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This is Part 6 of a 7-part series of the research paper “Towards Usability Guidelines for the Design of Effective Arabic Websites”. Use the table of links below to navigate to the other parts. Table of Links Abstract and I. Introduction II. Previous Works III. Research Methodology IV. Font and Image Inspection Studies V. Results VI. Discussion VII. Conclusions, Future Research Directions, and References VI. DISCUSSION Our comprehensive inspection of current practices concerning text formatting and image usage within the top visited Arabic websites in Saudi Arabia revealed various interesting findings. The usability inspection was performed to gather insights about the font types and sizes used to style Arabic text, especially that they could directly influence the legibility of text on websites. Let us review and attempt to answer the research questions posited in the introduction. What font types and font sizes are used by major Arabic websites? On the positive side, the selection of the Arabic websites included a large pool of websites, which were selected objectively by relying on Alexa Internet latest ranking. In effect, the inspection covered a total of 73 top viewed websites (52 local and 21 international) in Saudi Arabia. The websites' ranking is based on a set of metrics, primarily the average viewing time for the last three months. Typically, a font has several characteristics including type, size, width, weight, and serifs [37], [46]. However, for the purpose of this research, we directed our focus towards two key font characteristics namely type and size. On the web, font type usually refers to the font family that represents a certain typeface, including all sizes and styles, for example, Arial and Verdana. To style a particular family type, the size of text may be increased or decreased using the font size attribute. There are different ways to resize the font including Ems (em), pixels (px), points (pt), and percent (%). In our font size analysis, we used pixels (px) as the sole measurement for the font since it is the main measurement unit for media shown on computer screens. Moreover, web designers usually use pixels as their key measurement unit for font size. Points, however, are used to measure font size for print media. It is noted that more than half of the Arabic websites breached the principle of consistency when applying font types to the text. This means that multiple font types were used on the same web pages. Previous research, however, has already emphasized the role of consistency of user interface elements, such as font, in the overall usability of websites [35], [36]. On that basis, it is recommended that designers should adhere to the same font family to create attractive and consistent Arabic web designs. Moreover, there was no evident consensus amongst the websites in favoring a particular font type in order to display the Arabic text. More than 35 font types were used by the selected 73 websites. There are various potential theories that could explain this staggering variability; firstly, the lack of research and thereby guidelines with respect to styling Arabic text to guide the effective design of Arabic websites; secondly, the weak conformance to international design practices and recommendations; thirdly, the lack of awareness that text formatting might ultimately impact text legibility and thereby readers' mental load and overall satisfaction. Nonetheless, a pattern of font usage emerged within the Arabic websites; six font types recurred several times in the formatting of titles/headline, menus, and paragraphs. These font types were used differently according to the type of text element. For titles and menus, Droid Arabic Kufi, Tahoma, Helvetica, and Arial, emerged as favorites. It is no surprise that Droid Arabic Kufi came out as a winner for it is a unique font that reflects the Arabic calligraphy. This font gives a true feeling of the traditional Arabic scripts (Kufic scripts) that date back to the 7th century. For paragraphs, Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial and Times New Roman were used more frequently. International recommendations suggest using font type Verdana since it is one of the most legible fonts as rated by online readers of English websites [38]. Nonetheless, this font did not appear frequently in the Arabic websites that we tested. Moreover, other famous fonts that were found earlier to be legible or attractive by English readers, such as Georgia [18] and Courier [10], did not rank well in the Arabic websites. However, Arial emerged as one of the top six font types used by the Arabic websites. Previous research confirmed that font type Arial was read significantly faster and was perceived as legible [10]. Design guidelines have indicated that font size 12 points (~ 16 pixels) is the most suited size for displaying text on English websites [39]. This is somewhat disputable as subsequent research suggested the use of font size 14 points (~19 pixels) instead. For displaying the Arabic text, recommendations are inconclusive yet. For example, [17] proposed to use font 14 points (~19 pixels) whereas [4] argued that font size 16 (22 pixels) to 18 points (~24 pixels) must be used for better readability. These suggestions are in strike contrast with the current practices of the Arabic web design. More than 60% of the inspected websites used font size ranging between 12 pixels to 16 pixels (i.e. 9 points to 12 points) to style the paragraphs. Similarly, menu items are sized from 13 pixels to 14 pixels, which is still considerably illegible [17]. In respect to using images in web design, we aimed at answering the following question. What types of images are incorporated within the Saudi websites given the Saudi culture? All Arabic websites included images as part of their content. Authors in [40] and [41] suggested that graphics improve the overall attractiveness of websites. Moreover, 90% of the Arabic websites we tested included human images. This is known to improve user engagement, trust, and satisfaction [21]. However, 80% of the Arabic websites used conservative images that respect the Islamic identity and cultural values of the Saudi people. Research studies agree that web designs should adhere to the cultural values of its users to achieve success and acceptance [42], [43], [44]. Two-thirds of the websites used images of both genders. The remaining third, however, used images of men only. This could be explained by the masculine dimension of the Saudi society as indicated by Hofstede scores [45]. More than 80% of the websites included images containing groups of people. Again, this can be justified by the collectivism dimension of the Saudi society [45]. Finally, there was high usage of animations, possibly, in an attempt to engage web visitors and improve the aesthetics of the websites. Evidently, the high presence of images in these websites contributed to lower performance scores and increased site loading time. Optimization of images‟ size, using the appropriate image compression techniques, is therefore recommended as a result of our analysis. Authors:
(1) Abdallah Namoun, Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Computer and Information Systems, Madinah, Saudi Arabia;
(2) Ahmad B. Alkhodre, Department of Information Technology, Faculty of Computer and Information Systems, Madinah, Saudi Arabia. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. This is Part 6 of a 7-part series of the research paper “Towards Usability Guidelines for the Design of Effective Arabic Websites”. Use the table of links below to navigate to the other parts. This is Part 6 of a 7-part series of the research paper “ Towards Usability Guidelines for the Design of Effective Arabic Websites ”. Use the table of links below to navigate to the other parts. Part 6 Towards Usability Guidelines for the Design of Effective Arabic Websites Table of Links Abstract and I. Introduction Abstract and I. Introduction II. Previous Works II. Previous Works III. Research Methodology III. Research Methodology IV. Font and Image Inspection Studies IV. Font and Image Inspection Studies V. Results V. Results VI. Discussion VI. Discussion VII. Conclusions, Future Research Directions, and References VII. Conclusions, Future Research Directions, and References VI. DISCUSSION Our comprehensive inspection of current practices concerning text formatting and image usage within the top visited Arabic websites in Saudi Arabia revealed various interesting findings. The usability inspection was performed to gather insights about the font types and sizes used to style Arabic text, especially that they could directly influence the legibility of text on websites. Let us review and attempt to answer the research questions posited in the introduction. What font types and font sizes are used by major Arabic websites? On the positive side, the selection of the Arabic websites included a large pool of websites, which were selected objectively by relying on Alexa Internet latest ranking. In effect, the inspection covered a total of 73 top viewed websites (52 local and 21 international) in Saudi Arabia. The websites' ranking is based on a set of metrics, primarily the average viewing time for the last three months. Typically, a font has several characteristics including type, size, width, weight, and serifs [37], [46]. However, for the purpose of this research, we directed our focus towards two key font characteristics namely type and size. On the web, font type usually refers to the font family that represents a certain typeface, including all sizes and styles, for example, Arial and Verdana. To style a particular family type, the size of text may be increased or decreased using the font size attribute. There are different ways to resize the font including Ems (em), pixels (px), points (pt), and percent (%). In our font size analysis, we used pixels (px) as the sole measurement for the font since it is the main measurement unit for media shown on computer screens. Moreover, web designers usually use pixels as their key measurement unit for font size. Points, however, are used to measure font size for print media. It is noted that more than half of the Arabic websites breached the principle of consistency when applying font types to the text. This means that multiple font types were used on the same web pages. Previous research, however, has already emphasized the role of consistency of user interface elements, such as font, in the overall usability of websites [35], [36]. On that basis, it is recommended that designers should adhere to the same font family to create attractive and consistent Arabic web designs. Moreover, there was no evident consensus amongst the websites in favoring a particular font type in order to display the Arabic text. More than 35 font types were used by the selected 73 websites. There are various potential theories that could explain this staggering variability; firstly, the lack of research and thereby guidelines with respect to styling Arabic text to guide the effective design of Arabic websites; secondly, the weak conformance to international design practices and recommendations; thirdly, the lack of awareness that text formatting might ultimately impact text legibility and thereby readers' mental load and overall satisfaction. Nonetheless, a pattern of font usage emerged within the Arabic websites; six font types recurred several times in the formatting of titles/headline, menus, and paragraphs. These font types were used differently according to the type of text element. For titles and menus, Droid Arabic Kufi, Tahoma, Helvetica, and Arial, emerged as favorites. It is no surprise that Droid Arabic Kufi came out as a winner for it is a unique font that reflects the Arabic calligraphy. This font gives a true feeling of the traditional Arabic scripts (Kufic scripts) that date back to the 7th century. For paragraphs, Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial and Times New Roman were used more frequently. International recommendations suggest using font type Verdana since it is one of the most legible fonts as rated by online readers of English websites [38]. Nonetheless, this font did not appear frequently in the Arabic websites that we tested. Moreover, other famous fonts that were found earlier to be legible or attractive by English readers, such as Georgia [18] and Courier [10], did not rank well in the Arabic websites. However, Arial emerged as one of the top six font types used by the Arabic websites. Previous research confirmed that font type Arial was read significantly faster and was perceived as legible [10]. Design guidelines have indicated that font size 12 points (~ 16 pixels) is the most suited size for displaying text on English websites [39]. This is somewhat disputable as subsequent research suggested the use of font size 14 points (~19 pixels) instead. For displaying the Arabic text, recommendations are inconclusive yet. For example, [17] proposed to use font 14 points (~19 pixels) whereas [4] argued that font size 16 (22 pixels) to 18 points (~24 pixels) must be used for better readability. These suggestions are in strike contrast with the current practices of the Arabic web design. More than 60% of the inspected websites used font size ranging between 12 pixels to 16 pixels (i.e. 9 points to 12 points) to style the paragraphs. Similarly, menu items are sized from 13 pixels to 14 pixels, which is still considerably illegible [17]. In respect to using images in web design, we aimed at answering the following question. What types of images are incorporated within the Saudi websites given the Saudi culture? All Arabic websites included images as part of their content. Authors in [40] and [41] suggested that graphics improve the overall attractiveness of websites. Moreover, 90% of the Arabic websites we tested included human images. This is known to improve user engagement, trust, and satisfaction [21]. However, 80% of the Arabic websites used conservative images that respect the Islamic identity and cultural values of the Saudi people. Research studies agree that web designs should adhere to the cultural values of its users to achieve success and acceptance [42], [43], [44]. Two-thirds of the websites used images of both genders. The remaining third, however, used images of men only. This could be explained by the masculine dimension of the Saudi society as indicated by Hofstede scores [45]. More than 80% of the websites included images containing groups of people. Again, this can be justified by the collectivism dimension of the Saudi society [45]. Finally, there was high usage of animations, possibly, in an attempt to engage web visitors and improve the aesthetics of the websites. Evidently, the high presence of images in these websites contributed to lower performance scores and increased site loading time. Optimization of images‟ size, using the appropriate image compression techniques, is therefore recommended as a result of our analysis. Authors: (1) Abdallah Namoun, Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Computer and Information Systems, Madinah, Saudi Arabia; (2) Ahmad B. Alkhodre, Department of Information Technology, Faculty of Computer and Information Systems, Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Authors : Authors (1) Abdallah Namoun, Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Computer and Information Systems, Madinah, Saudi Arabia; (2) Ahmad B. Alkhodre, Department of Information Technology, Faculty of Computer and Information Systems, Madinah, Saudi Arabia. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv available on arxiv

