Introducing to you… LinkedIn ThriveSpace

17

October

2024

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    “Stephanie wants to connect” …
    “Congratulate Pien on an educational milestone” …
    “2 people viewed your profile” …
    “Chris recently shared starting a new position as …” …
    “Discover traineeship Data & AI…” …  

    As many may recognize such notifications dominating their LinkedIn feed’s, many may also recognize different inner reactions fueling from such announcements. Whether being proud of your college or motivated by your close peer, these positive thoughts are usually not the only things we feel. Although LinkedIn brings about great opportunities, it inadvertently amplifies social comparison and career anxiety. Research has shown that increased frequency of use of LinkedIn is associated with significantly greater likelihood of increased depression and anxiety among young adults (Jones et al., 2016). Hence, while LinkedIn offers tremendous values in professional networking and career development, it often overlooks the mental and emotional well-being of users. 

    Now let us introduce you to ThriveSpace, our new Generative-AI-powered initiative that will support LinkedIn’s users to navigate their career journey with more calm and less stress. By utilizing Generative AI (GAI) capability, ThriveSpace would provide users with expert consultation to address their career-related mental issues. LinkedIn’s users will be supported through ThriveSpace’s 4 key activities: onboarding, mental health development and career development conversations, and automated check-ins.   

    During onboarding, users’ demographic data as well as career- and mental-health-related data will be collected via introductory questions. This data will then become inputs for AI models for subsequent activities.

    ThriveSpace’s main features are mental health development and career development. Both features are integrated into two separate chatbots: users can engage with the tool in a text conversation, based on their own specified mental health development or career development needs. Our AI model, utilizing IBM Watson Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and IBM Watson Machine Learning, will provide answers best tailored to users.

    Finally, ThriveSpace will provide an automated check-ins feature. A notification will be sent at a randomized time in the week for users to complete a simple set of questions. These questions help to assess the user’s current stress level, mood, and energy level, and ensure that their mental state is regularly monitored.

    The addition of ThriveSpace will significantly contribute to LinkedIn’s business model. It will be integrated into LinkedIn Premium as an additional offering, providing extra values to individual customers and generating another source of revenue for the company. ThriveSpace will create a positive impact to LinkedIn’s community and to the society by addressing career-related mental problems. The platform will also help demonstrate LinkedIn’s commitment:

    “to connect the world’s professionals and make them more productive and successful”

    (LinkedIn, n.d.).

    ThriveSpace provides an affordable and accessible solution for everyone that needs timely support, and breaking the stigma of asking for help. No more need to over-think, to struggle or to simply have to answer too many overcomplicated questions yourself. It’s time to create more positive habits and better mindsets so that you are purely inspired by others around you, rather than intimidated. 

    References 

    Jones, J., Colditz, J., Shensa, A., Sidani, J., Lin, L., Terry, M., & Primack, B. (2016). Associations Between Internet-Based Professional Social Networking and Emotional Distress. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 19 10, 601-608 . https://doi.org/10.1089/CYBER.2016.0134. 

    LinkedIn. (n.d.). About LinkedIn. https://about.linkedin.com/nl-nl?lr=1 

    Monincx, S., Peijnenburg, A., van Wieren, A., Lê, L. (2024). Innovating Business Models with GenAI – Group 30.

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    Travel Smarter, Stay Fitter: GenAI-Enhanced Getaways

    8

    October

    2024

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    While a lot of people may, and I myself definitely often have, argue that going on vacation is nothing but a way to escape reality and relax, there are always some aspects that you cannot avoid confronting. From chaotically going about your packing list, to secretly wanting to still stay a little fit and get exercise in despite the contradiction this may have to getting time to ‘relax’, generative AI tools can help in more places than I ever imagined before.

    I am sure many of you have found yourself in a situation where you simply forgot, sometimes even the most essential or obvious, parts of your packing list. Some may also have been too optimistic in terms of predicted weather conditions in the upcoming destination, ending up cold and annoyed with themselves. I definitely have. By using PackPoint and providing my length of stay, destination, date of travel, type of trip, and pinpointing all the activities I plan on engaging in, a clear list is generated to help avoid unprepared situations. I used to make all of my packing lists myself in my Notes, simply writing down anything that came to mind, first looking into my weather app to try to predict the layers I would need, and afterwards writing down how many different evening outfits I would need, randomly throwing in some activity-prone sets, and simply overpacking with too many irrelevant items and oversized luggage. Last-minute packing stress now no longer goes at the expense of preparation and I hence experience this tool as a go-to for such cases.

    On another note, once arriving at my vacation destination, prepared (thanks to PackPoint) with some workout clothes, another convenience has come about due to GenerativeAI: FitGPT. Despite my preference in following workout classes to minimize the need to inspire myself with exercises and to motivate myself to actually go because of ‘cancellation fees’, I have to let go of this convenience when away from home. That’s where FitGPT jumps in, an “AI powered fitness coach that generates personalized workout schedules […] [with] its ability to tailor fitness programs around individual user data” (Marr, B. 2024). The tool generates workouts that exactly focus on what I want to train, by inquiring what my current fitness level is, what equipment I have access to, how much time I have, and what goal I want to focus on. I am no longer dependent upon a physical coach to lead the way or on equipment to accommodate my workout activity. The excuse for not being able to work out really no longer holds, and though sometimes I would love to still be able to hold on to that excuse, I definitely realize the value such a GenAI tool brings.

