Dove and Singapore-based Rimba Collective launched the Dove Nature Regeneration Project in July 2023 to conserve an impressive swath of Southeast Asian rainforest. To amplify the campaign’s message, Dove will launch an AR experience in select Walmart stores that superimposes the rainforest on a shopper’s surroundings.

At the start of 2024, just 3 of the top 10 global beauty manufacturers have committed to eradicating deforestation from their supply chains. Beyond B Corp certifications and ambitious climate goals, consider how to make your eco-actions as tangible as the products you’re selling, by using store-grown ingredients, resurrecting extinct materials or giving tours of your farms.

💡 How will you immerse consumers in the nature you’re trying to preserve?

After buying an ASKET sweater or pair of jeans, customers aren't handed a regular receipt. From November 2023, the Swedish clothing brand issues an 'Impact Receipt' that itemizes the environmental cost of producing each garment. ASKET partnered with Vaayu Tech for traceable lifecycle impact calculations that consider CO2e emissions, energy consumption, and water consumption (calculations are nuanced, based on a location's water scarcity). 

No, individuals shouldn't be tasked with solving the climate crisis. But personal buying habits do have an enormous impact, and awareness creates ripple effects. Brands need to empower consumers with the information required for conscious purchasing decisions.

💡 How can you make the environmental impact of your product transparent, both pre- and post-purchase?

In early 2023, Netherlands-based retailer Dille & Kamille replanted living Christmas trees that had decorated its stores through the 2022 holiday season. Dead trees, meanwhile, were collected from the retailer and local municipalities by upcycling startup Het Grondstoffenbos. Combined with other plant waste, 15,000 trees were processed into compost and returned to stores in August 2023 to sell as Heilige Grond, or Holy Soil. 

Amid soaring eco-anxiety, sustainability initiatives could benefit from positive storytelling. Products like Heilige Grond enable consumers to actively engage in planetary restoration, offering a concrete and easily recognizable example of circularity from the ground up. 

💡 How can you include consumers in your next circularity initiative, every step of the way?

Arc, from US-based developer The Browser Company, is a free internet browser with customizable operating system capabilities. The browser reimagines traditional navigation, tabs and bookmarks; Spaces can be redesigned akin to rooms in a house; and Easels function as a web ‘scrapbook’. In October 2023, AI updates included automated page summaries and ChatGPT access straight from the search bar.

With Arc, users control every pixel. Don’t like Gmail’s ‘Compose’ button? Change the font and edit the copy! Over YouTube shorts? Delete the section from the site. For the more tentative users, downloadable templates showcase how others are remixing their UI. 

💡 How will you consider various levels of tech literacy in your own CODE-IT-YOURSELF initiatives?

Ambessa Play is a UK-based social enterprise specialized in STEM kits to democratize education and technology. Its debut kit is a battery-free, DIY flashlight featuring ten parts and 16 build steps. Launched on Kickstarter in March 2023, Ambessa Play engaged displaced children in the design process and donates one kit per pledge.

Ambessa Play's story serves as a reminder that all children possess untapped ideas and inventiveness, capable of creating new technologies rather than merely consuming them. As 65% of today's primary school children are predicted to pursue careers in fields that do not yet exist, training for inherent ingenuity is essential. 

💡 How will you provide students and workers with the agency over your curriculum?

Bluesky, the decentralized X alternative, introduced ‘custom feeds’ in May 2023. These feeds allow users to prioritize content buckets (e.g. popular with friends, local news) in the platform's algorithm through a drag-and-drop functionality, while it also allows for easy switching between feeds. Even deeper levels of algorithmic customization are coming in 2024.

When it comes to consumer expectations, the goalposts are always moving. While TikTok’s personalized algorithm is generally viewed as the holy grail, Bluesky takes it further by handing the reins entirely to consumers. Executed well, anyone who can operate a smartphone can be in control of their feed.

💡 Beyond consumer-led algorithms, what does back-end access to your brand experience look like? 

