September 6, 2023
More Americans Support Unions as Work Continues Changing
Unions are seeing strong support from Americans across the board, according to new research and polling. Two-thirds of Americans approve of labor unions and rising numbers perceive their influence as increasing (Gallup). Young people are among the most ardent supporters, with nearly 90% of people under 30 viewing unions favorably (GBAO Strategies).
While hybrid work arrangements normalize, workers and management remain at odds over return-to-office requirements. Newsroom unions are prioritizing remote work in negotiations with management at outlets from The New York Times to The Wall Street Journal. Amazon continues to emphasize in-person work—CEO Andy Jassy has doubled down on recent warnings to employees ignoring company mandates.
Some Signs Suggest AI Losing Support
There’s no shortage of AI implementation as companies race to capitalize on the growing technology. But as artificial intelligence expands, signs of pushback are taking shape. Some media companies, including CNN and The New York Times, are restricting large language models like ChatGPT from training on published online content. The Columbus Dispatch in Ohio is scaling back generative AI after facing criticism for its machine-generated sports coverage.
New reports suggest public interest in AI may be waning. Despite widespread media coverage, most Americans have not used ChatGPT and few think it will significantly impact their jobs. Many tech companies have yet to see AI gains—Microsoft’s revamped Bing has not affected search engine market share.
After Brief Lull, Advertising Appears to Accelerate
The advertising industry is preparing for unprecedented growth amid economic and technological shifts. Ad spending is projected to top $1 trillion globally next year as tech companies move into new markets. Both Meta and Google recently reported higher earnings than expected, elevated by increased ad impressions.
While social media ad revenue has largely rebounded, it remains underwhelming for the former Twitter platform, X. The company has seen sustained declines with departed advertisers citing content concerns. Elon Musk has publicly blamed the Anti-Defamation League for lobbying advertisers to leave the platform over unmoderated content. To increase revenue, X is lifting its ban on political advertising.
Sequence Summaries: Labor Lessons, Machine Malaise, and Ad Expansion
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