NEWS YOU CAN’T MISS

AI Uncovers Hundreds of New Nazca Lines in Peru's Desert

The mysterious Nazca Lines of Peru just got a whole lot more intriguing. A team of researchers led by archaeologist Masato Sakai has discovered 303 previously unknown geoglyphs, nearly doubling the number mapped as of 2020.

Here's how they did it:

• Used AI and drones to survey 243 square miles of desert

• AI flagged potential sites, narrowing 47,410 candidates down to 1,309

• Researchers then confirmed 303 new geoglyphs on the ground

The newly found images average 30 feet across and depict plants, people, animals, and even a knife-wielding orca severing a human head.

The discovery has yielded new insights into the purpose of the Nazca Lines. For example, many new geoglyphs are along pilgrimage routes, suggesting they were sacred spaces for rituals. Individuals may have made smaller geoglyphs to share information about rites and animal husbandry.

While this breakthrough is exciting, it also highlights the need to protect these ancient wonders. Recent incidents of vandalism and accidental damage show just how vulnerable the Nazca Lines are.

With an estimated 500 more geoglyphs still waiting to be found, who knows what other surprises the Nazca desert has in store?

The sands of time have guarded these secrets well but gazing across these ancient marks in the sand, I can't help but feel a connection to those who came before us. ♥️

Styling Stress? AI Helps with Holiday Fashion

The fashion industry is grappling with a familiar challenge: too many choices. 🙋🏽‍♀️ Yup I can relate to that.

The result: 74% of shoppers abandoning online purchases due to “decision fatigue” (probably even more during Christmas season).

So how can AI help? Retailers like Alibaba are turning to AI and multimodal capabilities (text, image, video) to enhance shopping experiences to help consumers find what they want, when they want it.

A look at the recent trends:

• Startups such as Capsule are leveraging Gen AI and computer vision to allow users to upload images and find matching styles with over 99% accuracy. Simply put, it’s a “Shazam for fashion.“

• Social media platforms like TikTok are also integrating AI-powered tools to shape the shopping journey (social commerce in the US and UK will nearly double by 2027).

And the results are real:

• Luxury retailer Revolve has also reported increased customer engagement after using Generative AI to enhance search functionality.

• Brands like Zalando, which credited an 18% profitability boost to AI-driven features, are proof of what’s possible when innovation aligns with consumer needs.

So next time you're drowning in a sea of "add to cart" decisions, remember: AI is becoming your personal fashion whisperer! Just don't blame it when your closet starts looking better than your bank account! 😉

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WOMAN IN TECH

Meet Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code

Celebrating this week's Woman in Tech 🥳: Meet Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, a non-profit with 10,000 chapters globally working to close the gender gap in tech and help young girls learn coding skills.

Born to Gujarati Indian parents, Harvard and Yale Law graduate Saujani started in corporate law before making history as the first Indian-American woman to run for US Congress in 2010.

• In 2011, seeing the gender gap in STEM, she founded Girls Who Code, which has since reached 300,000 students, partnered with tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, and was named Fast Company's Most Innovative Non-Profit in 2019.

• In 2020, seeing mothers struggle during the pandemic, Saujani launched Moms First, fighting for paid family leave and affordable childcare – work that helped shape the groundbreaking "Marshall Plan for Moms."

Saujani now hosts “My So-Called Midlife”, a podcast exploring the challenges women face in midlife. Featuring prominent guests like Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Justice Ketanji Brown, it earned 8th spot on TIME Magazine's “10 Best Podcasts of 2024.” 🥳 

Saujani's work has earned her several accolades:

• WSJ Magazine Innovator of the Year (2020)

• Forbes Most Powerful Women Changing the World (2020)

• Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People (2018)

I’ve known and admired Reshma’s courage and compassion for years. My fave quote: "Women are so afraid of failure because they think it will break them…I give myself 30 days to think about it, to analyze it, and then I move on. And so I think that I have learned that failure is a privilege."

Is This The Future of Solo Adventures? 🌍🤖

Ever wished you had a travel buddy who knows every hidden gem and speaks every language? David is an AI travel companion on your mobile phone designed to guide solo travelers in unfamiliar cities, over text or through video calls.

Available on the PalUp app, David offers local tips, translates menus and suggests must-visit spots. He’s one of many "pals" designed to tag along for activities like cooking, yoga, or astronomy.

While they show promise, the experience can be hit or miss—helpful recommendations one minute, geography mix-ups the next. Are these digital travel pals ready to revolutionize solo travel, or do they still have a long way to go?

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Until next time!

Ayesha ♥️

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