To mark August 2023’s International Indigenous Peoples Day, Fortnite launched its first map of Indigenous lands, with Latin American e-sports team Hero Base. Developed for the NGO SOS Amazônia, O Mapa Originário brings real-world challenges faced by Indigenous communities to the virtual realm, such as fighting forest fires and obstructing illegal logging.

Fortnite’s Indigenous map translates what can seem an abstract problem to many Western players, into a language they can understand – an approach followed by others such as VR experience Body of Mine and WWF. If you still associate ‘gaming’ tech with Call of Duty, think again. 

💡 How can you convey complex messages beyond just words? Show, don’t tell!

Paloma, a Sydney hair salon, is inviting its customers to engage in discussions around climate change with a storefront poster that reads, "love, life & climate action". 
As of March 2023, over 400 hairdressers had attended workshops as part of the "A Brush With Climate" project, spearheaded by Paloma's owner. The training was delivered by climate scientists.

As a result of apocalypse fatigue, sustainability isn’t something consumers are always comfortable talking about. However, as long as ‘what does sustainability mean?’ is still one of the most Googled sustainability-related phrases, it becomes apparent there is a tension here.

💡 Whether it is among themselves or through brand interaction, how can you encourage people to have casual convos about intricate topics?

To improve communication with autistic people, the Brazil-based Association of Autistic Friends (AMA) partnered with telco Vivo to launch ‘The Autism Journey’. Based on the standardized Picture Exchange Communication System, the partnership developed an AI-driven platform for families to personalize visual communication cards based on their child’s interests, such as their favorite superhero. Launched in May 2023, cards can be printed or used on mobile devices.

We’ve seen NGOs use AI to highlight systematic biases and the consequences of human actions, but here, AMA’s initiative is a beautiful example of how AI can be used for mutual understanding.

💡 How might you leverage AI to bridge comprehension barriers?

In August 2023, the UK supermarket Morrisons forged a partnership with the National Health Service (NHS) to champion cancer awareness. As part of this initiative, QR codes are featured on Nutmeg-branded underwear labels, providing direct access to comprehensive information about symptoms related to breast and testicular cancer. Morrisons, which owns the Nutmeg brand, is implementing the strategy across 240 of its stores. 

Fashion brands can help increase awareness of symptoms, but health-related initiatives should always align with health professionals and robust research. On TikTok, where healthcare-related content is growing in popularity, claims often quoted as “evidence-based” have no associated sources. 

💡 How will you verify the BRANDCARE you’re providing?

Silicon Valley elites have long favored Blue Zone diets, believed to extend lifespans, but accessibility and cost hinder widespread adoption. A US-based food manufacturer, Blue Zones Kitchen, aims to change this with its plant-based frozen meals, introduced at Expo East in September 2023, featuring lean protein and whole grains.

From IV drips to cold exposure therapy, interest in life-extending products is going mainstream. One key driver is a loss of faith in public health services, triggered by the pandemic. As a result, over half of global consumers (51%) now turn to diverse meals to remedy their health issues. 

💡 Are consumers reaching for your brand in search of longevity-focused fuel? 

Open-air dining spots in Indonesia can harbor disease-carrying flies. In response, Dulux Indonesia initiated the Yellow Canteen project in schools, inspired by the University of Florida's finding that flies are repelled by the color yellow. Started in November 2023, the project involves repainting school tables, seats and walls in yellow.

COVID-19 renewed focus on preventative care, prompting proactive measures. Dulux expands its products’ benefits beyond aesthetics with the Yellow Canteen, using paint to tackle health risks in schools. Health and wellness serve as an imperative that informs buying behavior across sectors. 

💡 What practical steps can your brand take to enhance public health and become a trusted ally?

Brazil-based financial platform Nubank has introduced its version of the classic board game Game of Life. Centered around Nu's services, users can familiarize themselves with actions related to investing, insurance, and cryptocurrencies. A livestream on Twitch promoted the June 2023 launch, featuring popular streamers Mylon, esAcarry, Jimelol and Loadcomics engaging in gameplay. 

