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The AI opportunity: How payers can capture it now

Payers currently face economic pressures that are likely to last a few years. Utilization of medical services has been higher than expected, providers are passing along higher costs through rate negotiations, and Medicare Advantage reimbursement rates are facing the most substantial downward pressure that payers have seen in years. In the face of these issues, artificial intelligence and automation present untapped opportunity for payers. The opportunity is sizable and available…

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Engineer Your Own Luck

Companies that modularize and externalize their best capabilities are in a strong position to seize unexpected opportunities. Mark J. Greeven, Howard Yu, and Jialu Shan June 05, 2024 Reading Time: 13 min  Neil Webb/theispot.com Prediction is hard. The longer the time range — six months, three years, a decade — the less reliable any forecasting becomes. And yet, some companies prosper through extreme uncertainties. Consider cosmetics giant L’Oréal. When COVID-19…

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Seyfarth Continues Strategic Growth in Real Estate with Addition of Partner John Domby in Charlotte

NEW YORK – (June 3, 2024) –  Seyfarth Shaw LLP announced today the arrival of partner John Domby to the firm’s Real Estate department in Charlotte, NC. Domby joins Seyfarth from Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP where he was a partner in its real estate finance and lending practice. “John is another key step in our strategic plans to grow our national real estate practice and Charlotte office,” said Paul Mattingly, national…

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Workers worldwide are embracing AI, especially in small and medium-size businesses

In May 2024, we published the 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report, a joint report from Microsoft and LinkedIn that looked at how AI will reshape work and the labor market broadly. As we reviewed the data, a surprising theme emerged: when it comes to using AI to get work done, employees are outpacing the companies that employ them for AI adoption—bringing their own AI to work and without the…

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The New Code of Law: How AI Will Revolutionize the Legal Sector

At Battery, we’re laser-focused on identifying verticals where AI adoption isn’t just a boardroom talking point, but a seamless solution to real pain points. In our view, healthcare is clearly one of those verticals; government contracting is another. We’re equally enthusiastic about AI’s potential to transform the legal industry. When we recently attended Legalweek in New York, we saw firsthand how excited the legal community is becoming about AI, too.…

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Charting a new course: The untapped potential of American shipyards

American shipbuilding has reached a critical inflection point—can supply keep up with demand? The US Navy, the industry’s principal customer, increased its shipbuilding budget by 12.5 percent per year from fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2024, and its most recent 30-year plan calls for the construction of 290 to 340 new ships by 2053. Beyond this domestic demand, there is additional demand to meet the anticipated needs of the…

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Electrified charcoal ‘sponge’ can soak up CO2 directly from the air

Researchers from the University of Cambridge used a method similar to charging a battery to instead charge activated charcoal, which is often used in household water filters.By charging the charcoal ‘sponge’ with ions that form reversible bonds with CO2, the researchers found the charged material could successfully capture CO2 directly from the air. The charged charcoal sponge is also potentially more energy efficient than current carbon capture approaches, since it…

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Is the EU Falling Apart Over Foreign Policy?

A fault line in the EU member states’ foreign policy is becoming increasingly clear, not only with respect to the Ukraine issue but also in the Gaza conflict. It is about the supremacy of the United States and NATO as well as the role of international organisations. In view of the ongoing division of a multipolar world with new “cold” and “hot” wars, it is essential to realign the overall…

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WEBINAR – Jun 6, 2024 – Strategic Approaches for Conducting DEIB Reviews

About the Program: Join Us for the second installment of our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (“DEIB”) Webinar Series: “Strategic Approaches for Conducting DEIB Reviews” This micro-webinar series is designed to support employers as they navigate, refine, and enhance their DEIB programs within the current legal, societal, and cultural landscape. During the second session of our webinar series, Seyfarth attorneys will delve into the best practices and strategic approaches for…

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California Civil Rights Department Unveils New Proposed Regulations on Employers’ Use of AI and Automated Systems

Quick Hits The California Civil Rights Department released new proposed regulations for employers’ use of AI and automated decision-making systems. The proposed regulations would affirm that employers’ use of such hiring technologies may violate the state’s antidiscrimination laws and clarify limits on the use of such technology in criminal background checks and medical/psychological inquiries. The proposed regulations would also clarify the scope of third-party liability arising from the use of…

