, is a code formatter that makes your code much more readable and, well, pretty. Prettier foo(reallyLongArg(), omgSoManyParameters(), IShouldRefactorThis(), isThereSeriouslyAnotherOne()); becomes… foo(reallyLongArg(),omgSoManyParameters(),IShouldRefactorThis(),isThereSeriouslyAnotherOne()); With more than , developers are loving this simple and valuable project. 18,000 stars on Github It’s also used on a ton of other projects you likely already love, like Webpack, React, Next.js, Babel and more. Then again, you could just become a developer and not even need to install this. Go Jest and Enzyme When it comes to JavaScript testing, has certainly taken the lead, with as an excellent complement when specifically building React apps. Jest Enzyme , Jest is now dominating Jasmine in downloads. As you’ll see here Jest’s Snapshots feature really took off in 2017, making it far less painful to deal with testing. Watch this talk from React Conf 2017 to learn all about it. , created by Airbnb’s engineering team, is a JavaScript library for testing React components. It’s exploded to 12,000 stars on Github since 2016. Enzyme Jest’s Snapshots + Enzyme’s super simple API for testing React components makes for a great testing combo that will continue to rise in popularity in 2018. Webpack has risen to become the most popular asset bundler. Webpack has also had an year. Webpack INCREDIBLE This time last year, Webpack barely even had documentation and most developers had no idea how to get started with it. Then, by the start of the year, I wrote about how incredible it was that ( ) to support the project. They now have hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding. Webpack had raised $15,000 in 3 months and how happy we were to be one of its earliest sponsors Not only is Webpack paving the future of how open source projects can thrive, but the project’s development has maintained its massive momentum throughout the year. And with thankfully still leading the Webpack movement, there’s really no end in sight for what Webpack is capable of achieving next. Sean Larkin Because of how well supported this project it is (and how much they care about their community), it makes it the easiest trend to predict for 2018. Parcel But with every massive trend, there is a rising force of disgruntled developers. Parcel, a competing bundler, is gaining momentum rather quickly with 12,000 Github stars out of the gate in 2017 and going directly after Webpack. Parcel’s pitch is that all other bundlers have become too bloated, while Parcel works twice as fast at bundling as Webpack (10 times faster when using its cache). It also goes after Webpack’s somewhat confusing configuration setup, as with Parcel, there is no configuration needed. “Just point it at the entry point of your application, and it does the right thing.” Although simplifying configuration and improving speed are both great improvements, I wouldn’t be surprised if Webpack doesn’t copy these improvements by the first half of 2018. Similar to Vue vs. React, the little guy will always innovate faster, but it’s up to the big guy to be inspired by that innovation and improve their projects. You can read the whole debate here. UPDATE: Webpack v4 now comes with zero configuration out of the box. Gatsby is a static site generator for React built by Gatsby Kyle Mathews. Ever since Kyle went full-time on Gatsby last year, it’s really started to pick up momentum. There’s no better proof of that than the fact that the is built using Gatsby. React website itself Gatsby is all about performance and delivering the fastest possible web experience in React. This diagram from their website gives you an idea of how it works: Gatsby also uses progressive web tech that prefetches resources for other pages, so browsing is lightning fast. Although Gatsby isn’t going to dominate the industry by any means, it’s a fantastic solution for building fast static sites that will continue to rise in popularity. For more on Gatsby, read this post. We were also happy to Gatsby’s development this year. sponsor Babel Babel needs no introduction at this point and remains a trend essentially by default. All in all, it was a good year again for Babel, primarily focused on building Babel 7 (hopefully launching early 2018). Most importantly, they wrote a :) song Babel’s only concern currently (aside from its extraordinary maintainer taking an ), is something like becoming mainstream. indefinite/vague break from the project Reason But for now, Babel should continue strong throughout 2018. We were also happy to Babel this year. sponsor Flow & Typescript and are both great static type options for JavaScript developers to be using to improve their code quality. Typescript Flow We likely won’t see one overtake the other in 2018 in terms of popularity, as both have survived together, serving different use cases. Flow, built by Facebook, is the preferred choice for React developers since it easily integrates with Babel, also commonly used in React projects. TypeScript, built by Microsoft, is popular among Angular 2+ developers as it’s the primary language. 2018 will likely be dull in terms of advancements from these two, and the real question in the following years will become whether something like Reason replaces them both. Immutable.js I like the way one redditor described : Immutable.js immutableJS ensures that developers on large teams don’t do something stupid. Put simply: , another Facebook project, makes sure state isn’t mutated by using immutable (unchangeable) objects. Immutable.js As our redditor friend pointed out, this can be incredibly useful in a large team of developers that can screw up state unintentionally. Data encapsulated in an Immutable.JS object is never mutated. A new copy is always returned. This contrasts with JavaScript, in which some operations do not mutate your data (e.g. some Array methods, including map, filter, concat, forEach, etc.), but some do (Array’s pop, push, splice, etc.). There are some pretty big limitations to using Immutable.JS, but limitations that might not matter depending on your needs. You can read more about them here. With 20,000 stars on now, Immutable.js has risen in popularity in 2017 and can be expected to continue to rise in 2018 as developers start to take the time to understand the concept and the tradeoffs. Github Popmotion is a JavaScript motion library