Disappointed in AI, Some Companies Are Bringing Back Humans

The artificial intelligence revolution may not be eliminating human jobs as quickly as some feared. Rising computing costs, operational headaches, and inconsistent results are prompting some companies to change course and bring workers back. A recent survey revealed that only 8.4% of the surveyed companies believe that AI delivered the promised results. Big tech companies say the cost of AI is far beyond the cost of human employees. There are multiple costs that organizations can overlook, with some getting into the six- to seven-figure range annually. “The company we hired and paid thousands per month charged us licensing costs, as well as had my team spend countless hours rewriting generic paragraphs created by their tool,” said Matt Baharav, CEO of MKB Media Solutions. The company stopped using AI when they realized that the software was ineffective. The practice of a worker returning to the same company that initially laid them off has come to be known as a “boomerang employee.” Tech experts predict companies will have to rebuilt trust with returning employees, and some who were laid off during the early days of the AI gold rush may refuse to come back at all.

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Nun Promoting Monastery’s Prosecco Leaves Church “Nun” Too Pleased

A group of nuns has been branded as too entrepreneurial by the Catholic Church. Mother Aline Pereira Ghammachi (pictured above), the former abbess of the Saints Gervasius and Protasius monastery, and four other Cistercian sisters were released from their vows after they were accused of courting media attention while promoting the sale of the monastery’s homemade prosecco. Although Cistercian nuns generally shun the outside world, Ghammachi — who has a business degree — launched initiatives to help the monastery fund itself, including workshops for disabled people in the vegetable garden.
 She was also adept at selling the monastery’s production of aloe products and honey, as well as prosecco made from the monastery’s own vineyards.
 Several cloistered monasteries in Italy sell wine and other goods to finance themselves, but Ghammachi’s unconventional methods soon ignited a fight within the Cistercian Order, with Mauro-Giuseppe Lepori, the abbot general of the Cistercian Order, disapproving of the nun’s television appearances promoting the monastery. The nuns have said that they intend to carry on with monastic life independently of the Church. Now a community of 12 former nuns and lay people, the group has settled in a nearby 19th-century villa made available by a benefactor. They sell honey, aloe products and essential oils, and are partnering with a non-profit to support people with anxiety and depression.
 “Our legal status has completely changed because we are no longer affiliated with the diocese or any religious institute, but we continue to pray, devote ourselves to the Lord, help others, and move forward with our projects,” said Ghammachi.

 

The expelled nuns and lay people

 

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July 2, 1843: The Day a Gator Fell From The Sky

On July 2, 1843, a 2-foot-long alligator famously "fell from the sky" during a severe thunderstorm in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. Local journalists from The Charleston Mercury covered the story. The article described a strong thunderstorm that developed on a very hot Sunday. St. Paul’s Church was reportedly struck by lightning but not harmed. No one was reported dead following the storm, but an alligator appeared at the corner of Wentworth and Anson Streets after the storm had cleared. While no one saw the alligator actually fall from the sky, it was decided that he had to have rained down since he couldn’t have gotten there any other way. The widely accepted meteorological explanation for this bizarre event is that a waterspout — a tornado that forms over a body of water —developed over a nearby river or creek, swept the small alligator up into the sky, and then dropped it onto the city streets as the storm dissipated and lost its wind energy. The National Weather Service's Charleston office still keeps the legend on their local weather history records.

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This Roasted Veggie Bowl Will Help You Clean Out the Fridge

Veggie bowls are great for cleaning out the refrigerator. Not only are they satisfying, they can be prepared in advance and mixed and matched throughout the week for effortless lunches and dinners. In this recipe, roasted cauliflower, broccoli, and crispy chickpeas come together in a colorful bowl topped with a creamy lemon tahini dressing that will have you begging for more.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For the Veggie Bowl

    • 6 cups chopped broccoli

    • 6 cups cauliflower

    • 2 14-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

    • 1 cup chopped red onion

    • 4 cloves garlic, chopped

    • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil

    • Salt and pepper to taste

    • Squirt of lemon juice

    • Cooked quinoa, brown rice, or white rice

For the Lemon Tahini Dressing

    • ¼ cup tahini

    • Juice of 2 lemons

    • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

    • 3 tbsp water (use less for a thicker dressing)

    • 1 clove garlic or fresh parsley (optional)

    • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• • Preheat oven to 425º F.
• • Roast the vegetables and chickpeas on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and lightly browned.
• • While the vegetables roast, blend all dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy, adjusting water to reach desired consistency.
• • To assemble, add cooked quinoa or rice to each bowl and top with roasted vegetables and chickpeas. 
• • Drizzle generously with lemon tahini dressing and sprinkle with parsley or sesame seeds.

 

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