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The thread of memory: Preserving stories from D-Day’s last heroes for future generations

Preserving stories from D-Day’s last heroes for future generations The Thread of Memory on social media" tabindex="0"> Link copied June 6, 1944: The beginning of the end When Allied troops landed on the shores of Normandy 80 years ago, they made history with their courage and sacrifice, which contributed to the liberation of France from Nazi Germany. This day is known as D-Day, and was the largest air, naval, and…

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How One Insurtech Firm Formulated a Strategy for Climate Change

Brian Kenny: On September 2, 1666 in a bake shop on Pudding Lane in London, Thomas Farriner, baker for King Charles II, failed to properly extinguish his oven, sparking a fire that burned for five days, destroying 80 percent of the city, including 13,000 homes, 87 parish churches, the Royal Exchange, Guildhall, and St. Paul's Cathedral. Within months, “Insurance Office” for houses, the first homeowners insurance company, began offering fire…

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Genetics study points to potential treatments for restless leg syndrome

Restless leg syndrome can cause an unpleasant crawling sensation in the legs and an overwhelming urge to move them. Some people experience the symptoms only occasionally, while others get symptoms every day. Symptoms are usually worse in the evening or at night-time and can severely impair sleep.Despite the condition being relatively common – up to one in 10 older adults experience symptoms, while 2-3% are severely affected and seek medical…

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Leading With Compassion When a Teammate Has a Terminal Illness

When an employee is experiencing a health crisis, it impacts their colleagues as well. Leaders must support everyone affected, with sensitivity and professionalism. Benjamin Laker, Vijay Pereira, Jack Tillotson, and Sammy Toyoki June 04, 2024 Reading Time: 11 min  Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images When an employee is diagnosed with a terminal illness, the complexities of workplace management deepen significantly. It’s not merely about handling the practicalities of business…

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New joint capabilities from Microsoft and SAP unlock AI innovation

Microsoft and SAP have been partners and customers of each other for over 30 years, collaborating on innovative business solutions and helping thousands of joint customers accelerate their business transformation. Microsoft Cloud is the market leader for running SAP workloads in the cloud, including RISE with SAP, and today at SAP Sapphire 2024, we are very excited to bring more amazing innovation to the market for our joint customers.  In…

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Navigating Consumer Data Privacy in an AI World

Harnessing customer data well is central to any modern business, as is earning consumers’ trust that their information will stay private. With data breaches growing more common, regulations are tightening across the globe to bolster security, creating a new web of norms firms must understand. As generative artificial intelligence (AI) explodes, companies face balancing individual privacy, coveted data insights, and the law—all while pursuing competitive advantage. Eva Ascarza, the Jakurski…

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Exercising during pregnancy normalises eating behaviors in offspring from obese mice

Previous studies in both humans and animal models have shown that the offspring of mothers living with obesity have a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes themselves when they grow up. While this relationship is likely to be the result of a complex relationship between genetics and environment, emerging evidence has implicated that maternal obesity in pregnancy can disrupt the baby’s hypothalamus—the region of the brain responsible…

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World leaders still need to wake up to AI risks, say leading experts ahead of AI Safety Summit

Currently, the AI world is focussed on pushing AI capabilities further and further, with safety and ethics as an afterthought. For AI to be a boon, we need to reorient; pushing capabilities is not enough. Study co-author Dr Jan Brauner, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford Then, the world’s leaders pledged to govern AI responsibly. However, as the second AI Safety Summit in Seoul (21-22 May) approaches, twenty-five of…

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Religious Radicalism in Central Asia and Russia: Ideological and Political Factors

While adhering to secular principles, it is still important to support the development of traditional religious schools and promote the education of the clergy themselves. Indeed, often, representatives of the traditional clergy are unable to answer the pressing questions of young people, Marat Abdyldaev writes. Russia and Central Asia face similar security and development challenges. This is understandable, because we are united by a common past and maintain and develop…

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Collaboration Requires Proximity – But It Doesn’t Have to Be Physical

The future of work is undoubtedly hybrid. Major corporations from Apple to Zoom now require employees to be in the office two or three days a week, citing the benefits of face-to-face collaboration and culture building. Indeed, traditional thinking suggests that being physically close leads to better communication and collaboration.Our recent research reinforces this idea, but also shows that social closeness (strong direct and indirect connections) can offset a lack of physical proximity.…