When ideating your next financial literacy initiative, consider that money still remains a sensitive topic. From challenging filial duties and financial infidelity, explore how you can help consumers discuss their financial situation. How? Provide shared investment portfolios or set up community-first wealth initiatives.

💡 How can you help people to talk money? 

In November 2023, e.l.f. Cosmetics launched a virtual world on game creation system Roblox, to teach entrepreneurial skills and financial literacy to gen Z customers. E.l.f. Up! allows users to create their own startups that represent places and causes they care about most. The virtual venues include a recording studio, marine life charity and an art gallery. Additional features, such as multilingual options, will be rolled out in the future.

E.l.f. Up!, Essence’s Color dare, and La Roche-Posay’s Minecraft initiative all use popular gaming platforms to educate young consumers about important or complex issues. As a media brand, you’re well-placed to bring information to life in new exciting ways.

💡 How will you turn skill-building in an immersive experience?

A joint campaign between Pinterest and American financial service provider Northwestern Mutual empowers Pinterest users to turn their life ambitions into reality. After completing a personality test, NorthWestern Mutual provides step-by-step advice for different personality types to achieve their goals. ‘From Pinning to Planning’ launched in March 2023.

​​Finances can be stressful but through the right environment, gaining money skills can be a positive experience. Whether using familiar channels like Pinterest, launching a platform or creating a game show, make sure your initiative transforms financial confusion into an enjoyable and educational experience.

💡 How can you turn financial flummox to financial fun?

July 2023 saw London brewery Gipsy Hill release an offset-free, carbon-negative beer. The brewing process uses 100% recaptured and reused hops, and certified regenerative barley is harvested from the end-to-end Wildfarmed community. Independent carbon accounting firm Zevero calculated the life cycle of two Gipsy Hill beers, 'Trail' and 'Swell', releasing -40g CO2e and -30g CO2e per pint respectively.
 
Implementing regenerative agricultural practices requires substantial upfront costs, with savings made further down the line. F&B brands can support farmers to make the transition less challenging, while keeping customers up to date with the process.

💡 How can you invest in farmers’ first steps to help the transition to regenerative?

Belgium-based brick manufacturer Vandersanden has developed Pirrouet: a new carbon-negative building material. Instead of being fired in energy-intensive kilns, Pirouett bricks are cured in CO2-filled chambers whereby CO2 permanently binds to calcium, a waste product from the steel industry. Vandersanden generates renewable energy on-site and aims to roll the bricks out in early 2024.

According to UN-Habitat,  3 billion people will need access to adequate housing by 2030, equating to 96,000 new affordable homes built every day. Meanwhile, construction materials account for approximately 9% of all energy-related CO2 emissions.

💡 What will you do to support the development of ECO-BOOSTING construction methods?

In May 2023, Canada-based luxury jeweler Mejuri became the first jewelry partner of the regenerative mining social enterprise Regeneration. Initiated by Resolve and others – including mining company Rio Tinto and Apple – Regeneration extracts waste minerals from mining for jewelry, technology and the energy transition. Earnings from Regeneration fund habitat restoration and mine closure activities.

Mejuri’s mining partnership signals how the regenerative movement is expanding to other industries (so far seen mainly in agriculture and carbon capture initiatives) and how brands are taking responsibility for their supply chains. Your industry will be next!

💡 How can you take responsibility for the environment and people you impact, both directly and indirectly?

Pāṇini, an AI-powered chatbot, was launched to healthcare clinicians across India in June 2023. Developed by the healthtech platform DocPlix, the chatbot aims to empower clinicians to improve precision and reduce medical judgment errors. The chatbot is built on evidence-based medical literature and peer-reviewed algorithms.

Medical experts favor ChatGPT’s answers over those provided by a physician in 78.6% of cases. Patients feel less comfortable (just 28% of US respondents to be exact). Pāṇini can be a practitioner’s secret superpower, acting as a copilot to revolutionize precision while maintaining a human touch.

