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lottery movie Hyderabad: Hitech Hyderabad notched the highest growth in Grade A office space absorption among the top six markets in the country at 56%, with 12.5 million square feet (msft) of space being leased in 2024 as against 8 msft in 2023. The city accounted for 19% of the total 66.4 msft Grade A space leased in the country during the year, as per realty consulting firm Colliers. However, Bengaluru clocked the highest space absorption in 2024 with 21.7 msft being leased as compared to 15.6 msft in 2023, marking a 39% increase. "Grade A office space demand in India broke all past records in 2024, with three out of the six major cities witnessing more than 10 million square feet of annual leasing. New supply also remained above the 50 million square feet mark and kept vacancy levels rangebound. Demand in 2025 can potentially stabilise at elevated levels, and annual space uptake exceeding 60 msft is likely to be the new norm over the next few years," said Arpit Mehrotra, Managing Director, Office Services, India, Colliers. According to Colliers, Hyderabad saw double-digit annual leasing for the first time in 2024, with technology and healthcare sectors together accounting for nearly half the Grade A leasing. While technology accounted for 33% (4.1 million square feet) of the total Grade A office space leased in the city during the year, healthcare and pharma accounted for 16% (2 million square feet), and flex players took up 14% (1.8 million square feet) of the space in Hyderabad. According to Joseph Thilak, national director for occupier strategy & solutions (Hyderabad & Chennai), Knight Frank India, Hyderabad's commercial market is expected to conclude 2024 with one of the highest absorption levels since the pandemic. "GCCs have remained active, leasing large office spaces throughout the year. Healthcare & Pharma, followed by BFSI, have been the dominant end-use occupiers for GCC-oriented transacted office spaces in Hyderabad, which remains favorable for other segments such as India-facing businesses, flex space operators, and third-party IT services with large office spaces of 1 lakh sq ft and above contributing to over 60% of overall leasing volumes," Thilak said. In fact, during Q4 2024, technology and consulting drove nearly 57% of the total Grade A office demand in Hyderabad, as office demand rose 41% to 4.1 million square feet compared to 2.9 msft in Q3 of 2024. Colliers said the surge in demand saw vacancy levels of Grade A office space dip by 90 basis points (BPS) on a sequential basis in the city while all-India vacancy levels also slid by 80 BPS in 2024. Hyderabad (13.7 msft) along with Bengaluru (15.2 msft) cumulatively accounted for 54% of the new supply of 53.3 msft in the top six markets during 2024. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword . Spread love this holiday season with these Christmas wishes , messages , and quotes .Arkansas-Pine Bluff earns 120-61 victory over Ecclesia

NEW YORK , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Paramount Global (the "Company") (NASDAQ: PARA , PARAA) today announced that it would redeem all of its remaining outstanding 4.750% senior notes due May 15, 2025 (the "4.750% senior notes") on December 27, 2024 . The redemption price for the 4.750% senior notes is equal to the sum of 100% of the principal amount of the 4.750% senior notes that remain outstanding, the make-whole amount calculated in accordance with the terms of the 4.750% senior notes and the related indenture under which the 4.750% senior notes were issued, and the accrued and unpaid interest on the remaining 4.750% senior notes up to, but excluding, the redemption date of December 27, 2024 . The aggregate principal amount of the 4.750% senior notes outstanding and the aggregate principal amount of the 4.750% senior notes to be redeemed is as set forth below: Holders owning 4.750% senior notes through a broker, bank, or other nominee should contact that party for information. For more information, holders of the 4.750% senior notes may call the paying agent for the redemption of the 4.750% senior notes, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas at (800) 735-7777. About Paramount Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA , PARAA) is a leading global media, streaming and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+ and Pluto TV. The Company holds one of the industry's most extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, the Company provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution, and advertising solutions. Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains both historical and forward-looking statements, including statements related to our future results, performance and achievements. