📈 Stocks meet small talk: Google Finance is getting an AI brain transplant. Starting in the coming weeks, you can ask it detailed market questions, get fancy charts, track commodities and crypto and see live news in one place. “AI, why is my portfolio crying?” — now answerable. Maybe even in a Shakespearean tragedy voice.
Shutter showdown: Stock vs. AI photos
ID 324976990 | Ai © Svetlana Diacenco | Dreamstime.com
I love making AI-generated pics. I’ve spent hours tinkering with prompts to see what I can dream up. But here’s the big question I get from business owners: Do AI images or good old-fashioned stock photos work better in marketing? Let’s put them head-to-head.
🙋♀️ Clicks love a human face
When we compare ad performance, stock photos win out on:
- Clicks: Stock photos hit a 0.53% CTR vs. 0.49–0.52% for top AI versions.
- Conversions: Real people boost conversions by up to 45%.
- Trust: Genuine images got lower bounce rates and higher engagement.
Why the gap? Our brains know when a face looks almost real but not quite right. That’s the “uncanny valley” effect. Stock gives you the real deal.
💸 When “free” costs you
Sure, AI is a budget-friendly shortcut. But let’s break down the real costs:
- Adobe Firefly: Included with Adobe Creative Cloud subscriptions, starting at $54.99 a month.
- ChatGPT Teams: Runs $25 to $30 a month, with limits on AI image generation.
- Midjourney: A basic plan starts at $10 a month, up to $120 a month for pro-level features.
Free-tiers only let you generate a handful of visuals each day. Not exactly unlimited creativity.
On top of that, sell-through rates favor traditional photos: 13% of stock images make at least one sale vs. 9% for AI. Those wasted impressions can cost you more than a stock photo subscription.
🛡️ Keep your brand safe
Bad visuals aren’t just awkward. They hurt your bottom line. AI-generated content can sneak in extra fingers, weird shadows, distorted text or inconsistent lighting. Not the look you want for your brand.
TSA’s new travel warning: Don’t fall for ‘Free Airport Wi-Fi’
ChatGPT
You know the drill: You hit the airport, find a seat near your gate, and your first thought is, Where’s the free Wi-Fi? You see a network called “Free Airport Wi-Fi” or “Airport_Guest” and think, Perfect.
The TSA says: Stop right there. Their latest warning is the digital equivalent of “Don’t take candy from strangers.” Public Wi-Fi, especially in airports, is a hacker’s playground.
$645 million
That’s the price tag on Bill Gates’ hydrogen-powered superyacht. Well, allegedly his. The 390-foot climate-conscious leviathan is up for sale, even though Gates reportedly never set foot on it. Complete with a movie theater, gym, library and 14 balconies, because one just won’t do when you’re pondering your legacy in a hydrogen bubble bath.
💥 Rename your Windows 11 PC: I called mine “Sir Crash-a-Lot.” Personalize it by going to Settings > System > About > Rename this PC. Type your new name, click Next, then Restart to apply. Now it’s easier to identify your computer when you’re on a network or connecting via Bluetooth. Nice.
Filter Spotlight search on Mac: Next time you search with Command + Space, add the filter kind: followed by a term. For example: kind:mail invoice only shows results in Mail, kind:pdf invoice finds PDFs, or kind:folder invoice searches a specific folder. Smart.
🌐 Better Chrome: You can change those little shortcut icons in the middle of the Google home page. Open a new tab, click Customize Chrome (bottom right) and scroll to Shortcuts. Toggle on Show shortcuts, and select My shortcuts or Most-visited sites. To remove one, click the three-dot menu and hit Remove.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: You can send your Roomba back to its dock mid-clean by pressing the Dock or Home button. Or open the app and tap Send Home or Dock.
51%
That’s how far Cybertruck sales dropped in just one year. Turns out America’s notorious polygon-on-wheels isn’t flying off the lots. Even Elon’s hype can’t outrun bad build reviews and a price tag that ages like milk. Slap a minigun on its back, and it’s Halo irl.
🆓 Feeling behind the curve? Get up to speed with NetSuite’s free guide, “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.” Whether you crunch numbers or run the whole show, understanding AI isn’t optional, it’s the future, and it’s already here. Grab your free guide now!
🚑 Add emergency contacts to your lock screen: This lets first responders call important numbers without unlocking your phone. On iPhone, go to Health > Medical ID, add your emergency contacts, and enable Show When Locked. On Android, go to Settings > Safety & Emergency > Emergency Contacts and add them there.
🎮 Check your kid’s gaming console: You can save electricity (and money) by changing the power-saving settings. On PS5, go to Settings > System > Power Saving. On Xbox Series X/S or One, go to Profile & system > Settings > General > Power options and select Shutdown (energy saver).
💸 Buy cheaper tech: Big brands sell open-box, pre-owned or refurbished gadgets through Amazon Renewed. You can score iPhones, laptops, printers and even power tools at major discounts. Everything’s tested, inspected and should look almost new. Bonus: There’s a 90-day guarantee, so you can return the item if it doesn’t work.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
📺 Calibrate your TV: Most TVs come way too bright out of the box. Go to Settings > Picture (or Display) and switch to Movie or Cinema mode instead. Then adjust the Brightness, Contrast and Sharpness to match your room’s lighting. Warmer color tones are easier on your eyes.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Need an emoji fast? On Windows, press Windows key + . (period) to open the emoji keyboard. On Mac, it’s Command + Control + Space. No excuse for dry replies. 😉
💭 What if the fastest, most powerful cloud also cost way less? Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) packs the speed, muscle and big-league savings the smartest companies swear by, minus the usual cloud drama. See what the buzz is about, and try it free today.
You might be paying for subscriptions you don’t even remember. Rocket Money tracks them all and helps you cancel what you don’t need. The first time I used it, I saved $435. Give it a try and see how much you save!
Customize your Gmail inbox: By default, Gmail shows 1–50 conversations per page. The alternative? Go to Settings (top right) > See all settings > General > Maximum page size. Now pick between 10 and 100, scroll down and hit Save Changes.
📌 Can’t pin an app to the Windows 11 taskbar? Usually, you right-click the desktop shortcut and select Pin to taskbar. If that option’s missing, use the search bar instead. Just type the app’s name, and when it appears, click Pin to taskbar on the right side of the menu.
Change Haptic Touch speed on iPhone: Haptic Touch is that press-and-hold gesture that reveals extra options. You can change how quickly it responds. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Haptic Touch. Pick Fast, Default or Slow.