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Find a Circular Strategy to Fit Your Business Model

Topics Social Responsibility Sustainability Dan Page/theispot.com The Research This research was based on qualitative case analyses of organizations that have implemented circular economy models. Data collection involved a mix of structured interviews with company managers, review of company documents, and review of in-depth case studies. The analysis identified key patterns in successful adoption of circular models and the strategic decisions, challenges, and outcomes associated with circular economy practices. Companies seeking…

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New online State Pension top-up service goes live – should you buy extra years?

On 1 January 1909, around half a million elderly people queued up at post offices around the UK, waiting to receive the very first State Pension payments. Only those older than 70 with an income of less than 12 shillings a week were eligible. Those who qualified received a payment of five shillings, yet the payments could be stopped if you had too much furniture in your home or were…

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Say Hello to My New AI Marketer: How Gen AI-Based Software Is Advancing Marketing and Sales

Over the past year, generative AI’s capacity for content creation has drawn most of the noisiest headlines: how AI models can instantaneously create Pixar-like shorts starring your pet chihuahua, or drum up the Drake-Kendrick Lamar diss track you never knew you wanted. What gets less attention, but is equally (if not more) valuable, is the business-use side of GenAI content creation: marketing.  Marketing is particularly well suited for adopting generative…

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On a New Mechanism for the Confiscation of Russian Sovereign Assets: Consensus Between the US Administration and Congress

, then by the end of the twentieth century  and in the 21st century , the reasons for its strengthening were explained, including the sanctions policy. Congress has the power to influence budgetary appropriations, determine the content of legislation and procedures for its implementation, and request reports from executive authorities. Although the administration sometimes interprets legislative norms very broadly, “winding up” their implementation or taking a formal approach to reporting,…

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Will the Next Founders of Family Firms Please Stand Up?

In a family business context, this can be achieved in at least three ways: starting new businesses, transforming existing ones, or becoming active investors in the next generation of startups. Each will be discussed at the INSEAD summit.Starting new businessesIn many cases, the next generation of family members may be reluctant to take over the reins of the business. What was new and exciting decades ago is likely to feel…

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Working-off your organizational debt

Funds need to squeeze more free cash flow from companies in order to generate an adequate return from vintage 2019-2022 investments. More sales growth and/or higher profitability is needed to make-up for the valuation headwind from higher interest rates. One of the best ways to achieve lower cost, greater market responsiveness and top-line growth is to work-off “organizational debt” accumulated during the ’19-’22 land-grab days when companies were acquired and…

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Will the data lake prevail?

Nowadays, reflecting the quantity of data they house, organisations have moved on to lakes from warehouses. Powerful entities, data lakes are seamlessly integrated with the cloud and different services and have proved themselves to be an indispensable asset in storing and processing data. Plus, they are valuable tools for historicising data. Structured and unstructured data The term ‘data lake’ first came about in 2011 and their original purpose was to…

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Pricing Strategy for Startups

[simplecast-embed error="JSON parsing data error"] [embedded content]This episode of web3 with a16z is all about pricing strategy. We dive into insights from traditional and web2 businesses and apply them — plus brand new approaches — to startups using crypto and blockchains. Topics of discussion include the importance of understanding consumer psychology, how to navigate pivots and avoid common mistakes, and what can be learned from real-world case studies, including Tesla,…

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Unleashing the Power of Generative AI in Marketing

In a recent article, we discussed the impact and implication of Generative AI (GenAI), focusing on the key takeaways for private equity and portfolio companies.  The advent of GenAI marks a new era for businesses, particularly in the realm of marketing. Companies embracing AI are witnessing remarkable success in attracting, engaging, and retaining customers. As we delve into the impact of GenAI on marketing, the market size is projected to…

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Glimmer of Hope? Judge Suggests Some Claims in AI Image Case May Survive

We are still waiting for a formal ruling on the Andersen v. Stability AI defendants’ second round of motions to dismiss, but so far it’s looking like most of the case may be allowed to proceed to discovery. The judge heard oral arguments on May 8, 2024 in this case involving image-generating AI software, a day after issuing a tentative ruling seeming to give the plaintiffs a chance to try…

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Radical joy: Celebrating Pride and the beauty and power of LGBTQIA+ communities

Link copied In the face of adversity, existence itself can be resistance and spark change. Radical joy is more than just a feeling. It’s an anthem to those who thrive against all odds. An ode to beauty. And a reminder that joy is both universal and individual—and we should unite in spreading it everywhere. Join Microsoft employees as we celebrate Pride and the spirit of radical joy! Every color of joy…

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Racial Bias Might Be Infecting Patient Portals. Can AI Help?