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are or may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations concerning future results and events; generally can be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "foresee," "likely," "will," "may," "could," "estimate" or other similar words or phrases; and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: risks related to our streaming business; the adverse impact on our advertising revenues as a result of advertising market conditions, changes in consumer viewership and deficiencies in audience measurement; risks related to operating in highly competitive and dynamic industries, including cost increases; the unpredictable nature of consumer behavior, as well as evolving technologies and distribution models; risks related to our ongoing changes in business strategy, including investments in new businesses, products, services, technologies and other strategic activities; the potential for loss of carriage or other reduction in or the impact of negotiations for the distribution of our content; damage to our reputation or brands; losses due to asset impairment charges for goodwill, intangible assets, FCC licenses and content; liabilities related to discontinued operations and former businesses; risks related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters; evolving business continuity, cybersecurity, privacy and data protection and similar risks; content infringement; domestic and global political, economic and regulatory factors affecting our businesses generally; disruptions to our operations as a result of labor disputes; the inability to hire or retain key employees or secure creative talent; volatility in the prices of the Companyʼs common stock; potential conflicts of interest arising from our ownership structure with a controlling stockholder; business uncertainties, including the effect of the Skydance transactions on the Companyʼs employees, commercial partners, clients and customers, and contractual restrictions while the Skydance transactions are pending; prevention, delay or reduction of the anticipated benefits of the Skydance transactions as a result of the conditions to closing the Skydance transactions; the Transaction Agreementʼs limitation on our ability to pursue alternatives to the Skydance transactions; risks related to a failure to complete the Skydance transactions, including payment of a termination fee and negative reactions from the financial markets and from our employees, commercial partners, clients and customers; risks related to change in control or other provisions in certain agreements that may be triggered by the Skydance transactions; litigation relating to the Skydance transactions potentially preventing or delaying the closing of the Skydance transactions and/or resulting in payment of damages; challenges realizing synergies and other anticipated benefits expected from the Skydance transactions, including integrating the Companyʼs and Skydanceʼs businesses successfully; potential unforeseen direct and indirect costs as a result of the Skydance transactions; any negative effects of the announcement, pendency or consummation of the Skydance transactions on the market price of the Companyʼs common stock and New Paramount Class B Common Stock; and other factors described in our news releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. There may be additional risks, uncertainties and factors that we do not currently view as material or that are not necessarily known. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date of this communication, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. PARA-IR SOURCE Paramount GlobalTrump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees?

Norwood Financial Corp Announces Launch of Common Stock OfferingNICOSIA, Cyprus , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BC.GAME , a premier cryptocurrency i-Gaming platform, announced its decision to withdraw its license specifically from Curaçao. This move reflects Curaçao's increasingly hostile environment for operators in recent years. Despite ongoing efforts to modernize Curaçao's i-Gaming law, proper legal protection for all operators established in Curaçao is severely lacking, such as its bankruptcy law which dates to 1931 via the " Curaçao Bankruptcy Decree " which can easily be exploited by malicious actors and used against legitimate operators. Therefore, on 5 th December 2024, BC.GAME decided to officially withdraw its Curaçao license. This will in no way affect BC.GAME's wider international operations. Separately from Curaçao, BC.GAME holds gaming licenses in multiple other jurisdictions, and its international operations remain fully compliant with its applicable regulatory obligations. Adapting to industry trends As the global gaming industry faces an increasingly complex regulatory environment, this move by BC.GAME is essential in enhancing and maintaining its operational strategy to ensure continuity and to realign BC.GAME with suitably evolved and robust regulatory frameworks for the benefit of its international operations. Most importantly, it ensures the safety, reliability and security of service for BC.GAME users. Consistency in legal and financial obligations Contrary to recent rumours inaccurately