💡 How can you blend human skills with machine qualities?

End-of-life planning is an emotionally charged subject. In July 2023, Netherlands-based funeral provider Monuta launched 'Ronald GiphA.I.rt', an AI chatbot that guides users through planning their final chapter. In collaboration with author Ronald Giphart, it engages users on personal preferences, generating a poetic summary with an AI image reflecting their wishes.  

While not profoundly in-depth, this inventive and light-hearted concept prompts users to contemplate their final chapter. As LLMs mature, companies that seize AI will have a potent tool for understanding, engaging with and ultimately satisfying the needs of their audiences.

💡 How can you utilize AI to address sensitive topics, easing hesitation or dread?
 

The AI Foundation – a US-based AI research lab – has launched AI.XYZ: a platform that allows users to create a digital twin who can carry out mundane tasks, like drafting follow-up emails and setting reminders. The process involves feeding the companion with data via a simple drag-and-drop interface, or by pasting URLs or content into its 'brain.' In June 2023, the platform went into public beta and has since become available to everyone.

Wishing for a body double is no longer an impossible longing, it’s a promise! AI.XYZ redefines productivity by allowing consumers to offload robotic tasks to digital twins, leaving more room for deeply human and creative work.

💡 How can your VIRTUAL COMPANION help consumers to offload mundane tasks?

Because of their price tag, solar systems are out of reach for many consumers. In comes PosiGen. The US-based solar company leases its panels to consumers for a monthly fee with no upfront expenses, aiming to make utility bill reductions greater than monthly costs for a net benefit. Similar initiatives have been launched across continents.

Nearly all (96%) consumers globally aimed to cut costs in 2023, and their financial concerns are likely to carry through into 2024. Since the investment and perceived effort required to live autonomously are known obstacles, those closed wallets could stall off-grid’s momentum.

💡 What steps can you take to reduce financial barriers to off-grid living?

AdventureGenie uses AI to help travelers plan road trips. The US-based platform aims to make it easier for travelers to build off-grid itineraries. Drawing on historical travel data and a list of 25,000 campsites, the tool considers individual interests to suggest end-to-end trips. In July 2023, AdventureGenie highlighted sites recommended by other users, who had already contributed 300,000 points of interest.

While not everyone wants to (or can) go entirely off-grid, many will appreciate tools that make self-sufficient travel easier, and 71% of those surveyed want to travel to a destination off the beaten path.

💡 How will you strike a balance between the pleasure of travel and the (perceived) inconvenience of off-grid?

In a Stardew Valley-like setting, Land Lab Simulator allows users to create blueprints for going off-grid in real life. Drag-and-drop modules simulate circular systems like passive houses, methane digesters and black soldier fly bins. Funded on Kickstarter in July 2023 and developed by US-based Acorn Land Labs, the app also provides DIY building plans, calculates costs and includes purchase links for supplies.

With its pixel game approach, Land Lab Simulator provides easy-to-grasp guidance on implementing complex systems. By tapping into the popularity of cozy gaming, you can lower the barriers to informed choices about off-grid anything.

💡 How can your brand leverage a familiar interface to similarly engage consumers?

Hekaya 1755 was an immersive 10-exhibition by Switzerland-based luxury watchmaker Vacheron Constantin. The early 2023 experience celebrated the maison’s long standing relationship with Saudi Arabia through a showcase of its latest timepieces, displayed on a decorative unit that captured the timeline of the country's architecture.

Through its exhibit, the brand has created an opportunity for visitors to explore the intricacies of haute horlogerie through the lens of local traditions. Experiences like this embed brand values and preserve heritage through the universal language of art, while also demonstrating technical mastery.

💡 How can you turn your appreciation for cultural heritage and craftsmanship into a communal experience?

Since the late 19th century, the Bom Retiro neighborhood in São Paulo has been home to Italian, Jewish and Greek migrants, recently followed by a strong Korean and Bolivian presence. Aiming to reflect the cultures and stories of that diverse group, bookstore AIGO exclusively curates books about or by immigrants. The shop opened in July 2023.

