Deep Fakes, Performance Reviews | 2.45
Deep Fakes, Performance Reviews | 2.45
"The stronger the ego in you, the more likely it is that your perception of other people are the main source of problems in your life." - Eckhart Tolle
News and Numbers
Markets this Week:
S&P 500 is up 2%
NASDAQ 100 is up 7%
Bitcoin-USD is up 12%
Ethereum-USD is up 5%
Headlines from this Week:
Meta launches subscription service in the USA.
Microsoft is bringing AI to its 365 productivity suite of apps.
The European Central Bank raised inerest rates by 0.50%.
Finance
By Vlad Estoup, BComm (Finance), Ethereum cybersecurity expert
Told ya.
Folks, we're at a critical juncture in the history of money. The American banking system is facing a liquidity crunch, and some banks are collapsing as we speak. It's a tough time for the economy, and it's tough for the people who depend on banks to keep their money safe.
But in the midst of all this chaos, there's a glimmer of hope: crypto. That's right, decentralized systems that are not controlled by any central authority or government. And people are starting to trust crypto more and more as the banks collapse.
Now, I know there are skeptics out there who think crypto is just a bubble. But let me tell you, it's not. It's a fundamental shift in the way we think about money and how it's stored and transferred. And as the crypto market rises with Bitcoin and Ethereum, we need to be smart about the coins we invest in.
Let me be clear: you should avoid buying into projects just for the sake of making money. You should only trust genuinely decentralized systems that are built to last. Because when the banking system is in shambles, the need will be for something that can be relied upon.
And let's not forget, crypto is not just about making money. It's about giving power back to the people. It's about democratizing finance and creating a more equitable world. That's something we should all be excited about.
This is not financial advice and you should always do your own research before investing in any securities or cryptocurrencies. The trading strategies mentioned above are only my opinion. I am not a public equities analyst, and you're following these tips at your own risk.
Sci-Tech
By Keyann Al-Kheder, Software Engineer
Deep Fakes: A Real Problem
Deepfakes are digital content that’s generated using artificial intelligence to create a realistic video, photo, or audio of someone saying or doing something they never actually did. Artificial Intelligence technology is advancing at a rapid pace with the rush of GPT3, and Microsoft unveiling GPT4 , making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between real and fake videos and a growing problem for misinformation and cybersecurity.
The problem with deepfakes is that they can be used to spread misinformation, defraud individuals, or even blackmail someone. For example, deepfake videos can be used to make it appear as though a public figure said or did something offensive or criminal, or that a philanthropist is giving out money to those who donate money, which can harm individuals or their reputation.
This rising issue is fuelled by the growing accessibility of powerful AI algorithms that can create deepfakes in a matter of hours. As AI technology improves, deepfakes are becoming more sophisticated and harder to distinguish between ‘real’ content.
To be cautious, individuals can take steps to protect themselves from deepfakes. Firstly, be aware that any video you don’t recognize online can now be a deepfake. Secondly, be wary of suspicious or unverified sources of information. Thirdly, be mindful of how content is persuading you. Is it leading you to share credit card information or influence your vote? Lastly, be mindful of the types of images and videos you post online and limit the amount of personal information shared on social media.
Deepfakes are a new challenge for society that requires awareness. The technology is improving rapidly, and the threat of deepfakes is becoming increasingly real. It is important for individuals and organizations to be cautious and take steps to protect themselves from the spread of misinformation and the potential harm caused by deepfakes.
Paradigm Shift
Performance Reviews
By Roman Kuittinen-Dhaoui, BBA (Hons.), CPHR Candidate
This week, I will share some advice on performance reviews.
Definition
A performance review is a process of assessing an employee's job performance over a particular period, typically on an annual or semi-annual basis. The purpose of a performance review is to evaluate the employee's achievements, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement, as well as to provide feedback and set goals.
Impacts
Performance review ratings are crucial for decisions related to:
salary increases and bonus payouts; high performers get paid more.
promotions, transfers, and other career advancement opportunities; talented staff have more opportunities.
reference checks; a good track record at one company can help you land a job at another company.
Pro Tips
So how can you optimize your performance review? The obvious answer is to be a rockstar at your job by hitting your targets/objectives and/or demonstrating the behaviours that are evaluated. However, being a high performer is not enough, you must clearly and effectively voice and demonstrate the value you bring in your position to the team and the organization.
Below are some tips to ace your performance reviews:
Set achievable objectives as well as some stretch goals. the latter is to show you went the extra mile.
Personally review your objectives daily. Rocks, then pebbles, and last sand; see below Headspace for details on this analogy.
Review your objectives with your manager at least once a month to get feedback and report your progress. These conversations can be used to re-prioritize goals. Maybe some projects are out of your control or capacity, and need to be moved to next year’s objectives…
On a monthly basis, update your objectives with your contributions and progress. This ongoing documentation is key to avoiding a last-minute scramble at year-end to remember everything you did throughout the year.
Be SMART. Specifically, Measure your Actions that were Relevant and Timely. Document the role you played in projects, the contributions you made to your team, etc. And then explain the value of your contributions.
Make a folder in your inbox named “kudos” where you’ll save all the thank you’s, congratulations, and job well-done emails sent to you by others. Additionally, if you’re given a compliment or praise verbally, you can write the email and send it to yourself to recap what was said. This “kudos” folder can serve as an inventory of evidence should you need to refer to it.
Every year, update your resume with your main accomplishments from your performance review.
TLDR: Nobody knows your work better than you; be your #1 fan!
(Head)Space
By Roman
Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand
This is a popular time management and prioritization analogy.
Imagine you have rocks, pebbles, and sand where:
The rocks represent the most important projects and things you have going on; these are your main priorities as they move the needle.
The pebbles represent the things in your life that matter, but that you could live without; these are important but not critical.
The sand represents the remaining filler things in your life; this is “busy” work that non-value adding.
If you fill a container will sand first, then pebbles, and last rocks, you’ll have a jar that’s overflowing like the above jar on the left.
If you fill a container will rocks first, then pebbles, and last sand, you’ll have a jar that’s adequately full like the above jar on the right.
TLDR: If you spend your time on the small and insignificant things (i.e., sand), you will run out of room for the things that are actually important (i.e., rocks).
Company of the Week
UiPath (NYSE: PATH) specializes in robotic process automation (RPA). Founded in 2005, UiPath has developed a platform that enables businesses to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as data entry, invoice processing, and customer service. Using UiPath's software robots, companies can increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve accuracy in their operations. Its customers include a wide range of industries, from finance and healthcare to manufacturing and retail.
Written by: Vlad Estoup, Keyann Al-Kheder, and Roman Kuittinen-Dhaoui