Patients and physicians increasingly turned to digital platforms, like patient portal messaging, when COVID-19 made contact risky, but a new study of how providers managed the messaging surge suggests an uncomfortable downside: What if the color of a patient’s skin predicted the response they got to an inquiry?Researchers analyzed more than 57,000 message threads between patients and physician teams at Boston Medical Center and found that white patients were more…

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The Coming MAGA Assault on Capitalism

Sensationalist narratives trumpeting how business leaders are supposedly eager to welcome Donald Trump back to the White House and pining for the days of his business-friendly tax cuts are missing an important dimension: the escalating, overt hostility of populist MAGA voices to business. This hostility starts from the top with Trump himself. While many business leaders regard certain aspects of President Joe Biden’s economic agenda, such as Federal Trade Commision…

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How to Find Product-market Fit: 5 Strategies for Web3

Editor’s note: This article is based on a workshop created for founders attending a16z crypto’s Crypto Startup Accelerator (CSX). The workshop was hosted by Head of CSX Jason Rosenthal based on his 25-plus years of experience as an entrepreneur and executive, including more than 10 years as a startup CEO. Subscribe to our web3 weekly newsletter and YouTube channel for more talks from builders and creators.Investors and entrepreneurs alike (myself…

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Seyfarth’s Robert Milligan and Dawn Mertineit Lead Contributions to Chambers Trade Secrets 2024 Global Practice Guide

We are thrilled to announce the release of the Chambers Trade Secrets 2024 Global Practice Guide, a comprehensive resource providing the latest insights and legal updates in the field of trade secrets law. Authored by leading experts in the industry, including Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s very own Robert Milligan and Dawn Mertineit, this guide is an invaluable tool for professionals navigating the complex landscape of trade secrets, computer fraud, and non-compete…

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Teach computing skills with new Visual Studio Code for Education

Consistent with Microsoft’s commitment to preparing students for the future, we're happy to announce the release of our latest product to empower the next generation of developers—Visual Studio Code for Education.Visual Studio Code for Education is a free online computer science education platform that provides integrated curriculum and a sandbox coding environment for everyone. With zero setup, anyone can be a developer and start learning to code with Visual Studio…

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Polarisation is a fever afflicting American society

We are now seeing a gradual radicalisation of extreme positions in each of the parties, rooted in identity issues. The Republicans are increasingly attracting white, religious, rural Americans, while the Democrats appeal more to racial, sexual and gender minorities and city-dwellers. At either end of the political spectrum there is mutual abhorrence between the religious far right, who see deconstruction and “wokeness” as undermining the foundations of Western civilisation and…

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Multilateral Summits and Diplomatic Psychology

The main objective of a multilateral international summit is often the preparation of a public statement based on the results of the meeting. This is typically done in the form of either a communiqué issued by the presiding state or a joint statement issued by all participants. As a rule, these communiqués are typically detailed documents containing several dozen pages of text, reflecting the agenda and outcomes of the discussions…

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Trade On

“L’effet naturel du commerce est de porter à la paix […] et toutes les unions sont fondées sur des besoins mutuels.” Most people are probably more critical of the Enlightenment philosopher Montesquieu today than they ever were. Already during the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chains and trade started to be considered a problem. Since the war in Ukraine, economic interdependence as a path to peace has come under pressure.Perpetual peace At…

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Updating perceptions about today’s luxury traveler

Demand for luxury tourism and hospitality is expected to grow faster than for any other industry segment. This growth is being powered in part by a sharp rise in the number of individuals globally with net worths between $1 million and $30 million. But it’s also resulting from a large and expanding base of aspiring luxury travelers with net worths between $100,000 and $1 million, many of whom are younger…

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