circulated questioning BC.GAME's financial position, BC.GAME further reaffirms to its stakeholders and the public in general that its financial position remains in good health. All BC.GAME's international operations remain unaffected and BC.GAME will continue to fulfil all of its ongoing legal and financial obligations. About BC.GAME BC.GAME is a leading global cryptocurrency i-Gaming platform focused on providing users with a secure and diverse entertainment experience. BC.GAME offers a range of services, including sports betting, and electronic gaming whilst ensuring adequate player protection and an increased focus on preventing gambling addiction. With a strong emphasis on technological innovation and regulatory compliance, BC.GAME continues to expand its presence in international markets in maintaining its reputation of being the leading entertainment provider offering a wide range of gaming services. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2496049/BC_GAME_Logo.jpg

(The Center Square) — California’s senators have sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg requesting last-minute federal funding for the state’s high-speed rail project before the Trump administration takes office in January. This move comes amid concerns that the incoming administration might pull federal funding from the now $135 billion project, and use California as a national example for redirecting federal funds from Democratic priorities. Once complete, the project is supposed to carry passengers from San Francisco to Los Angeles in under three hours, with one-way tickets priced at $86. It’s unclear how competitive this will be with air travel; one-way flights booked more than two weeks in advance currently cost $59 on Southwest, which includes two checked bags. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), proposed by the incoming Trump administration, aims to reduce what it views as wasteful government spending, recently spotlighted the project, and Congressmen Kevin Kiley, R-California, announced his bill to eliminate federal funding for the endeavor. Amid the state’s financial foes, a pause or withdrawal of federal funding could leave the state with no choice but to put the project on hold. During the spring, the California High Speed Rail Authority requested the use of state rainy day funding to plug the $8 billion to $10 billion funding shortfall for the system’s initial $30 billion to $33 billion, 171-mile segment connecting the cities of Bakersfield and Merced in the relatively sparsely populated Central Valley. But with the state’s legislative analyst now finding the state has “no capacity” for new spending and projecting annual deficits will soon rise to $30 billion, enhanced state support for the project is unlikely, leaving federal funding as the only option to fill the gap. The letter , signed by Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, and Reps. Pete Aguilar, Zoe Lofgren, and Jim Costa, requests an additional $536 million to join $134 million in state funds to complete a 30%, or preliminary, design of one tunnel in Southern California and one tunnel in Northern California. The letter also recounted the federal government’s existing $6.8 billion in support for the project, and $22 billion from California for the project thus far. “By preparing for future final design and construction of complex tunnels in this corridor, the Project will advance both state and federal goals to improve safety, expand economic strength and global competitiveness, address equity issues, and implement sustainability practices to confront climate change,” wrote the federal legislators. “These investments will continue to support living wage jobs, provide small business opportunities, and equitably enhance the mobility of communities in need – including disadvantaged agricultural communities – all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” In 2012, the state legislative analyst’s office found the bullet train would increase overall greenhouse gas emissions for the first 30 years of its operation, putting the project’s emissions impact — and state funding based on emissions reductions — into question. Kiley, who is aiming to pass a bill in Congress ending federal support for the project, said even if a grant is approved, he hopes to keep that money away from California’s bullet train. “A small group of CA Democrats is asking Biden to send even more money for High-Speed Rail ... before Congress can pass my bill to deny further funding,” said Kiley on X. “If Biden complies, we will make sure that the grant is promptly revoked.” Because U.S. Congress holds “power of the purse,” Kiley’s bill could allow the federal government to withhold any further funding from the project – even spending that is already approved. However, it's less clear whether the Trump administration could unilaterally halt funding. As a discretionary grant under the Department of Transportation, such a decision might fall within its authority, but political and legal challenges could arise.