AIGO could become a potent tool for illuminating the richness of Brazil's blended society, capturing the lived experiences and perspectives of immigrants in their own words. For the wider community, absorbing multidimensional stories of individual migrants might be the most powerful way to counter anti-immigrant narratives.

💡 How could your company promote intercultural understanding?

October 2023 saw Heineken celebrate its 150th anniversary by partnering with Nigerian apparel brand Dye Lab on a series of limited-edition fabrics made in the traditional Yoruba technique of wax-resist block prints. Referencing Heineken-inspired motifs, the fabrics were fashioned into garments modeled from the Nigerian agbada to overwhelmingly positive responses.

Booming nations like Nigeria spell opportunities for global players to act on domestic pride. While any semblance of appropriation will backfire, with equal partnership pay-out, a symbiotic cycle of cross-cultural enrichment can flourish.

💡 Which symbols, traditions or regional craftsmanship would make for a natural yet unexpected fit with your brand identity?

In September 2023, car manufacturer NIO unveiled a smartphone designed for compatibility with its EVs. The NIO Phone offers over 30 car-specific features, including remote parking and vehicle location tracking. Three available models, exclusively released in China, are priced between USD 890 to USD 1,030.

China’s electric vehicle market is thriving: approximately 6 million EVs were sold in the country in 2022, more than the rest of the world combined. However, while NIO and other automakers like Polestar aim to elevate the EV experience, privacy concerns have arisen due to data collection efforts reportedly aimed at improving UX.

💡 How can connected smart devices continue to enhance the EV experience while addressing privacy worries?

In June 2023, Finland-based glucose-monitoring platform Veri announced a partnership with sleep tech company Oura to highlight the relationship between metabolism and sleep quality. Owners of Veri’s glucose monitoring wearable can sync their device with Oura’s smart ring for deeper insights into contributing factors to poor sleep, such as stress, late-night meals or alcohol consumption.

Your product, while focused on one health issue, could and should also address related concerns. Embrace a holistic approach to broaden its impact and align more closely with the intricate web of consumer wellbeing. If you lack expertise, consider collaborating like Veri and Oura did.

💡 How will you ensure your tech is as interconnected as consumers' wellbeing?

In May 2023, Uber introduced a new feature in the UK that enables users to book flights directly through the Uber app. The functionality allows domestic and international flights to be booked, furthering Uber’s goal of providing a seamless door-to-door travel solution. The app also offers features such as price freeze, flight disruption guarantees and VIP support. 

The brand is pursuing a super app strategy, taking cues from APAC successes like airasia and Grab. These apps appeal to the 60% of global consumers seeking a single app that saves them time, data and money. See the city of Brussels or Dubai Taxi for other travel examples.

💡 How will you optimize your traveler’s journey every (physical) step of the way?

In August 2023, software developer Blackbaud introduced a generative AI-powered Story Enhancer to JustGiving, a UK-based online giving platform. The technology helps fundraisers create and share personalized stories – a task many find challenging but can significantly impact fundraising. 

Over 850,000 fundraising pages were created on JustGiving in 2022. Of these, 35% used the platform’s pre-written content, despite the fact that pages including a clear and personal narrative netted 65% more in funding. Just don’t forget to infuse that content with a touch of personal authenticity: this will ensure narratives resonate with donors.

💡 How can gen AI help time-poor fundraisers co-craft compelling content that increases donations?

Cladwell is a US-based styling app that creates outfits for users based on items already in their wardrobe. In July 2023, the brand added a ChatGPT-based feature, Ask Cladwell, to offer suggestions from prompts such as ‘Put together outfits inspired by the Barbie movie’. According to Cladwell, the average user adds 125 items to their virtual closet selected from up to 13 million available items in-app.

Is Cher Horowitz’s digital wardrobe finally a reality? Cladwell – and similar services like Indyx – align with luxury shoppers’ shift towards more conscious consumerism by building outfits based on what users already own. 

