NEWS YOU CAN’T MISS

Why Are Young Adults Facing a Happiness Crisis?

You all know I write mostly about tech and AI, but what’s the point of our innovations if your youth are feeling unhappy and disillusioned?

A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research finds young adults (18-24) are reporting lower happiness levels than ever before across several English-speaking countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK.

So what’s going on?

• The research points to a shift in the traditional happiness curve.

• Typically, well-being follows a U-shape—people are happiest when young, hit a dip in middle age, and then get happier again later in life.

• But now, young adults are starting lower on the curve than ever before. 😢

Many theories put forward by different studies but the first one really stood out for me as an AI and tech professional.

• Social Media and Smartphone Usage: Pervasive use has been linked to increased anxiety, depression, and loneliness among young people.

• Economic Pressures: Rising living costs, student debt, and employment challenges contribute to financial stress.

• Global Events: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education, employment, and social interactions.

Countering Digital Isolation: Part of the promise of AI is to free us from grunt work so that we have more time for nature, community volunteering, and meaningful face-to-face interactions. Yet paradoxically, AI algorithms often seduce and ensnare us in endless digital consumption, especially on social media platforms.

This contradiction demands our attention. AI should enhance human connection, not replace it—a responsibility for everyone in the workplace, not just tech specialists. Our youth's happiness depends on this balance. ♥️

WOMAN IN TECH

Meet Sandra Joyce, VP of Threat Intelligence at Google Cloud

Celebrating this week's Woman in Tech 🥳: Meet Sandra Joyce, VP of Threat Intelligence at Google Cloud.

Joyce brings rare perspective to global cyber threats through her experience in both national security and private sector intelligence.

Born in Canada, she holds an MBA from MIT and 4 additional MS degrees in cyber policy, international affairs, science and technology intelligence, and military operational strategy, while pursuing her PhD at Johns Hopkins.

• Led teams at Mandiant, one of the world's most trusted cybersecurity firms, helping governments and companies neutralize cyber threats

• As Executive VP at Mandiant, headed intelligence teams investigating nation-state attacks, ransomware campaigns, and AI-driven threats

• When Google acquired Mandiant in 2022, Joyce stepped up to lead the new Google Threat Intelligence, which helps businesses and governments track cyber threats.

With 500 experts across 30 countries, her team now blocks 100 million phishing attempts daily, protects 4 billion devices and 1.5 billion email accounts. She also serves on the board of Crane NXT, a premier industrial technology company.

Beyond her corporate role, Joyce serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force Reserve and faculty member at the National Intelligence University, training the next generation of cyber professionals. Now that's pretty cool. 😎

Would You Let AI Help Around the House?

Figure's new 02 humanoid robot is designed for real homes, where no two kitchens or messes are the same. It sees, listens, and adapts in real time—responding to voice commands and making decisions on the spot.

When picking up a fragile glass, it adjusts its grip instead of treating it like a wrench.

Home life is unpredictable. Furniture moves, dishes pile up, lighting changes. Teaching robots to handle this constant change is a major hurdle, but Figure believes a truly useful household robot isn't far off.

While I love the idea of a helpful buddy at home, the supervision it currently needs seems challenging—especially with kids and pets. What do you think?