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GOOGLE'S HEAD OF RESEARCH ON WHETHER 'LEARN TO CODE' IS STILL GOOD ADVICE IN THE AGE OF AI

Despite AI handling some coding tasks, understanding coding basics is crucial and creates new opportunities across fields, including healthcare and education.

WHY ARE WE USING LLMS AS CALCULATORS?

Researchers are experimenting with LLMs' ability to solve math problems to assess their reasoning capabilities.

GPTS ARE MAXED OUT

OpenAI's next-gen model, internally known as Orion, reportedly underperforms compared to expectations set by Sam Altman, suggesting a potential limit to scalable growth in AI models.

OPTIONS TRADING ON SPOT BITCOIN ETFS MAY LAUNCH THIS WEEK AS OCC 'PREPARING FOR THE CLEARANCE'

The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) announced it is preparing to clear options on spot Bitcoin ETFs, with the Nasdaq signaling readiness to list options as soon as today. This development follows the SEC's approval of Bitcoin ETFs and reflects growing demand for options trading. Retail traders are expected to speculate and institutions are expected to use options for hedging.

LAWMAKERS URGE TREASURY CRACK DOWN ON CRYPTO MIXERS AMID TORNADO CASH SANCTIONS

A group of U.S. lawmakers have urged the Treasury to investigate crypto mixers like Tornado Cash because of national security risks. They have requested an update on enforcement actions and potential secondary sanctions by December 2, following Tornado Cash's designation as a sanctioned entity in 2022.

AI-POWERED ETHEREUM: FROM RULES-BASED TO AI-POWERED SMART CONTRACTS

Eternal AI has introduced a framework for AI-powered Ethereum smart contracts that replaces traditional rule-based programming with dynamic LLM-driven decision-making through an AI Kernel architecture. The system operates across four layers (User, Kernel, Model, and Hardware spaces) using a novel Proof-of-Compute consensus mechanism. Eternal allows for autonomous agents, intelligent wallets, and AI-powered oracles. Developers can now integrate open-source AI models like Llama and FLUX directly into smart contracts for adaptive learning and real-time decision-making capabilities for apps.

PUMP DOT SCIENCE: THE FIRST DESCI PLATFORM ON SOLANA

Pump.Science has launched as Solana's first DeSci platform. Backed by the Solana Foundation, it introduces a gamified approach to longevity research through tokenized compounds like Urolithin A and Rifampicin. The platform features a market cap-based progression system for testing compounds across different organisms, from worms ($69k+) to human trials ($10m+), with live-streamed experiments providing real-time data. Future developments include enhanced testing capabilities, research funds, AI agent integration, and a product marketplace.

ETHGLOBAL HACKATHON'S 10 FINALISTS SHOWCASE AI AGENTS, CRYPTO GAMES, DAO TOOLS, AND MORE

EthGlobal's Bangkok hackathon had 713 projects competing for over $750,000 in prizes, with judges including Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and other industry leaders. The winning projects reflected key trends in the crypto space, focusing on gaming, DAO tools, AI agents, and infrastructure solutions. Highlights include the game launchpad Metaloot; Industry.ai, which visualizes AI agents completing tasks in a video game environment; and ETHPark-QR, which settles Thai parking tickets in crypto.

TAKEAWAYS FROM DEVCON

Devcon discussions revealed growing concerns about memecoin distractions affecting founders. Traditional VC-backed tokens continue to underperform despite the market's strength. Notable shifts in the token market landscape include founders focusing more on network effects, institutional appeal, and long-term community building. Devcon week demonstrated strong ecosystem health with a record 2,700 developers at the ETHGlobal Bangkok hackathon and a notably measured atmosphere despite market highs.

THE CASE FOR DISTRIBUTED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

A PRODUCT LINE APPROACH TO GROW LIDO'S STAKING ECOSYSTEM

A proposal for Lido DAO suggests adapting to the evolving Ethereum staking ecosystem by expanding stETH into a diverse product line, creating a validator marketplace with differentiated rewards, and strengthening LDO's role in governance to align incentives with the protocol's long-term mission. The platform currently faces challenges like saturation in the liquid staking category and centralization risks from institutional inflows. Lido aims to position itself as the leading decentralized staking provider by catering to diverse user needs while maintaining its core values of security, decentralization, and alignment with Ethereum's principles.

THE BEAUTY OF MEMECOINS

This cycle's memecoins have put pressure on overvalued “serious coins,” as they discourage exchanges from listing overvalued tokens on exchanges and push founders to focus on building real products, ultimately steering the crypto industry toward a healthier trajectory.