BERKELEY — Berkeley is taking another step in its goal to “Keep Innovation in Berkeley” through a change in zoning laws that is meant to encourage companies conducting research and development to find a lasting home in the city. The Berkeley City Council voted Tuesday to permit labs studying biosafety levels 2 in mixed-use light industrial zoning areas while prohibiting level 3 and 4 uses in all parts of the city. A biosafety level 1 rating is given to labs that study toxins or agents not known to cause diseases in healthy adults, while level 2 has a moderate risk, according to the national Health and Human Services Department . Biosafety level 3 and 4 labs study agents that pose a greater risk to the public and are subject to stricter safety precautions. The approval, which includes a reduction in parking requirements, also calls for clearly stating that research and development labs are permitted in Berkeley’s mixed manufacturing district. Research and development labs under 20,000 square feet will be permitted with an administratively approved zoning certificate in areas around U.C. Berkeley, including the University Avenue commercial corridor, North Shattuck Avenue, Telegraph Avenue and downtown. Spaces larger than 20,000 square feet would need an administrative use permit which would require a public review process. Of the city’s top 25 employers, six conduct research and development in various areas including biotechnology, climate technology and sound equipment manufacturing. More than 400 innovation sector businesses currently operate in Berkeley, according to a map on the Berkeley Startup Cluster website . “We’re really lucky we have such a diverse economy,” said Elizabeth Redman Cleveland, chief strategist of sustainable growth with the city’s Office of Economic Development, during the council meeting Tuesday. “It’s really exciting to have so much innovation in our city.” Tuesday’s decision completes a referral put forward by former Councilmember Rigel Robinson and adopted by the council in September 2022. Zoning changes are just the latest effort by Berkeley councilmembers to encourage growth of the city’s innovation sector. In November, the council approved an expansion of a 2019 tax exemption on government grants given to small research and development businesses to also include grants from philanthropic groups. Under the changes, companies with no more than $100,000 in gross receipts qualify for the exemption, which now applies to all grant amounts instead of just the first $1 million received. Over the last five years, about $45,000 in tax breaks were given out to 21 businesses that qualified for the initial exemption with staff asserting the expanded exemption would result in nominal financial losses to the city. Meanwhile, the amended zoning regulations could possibly lead to a modest increase in business license and sales tax revenue while also reducing city expenditures on staff time, according to a staff report. “It’s important to realize that Washington (D.C.) is going to upend our economy of the state and the city,” Councilmember Ben Bartett said. “It kind of behooves us to do all we can to strengthen our economy right now as soon as possible.” While supportive of the measure, Councilmember Ben Bartlett stressed the importance of adequate oversight, especially given that a recent audit showed almost half of restaurants in the city weren’t inspected in 2023 due to a staffing shortage. Cleveland assured the council that there are numerous oversight agencies, including the city’s Toxics Management Team. Councilmembers lauded the proposal as a common sense approach to retaining innovative businesses and shared confidence in the city’s ability to prevent and respond to any threats. “I want to reassure folks anyway,” Councilmember Mark Humbert said. “It may sound glib, but I think it’s actually fair to say a restaurant with poor safety poses more of a risk than a lab working with BSL 1 and 2 agents.”Philadelphia gets its next chance to clinch the NFC East title against the visiting Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, but the Eagles don't know whom they will have at quarterback. Jalen Hurts exited Philadelphia's 36-33 road loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday due to a head injury, and coach Nick Sirianni said Monday that Hurts was placed in the NFL's concussion protocol. Hurts' replacement, Kenny Pickett, sustained a rib injury in the game, and the team was awaiting word on the result of X-rays, according to Sirianni. Sirianni said of Hurts, "When stuff like that happens, we just lean on the doctors to let us know on a daily basis where he is. ... Jalen knows how to prepare, knows how to get himself ready. He is a true pro. Like I've said, I just can't say enough good things about Jalen the player, Jalen the leader, Jalen the person." Hurts, who has guided the Eagles to a 12-3 record this season, connected on just 1 of 4 passes for 11 yards before he exited the Washington game. Pickett took over and produced 143 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 14-of-24 passing. "Kenny did some really good things there yesterday," Sirianni said. "Obviously, we missed Jalen. Jalen's a great football player who's had tremendous success and led us to a lot of victories, so we missed him and his contributions to the team and leading the team. "Kenny, under the circumstances, came in and did a nice job, played good football, gave us a chance to win the football game. Obviously, he's going to want some plays back, but he did a lot of good things." The Eagles have one other quarterback on their roster, Tanner McKee. A sixth-round pick in 2023 out of Stanford, McKee has yet to play a snap for Philadelphia. --Field Level Media

