David Lidsky's Blog, page 18

Here’s how AI will reinvent nonprofits

AI will allow nonprofits to think like software companies: build once, deploy everywhere.

It’s March 2028 and Dr. Sarah Chen is having her morning coffee in her San Francisco apartment while managing a global education nonprofit that reaches 2.3 million children across 47 countries. Her team? Seven people. Her annual budget? Less than what most traditional nonprofits spend on rent.

Charlie Kirk shot and killed at college campus event in Utah

The 31-year-old conservative activist was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University.

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in an act that drew renewed attention to the threat of political violence across the United States.

Phillies fan tells internet to stop harassing ‘Phillies Karen’ after viral clash

Drew Feltwell, who gave up a home run ball during a Phillies game, says the woman at the center of the viral moment doesn’t deserve the online abuse.

Another week, another viral sports controversy.

Thanks to AI, this guy is running a Google rival from his laundry room

Large language models aren’t just making mainstream search engines worse; they’re making the next generation of search engines easier to develop.

Nearly 30 years ago, when Google launched the search engine that started its long march to dominance, its founders started without much hardware.

Branded collaborations still define retail innovation

In today’s retail climate, these partnerships can powerful—if done right.

In 1999, a new kettle changed everything.

Is “woke baiting” the next great marketing strategy?

Some groups are voting with their dollars.

Could it be that the “anti-woke” movement has become so organized and influential that brands are now building strategies around it? If we’ve reached that point, then “woke-baiting” could emerge as a cheap but effective way for companies with stagnant growth to draw attention and change their fortunes.

Innovation as an operating model

How to navigate the age of creative commodification.

Creativity has never been in higher demand, yet agency margins are collapsing.

A consequential moment for K-12 education

Choose between AI connected to high-quality instructional materials or a patchwork quilt of AI tools.

Back-to-school season is here, and with it, comes a decision that will define the next decade for K-12 education. Do district leaders adopt curriculum-connected AI that builds on progress toward high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials? Or do they rely on a mix of standalone tools that risk undermining that progress?

Did Apple just signal the death of the single-screen iPhone?

Is the demise of the mono-screen iPhone upon us? The new iPhone Air makes me think so.

In 2017, Apple’s then-newest iPhone foreshadowed the most significant design shift in the device’s history. With the iPhone X’s debut, Apple’s smartphone ditched its iconic home button so it could transition to an all-screen form factor—a design that was ultimately destined for every iPhone model. That transition was finally completed in 2025 when Apple scuttled the last iPhone with a home button, the iPhone SE, and replaced it with the all-screen iPhone 16e, finally bringing all-screen uniformity across the entire iPhone lineup that the iPhone X ushered in eight years earlier.

Design secrets: It’s all in the typeface

Fast Company’s creative director, Mike Schnaidt, breaks down the Manuka Slab typeface and explains why it was chosen for the summer issue of the print magazine. If you’re looking for a bold serif with personality, Manuka Slab might be just the font you need.

Fast Company’s creative director, Mike Schnaidt, breaks down the Manuka Slab typeface and explains why it was chosen for the summer issue of the print magazine. If you’re looking for a bold serif with personality, Manuka Slab might be just the font you need.