Design Arabic Websites with Consistent Fonts, Optimal Sizes, and Culturally Aligned Images

RateX Goes Live on Solana Mainnet on 17th Oct 2024. RateX, the world’s first leveraged yield exchange, has officially launched on the Solana mainnet, marking a significant milestone in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space. Built with innovation at its core, RateX enables users to trade synthetic yield tokens (YT) of various yield-bearing assets (YBA) with leverage of up to 10x. This powerful platform introduces groundbreaking solutions to maximize capital efficiency while addressing common DeFi challenges, such as impermanent loss and limited yield-trading opportunities. RateX, a proud recipient of a grant from the Solana Foundation and the first-place winner of the Solana Renaissance Hackathon (MCM), aims to push the boundaries of decentralized finance. The platform’s unique value proposition comes from its use of synthetic yield tokens, which track the yield of different assets and allow traders to take positions with leveraged exposure. This gives users more flexibility and opportunities to capitalize on fluctuations in yields, empowering them to generate higher returns on their investments. The introduction of RateX also brings a cutting-edge Time-Decaying Automated Market Maker (AMM) to the forefront. This AMM is designed to improve capital efficiency while reducing the risks traditionally associated with liquidity provisioning, particularly in expiring contracts. The mechanism minimizes the potential for impermanent loss—a common issue for liquidity providers (LPs) in volatile markets—and aims to eventually eliminate it altogether. As a result, RateX offers a more robust and rewarding environment for both traders and liquidity providers. In addition to its leveraged yield trading capabilities, RateX caters to users looking for stability by providing fixed-yield options. These options allow users to lock in specific yields over a predetermined period, offering more predictable returns compared to the highly variable DeFi market. Whether traders are seeking high-risk, high-reward opportunities or more stable, consistent gains, RateX provides an ecosystem that accommodates diverse trading strategies. Key Partnerships with Jupiter and Jito Further bolstering its platform, RateX has announced strategic partnerships with two prominent players in the Solana ecosystem—Jupiter and Jito. These partnerships not only strengthen RateX’s technological infrastructure but also extend its reach within the DeFi and staking communities. Jupiter, one of the largest decentralized trading platforms on Solana, is known for its high liquidity and strong governance framework. With an extensive community and a focus on enabling smooth cross-asset trading, Jupiter plays a pivotal role in bringing liquidity to the RateX platform. This partnership ensures that RateX users will benefit from deep liquidity pools, efficient price discovery, and seamless execution of trades. Jupiter’s active governance community also opens the door for collaborative development efforts, allowing RateX to evolve in line with community-driven innovations. On the staking side, RateX has joined forces with Jito, the leading liquid staking platform on Solana. Jito’s expertise in liquid staking will enhance RateX’s offerings by providing users with access to staking-derived yield-bearing assets. By leveraging Jito’s technology, RateX can integrate liquid staking into its synthetic yield ecosystem, offering even more diverse options for traders to earn yield. With this partnership, users can expect enhanced staking efficiency, better capital utilization, and a broader range of yield-bearing assets available for leveraged trading. A New Era for DeFi: RateX as a Pillar of Infrastructure The launch of RateX comes at a time when the DeFi sector is evolving rapidly, and the demand for more sophisticated financial products is higher than ever. By pioneering leveraged yield trading and forming key partnerships with Jupiter and Jito, RateX is positioning itself as a crucial pillar of the Solana ecosystem and DeFi infrastructure at large. RateX’s mission is to redefine how yield movements are traded, making the entire process more efficient, transparent, and accessible to both seasoned traders and new entrants to the space. As the world’s first leveraged yield exchange, RateX is primed to play a central role in shaping the next phase of decentralized finance, often referred to as the “next DeFi summer.” With its innovative platform, strong partnerships, and focus on capital efficiency, RateX is setting the stage for a new era of financial freedom and opportunities for DeFi enthusiasts worldwide. Learn more about RateX and join the future of decentralized finance: Website: rate-x.io Twitter: RateX_Dex Discord: RateX Community RateX Goes Live on Solana Mainnet on 17th Oct 2024. RateX, the world’s first leveraged yield exchange, has officially launched on the Solana mainnet, marking a significant milestone in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space. Built with innovation at its core, RateX enables users to trade synthetic yield tokens (YT) of various yield-bearing assets (YBA) with leverage of up to 10x. This powerful platform introduces groundbreaking solutions to maximize capital efficiency while addressing common DeFi challenges, such as impermanent loss and limited yield-trading opportunities. RateX Goes Live on Solana Mainnet on 17th Oct 2024. RateX, a proud recipient of a grant from the Solana Foundation and the first-place winner of the Solana Renaissance Hackathon (MCM), aims to push the boundaries of decentralized finance. The platform’s unique value proposition comes from its use of synthetic yield tokens, which track the yield of different assets and allow traders to take positions with leveraged exposure. This gives users more flexibility and opportunities to capitalize on fluctuations in yields, empowering them to generate higher returns on their investments. The introduction of RateX also brings a cutting-edge Time-Decaying Automated Market Maker (AMM) to the forefront. This AMM is designed to improve capital efficiency while reducing the risks traditionally associated with liquidity provisioning, particularly in expiring contracts. The mechanism minimizes the potential for impermanent loss—a common issue for liquidity providers (LPs) in volatile markets—and aims to eventually eliminate it altogether. As a result, RateX offers a more robust and rewarding environment for both traders and liquidity providers. Time-Decaying Automated Market Maker (AMM) In addition to its leveraged yield trading capabilities, RateX caters to users looking for stability by providing fixed-yield options. These options allow users to lock in specific yields over a predetermined period, offering more predictable returns compared to the highly variable DeFi market. Whether traders are seeking high-risk, high-reward opportunities or more stable, consistent gains, RateX provides an ecosystem that accommodates diverse trading strategies. Key Partnerships with Jupiter and Jito Key Partnerships with Jupiter and Jito Further bolstering its platform, RateX has announced strategic partnerships with two prominent players in the Solana ecosystem—Jupiter and Jito. These partnerships not only strengthen RateX’s technological infrastructure but also extend its reach within the DeFi and staking communities. Jupiter, one of the largest decentralized trading platforms on Solana, is known for its high liquidity and strong governance framework. With an extensive community and a focus on enabling smooth cross-asset trading, Jupiter plays a pivotal role in bringing liquidity to the RateX platform. This partnership ensures that RateX users will benefit from deep liquidity pools, efficient price discovery, and seamless execution of trades. Jupiter’s active governance community also opens the door for collaborative development efforts, allowing RateX to evolve in line with community-driven innovations. On the staking side, RateX has joined forces with Jito, the leading liquid staking platform on Solana. Jito’s expertise in liquid staking will enhance RateX’s offerings by providing users with access to staking-derived yield-bearing assets. By leveraging Jito’s technology, RateX can integrate liquid staking into its synthetic yield ecosystem, offering even more diverse options for traders to earn yield. With this partnership, users can expect enhanced staking efficiency, better capital utilization, and a broader range of yield-bearing assets available for leveraged trading. A New Era for DeFi: RateX as a Pillar of Infrastructure A New Era for DeFi: RateX as a Pillar of Infrastructure The launch of RateX comes at a time when the DeFi sector is evolving rapidly, and the demand for more sophisticated financial products is higher than ever. By pioneering leveraged yield trading and forming key partnerships with Jupiter and Jito, RateX is positioning itself as a crucial pillar of the Solana ecosystem and DeFi infrastructure at large. RateX’s mission is to redefine how yield movements are traded, making the entire process more efficient, transparent, and accessible to both seasoned traders and new entrants to the space. As the world’s first leveraged yield exchange, RateX is primed to play a central role in shaping the next phase of decentralized finance, often referred to as the “next DeFi summer.” With its innovative platform, strong partnerships, and focus on capital efficiency, RateX is setting the stage for a new era of financial freedom and opportunities for DeFi enthusiasts worldwide. Learn more about RateX and join the future of decentralized finance: Learn more about RateX and join the future of decentralized finance: Website: rate-x.io Website: rate-x.io Twitter: RateX_Dex Twitter: RateX_Dex Discord: RateX Community Discord: RateX Community