Buccaneers are back to .500 and in position to control their playoff hopes down the stretch

By Stevie Brooks/Beacon Media Growing up in Western North Carolina, I have always known that Christmas is a serious business. Christmas usually started as soon as we finished canning tomatoes. With the stovetop in the basement canning kitchen still warm, the Christmas wreath tables would come out. The tree farm from down the road would haul to us their “ugly” Christmas trees that were sold at a discounted price to be turned into Christmas wreaths. These wreaths were a source of income for my family. After breaking down the tree, we would sit around on milk cartons and trim the branches. The small clippings were called “hands” and were then bunched together to be clamped on the wreath table to the wire wreath frames. Noticias recientes de política e inmigración directamente en tu correo! Newsletter Política e Inmigración The process was time consuming and sticky, but the resulting smells and wreaths made it all worth it. We would then take them down the road to the flea market to be sold in my daddy’s airbrush T-shirt booth. My daddy would air-brush just about anything anyone asked for. The most popular design was a beach scene with a couple’s names in two hearts. He could whip up a custom car tag before the Stevie Ray Vaugn song playing on the boombox was finished. That time of year, the wreaths were just as popular, and oftentimes people left with a cartoon T-shirt and a $15 wreath. The rest were given to neighbors with a card. But this isn’t just a side hobby or how folks spread Christmas cheer. Since the 1950s, the Christmas tree farming industry has been a way for farmers in Western North Carolina to use the steep terrain and cooler climate to their advantage in a region lacking many other opportunities. The Christmas tree farms in Western North Carolina have sustained families like mine for nearly 70 years in one way or another. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Western North Carolina saw an outpouring of support from across the country. For one glimmering moment, it didn’t matter who you were, what you believed in, or who you voted for. Post-election, however, there has been a quick shift back again to skepticism and division. I noticed that some of the same people who had been asking how to help a month earlier were back to viewing rural communities like mine with less compassion and understanding. I keep seeing comments online and elsewhere how small towns like my own suddenly “deserved” what happened to them because of who we voted for. WhatsApp Únete a nuestra comunidad de WhatsApp Recibe gratis las noticias más importantes y de utilidad de Carolina del Norte directo en tu celular. Haz preguntas y comentarios, y charla con nuestros periodistas. Choosing what Christmas tree farm to support based on the owner’s voter registration is a new game that folks from outside of the region have found entertaining to play. A performative way to indicate their political stances and disappointments. I’ve seen the comments encouraging deep dives into the personal lives of Christmas tree families and wildly speculating about labor practices involving undocumented workers. This is the type of selective compassion my Namaw, Geraldine Brooks, would have found unacceptable. My Namaw grew up in Robbinsville (Graham County) and learned to sew and can food as a necessity. In her retirement she expanded her crafting to include wreath making and arrangements to take to craft shows all over Western North Carolina. I was also a fixture on this craft show circuit. If Namaw was going, me and my clogging marionette were in the van too, warming up to dance and sing in front of the booth. My “Namaw Flossy,” her nickname before her death in July 2017 at the age of 78, taught me to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” No matter what you believe, the philosophy behind the verse is universal. Finding humanity even when you disagree is how we as North Carolinians begin to heal our communities from natural and social disasters. It doesn’t get much more Christmas than finding common ground around a Christmas tree and helping someone support their livelihood. The only way out is through one another, and the only way to do that is to take some advice from Flossy and never lose sight of your humanity. “Be good to one another,” wasn’t just