    I do wonder what such a tool can mean for the personal coaching and classes industry. Other than the personal interaction that is involved in in-person training, all other aspects seem to be replaced by this tool. Platforms such as ClassPass and OneFit may fear the sustainability of some of their gym-related partners, as personal training and (little-no equipment required) class-participation is very costly compared to the usage of such an app. Nevertheless, I still only affiliate to using such a tool when on vacation or away from home, as I do value the physical interaction which comes along with workout classes. In order to bridge this gap, the FitGPT tool could incorporate motivational conversational GenAI to try to substitute for in-person motivation and to guide app-users more along the workout, rather than only focussing on guiding the preparatory phase of a workout.

    These are just some examples of easy-to-use GenAI tools that I have encountered and which bring convenience to vacation-goers, the boundaries seem to continue to expand to much greater depth: as AI generates traveler itineraries and provides recommendations for routes and activities which grasp the full potential of a trip. As Scot Hornick exclaims; “I think generative AI will become almost a de facto standard for how [some travelrs] think about their travel plans and how they even dream about their vacations.”

    Sources:

    Hines, M. (2023, November 10). oliver wyman data genai travelers attitude. https://www.phocuswire.com/oliver-wyman-data-genai-travelers-attitude

    FitGPT – your AI-Powered Fitness Coach. (n.d.). FitGPT – Your AI-Powered Fitness Coach. https://www.fitgpt.xyz/

    PackPoint travel packing list app. (n.d.). PackPoint Travel Packing List App. https://www.packpnt.com/

    Marr, B. (2024, August 13). 19 Amazing Generative AI tools for everyday tasks and activities. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2024/08/12/19-amazing-generative-ai-tools-for-everyday-tasks-and-activities/

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    Prone to carsickness? Prone to physical disabilities? Prone to poor hearing? Apple has got your back.

    17

    September

    2024

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    Vehicle Motion Cues

    In a recent news article published by NU.nl it is revealed that iPhone has developed a very interesting new function into its upcoming update: Vehicle Motion Cues. With this function users are no longer subject to becoming carsick when using their mobile device in moving transportation. Simply with the use of dots on the screen, the existing markets for motion sickness remedies or travel comfort technologies may be digitally disrupted, in a way ‘decoupling’ the management of car sickness from physical methods.

    What does come into mind when getting to know about this upcoming feature, is that it may not suit the four layers of success in platform value creation. It can be argued whether the function provides a positive impact to society and our planet. As the usage of infrastructure, intelligence, and an increase in engagement is achieved, is this at the expense of sustainability on a social and cultural level? Users are becoming less and less subject to interact with the world around them, and this feature enhances this development (Daily Focus, n.d.).

    Image Source

    TopGear. (2023, September 13). Image of Apple’s feature to reduce motion sickness for passengers [Image]. TopGear. https://topgear.nl/autonieuws/apple-passagiers-minder-wagenziek-telefoon/

    Eye Tracking

    As announced earlier in this year, by Apple’s own Newsroom, the company has also combined its power in hardware, software and artificial intelligence in order to allow users with physical disabilities to better control iPad or iPhone with their eyes. This feature allows users to “navigate through the elements of an app and use Dwell Control to activate each element, accessing additional functions such as physical buttons, swipes, and other gestures solely with their eyes” (Apple Newsroom, 2024). On-device machine learning is leveraging such opportunities, and proves Apple’s focus on customer experience within a digitally competitive market.

    Eye Tracking: Control your iPhone or iPad with your eyes

    Music Haptics Makes Songs More Accessible

    Users being deaf or hard of hearing now no longer feel isolated or left behind, as Apple makes use of the Taptic Engine in iPhone in order to play taps, textures, and refined vibrations to the audio of particular music. The possibilities of these music haptics make the Apple products more accessible to a wider user base, and foster the synergies that Apple’s mixed enterprise structure can achieve.

    These features can encourage more engagement on the device, lowering usage constraint during commute, due to physical disabilities, or due to hearing problems. By combining Apple’s platform ecosystem with its physical products, the company continues to leverage interconnectedness and value within its already established ecosystem. Data accumulation about customer usage of products and preferences helps companies such as Apple to identify how to adjust their models, to aggregate customer interests and invest in functions as such.

    All in all, Apple continues to digitally innovate in order to enhance value from customer centricity, which is becoming more and more relevant when competing in the age of AI, especially as people are willing to pay for stronger services. As emerging technologies are on the rise to meet the needs of wider user bases, it is clear that Apple is not staying behind, as highlighted by its latest AI initiative: ‘Apple Intelligence’, which further emphasizes how innovation boundaries are changing and market boundaries are blurring.

    Sources:

    NU.nl. (2023, September 13). Last van wagenziekte? iPhone krijgt deze functie om het tegen te gaan [Video]. https://www.nu.nl/311233/video/last-van-wagenziekte-iphone-krijgt-deze-functie-om-het-tegen-te-gaan.html#nujij

    TopGear. (2023, September 13). Apple wil dat passagiers minder wagenziek worden van hun telefoon. https://topgear.nl/autonieuws/apple-passagiers-minder-wagenziek-telefoon/

    Daily Focus. (n.d.). How has technology affected human interaction? Daily Focus. https://dailyfocus.co.ke/how-has-technology-affected-human-interaction/

    Apple. (2024, May 17). Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye-tracking. Apple Newsroom. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/05/apple-announces-new-accessibility-features-including-eye-tracking/

    Apple Magazine. (2024, May 10). Apple intelligence: The future of AI-powered [Article]. Apple Magazine. https://applemagazine.com/apple-intelligence-the-future-of-ai-powered/68868

    The Verge. (2024, May 10). Apple’s new accessibility features: Eye-tracking and more [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjTurUM3Wwg



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