The cat’s whiskers- Content is a-changing

Being yet another bank holiday and some great weather again, this weekend I felt the pressure to get outdoors… The garden office is now being opened (so if it rains next week it is all my fault of course).

However, working outside, there were also a couple of observations this week.

  • Firstly, I realised if cats learn to open fridges, we’re in big trouble. My cat has clearly worked out that this is where the food is… and is taking a great interest, really great interest whenever I open the door… I suspect a plan is brewing… and half expect to stumble over MS project plans and engineering diagrams behind the sofa.
  • The tea and biscuit debate continues… Twix, and chocolate hobnobs have moved up with digestives still in the lead… with ginger snaps making a surprise entry… and sorry no dunking… I am off camping this weekend so it is highly likely Tunnocks Tea Cakes will also make an appearance… full report next week.
  • Work-wise, emojis seem to be increasingly infiltrating LinkedIn posts… my suspicion is that this is the subtle hand of ChatGPT at work… it has a predilection for emojis and cannot seem not to help itself… it could also be that this is an indicator of increasing ChatGPT usage, which is also happening.
  • The volume of content marketing also continues to grow… it feels we are moving from a busy doing to a busy selling period. What has me a little concerned is, what with economic trouble in the background, this could be a signal for more troubled times ahead (ie if businesses are looking for customers but no one is buying)… one to watch and listen for.
  • As noted in my discussion with Kevin Still this week too, we realised we have less that 70 days to go until the FCA consumer duty goes live… this is not a lot of time and the topics of good metrics to evidence good outcomes keeps coming up… something to expand on next week.
  • Lastly around content. I have been reflecting on attention spans and long-form articles. Are our attention spans becoming shorter and patience with reading becomes thinner?… my data says I think so… So a new format this week and better summaries of articles, videos and news not being posted on ro-ar.com. Let me know what you think and whether this works in the comments below.
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Have a good week everyone


Stories from last week

  • Sam Altman expressed concerns about AI regulations in the EU:
    During a side panel discussion hosted by the University College London, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, expressed his concerns about the European Union’s definition of “high-risk” systems in proposed AI regulations.
  • Ofgem announced a 17% reduction in the energy price cap:
    UK regulator Ofgem announced a significant 17% decrease in the energy price cap, which is expected to result in lower energy bills for millions of consumers.
  • Lenders agree to pay out up to £47 million in redress to borrowers in difficulty:
    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced that nearly 100 lenders have agreed to provide redress, including reduced or temporary payment options and changes to loan terms, for borrowers facing financial difficulty.
  • Young investors prioritize long-term goals when dating over investing:
    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) conducted research revealing that young investors prioritize long-term goals when dating more than when making investment decisions.
  • British individuals are the biggest victims of card fraud in Europe:
    British individuals are identified as the most targeted victims of card fraud in Europe.
  • Inflation falls to 8.7% in the UK:
    The Office for National Statistics (ONS) provideed insight into the inflation figures for April.
  • Average income in the UK is £242 short each month:
    A campaign to ‘take on poverty’ and address the urgent needs of individuals impacted by low incomes and rising costs was launched last week.
  • OpenAI may consider leaving the EU due to AI regulations:
    Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, mentioned during the side panel discussion that OpenAI may consider leaving the EU if the proposed AI regulations classify their language models, such as ChatGPT and GPT-4, as high-risk systems. (although he has since rowed back from this position)
  • FCA is working with lenders to improve treatment of borrowers in financial difficulty:
    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is collaborating with lenders to enhance their approach to supporting borrowers facing financial difficulties and is seeking significant improvements in borrower treatment.
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