quickly gaining stars on Github. Popmotion Think of it like Flash meets jQuery. Now, I realize using those two words in the same sentence doesn’t help sell this increasingly popular library. But the more you dive into this project, the more you discover a group of people who had serious with both jQuery and Flash and simply needed to make things better. gripes And Popmotion is truly a better experience with a lot of innovation around web animation just starting to boil. This is one to watch in 2018 for sure. to start getting teased into trying it. Check out their site React Native & Electron allows you to build React apps for mobile devices, while lets you build JavaScript apps for desktops. React Native Electron Both became well-established frameworks in 2017 and both are great solutions for going from JavaScript to a native app. Some notable apps built on Electron include: Slack, Atom, Github Desktop and Discord. And popular apps built with React Native include: Facebook, Instagram, Airbnb and UberEATS. You can also now build React Native apps for Windows. Regardless, it’s a good time to be a JavaScript developer considering you can build apps for both desktop and mobile far more easily than in the past. Bonus: Web Assembly now supporting , we’re almost there. It’s still too early to call it a trend for 2018, so we’ll update you in 12 months. With all 4 browsers Web Assembly But keep this on your radar, as everyone is looking very closely at this now. 2018 Study Materials After looking at all of the trends ahead, here’s what we’d recommend you consider learning in 2018 to remain competitive as a remote developer and your potential: unleash Be daring, learn Vue.js Every React developer should learn Next.js Start (and ) and try it out on a side project. learning Reason ReasonReact is a must for your 2018 to-do list. GraphQL Followed by learning , the go-to option for data fetching in React+GraphQL apps. Relay Modern Storybook! Storybook! ! Storybook Install on a project and make your code more readable. Prettier Learn and use snapshots in tandem with on a React project. Jest Enzyme (React developers) or (Everyone else). Learn Flow TypeScript Consider for building something from Markdown -> Static pages. Gatsby Build a mobile app using React Native. Build a desktop app using . Electron Play around with to create a smooth animation. Popmotion Import this list of resources as a : Todoist project Ryan Chartrand is the CEO of X-Team , a global team of motivated remote JavaScript developers who can join your team and start executing today. JavaScript Developers: Work from anywhere. Get great projects. Be supported to learn, grow and stay motivated. Join the X-Team community today. Enjoy this post? Next read: How I overcame remote working’s great challenge.

The Top JavaScript Trends to Watch in 2018

The cost of prescription medications is a major concern for many Americans. In recent years, the cost of monthly medications has skyrocketed, leaving many people unable to afford the medications they need. The rising cost of prescription medications is a complex problem with no easy answers. There are a number of factors that have contributed to the increasing costs. One of the main drivers is the high cost of research and development for new drugs. Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars each year on research and development, and this cost is passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. In addition, the patent system gives drug companies a monopoly on their products, allowing them to charge higher prices. The system also prevents generic versions of drugs from entering the market, which keeps prices artificially high. Finally, the lack of competition in the drug market also contributes to high prices. Many drugs have only one or two manufacturers, so they have no incentive to lower prices. The high cost of monthly medications is a serious problem that affects millions of Americans. It is important for policymakers to develop solutions that will make medications more affordable and accessible. These solutions could include increasing competition in the drug market, providing incentives for generic drug manufacturers, and reforming the patent system. When it comes to managing the cost of medications, there are several solutions that patients can consider. It is important to understand all of the options available so that patients can make the best decision for their individual needs. Let us look through some. Solution #1: Research Generic Alternatives Generic alternatives are becoming increasingly popular in today’s world. A generic alternative is a drug or medical device equivalent to a brand-name drug or device but much less expensive. Generic alternatives are typically made by manufacturers other than the original brand-name drug or device manufacturer. Generic alternatives are often just as effective as their brand-name counterparts. In fact, the active ingredients in generic alternatives are the same as the active ingredients in the brand-name drug or device. The only difference is that generic alternatives are usually much less expensive than their brand-name counterparts. This is because generic alternatives don’t have to go through the same rigorous testing and marketing process that brand-name drugs and devices do. Generic alternatives can be a great way to save money on prescription drugs and medical devices. However, it’s important to note that generic alternatives are not always available for every drug or device, so it’s important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find out if a generic alternative is available for your particular medication or device. Additionally, generic alternatives may not be covered by your health insurance, so it’s important to ask your insurance provider about coverage for generic alternatives. Solution #2: Shop Around for the Best Price When it comes to buying medication, it is important to shop around for the best price. With the rising cost of prescription medications, it can be difficult to find the right price for your medication. Fortunately, there are a few ways to save money on your medication, so you don’t have to break the bank to get the treatment you need. First, it’s important to check with your insurance provider to see if they offer any discounts or coupons on your medication. Many insurance companies have programs that can help you save money on your medications. Additionally, some pharmacies offer discounts for certain medications, so it’s always worth asking. Second, don’t be afraid to shop around. Different pharmacies may have different prices for the same medication, so it’s important to compare prices at different locations. You can also search for generic versions of your medication, which may be cheaper than the brand-name version. By shopping around, you can save yourself a lot of money on your medication. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and compare prices to make sure you’re getting the best deal. With a little bit of research, you can find the right price for your medication and get the treatment you need. Solution #3: Ask Your Doctor for Sample Medications Sample medications are typically provided to doctors by pharmaceutical companies as a way to promote their products. The samples are usually full-size, and doctors can provide them to patients free of charge. Samples are often available for medications that are new to the market and may not be covered by insurance yet. When visiting your doctor, ask if they have any samples available. If they do, they will likely provide you with enough medication to last until your next visit, or until your insurance coverage begins. This can be a great way to save money if you are unable to afford the full cost of a medication. It is important to note that sample medications are not always available, and your doctor may not be able to provide them to you. However, it is worth asking if they have any samples available, as it can be a great way to save money on medications. It is also important to remember that sample medications should be used only for short-term use. If you are prescribed a medication for long-term use, you should speak to your doctor about other options, such as generic medications or discounts. Solution #4: Use Discount Programs or Coupons Coupons are another great way to save money on medication. Many drug companies offer coupons for their products, and you can often find them online. Some coupons are for specific medications, while others are for a certain percentage off the total cost of your medication. It’s important to read the fine print on any coupon you use, as some coupons may have restrictions or expiration dates. Saving money on medication doesn’t have to be difficult. By taking advantage of discount programs, coupons, and generic versions of brand name drugs, you can save money on your medication and still get the treatment you need. Solution #5: Consider Switching to Mail Order Pharmacy Switching to a mail order pharmacy can be a great way to save money on your prescriptions. With these services, you can order your medications online and have them shipped to your home. This eliminates the need to make multiple trips to the pharmacy and can help you save money on both prescription and over-the-counter medications. They can also save you money on your prescriptions by offering discounts and coupons. Many mail order pharmacies offer discounts for customers who purchase multiple prescriptions. They also offer discounts for customers who order their medications in bulk. This can help you save money on your medications, as well as on shipping costs. In addition to discounts, many mail order pharmacies offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount, which can help you save even more money. They also offer delivery options that make it easy to receive your medications without having to leave your home. Conclusion As we have already discussed, there are a number of ways that patients can reduce the cost of their monthly medication. From using generic brands to using mail order pharmacies, patients can save money on their medication without compromising on quality. Additionally, patients can ask their doctor for samples or coupons to help reduce the cost of their medication. Finally, patients should always shop around for the best prices and consider purchasing their medication online. By taking advantage of these options, patients can save money on their monthly medication and still get the treatment they need. References [1] Piette J.D., Heisler M., Horne R., Caleb Alexander G. A conceptually based approach to understanding chronically ill patients’ responses to medication cost pressures. 2006;62:846–857. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.06.045. [ ] [ ] [ ] Soc. Sci. Med. PubMed CrossRef Google Scholar [2] Law M.R., Cheng L., Kolhatkar A., Goldsmith L.J., Morgan S.G., Holbrook A.M., Dhalla I.A. The consequences of patient charges for prescription drugs in Canada: A cross-sectional survey. 2018;6:E63–E70. doi: 10.9778/cmajo.20180008. [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] CMAJ Open. PMC free article PubMed CrossRef Google Scholar

5 Tips to Save Money On Medication Bills Without Compromising Quality

There are a number of similarities when we talk about some of the top names worldwide including Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, etc. Besides acquiring mammoth of data through the years, these tech giants are among the pioneers currently mastering the incorporate artificial intelligence in devising new solutions. As much as everyone likes to talk about AI and associate with machine learning, data science, and deep learning technology, only few companies are actually using AI in their core operations. According to MMV Ventures, in Europe, only 60% of the startups are using the AI technology that’s truly useful for their operations and value proposition. Unsurprisingly, the implementation is not that easy as understanding the concept of AI, the requirement of top-notch, complex skills, coding, , and other mathematical and programming execution is not easy to find. statistics modelling, data analysis Even when such resources are do found, their affordability is not everyone’s cup of tea. Furthermore, corporations require tonnes of data in order to train their AI systems. Setting the right infrastructure to create an AI-based system is quite an investment not many companies are willing to make, despite acknowledging the benefits it could bring for their business. In order to harness the true potential of artificial intelligence, the technology needs to come within the grasp of a variety of business worldwide. This is what we call the “Democratization of AI”. What do we