People are taking a patchwork approach to self-expression to feel like they have control over how their identity is generated. Yet as individual expression becomes more mutable and mistrust in social systems abounds, there’s one place above all that people are seeking integrity and guidance: brands.

When author Kyle Chayka explored 2010s minimalism in Longing for Less, a very different world existed. Today, a polycrisis-ridden and digitally saturated society finds people yearning for more. Whether you chalk it up to post-pandemic release or a general sense of impending doom, people are now looking for a...

The past decade has seen political polarisation – accelerated by social media’s filter bubbles and echo chambers – deepen and mutate. An ominous era of a polycrisis has shattered any remaining societal consensus. Meanwhile, powerful anti-establishment voices have stepped into the void.

Graduates taking part in a study investigating deepfakes remembered watching fake films, and some actually preferred the modified versions. Many businesses and countries are reacting to deepfakes' ability to influence humans on different levels and trying to prevent catastrophic outcomes.

In Europe, India, and southern Africa, thousands are interested in Worldcoin, launched by Open AI CEO Sam Altman, an initiative that creates crypto in exchange for an eyeball scan. Solutions to discern humans from AI online respond to concerns over deepfakes, identity theft, and misinformation.

Itaú Unibanco has partnered with GALERIA.ag to celebrate the women who were prohibited from playing football until 1983 – using AI to envision the teams that never existed. As people push for gender inclusivity, this campaign demonstrates how AI can be innovatively used to support social progress.

Maybelline collaborated with Microsoft to produce an AI filter that people can apply during virtual meetings to appear as though they're wearing makeup. Even though this appeals to some people's desire for quick glam, there has also been a backlash against digital solutions that alter appearances.