RateX Goes Live on Solana: The First Leveraged Yield Exchange is Now Jupiter & Jito Aligned 

RateX geht auf Solana live: Die erste Leveraged Yield Exchange ist jetzt auf Jupiter und Jito ausgerichtet

RateX se lanza en línea en Solana: el primer exchange con rendimiento apalancado ahora está alineado con Jupiter y Jito

RateX در Solana فعال می شود: اولین تبادل بازدهی اهرمی اکنون مشتری و جیتو هم تراز شده است 

RateX-ը գործարկվում է Solana-ում. Առաջին լծակային եկամտաբերության փոխանակումն այժմ հավասարեցված է Յուպիտերին և Ջիտոնին 

RateX Hadir di Solana: Bursa Hasil Leverage Pertama Kini Selaras dengan Jupiter & Jito

RateX va in diretta su Solana: il primo exchange di rendimento con leva finanziaria è ora allineato con Jupiter e Jito

RateXがSolanaで稼働開始: 初のレバレッジ利回り取引所がJupiterとJitoと提携

RateX Solana дээр ажиллаж байна: Анхны хөшүүрэгтэй өгөөжийн бирж нь одоо Бархасбадь ба Житотой нийцэж байна 

RateX Bersiaran Langsung di Solana: Pertukaran Hasil Leveraj Pertama Kini Diselaraskan dengan Musytari & Jito 

RateX gaat live op Solana: de eerste leveraged yield exchange is nu Jupiter & Jito Aligned

RateX Solanapi kawsan: Ñawpaq kaq Intercambio de Rendimiento Apalancado Kunanqa Jupiter & Jito Alineado kachkan 

RateX Goes Live on Solana: Ang Unang Leveraged Yield Exchange ay Jupiter at Jito Aligned na Ngayon 

A lot of remote teams start using Slack as a watering hole for getting everyone together to discuss what's going on and what'll happen next. Having all of these discussions happening in the #general channel is way too noisy. So teams start creating a bunch of random channels devoted to a specific purpose. Here are some of the channels we have at Hacker Noon. - We talk about stats, KPIs and really anything we can easily quantify that correlates to the success of HN. #analytics - Easy way for us to gather discussions about HN from any random corner of the internet. #aroundtheweb - Talk about how we build and maintain our infrastructure. #backend - Where we talk about supporting and developing our . #community community forum - Discussion about how we can incorporate more blindingly green pixels into our work without actually blinding users. #design - How do we promote our author's stories to give them a broader reader base? #distribution - Discussion about how our editorial team can help take story submissions and release them into the wild. #editorial - Discussion about newsletters and emails we're sending to users based on their activity. #emails - Talk about how we can iterate on our product to make it more usable and enjoyable. #frontend - Raw feed of new releases. #git - Hiring related discussion goes here. #jobs - Where we keep the team updated on what's new. #progress - Space where we share tips and tricks. #protips - Where we talk about the product direction and challenges we're facing. #product - Where we fix bugs. #techsupport - Where we monitor the status of our tests. #testing The above list is really only a sample of our channels. As you might notice, it's natural to organize channels based on a function within the organization. If a few people start working together on something, they'll either DM or start a new channel to keep organized. Overall, I think this type of setup is pretty natural and I don't really have a problem with it. But I do feel that something is missing from this setup and I'd like to talk about the problem and a potential solution. When we organize our communication by function, people  become fixated on their immediate responsibilities, but detached from how their work fits into the bigger picture. This detachment tends to get people thinking about how they can solve problems limited to the domain they have authority over. The result is often a prioritization of developer/designer problems over user problems. When user problems aren't a priority, teams tend to invest way too much energy scaling up things that aren't needed. It's like building a massive dog house with every amenity your dog could ever need...then finding out your dog prefers to sleep on the porch. What a colossal waste of time and money. You could have just bought a comfortable mat and Rover would have been much happier. It's absolutely critical to spend time daily talking about what your users actually need. Otherwise, your team is going to be stressed out building dog houses for no good reason. In the above list of Slack channels, we're not 100% silo'ing ourselves by how we organize our communication by function. A few of the channels, such as , are setup to talk about the big picture. But these channels are often detached from the actual work being done and are often neglected. #product So we're going to try reorganizing a few of our Slack channels to hopefully inspire more user-centric discussion and hopefully break down a few of our self imposed silos. 1. We're removing a few channels such as , , and . No more watering holes for people to organize purely based on their function. #design #frontend #backend 2. We'll introduce and phase out channels based on bigger cross-functional milestones. For example, we're working on annotations functionality and have a temporary channel. This brings together designers, developers, marketers, and whoever else is interested in contributing. This gets people talking about the problem we're trying to solve. #annotations 3. We're changing up how we think about the channel to make it more of a central focus for everyone on the team. To achieve this, we're introducing a few new product channels that more closely map to our development process. 👇👇👇 #product Our development process is a funnel, not a roadmap Instead of building a timeline of things we plan to build, we've got a funnel. At the top, we've got a list of things we're thinking about building. The middle is for various stages of projects in progress. And the bottom is for deploying projects into the wild. Here are the current stages and the associated Slack channels: At this stage, we're just talking about the product. Discussion should inspire ideas about things we can do to better solve problems for our users. Discussion Stage: #product When we've developed a theory about something that has the potential to improve Hacker Noon, We post and pin an idea in this channel for further discussion. At this stage, 3 things can happen. Idea Stage: #product-ideas We immediately decide to build it. This usually happens because the value is clear and we know what needs to happen to make it a reality. In this case we fast track it past the next stage and jumps to the . Delivery Stage We decide the idea isn't worth investing in right now. We think the idea is valuable but needs to be validated before we invest energy building it. In this case, it moves to the . Discovery Stage This is for ideas we're actively exploring. Here we'll usually prototype concepts to share with the team or users. Once we're confident that a design or prototype is worth building, we'll created a pinned post in the channel. This thread should include all the deliverables needed to move onto the next stage. Discovery Stage: #product-opportunities #product-opportunities This is where active development work is happening to either introduce new features or make changes to existing features. Once a change is complete and in production, we'll add a post to the channel so everyone is aware of what is changing. Delivery Stage: #product-progress #product-progress Once we deliver a feature/change that we want to track, we should create a pinned thread in that details what we'd like to learn from the change. Maybe we're interested in seeing how the change impacts engagement, we might want to monitor cost/performance, or maybe we'd like to get qualitative feedback from users. Results Stage: #product-results #product-results Conclusion A lot of people view Slack as a distraction that just gets in the way of real work from getting done. It certainly can have that effect if you aren't careful. Slack can also be a tool that reinforces silos and discourages collaboration. Slack can also be an invaluable tool that helps people work together to bring ideas to life. It's just not possible to get the same level of communication through emails, meetings, and other traditional means. A little organization along with a little discipline can go a long way.