💡 How will your brand leverage gen AI-powered tools to extend the customer journey post-purchase?

Developed by Costa Rican healthcare startup Huli, HuliVida harnesses generative AI to centralize patient data into one app or platform. This makes it easier for users to save and share their medical information with insurance providers, pharmacies, labs, patients and healthcare centers. HuliVida is available for free.

Huli consolidates patients’ medical records, streamlining communication among various parties, and reducing the chances of information being overlooked. This not only fosters simplicity regarding patient care but also accelerates information sharing. Can you take it one step further and reduce medical jargon, too?

💡 How will you utilize new-age tech to reduce (medical) bureaucracy and related communication challenges?

During July and August 2023, the London department store Selfridges showcased a climate-focused pop-up from footwear brand Allbirds. The Carbon Concept Store labeled different sneakers with varying-sized black spheres representing their respective carbon footprint. Allbird’s centerpiece was the entirely carbon-neutral M0.0NSHOT prototype, set to launch in Spring 2024

Despite Allbirds promoting carbon footprint awareness since 2020, only a third of their customers can confidently explain the meaning of carbon. Playful visuals can grab attention, but the challenge is ensuring you deliver a universally clear message.

💡 How can you communicate with clarity and ensure your sustainability message means the same thing to every consumer? 

Smart energy provider Banpu NEXT has partnered with Roots micro-roastery to introduce the Infinite Café, a clean energy pop-up café in Bangkok. Active from July to September 2023, the café generated its own electricity, implemented intelligent waste management, offered visitors transportation via electric tuk-tuk and highlighted the carbon emissions mitigated with every coffee purchase.

Consider that 15% of APAC consumers don’t buy sustainable goods because of a lack of information, and when information is available, it’s often conflicting or contradictory. This means making eco-credentials the star of the show while highlighting how you verified your claims.

💡 How will you ensure you allay consumer concerns with your eco-performance? 

In March 2023, Delta Hotels by Marriott in Dubai Investment Park announced that it had installed two of Airowater’s Atmospheric Water Generators; appliances that transform air humidity into drinkable water. Each appliance generates between 500 and 1,000 liters of water per day, which is enough to supply the entire hotel. Glass water bottles were placed across the complex, removing plastic from the equation. The hotel claims it saves 11,000 kg of plastic for every 1,000 liters of water created.

If even something as elementary as drinking water, sitting and sidewalks can be turned into a green spectacle, you have no excuses. 

💡 What parts of your physical space could do with an entertaining eco-overhaul? No greenwashing allowed!

In September 2023, TikTok launched a global tool to help creators label their AI-generated content, making it easier for creators to comply with TikTok’s Community Guidelines’ synthetic media policy, introduced earlier in 2023 to combat misinformation. The platform also started testing automatic labeling of AI-generated content.

Digital signatures and content labeling can’t come quickly enough, and social media companies are well-placed to take action. Healthcare content such as diet, exercise and sexual health has proven particularly problematic due to posts with high levels of reach containing inaccurate information and racial disparities. 

💡 Can you target crucial information topics first to help consumers find trustworthy, data-backed advice?

To help its users identify crypto scams, in September 2023, the cryptocurrency exchange Swyftx launched an ‘earn and learn’ education platform. The Australia-based company is offering participants AUD 5 in Bitcoin upon completion of the first course on fundamental analysis. Swyftx expects 80,000 Australians to participate in the scheme.

History has shown that where verified advice is slow and absent, it leaves space for misinformation and disinformation to grow quickly. In a volatile market like crypto, discerning fact from fiction is essential. Especially knowing that fake news can travel six times faster than the truth.

💡 How will you incentivize truth-seeking behavior?

Launched in September 2023, ChatNetZero is an AI-powered chatbot designed by a global consortium of scientists to answer climate-related questions. The chatbot is built on credible reports and expert-verified data to decipher complex nuances surrounding net zero and determine the credibility of decarbonization plans set by businesses, governments and financial institutions.