a thing Flossy had to often remind me and my sister. It’s the only way to nurture and sustain relationships that make our lives and communities whole. ___________________ Stevie Brooks was born and raised in Western North Carolina. As a community organizer in Cleveland County, she is an advocate for rural voices and ensuring that the stories of her neighbors reflect their lived experiences. Do you have any holiday traditions that have become politicized? Contact info@beaconmedianc.org with comments. This column is syndicated by Beacon Media and can be republished anywhere for free under Beacon’s guidelines . The following article is an expression of personal opinion and does not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of Enlace Latino NC organization. This article has the purpose to generate discussion and exchange of ideas on the subject matter. The author is responsible for the opinions expressed in this article, which are based on his/her personal knowledge, experience and analysis of the subject. Enlace Latino NC combate la desinformación, eleva las voces de los inmigrantes y fomenta una comunidad más inclusiva e informada. ¡Tu apoyo hace la diferencia! Desde ahora hasta el 31 de diciembre, cada donación será triplicada (hasta $1,000). PODCAST En este episodio, exploramos el impacto de las políticas migratorias en la salud mental de los migrantes. Escucha testimonios de quienes viven con este miedo a diario y de terapeutas que explican sus efectos. Además, un periodista especializado nos brinda el contexto las políticas migratorias en el estado. Enlace Latino podcast Republish This Story Republique gratuitamente nuestras historias en su website o periódico. Seguimos la licencia de Creative Commons. Dele clic al recuadro, y siga las instrucciones. Republish this article This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . by Beacon Media, Enlace Latino NC December 24, 2024

Online shopping often involves endless options and fleeting discounts. A single search for running shoes can yield hundreds of results across multiple platforms, each promising the “best deal.” The holiday season brings excitement, but it also brings a blend of decision fatigue and logistical nightmares. What if there were a tool capable of hunting for the best prices, navigating endless sales and making sure your purchases arrive on time? The next evolution in artificial intelligence is AI agents that are capable of autonomous reasoning and multistep problem-solving. AI shopping agents not only suggest what you might like, but they can also act on your behalf. Major retailers and AI companies are developing AI shopping assistants, and the AI company Perplexity released Buy with Pro on Nov 18. Picture this: You prompt AI to find a winter coat under $200 that’s highly rated and will arrive by Sunday. In seconds, it scans websites, compares prices, checks reviews, confirms availability and places the order, all while you go about your day. Unlike traditional recommendation engines, AI agents learn your preferences and handle tasks autonomously. The agents are built with machine learning and natural language processing. They learn from their interactions with the people using them and become smarter and more efficient over time from their collective interactions. Looking ahead, AI agents are likely to not only master personal shopping needs but also negotiate directly with corporate AI systems. They will not only learn your preferences but will likely be able to book tailored experiences, handle payments across platforms and coordinate schedules. As a researcher who studies human-AI collaboration, I see how AI agents could make the future of shopping virtually effortless and more personalized than ever. How AI agents help shoppers Marketplaces such as Amazon and Walmart have been using AI to automate shopping. Google Lens offers a visual search tool for finding products. Perplexity’s Buy with Pro is a more powerful AI shopping agent. By providing your shipping and billing information, you can place orders directly on the Perplexity app with free shipping on every order. The shopping assistant is part of the company’s Perplexity Pro service, which has free and paid tiers. For those looking to build custom AI shopping agents, AutoGPT and AgentGPT are open-source tools for configuring and deploying AI agents. Consumers today are focused on value, looking for deals and comparing prices across platforms. Having an assistant perform these tasks could be a tremendous time saver. But can AI truly learn your preferences? A recent study using the GPT-4o model achieved 85% accuracy in imitating the thoughts and behaviors of over 1,000 people after they interacted with the AI for just two hours. This breakthrough finding suggests that digital personas can understand and act on people’s preferences in ways that will transform the shopping experience. How AI shopping reshapes business AI agents are moving beyond recommendations to autonomously executing complex tasks such as automating refunds, managing inventory and approving