mean by democratization of AI and why it is required? The idea behind the democratization of AI means that the technology should be made easily accessible for various businesses. Apparently, not many businesses today have the resources and prerequisites to understand the application of AI, however, “knowledge is power”, and it surely benefits those who lay their hands on it. Making AI accessible, in other words, indicates that more people will have the chance to interact with it. In doing so, mobile application developers will enter other, untapped sectors, while the AI experts will have the liberty to move onto high-end projects. What are the steps to democratize artificial intelligence? “Reap what your sow”, “garbage in, garbage out”, and similar associations are often tagged with data today. As we know that data is the new oil, and the results are only as good as the data input, but maintaining the quality and management of data is easier said than done. Data accessibility and quality Collecting tonnes of data is now more convenient and affordable as compared to the past, however, majority of enterprises still endure one of the following situations. · Due to limited availability of the required data, it is difficult to build AI-based systems. · Poor data quality creates equally unstable and somewhat misleading AI systems. · The use of improperly managed and handled data results in time-consuming and expensive automation of AI systems. Only the right use of data will produce reliable results through AI models. Therefore, democratizing the process won’t be it, but democratizing the data management aspect is also relevant to get the job done. Several industry experts have advised for the culture of data preservation, quality assurance and management should be taught through every hierarchy of the social and corporate system, i.e., from basic to higher education and connecting the important aspects of data science in all major industries worldwide. As we know how the first computers were considered and handled at the time of their introduction in the world, only selected individuals knew how to run the early machines. Today, even toddlers are aware of how to open YouTube, use entertainment applications, etc. on iPads and smartphones. User-friendly interfaces The one major reason enabling this massive ease is the evolution of user interface of smartphones and desktops. A typical depends on the coding game PS4 vs PS5throughout an analytics project. Understandably, coding shows a frightening sight at first, fortunately, user-friendly, simpler UI designs of the coding tools tempt even non-technical people to interact with the data in hand. data scientist As cloud service providers like Microsoft and releasing top self-service analytics, like Azure ML, the interaction with AI is becoming more and more intuitive Explanation of results Let’s suppose a company has completed the preliminary considerations and accessed, collected, and filtered the data and created the initial predictive model. Now the team will be presenting the results to the upper management of the company. How will you convince the team to acknowledge the model and work on the predictions of your model? This is where the results explanations comes in! You might be forced to compromise certain accuracy of the model for better, understandable output. In this case, using a black box model won’t be appropriate, where you know the input and acquire the output, but are unaware of what occurs in between. Apparently, you want the management to act on the results and not only trust them. Comprehending what drives a certain actions into results and its influence on your business through a particular behavior is important. Therefore, besides focusing on the data in hand and what information it holds, also determine the drivers behind the action. This is why it is advised to keenly work with members of cross-functional teams. Alleviating the challenges associated with AI democratization It doesn’t matter if you run a mobile game development company, an extra game place a retail store next door, or an established insurance service provider, no innovation and change is brought without a certain degree of risk. However, in the case of artificial intelligence, this shouldn’t contain the collective efforts of the global industry in harnessing the true potential of the technology. We are on course of automating the whole process from data processing and modelling, and empower companies and teams to create their own predictive models. Yes, being realistic is the key, a wide range of skill set is required to be on board. For example, activities like drag-and-drop, top-notch modelling functionalities, etc. can be moderated and automated. Albeit, a machine is bound to follow only the rules in the end. Remember, if you cheat or incorporate the wrong instructions out of inexperience or carelessness, the machine will follow the incorrect instructions and produce unusable results.Catching such mistakes or locating the restrictions of certain algorithms, is a skill that a data scientist must possess. In short, handing over AI control to people will insufficient knowledge in data science will facilitate inappropriate interpretation of results.Moreover, there is not one, grand metric that indicates which model to use, and well productively will it function.The trick is to keep experimenting and making comparisons among various algorithms,metrics, and parameters. Obviously, it all comes down to the experience and specialized knowledge in the end. Final thoughts! In order to avoid such issues, it is vital for people to have a significant knowledge of data science, how to interact with self-service analytics, and what’s the gameplay behind Purple PS5 Controllerthe regular user friend interfaces we see on different platforms. Second, rather than focusing on the , it is better to take few applications at a time, and work on making them accessible for the required stakeholders. democratization of AI For instance, automating some more easily understood and frequently used use cases including prediction of churn, credit default, and similar tasks will aid users is learning how to correctly interpret and analyze the data and results in hand, as for the businesses, they could exhaust their efforts on more complex use cases instead.

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