Keeping Our Ducks Aligned With Slack

Intro Nearly all markets at some point go through a bubble. But not all bubbles are the same, and some of them tend to get more attention due to various events, hype or the level of a potential impact on the global economy. Just for a perspective, at some point of their development, the following stocks had a significant drop in value: GOPRO (GoPro): -95%, FIT (FitBit): -92%; LC (LendingClub): -91%; SNAP (most known as a creator of Snapchat): -83%; ZNGA (Zynga): -77%; TWTR (Twitter): -63%; SPOT (Spotify): -48%; DOCU (Docusign): -45%; FB (Facebook): -42%. Perhaps the most conspicuous analogy of an infamous crypto crash is the dot-com bubble. Crypto market cap fell by 80% to its high, while Nasdaq Composite Index’s fell by 78% during the dot-com crash. Other similarities include explosive growth and grandiose expectations of the capabilities of underlying technologies. Does this mean that crypto market is following the pattern of the dot-com bubble? Indeed, the dot-com bubble and the hypothetical crypto bubble share many striking similarities. Introduction Dot-com In the early 1990s, the internet was fast emerging and by mid-1990s a rapid increase in the households computer ownership rose from 15% to 35%. The sense of the “next big thing” incentivized the launch of internet-based companies met with significant injections of investments thanks to the low interest rates. Crypto In the early 2010s, bitcoin and its underlying technology blockchain were fast emerging. A few years later, increasing publicity, a rush to make a quick fortune, and the idea of a decentralized and free-of-the-government-involvement financial system incentivized the launch of many blockchain-based companies, met with significant injections of investments thanks to the economic stability in some countries and the lack of thereof in others. Investment FOMO Dot-com Adding .com to a company’s name significantly increased the companies’ valuations. Most of these companies didn’t have profits, but pure speculation and a lack of a robust fundamental basis led to their significant overvaluation and the interest of the investors sensing the ‘next big thing’. Crypto Adding ‘crypto’ or ‘blockchain’ words to a company’s name significantly the companies’ valuations. Most of these companies didn’t have a product, robust business model or profits. However, pure speculation and a lack of a robust fundamental basis led to their significant overvaluation and the interest of the investors sensing the ‘next big thing’. increased IPO and ICO IPO: Dot-com As the bubble grew, Investment banks got involved, profiting greatly from initial public offerings (IPO) and subsequently, touting further investment. ICO: Crypto As the bubble grew, the coin issuance companies got involved, profiting greatly from initial coin offerings (ICO) that resulted in 8.7bn in total funding. Peak Dot-com Many people had started trading full time and investors were turning into millionaires overnight. Between 1995 and 2000, the Nasdaq composite stock market index rose 400 to an all-time reaching the value of over in March of 2000. % $6 trillion Crypto Between 2016 and 2017, the price of bitcoin and many other coins kept rising, and by the end of 2017 the Bitcoin price rose to $19k. Many investors started trading full time and turning into millionaires overnight. Bubble Burst Dot-com Expectations were set high, the market was too excited, while many of the dot-coms were unable to come up with sustainable business models to help them prove at least some correlation between companies’ valuations and the invested funds. The dot-com bubble burst happened in March 2000, shortly after the Nasdaq index posted its high of 5048 points. This was followed by sell-offs of the stocks by large tech firms such as Intel, Dell, and Cisco causing a public panic. Crypto Expectations were set high, the market was too excited, while many of the blockchain companies were unable to develop sustainable business models which would help prove at least some correlation between companies’ valuations and the invested funds. The crypto bubble burst in December 2017, shortly after the Bitcoin price surpassed $19k. This was the breaking point for selling off the bitcoin and other crypto holdings by many investors, causing even more panic. Sequel Dot-com Within the 2-year period after the burst, the Nasdaq composite dropped from 5048.62 points to 1114.11 points, equal to 77% and a disappeared $5 trillion worth of investments. Hundreds of companies liquidated what little capital they had left, and closed by 2004. 48% of companies managed to continue their operations. Some of those that managed to stay afloat eventually surpassed their original market caps. Among those are Amazon and Google. Crypto Hundreds of companies liquidated what little capital they had left, and closed by 2019. Only some of the companies managed to continue their operations. Some of them were met with regulatory accusations. Companies that managed to stay afloat could potentially surpass their original market caps. New players are entering the industry. What’s common: dot-com & Crypto According to Morgan Stanley report, cryptocurrency price chart and Nasdaq index chart indeed correlate. During both of these historical events, the eagerness to make quick monetary rewards and the excitement for new disruptive technology fuelled a FOMO (fear of missing out)-based investments and the eventual high drops by 80%. Post-Bubble Dot-com In December 1999, Amazon‘s stock price hit its first and the only one for the upcoming decade, peak of $107, followed by a massive drop of ~90% to ~$6 in about a year. It took almost a decade to reach its previous highs. Today, AMZN’s price is at $1,950, which is 32000% growth from its lows $6. Crypto Following the crash and till now, the hype has fallen down and speculation got to the normal levels. Meanwhile, the companies are developing the technology and launching new products while regulators are working out the regulatory mechanisms of the industry. All these advancements lead to a slow but sure adoption. A crypto market leader Bitcoin (BTC) is currently trading at just over $5,000, down -75% from its all-time high of around $19,665 in December 2017. If we go ahead and draw a straight parallel line between the performance of these market leaders, we can predict an astonishing future for Bitcoin. Assuming we take the Bitcoin’s lowest point after all highs at $3,288.45, the AMZN’s ~32000% growth would take us to around $1,052,304 per Bitcoin. Regardless of how realistic this price point is, this dot-com comparison offers a point of view that we should consider. However, it is important to note that blindly comparing the price of one of the dot-com market leaders to Bitcoin would be immature. Is This Important? While this comparison offers an interesting and a potentially possible point of view on the future of Bitcoin and the blockchain industry, an output of any endeavor, be it new technology, a new type of currency or a completely new industry, and its value have to eventually align. Among success factors are efficiency/ technological robustness, market adoption, network effects, the scale of its impact on economies and industries, team, and a community. The scope of a provided value will determine Amazons and Googles of the blockchain industry. In the meantime, while Bitcoin is going through continuous improvements, we may very well see new market players entering the gameboard with the only desire to get the crown.