pricing decisions. This evolution has already begun to reshape how businesses operate and how consumers interact with them. Retailers using AI agents are seeing measurable benefits. Since October, data from the Salesforce shopping index reveals that digital retailers using generative AI achieved a 7% increase in average order revenue and attributed 17% of global orders to AI-driven personalized recommendations, targeted promotions and improved customer service. Meanwhile, the nature of search and advertising is undergoing a major shift. Amazon is capturing billions of dollars in ad revenue as shoppers bypass Google to search directly on its platform. Simultaneously, AI-powered search tools such as Perplexity and OpenAI’s web-enabled chat deliver instant, context-aware responses, challenging traditional search engines and forcing advertisers to rethink their strategies. The outcome of the battle between Big Tech and open-source initiatives to shape the AI ecosystem is also likely to affect how the shopping experience changes. The risks: Privacy, manipulation and dependency While AI agents offer significant benefits, they also raise critical privacy concerns. AI systems require extensive access to personal data, shopping history and financial information. This level of access increases the risk of misuse and unauthorized sharing. Manipulation is another issue. AI can be highly persuasive and may be optimized to serve corporate interests over consumer welfare. Such technology can prioritize upselling or nudging shoppers toward higher-margin products under the guise of personalization. There’s also the risk of dependency. Automating many aspects of shopping could diminish the satisfaction of making choices. Research in human-AI interaction indicates that while AI tools can reduce cognitive load, increased reliance on AI could impair people’s ability to critically evaluate their options. What’s next? AI-based shopping is still in its infancy, so how much trust should you place in it? In our book “Converging Minds,” AI researcher Aleksandra Przegalinska and I argue for a balanced and critical approach to AI adoption, recognizing both its potential and its pitfalls. As cognitive scientist Gary Marcus points out, AI’s moral limitations stem from technical constraints: Despite efforts to prevent errors, these systems remain imperfect. This cautious perspective is reflected in the responses from my MBA class. When I asked students whether they were ready to outsource their holiday shopping to AI, the answer was an overwhelming no. Ethan Mollick, a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, has argued that the adoption of AI in everyday life will be gradual, as societal change typically lags behind technological advancement. Before people are willing to hand over their credit cards and let AI take the reins, businesses will have to ensure that AI systems align with human values and priorities. The promise of AI is vast, but to fulfill that promise I believe that AI will need to be an extension of human intention – not a replacement for it. Tamilla Triantoro is Associate Professor of Business Analytics and Information Systems, Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.SAN DIEGO — U.S. Magistrate Judge Benjamin Cheeks, a former San Diego prosecutor and defense attorney, is tracking toward becoming one of the last two federal judges appointed by President Joe Biden, though it remains uncertain if he’ll make it across the finish line that is the Senate confirmation needed for the life-tenure position. Nominated by Biden in October for a U.S. district judge seat in the Southern District of California, Cheeks has become a political pawn in Washington, D.C., where Senate Democrats and Republicans are battling over more than a dozen federal judgeships in the waning days of the Biden administration. Both Biden and President-elect Donald Trump during his first term made judicial nominations a priority, as federal courts often have the final say on the legality of a president’s policies and the constitutionality of state and federal laws. During Trump’s first term, he appointed a total of 245 federal judges, including three Supreme Court justices, 54 appeals court judges and 174 district court judges, according to the U.S. Courts . Trump appointed just one judge to the federal bench in the Southern District of California. Biden will likely end his term having appointed about 230 federal judges, including at least six in the San Diego area. Cheeks would be his seventh appointee. Despite a Republican-led Senate confirming 19 of Trump’s nominees after he lost the 2020 election, Trump recently urged the Senate not to do the same for Biden by confirming his last slate of nominees, including Cheeks. “The Democrats are trying to stack the courts with radical left judges on their way out the door,” Trump claimed on social media. “Republican senators need to show up and hold the line — no more judges confirmed before inauguration day!” A few days later, after Senate Republicans promised to try to fulfill Trump’s wishes