Jelou Galang is a freelance journalist who loves dissecting culture, media consumption, the internet, and how these form our identity and community-building. She is an Organisational Communication graduate from the University of the Philippines and the former associate editor and brand engagement lead of 

, a Manila-based youth culture publication. Her other works have appeared in 

, and DG Traveler, among others. Her fandoms include those of Asian cinema, matcha, 

, punk rock, Notes app poetry, and her dog Maximize. When she’s not having a love-hate relationship with writing, you can catch her running to seek Strava’s validation or making mini-documentaries.

Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience. 

Personal Worlds

Dave Hoffer is a design leader based in California. He’s worked for startups and large companies including Amazon, McGraw-Hill, Frog Design, McKinsey, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He leverages user research, data, and domain expertise to help craft projects, teams, and businesses.

United States

Technology

Home and Relationships

Media and Entertainment

Futurism

Axios

Dazed Digital

Nylon

Euronews

Harvard Business Review

KBV Research

New York Post

CBS News

Forbes

Restaurant Business Online

Pew Research Center

US Bureau of Labor Statistics

TechCrunch

Upworthy Science

Motherly

The Guardian

YouGov

The Cut

CNET

Today Online

USA Today

Barna Group and Gloo

Save The Children

Sprout Social

Interview with Dave Hoffer conducted by the author

Meet Grok, the face of AI-powered toy company Curio. The rocket-shaped plushie, voiced by musician Grimes, is designed to have “endless conversations” with kids. But what does the toy tell us about celebrities as creators, American parental burnout, and the perceptions of AI in 2024?