How Irrational Exuberance aligned Dot-Com and Crypto bubbles.

What does it take to redefine data sovereignty in the age of AI and gaming? For CARV, it’s about putting power back in the hands of users while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital ecosystems. With the testnet launch of their CARV SVM Chain and fresh token listings on Tokocrypto in Indonesia and Mercado Bitcoin in Latin America, CARV is stepping up on the global stage. CARV SVM Chain We sat down with Victor Yu, co-founder and COO at CARV, to dive into the technical feats, strategic moves, and token utility fueling this game-changing platform. Here’s what we uncovered. Victor Yu CARV Ishan Pandey: What were the biggest technical hurdles in developing the CARV SVM Chain, and how did you overcome them? Victor Yu: Great question and thanks for your interest, Ishan. CARV’s SVM Chain is an agentic infrastructure designed to enable data sovereignty at scale. The testnet (earmarked for mainnet release in the near future) extends SVM’s capabilities onto Ethereum and pioneers a secure ecosystem where AI agents can thrive. Built on zk-technology and powered by Trusted Execution Environments (TEE), the chain delivers unparalleled data privacy, scalability, and liquidity bridging between Ethereum and Solana. Victor Yu Building it was no mean feat. A significant challenge was creating a horizontal scaling architecture to deliver the throughput necessary for agent operations. We engineered a producer-consumer architecture to distribute workload across nodes, allowing each node to handle a portion of transactions independently for theoretically infinite scaling. More complex yet was implementing the TEE and ensuring privacy guarantees. As agents enter the home and workplace, operations must remain secure and verifiable while enabling autonomous data management, which is why we pushed for zero-knowledge integration and cryptographic proofs. Ishan Pandey: How is CARV using cutting-edge tech to shake up gaming and AI experiences, and what makes your approach stand out? Victor Yu:The next phase of web3 is about giving the user data decision-making power. So, we’ve made data sovereignty the foundation of our ecosystem with our D.A.T.A Framework (Data Authentication, Trust, and Attestation). Victor Yu D.A.T.A Framework (Data Authentication, Trust, and Attestation) This framework empowers AI agents with high-quality on-chain and off-chain data while preserving user privacy. As a result, D.A.T.A. transforms static data into dynamic, actionable insights for developers, empowering them to build more intelligent and autonomous AI systems. And, by solving the long-standing challenge of fragmented, inaccessible, and untrustworthy data, users can securely control and monetize their information. There’s clearly an appetite for this with 900 gaming projects and 15 million users already integrated into our ecosystem. These partners leverage CARV ID (ERC-7231) to aggregate cross-chain and off-chain identities into comprehensive profiles that enhance AI understanding while keeping users in the data-driving seat. ERC-7231 Ishan Pandey: Why are Southeast Asia and Latin America prime targets for CARV’s expansion, and what unique opportunities do these regions unlock? Victor Yu: These two markets have tech-savvy populations and rapidly growing gaming ecosystems. With high smartphone penetration, Southeast Asia and Latin America users generate enormous amounts of data yet traditionally have less opportunity to participate in the value created. Our data sovereignty model resonates strongly here, empowering users to control and monetize their digital footprints. Victor Yu And, as we saw with Axie Infinity in the Philippines, web3 projects can successfully onboard new crypto audiences and “bank” previously unbanked populations. Our strategic listings position CARV at the center of emerging digital economies. CARV Ishan Pandey: Beyond trading, what real-world roles does the CARV token play in your ecosystem, and how does it hook users in? Victor Yu: $CARV is the cornerstone of the CARV ecosystem, serving multiple key functions beyond trading. It is used as a utility token for gas fees in network operations, as a medium of exchange for premium services, and to facilitate liquidity pairing in our AI agent ecosystem. Additionally, users can lock $CARV to obtain veCARV, which enables participation in governance and access to ecosystem privileges. Victor Yu What draws users in is our community-first design. $CARV is central in enabling individuals to contribute to and help shape a fair, user-owned data economy. Participants can engage with CARV’s modular data layer – whether by sharing, verifying, or consuming data – and receive network-based and usage-based incentives corresponding to their participation level. This active involvement fosters a stronger, more sustainable ecosystem for all. Ishan Pandey: What’s cooking with your integrations with Kite AI and ARPA Network, and how will they level up the CARV platform? Victor Yu: Yes, there’s plenty happening, it feels like we have another big-ticket partnership every other week! These two, specifically, add enormous value to our AI ecosystem. Victor Yu Our strategic partnership with Kite AI, a purpose-built Layer 1 for AI, will help advance our on-chain intelligence through trusted, verifiable data and push for key standards in payment flows and AI-driven transactions. This is a win-win collaboration since we’ll provide high-quality gaming and identity data to Kite AI’s decentralized AI ecosystem, enabling agents and developers to access structured insights for better autonomous decision-making. Kite AI ARPA Network, meanwhile, is a permissionless network that envisions a fair, secure, and privacy-preserving blockchain ecosystem. We’re working with them to bring verifiable randomness and threshold cryptography to the forefront of AI, gaming, and blockchain security. Think fair game mechanics and privacy-preserving AI that’s cross-chain ready and unlocking utility. These are but two of our strategic partnerships and plenty more are on the horizon. Watch this space. Ishan Pandey: How does CARV guarantee users stay in the driver’s seat with their data, and what’s protecting their privacy? Victor Yu: We bake data rights and privacy into our tech stack. CARV ID gives users complete control over their cross-chain and off-chain identities, TEE and zero-knowledge technology ensure data processing happens in secure enclaves, and our modular data layer gives independent validation and additional privacy guarantees. Data sovereignty isn’t just a feature for us – it’s our core mission and the foundation of everything we build. Victor Yu This approach stems from the fact that, until now, internet users have delivered troves of personal information but have not benefited from it. Rather, data conglomerates have collected, refined, and sold it to the highest bidder. The internet should be user-owned and those creating insights should share in the value. We’re making this transparent, possible, and secure like never before. Ishan Pandey: Looking into your crystal ball, what game-changing trends do you see at the crossroads of blockchain, gaming and AI, and how’s CARV gearing up to lead the pack? Victor Yu: The technology needs trust. Without user acknowledgment and buy-in, and without privacy and security guardrails, AI agents won’t be welcome in our most private and professional spaces. We provide an agentic infrastructure to unlock insights in a secure environment. Victor Yu Once the technology is understood and trusted, we expect the emergence of AI with true economic self-awareness – agents that can analyze blockchain data, adapt their strategies, and autonomously act based on verifiable insights. We’re building the infrastructure for these economically aligned AI agents through our D.A.T.A Framework. The sky’s the limit: DeFi applications where AI performs advanced risk assessment in real-time, GameFi experiences with adaptive player engagement that responds to individual behavior, and SocialFi platforms where governance participation is enhanced through contextual understanding of community dynamics. The future belongs to trustworthy AI that understands behavioral patterns, makes informed decisions based on comprehensive metrics, and generates contextual actions tailored to specific users. This is where we’re headed and we can’t wait for what’s next. The Road Ahead for CARV CARV is forging a movement where users call the shots and gaming and AI get a serious upgrade. With their eyes on Southeast Asia, Latin America, and beyond, plus a knack for weaving tech and partnerships into something unstoppable, CARV’s not here to play small. As they roll out the CARV SVM Chain and tighten ties with innovators like Kite AI and ARPA Network, one thing’s clear: the question isn’t if CARV will reshape the game—it’s how far they’ll take it. Stay tuned. Kite AI Don’t forget to like and share the story! Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYO Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYO Vested Interest Disclosure: business blogging program business blogging program

AI, Gaming & Data Ownership: CARV’s Plan to Put Users in Control

الذكاء الاصطناعي والألعاب وملكية البيانات: خطة CARV لمنح المستخدمين السيطرة

AI, игри и собственост на данните: Планът на CARV да постави потребителите в контрол

IA, juegos y propiedad de datos: el plan de CARV para que los usuarios tengan el control

AI, Gaming e Proprietà dei Dati: il Piano di CARV per Mettere gli Utenti al Controllo

AI、ゲーム、データの所有権: CARV のユーザー主導の計画

AI, თამაშები და მონაცემთა მფლობელობა: CARV-ის გეგმა მომხმარებლების კონტროლის ქვეშ დააყენოს