Climate is another high-interest subject for disinformation due to its emotive nature. As extreme weather events intensify, so too does misinformation. However, many fact-checking tools are developed in English and disinformation in other languages continues to go under the radar.

💡Can you use AI to detect and moderate disinformation or disseminate evidence-based information in multiple languages?

With its ‘Cancel For No Reason’ policy, the India-based booking platform ClearTrip gives vacationers the ability to receive a full refund on their booking right up until check-in, with no justification and at no extra cost to the consumer. Unveiled in September 2023, the feature spurred a 220% increase in hotel bookings.

Dynamic pricing models can make booking accommodation feel more akin to a game of Russian Roulette. Consider how you can relieve anxiety from the booking process – particularly for the one-third of consumers globally who filter by ‘refundable cancellation policies’. If you can’t offer a get-out clause, at least be transparent about when and why your prices fluctuate.

💡 How can you display empathy throughout every step of the customer journey?

In October 2023, Dutch DIY retailer Praxis added a 'Sustainability Check' to its free app. The Praxis Plus app uses AI algorithms and image recognition to offer an action plan, required tools and step-by-step video tutorials for energy-efficiency home improvements, based on just one photo of a room in the user’s house.

Faced with skyrocketing costs for gas and electricity, 96% of Dutch households took at least one measure to lower their energy bills last winter. In 2024, brands looking to promote sustainability measures must go beyond an AI hook, and seamlessly streamline the consumer journey from start to finish. 

💡 How can you combine tailor-made advice with practical steps that turn overwhelm into action?

July 2023 saw luxury automaker Porsche open the first Porsche Charging Lounge. Using their Porsche ID, EV and plug-in hybrid drivers can access the lounge 24/7, which features charging points, refreshments, reading material, digital media, wifi and a smart mirror for workouts. Situated in Germany, the structure relies on clean energy from its rooftop solar panel.

As EV infrastructure builds and drivers’ range anxiety decreases, charging providers need to differentiate themselves with faster charging speeds, unique features, or competitive pricing. Consider that cross-industry expectations are now manifesting inside the car.

💡 Could you partner with a non-mobility brand to leverage personalized services for EV drivers?

In May 2023, super-app Rappi announced a collaboration with Microsoft to promote digital inclusion and economic progress in Latin America. The ‘Tech for All’ initiative provides free education in digital literacy, entrepreneurship and business administration. Available to all Rappi delivery workers, the program aims to reach over 350,000 individuals.

Consider how you can combine traditional upskilling topics with digital literacy, as the unicorn startup does. The next step? Extending that knowledge to people outside of your organization: Rappi offers course material to riders’ families, too. This is what scaling for impact looks like!

💡 How can you help break the cycle of limited opportunities as a result of digital illiteracy?

To enhance professional training, UK-based skincare brand Dermalogica integrated a ChatGPT function to complement its skin-care treatment manual, ‘Dermalogica: The Book’. The AI integration offers an efficient and tailored approach for therapists to learn from the brand’s knowledge bank about products, applications and salon setup.

Using conversational AI to help experts dive into content and learn is a prime example of how AI technology can empower professionals instead of replacing them. Note that the Dermalogica book is still available in its traditional web format, ensuring the brand doesn’t force people into something they may not be ready to use.

💡 How can you enrich in-house expert knowledge with generative AI tools?

In August 2023, Walmart unveiled a generative AI tool called My Assistant to 50,000 of its employees. Intended for the US supermarket chain’s corporate employees, the tool accelerates draft writing, provides inspiration and summarizes documents, aiming to help employees “work faster and more efficiently” rather than replace staff members.

Large enterprises – like global consultancy firm McKinsey – are waking up to the productivity benefits of gen AI rolled out at scale. Implementing gen AI for all employees (not just a select few) ensures SKILLS FOR ALL while assuaging tech anxiety: 26% of US and UK workers are worried they will be viewed as ‘lazy’ by colleagues for using AI.

💡 How can you tackle the negative perceptions of gen AI-enabled tools?