by stalling and preventing any more confirmations, Senate Democrats and Republicans reached a compromise . The terms of the deal allowed the Senate to confirm at least 12 more district judges without Republican roadblocks but will leave vacant four openings on appellate courts that Trump can fill. Cheeks was not among the 12 nominees included in the compromise, so Senate Republicans could still try to block his confirmation without reneging on the deal. But with a Democratic majority still in power, his confirmation rests more on whether the Senate has time to push his confirmation through, according to Carl Tobias, the Williams Chair in Law at the University of Richmond School of Law. “I’m cautiously optimistic,” said Tobias, who tracks federal judge and U.S. attorney appointments. “It’s certainly possible, but whether it’s probable, I can’t say.” Cheeks and Serena Murillo, a candidate for U.S. district judge in the Los Angeles area, got past a key hurdle just hours before the Senate compromise when they had a hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee now must approve their nominations and send them to the full Senate for a vote. The Senate is on recess this week for Thanksgiving. But Tobias said that if the Judiciary Committee votes to approve the duo in the first or second week of December, it would give the full Senate enough time to confirm the two judges before going on a final recess. When the Senate returns from that recess, a new Republican majority will take power and would almost certainly vote against the Biden nominees. There are currently two federal judgeship vacancies in the Southern District of California, which covers San Diego and Imperial counties. The last-minute rush to confirm Cheeks stands in stark contrast to the nominee for the other vacant seat. San Diego Superior Court Judge Rebecca Kanter was nominated in January but never got a hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Her nomination will expire when the new Senate convenes next year. Neither Kanter nor Sen. Alex Padilla responded to recent questions about why her confirmation process stalled. “I’m bewildered by it,” Tobias said. “It’s so rare something like that happens ... It makes no sense.” Kanter was a federal prosecutor in San Diego for 16 years before winning a contested election to become a state court judge. Tobias said there was no indication of any red flags in her background. “The only people who may know what happened are the senators,” Tobias said, referring to Padilla and Laphonza Butler. Each state’s senators are typically responsible for vetting and recommending nominees to the president. Meanwhile, San Diego U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath, a Biden nominee confirmed by the Senate last year , appears unlikely to resign before Trump takes office. “The U.S. Attorney is proud to serve this district and will continue in the role as long as she is needed,” spokesperson Kelly Thornton said in a statement Monday. If history holds, the new Trump administration will request the resignations of McGrath and other Biden-appointed U.S. attorneys shortly after inauguration day. It’s a customary process that occurs for most of the 94 U.S. attorneys across the nation each time a presidential administration from a different party takes office. Trump’s U.S. attorney in San Diego, Robert Brewer, resigned on the last day of February 2021 , about a month after President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Weeks earlier, the Biden administration had requested the resignations of Brewer and all but two Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys. If McGrath is asked to resign, it will be up to the Trump administration to nominate her replacement and up to the Senate to confirm that nomination. That could take years, based on recent history. Former San Diego U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy, an appointee of President Barack Obama, was not sworn in as U.S. attorney until May 2010, about 16 months into his presidency. Brewer took office in January 2019, halfway through Trump’s first term. McGrath was sworn in just a year ago, nearly three full years into Biden’s presidency. Until Trump’s nominee is in place, the Department of Justice will appoint an acting U.S. attorney to lead the office. In the recent past, that interim position has gone to the first assistant U.S. attorney, the No. 2 person in the office. Andrew Haden, who had previously served as first assistant before McGrath’s arrival, was elevated back to the No. 2 position in the office earlier this month. His serving as acting U.S. attorney in the event of McGrath’s resignation would appear to make sense, given that he briefly filled the same role last year before McGrath took office. But that will ultimately be the decision of the DOJ and the attorney general, which at the moment is slated to be former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. ©2024 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com . 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