ВИ, игри и сопственост на податоци: план на CARV да ги стави корисниците под контрола

एआई, गेमिङ र डेटा स्वामित्व: प्रयोगकर्ताहरूलाई नियन्त्रणमा राख्ने CARV को योजना

AI, Gaming & Data Ownership: Leano la CARV la go Bea Badiriši ka Taolo

AI, gry i własność danych: plan CARV, aby dać użytkownikom kontrolę

AI, Mutambo & Muridzi weData: Chirongwa cheCARV chekuisa Vashandisi Mukutonga

AI, Michezo ya Kubahatisha na Umiliki wa Data: Mpango wa CARV wa Kudhibiti Watumiaji

TAO: The Decentralized AI Powerhouse TAO: The Decentralized AI Powerhouse People keep saying TAO resembles BTC in the early days - and for good reason. As Barry, CEO of DCG, puts it: -Complex but groundbreaking: Like Bitcoin, TAO isn’t easy to grasp at first, but they are both genius incentive mechanisms capable  of coordinating massive global resources -Fixed supply: Capped at 21 million tokens, with halvings every 4 years. -Fair launch: No VCs, no ICOs, no team allocations. Just pure, decentralized incentives. -Ecosystem-driven: Validators, miners, and subnet owners all compete for TAO rewards. After the chaos of VC tokens and memecoins, Bittensor’s tokenomics design feels like a breath of fresh air. But what exactly is it? Simply put, Bittensor is a decentralized incentive network enabled by TAO. Think of it as a blockchain for AI, where each subnet (like a dapp) specializes in a specific AI service—whether it’s DeFi yield optimization, AI model training, or data scraping. Let’s take Subnet 10 as an example, here's how it flows: #1 Subnet Owner - post a task “How $50M USDC to be distributed across Pools A, B, C, and D?” #2 Miner - Propose the solution #2 Miner - Propose the solution Once this data is processed through each miner's AI-powered algorithm, they generate an allocation (e.g., $20M to Pool A, $10M to Pool B, $15M to Pool C, and $5M to Pool D). #3 Validator - review and score #3 Validator - review and score Validators select the highest-scoring allocation and send it to the aggregator application to rebalance funds on-chain. To score miners, validators wait 12 hours after the allocations are submitted. At that point, they pull the real on-chain APR from each yield source and use it to determine the actual yield produced by each allocation. #4 TAO Foundation - release TAO #4 TAO Foundation - release TAO To ensure fairness, Bittensor uses Yuma Consensus to evaluate miner performance and calculate rewards based on validator rankings. The result? A decentralized AI ecosystem where the best performers thrive, and low performers get weeded out. Subnets on Bittensor are powerful; those subnets could bring us fully decentralized AI  commodities, enabling us to take control of the future of internet intelligence. dTAO: The Game-Changer dTAO: The Game-Changer Highlighted in the dTAO whitepaper, the goal of dTAO is to minimize validator manipulation on the current TAO emission allocation, and to extend a self-reinforcing subnet valuation system including miners and speculators, which means it shifted TAO emissions from validator-driven to open market-weighted. In particular, dTAO derives emission values from the market prices of subnet-specific tokens that trade against TAO on Constant Product AMMs, thus enabling the market to assess the value of the subnet. It feels like shifting from ‘shareholder decision-making’ to a ‘community-wide referendum,’ giving the community more voice. This is a game-changer as we compare the key player motivations: With the renovated dTAO mechanism, Subnet owners compete for TAO reserve and its own alpha token price, thus kicking off its business model flywheel. dTAO has made the network more democratic, competitive, and aligned with community interests. How to Play the Bittensor Game How to Play the Bittensor Game TAO Holding TAO Holding TAO Holding Simply holding TAO is a solid strategy if you’d like to capitalize on the crypto-AI space. TAO’s combination of scarcity, utility, and ecosystem growth positions it as a high-potential asset. With a fixed supply of 21 million tokens, halvings every 4 years, and growing demand driven by the Crypto&AI boom, TAO works as a deflationary asset for long-term value appreciation. As more subnets join the network and more users leverage its decentralized AI services, demand for TAO will continue to rise. Considering the recent subnet expansion, dTAO upgrade, and Subtensor EVM create a flywheel effect, the current price offers an attractive entry point. TAO Staking TAO Staking TAO Staking With dTAO in place, TAO holders can stake directly to the Root Network (Subnet 0) to earn ~20% APY in TAO. You would need a Bittensor wallet to access these trading platform, download Bittensor wallet (Official Chrome extension from the OpenTensor Foundation), then connect your wallet. Alpha Trading Alpha Trading Alpha Trading For more aggressive strategies, evaluate subnets and stake TAO in high-potential subnet alpha pools for higher yields. Since dTAO launched, the number of subnets has grown from 64 to 78. Conduct due diligence on subnets—consider TAO emissions, data performance, team quality, and more—to identify the right opportunities early. Here is a graphic of the top-ranking subnets. The Bigger Picture The Bigger Picture The launch of Subtensor EVM unlocks TAO liquidity, enabling borrowing, staking, and swapping, more importantly, facilitating the flywheel of subnet ecosystem players. This is a big step toward integrating Bittensor into the broader DeFi and DeAI landscape. We’re in the early days of the crypto-AI revolution, and Bittensor is at the forefront. With its innovative design, fair incentives, and growing ecosystem, it has the potential to reshape centralized AI development—much like Bitcoin reshaped fiat. Don’t sleep on it. While Bittensor offers exciting opportunities, it’s important to be aware of the risks: smart contract vulnerabilities, subnet performance fluctuations, and market volatility. Always do your own research (DYOR) and only invest what you can afford to lose. While Bittensor offers exciting opportunities, it’s important to be aware of the risks: smart contract vulnerabilities, subnet performance fluctuations, and market volatility. Always do your own research (DYOR) and only invest what you can afford to lose. FAQ FAQ Does Alpha token and Subnet native token are the same thing?
Nope, currently Alpha token is not transferrable(for now) and can only be swapped to TAO at the pool created by the TAO Foundation. Alpha token's emission is tied to its TAO reserve. Subnets, on the other hand, can launch their native token, which can serve as a utility token and may be listed on exchanges. There will likely be more opportunities for synergies between Alpha tokens and subnet native tokens in the near future.


How does Bittensor relate to AI? vs Virtual?
Virtual is an AI Agent launchpad, its end product is an AI Agent (capable of performing various tasks) paired with a token. Bittensor, in contrast, is a decentralized AI network enabled by TAO, each subnet specialized in different layers of AI sectors, and its final product would be open-sourced LLMs, AI datasets, AI-powered toolings that be applied in real-world AI scenarios. Does Alpha token and Subnet native token are the same thing?
Nope, currently Alpha token is not transferrable(for now) and can only be swapped to TAO at the pool created by the TAO Foundation. Alpha token's emission is tied to its TAO reserve. Subnets, on the other hand, can launch their native token, which can serve as a utility token and may be listed on exchanges. There will likely be more opportunities for synergies between Alpha tokens and subnet native tokens in the near future. Does Alpha token and Subnet native token are the same thing? Nope, currently Alpha token is not transferrable(for now) and can only be swapped to TAO at the pool created by the TAO Foundation. Alpha token's emission is tied to its TAO reserve. Subnets, on the other hand, can launch their native token, which can serve as a utility token and may be listed on exchanges. There will likely be more opportunities for synergies between Alpha tokens and subnet native tokens in the near future. How does Bittensor relate to AI? vs Virtual?
Virtual is an AI Agent launchpad, its end product is an AI Agent (capable of performing various tasks) paired with a token. Bittensor, in contrast, is a decentralized AI network enabled by TAO, each subnet specialized in different layers of AI sectors, and its final product would be open-sourced LLMs, AI datasets, AI-powered toolings that be applied in real-world AI scenarios. How does Bittensor relate to AI? vs Virtual? Virtual is an AI Agent launchpad, its end product is an AI Agent (capable of performing various tasks) paired with a token. Bittensor, in contrast, is a decentralized AI network enabled by TAO, each subnet specialized in different layers of AI sectors, and its final product would be open-sourced LLMs, AI datasets, AI-powered toolings that be applied in real-world AI scenarios. Useful Links Useful Links dTAO whitepaper: https://bittensor.com/dtao-whitepaper https://bittensor.com/dtao-whitepaper Bittensor doc FAQ: https://docs.bittensor.com/questions-and-answers https://docs.bittensor.com/questions-and-answers Subnet directory: taostats, taopill.ai, tao.app taopill.ai Alpha trading platform: taostats, backdrop finance, Bittensor podcast & news: bittensor.guru, @TAOTalkPod, @taotimesdotai, bittensor.guru Subnet mindshare: swordscan.com swordscan.com Bittensor content creator: @Old_Samster, @563defi, @xavi3rlu,