ON-CHAIN SUPERBOWL BOX TICKETS

This year mykcryptodev's Super Bowl boxes game will be hosted on Base, built with OnchainKit and Chainlink, and feature new capabilities like the ability to purchase boxes using any ERC-20 token.

HOW HEDGE FUNDS AND BIG BANKS TRADED IBIT AND OTHER BITCOIN ETFS IN Q3

Institutional investors are buying more of the BTC ETFs, with BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) leading the market with $42B in AUM and ~700 institutional holders.

ATTENTION IS SUPER IMPORTANT IN CRYPTO

Attention is arguably the most valuable asset in crypto.

EBAY'S CLEAN NEW INTERFACE IS DESIGNED TO COURT GEN Z AND MILLENNIALS

Ebay's redesign, "Ebay Evo," introduces a cleaner, human-centered interface with modern UX, softer visuals, and a refreshed brand palette to appeal to Gen Z and millennials. Focused on growth, the update aims to enhance user experience and attract younger audiences while supporting sellers.

I WISH THE NEW WWE RAW LOGO WAS A KNOCKOUT

The new WWE RAW logo, unveiled during the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight, has disappointed fans with its overcomplicated design. While aiming to honor past designs, it struggles with legibility. The release highlights the challenge of balancing heritage and simplicity in logo creation.

TIKTOK PLUGS GETTY IMAGES INTO ITS AI-GENERATED ADS AND AVATARS

TikTok's Symphony Creative Studio now integrates Getty Images by enabling advertisers to use licensed visuals for AI-generated ads. Features include AI avatars, multilingual dubbing, and ad remixing. Getty's collaboration ensures access to millions of commercial-use assets, enhancing creative possibilities.

GREAT PRODUCTS TRANSCEND THE USABILITY VS. UTILITY DEBATE

The debate between usability and utility is a false dichotomy. Successful products balance both to maximize user outcomes. Prioritizing user-attained value through thoughtful design and features ensures powerful simplicity and lasting success.

HOW VENTURE CAPITAL FIRMS ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF PRODUCT DESIGN, AND WHY DESIGN LEADERS NEED TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION

Venture capital firms shape product design by prioritizing speed and execution, often sidelining strategic innovation. This dynamic, which undervalues design's strategic potential and fosters output-focused teams, impacts hiring practices. Design leaders can counteract by partnering with VCs, redefining metrics, advocating for design's role as a strategic driver, and fostering meaningful user-centered innovation.

THE ROOT CAUSES FOR THE DEV-DESIGN MISMATCH

The handoff problem between designers and developers stems from unconstrained canvas tools creating misalignment and complexity. Solutions range from helper apps and low-code tools to unified platforms like Flash which bridge design freedom with robust, systematic, and parametric design rules.

INCLUSIVE COLORS

This accessible color palette editor lets you customize whole swatches in a few clicks, quickly fix WCAG contrast problems, and export to Tailwind, Figma, and Adobe tools.

DESIGN AND ANIMATE 3D SHAPES AND VECTOR

Explore, create, and animate professional 3D shapes.

POWERFUL WEB SCRAPER

Effortlessly automate websites and extract data - no coding required. FlowScraper's flow builder and customizable AI actions make web automation easy, efficient, and flexible.

HOW I USED AI TO DESIGN BRAND-ALIGNED ILLUSTRATIONS

Moty Weiss used the AI tool Midjourney to create illustrations reflecting Lemonade's brand style, focusing on brand consistency with subtle details and iterative refinements. AI can help designers scale visual identities across platforms, enabling rapid prototyping and streamlined brand alignment.

OH NO, I NEED TO DESIGN A TINTED IOS 18 APP ICON

THE ANCIENT ART OF CALLIGRAPHY JUST GOT A HIGH-TECH MAKEOVER

Ink united dancers, robots, and calligraphy in a multimedia show inspired by Taiwanese calligrapher Tong Yang-Tze. The spectacle blended traditional art with cutting-edge technology and featured holographic brushstrokes, robot choreography, and abstract projections. Choreographer Huang Yi aimed to transform perceptions of calligraphy by presenting it as a timeless, dynamic form of expression.

DESIGN STUDIOS REVEAL WHAT'S GOT THEM ENERGISED AND EXCITED ABOUT 2025

The design industry in 2025 will focus on sustainability, AI, talent development, and motion design.

I'M SHOCKED THAT COCA-COLA REMADE ITS ICONIC CHRISTMAS AD WITH AI

Coca-Cola remade its iconic "Holidays are Coming" ad using AI for Christmas 2024, sparking mixed reactions.