Why TAO Matters and How to Make the Most of dTAO

Cary, NC, March 24th, 2025/CyberNewsWire/--INE Security, a global provider of cybersecurity training and certification, today announced its initiative to spotlight the increasing cyber threats targeting healthcare institutions. cyber threats targeting healthcare institutions cyber threats targeting healthcare institutions In recognition of National Physicians Week 2025, the company is drawing attention to new industry data showing a sharp rise in cyberattacks on hospitals and clinics—incidents that have cost the healthcare sector millions and posed significant risks to patient safety and trust. Recent reports show healthcare has endured a record wave of cyber breaches. In 2023 alone, there were 725 hacking-related breaches reported in U.S. healthcare, according to The HIPPA Journal, exposing over 124 million patient records, the worst year on record​. Recent reports show healthcare has endured a record wave of cyber breaches Recent reports show healthcare has endured a record wave of cyber breaches Healthcare cybersecurity threats and breaches remain the costliest of any industry with the average data breach in a hospital now costing about $10.93 million per incident​. Protecting Patients and Trust Through Training and Education Defending against these evolving threats requires more than just technology – it demands well-trained personnel at all levels. Experts note that human error remains a leading cause of breaches in healthcare, yet a significant portion of staff lack adequate cybersecurity awareness. Nearly one-third of healthcare employees have received no cybersecurity training from their employer, even though human mistakes contributed to roughly 33% of healthcare cyber incidents​. Healthcare leaders are urged to treat ongoing cyber education as mandatory continuing education, akin to medical training, to ingrain a culture of security mindfulness. “Every member of a healthcare team – from physicians to IT personnel – plays a role in cybersecurity,” said Dara Warn, CEO of INE Security. “Every member of a healthcare team – from physicians to IT personnel – plays a role in cybersecurity,” said Dara Warn, CEO of INE Security. “Continuous training ensures that protecting patient data and systems becomes as second nature as protecting patients’ physical health.” “Continuous training ensures that protecting patient data and systems becomes as second nature as protecting patients’ physical health.” Importantly, robust cybersecurity isn’t just about technical prevention—it’s also about preserving patient trust. Patients expect their sensitive health information to be guarded with the same care as their medical treatment. Breaches undermine that confidence: about 66% of patients say they would switch healthcare providers if a breach compromised their personal data due to poor security practices​. Ongoing training and certification of healthcare cybersecurity teams help maintain that trust by demonstrating a visible commitment to data protection and privacy. When providers proactively train staff and tighten defenses, patients can feel safer knowing their hospital is staying ahead of threats. Industry-Leading Certifications Validate Critical Skills One way healthcare organizations are bolstering their security posture is by having their IT and security staff earn industry-recognized cybersecurity certifications. Certifications serve as a benchmark for broad and deep knowledge, assuring that professionals can effectively prevent, detect, and respond to attacks. Some of the leading cybersecurity certifications being pursued in the healthcare sector include: CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) – a globally respected credential covering security architecture, risk management, and governance.
CompTIA Security+ – an entry-to-intermediate level certification establishing core security skills and knowledge, often a baseline for IT staff.
eWPTX - a highly respected certification that is 100% practical and validates the advanced skills necessary to conduct in-depth penetration tests on modern web applications.
eJPT - a hands-on, entry-level Red Team certification that simulates skills utilized during real-world engagements. CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) – a globally respected credential covering security architecture, risk management, and governance. CompTIA Security+ – an entry-to-intermediate level certification establishing core security skills and knowledge, often a baseline for IT staff. eWPTX - a highly respected certification that is 100% practical and validates the advanced skills necessary to conduct in-depth penetration tests on modern web applications. eWPTX eWPTX eJPT - a hands-on, entry-level Red Team certification that simulates skills utilized during real-world engagements. eJPT eJPT INE Security’s Training Programs Empower Healthcare Heroes INE Security, a global leader in cybersecurity training, certifications, and certification preparation, is at the forefront of helping healthcare organizations fortify their cyber defenses through education. INE Security’s comprehensive cybersecurity training platform offers on-demand courses, interactive labs, and instructor-led trainings that cover the full spectrum of security domains – from fundamental cyber hygiene for general staff to advanced incident response and penetration testing for IT professionals. These programs are aligned with the requirements of top industry certifications, enabling hospital IT teams and security analysts to earn credentials like CISSP, CeJPT, and others as they build their skill sets. Through INE Security’s hands-on training modules, healthcare professionals learn how to address the exact threats plaguing the sector today. For example, network defense and malware analysis labs show engineers how to contain ransomware outbreaks. Governance and compliance lessons ensure administrators understand frameworks like HIPAA and can integrate security into hospital operations. By continuously upskilling their workforce, healthcare providers can significantly reduce the likelihood of a breach and mitigate damage if it occurs. Governance and compliance Governance and compliance As National Physicians Week 2025 highlights the dedication of doctors to healing patients, INE Security emphasizes that protecting the systems and data those physicians rely on is equally essential to patient well-being. The healthcare industry’s cyber threats are continual and evolving, but with rigorous training, education, and certification of cybersecurity professionals, hospitals and clinics can stay one step ahead. Ongoing cybersecurity training is now fundamental to sustaining patient care and trust in our digitally driven healthcare system. This week and beyond, INE Security is proud to partner with healthcare organizations to ensure that those who save lives are backed by networks and data systems that are safe, secure, and resilient against cyber attacks. About INE Security INE Security is the premier provider of online networking and cybersecurity training and certification. Harnessing a powerful hands-on lab platform, cutting-edge technology, a global video distribution network, and world-class instructors, INE Security is the top training choice for Fortune 500 companies worldwide for cybersecurity training in business and for IT professionals looking to advance their careers. INE Security INE Security INE Security’s suite of learning paths offers an incomparable depth of expertise across cybersecurity and is committed to delivering advanced technical training while also lowering the barriers worldwide for those looking to enter and excel in an IT career. Contact Kathryn Brown INE Security kbrown@ine.com This story was distributed as a release by Cybernewswire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here This story was distributed as a release by Cybernewswire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here here here

Cyber Guardians: INE Security Champions Cybersecurity Training During National Physicians Week 2025

حراس الأمن السيبراني: INE Security يدعم تدريب الأمن السيبراني خلال أسبوع الأطباء الوطني 2025

Guardians cibernètics: la formació en ciberseguretat dels campions de seguretat de l'INE durant la Setmana Nacional dels Metges 2025

Cyber Guardians: Školení v oblasti kybernetické bezpečnosti INE Security Champions během National Physicians Week 2025

Ciberguardianes: INE Security impulsa la capacitación en ciberseguridad durante la Semana Nacional del Médico 2025

Cyber Guardians: INE Security Champions adestramento en ciberseguridade durante a National Physicians Week 2025

Cyber Guardians: INE Sekirite Chanpyon Fòmasyon Cybersecurity Pandan Semèn Nasyonal Doktè 2025

Cyber Guardians: INE Security Champions kiberbiztonsági képzés a 2025-ös Országos Orvosi Héten

サイバーガーディアン：INE セキュリティが 2025 年全国医師週間中にサイバーセキュリティ トレーニングを実施

Киберқорғаушылар: 2025 жылғы Ұлттық дәрігерлер апталығында INE қауіпсіздік чемпиондары киберқауіпсіздік бойынша тренинг

Cyber Guardians: INE Security Champions Training Cybersecurity ໃນລະຫວ່າງອາທິດແພດແຫ່ງຊາດ 2025

Kiber goragçylary: INE Howpsuzlyk çempionlary 2025 Milli lukmanlar hepdeliginde kiberhowpsuzlyk okuwy

AbaGcini beCyber: UQeqesho loKhuseleko lwe-INE kwi-Cybersecurity ngeVeki yoGqirha kaZwelonke ngo-2025

The Big Picture: Shift to Action-Based AI You should have already felt that AI systems are shifting from just being passive tools to active “agentic“ solutions. The past year saw a “real acceleration” in AI progress, and experts predict it will “move beyond just generating text and images and morph into agents that can complete complex tasks”. This leap is exciting, but some warn it could also “diminish human control” if left unchecked. In short, AI is no longer just answering questions – it’s poised to take action in the real world. AI systems do not just chat anymore; they act. Instead of merely suggesting an action, an advanced AI system can execute the action itself. ChatGPT’s latest features exemplify this shift: it “enables AI systems to retrieve data, process information, and take action” using tools like web browsers and databases. In other words, an AI agent can carry out multi-step jobs end-to-end. These agents are now seen as an “active digital workforce” augmenting human teams. A support bot might not only draft a reply but also send it and update records on its own, and not just through API but through a web interface. 🫣 CUA and OpenAI’s Responses API: Building Agentic AI To develop action-oriented AI systems, many organizations are rolling out new frameworks. OpenAI, for instance, just introduced tools for agentic applications, including a Responses API that pairs GPT-style language skills with built-in web search, file handling, and a computer-using agent (CUA) to operate the software. In practice, an AI using these tools could fill out forms or update databases by itself. OpenAI also released an Agents SDK to orchestrate such workflows and made it open-source. Similarly, open-source projects like open-cuak and browser-use provide “Operator”-style automation without proprietary fees. These efforts lower the barrier to creating AI agents that can not only think but also act on a user’s behalf. Large Action Models (LAMs): Beyond Language to Execution An LAM is essentially a large AI model (basically a fined-tuned multi-modal LLM) that doesn’t just understand language – it can do things in response. Think of it as the “can-do cousin” of a large language model. Where a traditional assistant might tell you how to solve a problem, a LAM-powered system could actually carry out the solution for you. This represents a major shift, potentially allowing AI to automate entire processes rather than just generate content. LAMs do this by combining language understanding with decision-making and tool use. By turning AI from a passive responder into an active problem-solver, they unlock new possibilities – but also demand greater reliability, since mistakes by an agent that acts can have real consequences. The Dead Internet Theory and AI Saturation One side effect of these agentic advances is a flood of AI-generated content online. This has revived the Dead Internet Theory, which claims much of today’s online content is produced by bots rather than people. In 2025, that idea feels eerily plausible. A significant portion of tweets, posts, and even news articles are now machine-generated, blurring the line between genuine human voices and automated output. AI bots even amplify each other’s content, creating fake engagement cycles with little human involvement. As one tech journalist asked, “with a large portion of the internet being AI-generated content, is a ‘dead internet’ really that far off?” This saturation of AI content makes it harder to know what’s real online. We may need new tools to verify human-made material and keep the internet feeling “alive” with authentic interaction. Conclusion: Balancing Potential With Oversight The evolution of AI into autonomous agents brings great promise – and calls for prudence. On one hand, these agents can handle drudge work and complex tasks at lightning speed, freeing people to focus on creativity and strategy. On the other hand, giving AI the freedom to act means setting clear guardrails. As some experts warn, AI’s impact could “either save humanity or [gradually] destroy it” depending on how responsibly we guide it. That may sound extreme, but it underscores the importance of oversight. Accordingly, developers and policymakers are crafting safety guidelines to keep agentic AI aligned with human values. Keeping a human in the loop for critical decisions remains vital. Ultimately, it’s about balance: harnessing AI’s potential to act on our behalf, while ensuring humans retain final control. If we get it right, autonomous agents could become invaluable partners – powerful, yet under human direction. Feature Image is generated with Google's ImageFX The Big Picture: Shift to Action-Based AI The Big Picture: Shift to Action-Based AI You should have already felt that AI systems are shifting from just being passive tools to active “agentic“ solutions. The past year saw a “real acceleration” in AI progress, and experts predict it will “move beyond just generating text and images and morph into agents that can complete complex tasks” . This leap is exciting, but some warn it could also “diminish human control” if left unchecked. In short, AI is no longer just answering questions – it’s poised to take action in the real world. “agentic“ “real acceleration” “move beyond just generating text and images and morph into agents that can complete complex tasks” “move beyond just generating text and images and morph into agents that can complete complex tasks” “diminish human control” “diminish human control” take action AI systems do not just chat anymore; they act. Instead of merely suggesting an action, an advanced AI system can execute the action itself. ChatGPT’s latest features exemplify this shift: it “enables AI systems to retrieve data, process information, and take action” using tools like web browsers and databases. In other words, an AI agent can carry out multi-step jobs end-to-end. These agents are now seen as an “active digital workforce” augmenting human teams. A support bot might not only draft a reply but also send it and update records on its own, and not just through API but through a web interface. 🫣 “enables AI systems to retrieve data, process information, and take action” “enables AI systems to retrieve data, process information, and take action” “active digital workforce” “active digital workforce” CUA and OpenAI’s Responses API: Building Agentic AI CUA and OpenAI’s Responses API: Building Agentic AI To develop action-oriented AI systems, many organizations are rolling out new frameworks. OpenAI, for instance, just introduced tools for agentic applications, including a Responses API that pairs GPT-style language skills with built-in web search, file handling, and a computer-using agent (CUA) to operate the software. In practice, an AI using these tools could fill out forms or update databases by itself. OpenAI also released an Agents SDK to orchestrate such workflows and made it open-source. Similarly, open-source projects like open-cuak and browser-use provide “Operator” -style automation without proprietary fees. These efforts lower the barrier to creating AI agents that can not only think but also act on a user’s behalf. agentic computer-using agent Agents SDK open-cuak browser-use “Operator” Large Action Models (LAMs): Beyond Language to Execution Large Action Models (LAMs): Beyond Language to Execution An LAM is essentially a large AI model (basically a fined-tuned multi-modal LLM) that doesn’t just understand language – it can do things in response. Think of it as the “can-do cousin” of a large language model. Where a traditional assistant might tell you how to solve a problem, a LAM-powered system could actually carry out the solution for you. This represents a major shift, potentially allowing AI to automate entire processes rather than just generate content. LAMs do this by combining language understanding with decision-making and tool use. do “can-do cousin” “can-do cousin” By turning AI from a passive responder into an active problem-solver, they unlock new possibilities – but also demand greater reliability, since mistakes by an agent that acts can have real consequences. The Dead Internet Theory and AI Saturation The Dead Internet Theory and AI Saturation One side effect of these agentic advances is a flood of AI-generated content online. This has revived the Dead Internet Theory , which claims much of today’s online content is produced by bots rather than people. In 2025, that idea feels eerily plausible. A significant portion of tweets, posts, and even news articles are now machine-generated, blurring the line between genuine human voices and automated output. Dead Internet Theory AI bots even amplify each other’s content, creating fake engagement cycles with little human involvement. As one tech journalist asked, “with a large portion of the internet being AI-generated content, is a ‘dead internet’ really that far off?” This saturation of AI content makes it harder to know what’s real online. We may need new tools to verify human-made material and keep the internet feeling “alive” with authentic interaction. “with a large portion of the internet being AI-generated content, is a ‘dead internet’ really that far off?” “with a large portion of the internet being AI-generated content, is a ‘dead internet’ really that far off?” Conclusion: Balancing Potential With Oversight Conclusion: Balancing Potential With Oversight The evolution of AI into autonomous agents brings great promise – and calls for prudence. On one hand, these agents can handle drudge work and complex tasks at lightning speed, freeing people to focus on creativity and strategy. On the other hand, giving AI the freedom to act means setting clear guardrails . guardrails As some experts warn, AI’s impact could “either save humanity or [gradually] destroy it” depending on how responsibly we guide it. That may sound extreme, but it underscores the importance of oversight. Accordingly, developers and policymakers are crafting safety guidelines to keep agentic AI aligned with human values. “either save humanity or [gradually] destroy it” “either save humanity or [gradually] destroy it” Keeping a human in the loop for critical decisions remains vital. Ultimately, it’s about balance: harnessing AI’s potential to act on our behalf, while ensuring humans retain final control. If we get it right, autonomous agents could become invaluable partners – powerful, yet under human direction . human in the loop under human direction Feature Image is generated with Google's ImageFX Feature Image is generated with Google's ImageFX

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