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BRANDS ARE FINDING ENGAGED, NICHE AUDIENCES ON SUBSTACK

Brands are leveraging Substack's niche, loyal audiences through affiliate marketing, tapping into creators who build engaged communities with long-form content. With 3 million paying subscribers, creators like Melanie Masarin have successfully moved products via affiliate links. While Substack's reach isn't as large as Instagram or TikTok, it offers more in-depth product context, allowing for authentic connections with paying, engaged readers.

PEW RESEARCH: AMERICA'S NEWS INFLUENCERS

About 1 in 5 Americans, including 37% of adults under 30, regularly get news from social media influencers. X is the leading platform for news influencers, with 85% active on it. A slight majority of news influencers identify as right-leaning (27% Republican vs. 21% Democratic), and 77% have no formal ties to news organizations. 63% of news influencers are men.

10 MARKETING PROS GIVE THEIR TOP TIPS

Embrace negative reviews to boost credibility. 95% of consumers suspect censorship when there are no negative reviews. Creating human-driven content helps brands stand out among the millions of daily blog posts. Diversify strategies beyond SEO, leverage UGC platforms, and empower employees as internal influencers to foster authentic engagement. Tailor campaigns with customer insights and use email marketing alongside AI tools to ensure brand-consistent content and improve efficiency.

7 TIPS TO WIN BLACK FRIDAY ON SEARCH

Ensure your content is accessible through a well-placed Black Friday topic tag page and link all related content. Regularly update pages with new product info, price changes, and keywords based on hourly keyword research using tools like Google Trends. Integrate affiliate content seamlessly, promote deals on social media, and utilize audience channels like newsletters or WhatsApp groups. Be proactive about linking content, use a table of contents for large posts, and promptly reflect product changes to maintain transparency and credibility.

HARO/CONNECTIVELY PLATFORM CLOSING DOWN DECEMBER 9

Help a Reporter Out (HARO), now known as the Connectively Platform, is being shut down on December 9. For SEOs, the tool was a way to gain organic coverage and links from journalists. Alternative tools include Sources of Sources and JournoFinder.com.

PERPLEXITY INTRODUCES A SHOPPING FEATURE FOR PRO USERS IN THE US

Perplexity's new shopping feature enables Pro users in the US to shop directly within search results, bypassing retailer websites. The tool, powered by integrations with Shopify and other sellers provides product details, pros and cons, and one-click checkout with free shipping for subscribers. Unlike traditional shopping engines, Perplexity has “unbiased” recommendations, and there are no sponsored slots or affiliate cuts.

IMPLEMENTING LINKEDIN'S SERVER SIDE CAPI

Server-side tracking with Google Tag Manager (GTM) enhances LinkedIn ad performance by overcoming browser limitations, respecting user privacy, and providing greater control over tracking. To set it up, configure a LinkedIn Conversion API tag in a server-side GTM container using an access token and conversion ID from LinkedIn Campaign Manager. Match conversions with data points like hashed emails or LinkedIn click IDs for better accuracy. Use GTM Preview mode and LinkedIn analytics to test and verify data flow.

HOW POSTHOG GROWS: THE POWER OF BEING OPEN-CORE

HOW MARKETERS ARE SPENDING THEIR MONEY IN 2025

Content creation leads the way for 2025, with 63% of marketers planning increased budgets due to the need for versatile formats and podcast expansion. Social media ad strategies are shifting, as 55% of marketers plan to increase spending on X, but many prefer influencer partnerships for better ROI. Remarketing will see an 89% budget increase, highlighting its role in optimizing ad spend amid rising costs.

MARKETING RECRUITERS LIST (NOTION)

A running list of marketing recruiters' websites and LinkedIn.

10 CREATIVE ADS

A discussion of the principles that make these 10 ads from brands like Nutella and Samsung effective.

HOW TO AUDIT HTML HEADINGS ON ANY PAGE

Use Screaming Frog, SEO Pro Extension, Serp.tools, or WebCEO to audit and improve page headers.

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HEY, GROWTH TEAMS: HERE'S HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR DESIGNERS

Growth and design teams often clash due to differing priorities. Growth prioritizes rapid testing and iteration to achieve short-term goals, while design focuses on polished, cohesive experiences for long-term brand integrity. Bridging this gap requires mutual understanding, collaboration on metrics, iterative design processes, and mutual respect for the unique value each team brings to product success.

P-HACKING YOUR A/B TESTS

Pharmaceutical companies and marketers alike can unintentionally mislead themselves (and others) by running tests until they get favorable but potentially false-positive results - a fallacy known as "p-hacking." To avoid this trap, practitioners should run multiple trials to confirm results, avoid early test stoppage, and instead design experiments around solid theories, testing specific hypotheses to gather real insights and build on validated learnings rather than just chasing seemingly positive but unsubstantiated results.