Latest news with #Krakow
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Study Shows LLM Conversion Rate Is 9x Better — AEO Is Coming
Bing, OpenAI, Microsoft and Google logos displayed on a phone screen and a laptop keyboard are seen ... More in this multiple exposure illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on February 8, 2023. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Some predict that by 2028, more people will discover products and information through large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Gemini than through traditional search engines. But based on research I conducted with Cornell Master's students, that shift is happening much faster. LLM-driven traffic is already starting to outperform traditional search — not in volume, but in value. Traffic from LLMs converts at nearly 9x higher rates than traditional search. This is the biggest disruption to search since the dawn of the internet. If you're a brand or publisher, now is the time to adapt your SEO playbook. Oh, there is no 'S' — it's now called Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) Back in January, I predicted that traditional search was on its way out. Just six months later, the shift is already visible. In my UX research, I classify shoppers into three categories: It's easy to see how all these needs can now be met through a conversation with LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity. Say you're looking for an isotonic drink powder. Instead of scanning blogs, watching videos, or scrolling endlessly, you now ask ChatGPT — and it responds with direct recommendations: Ask about ketogenic-friendly options, and it will go even further — offering details on ingredients, comparisons, and alternatives. Staff Sergeant Alex Mackinnon from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers holds a sachet of ... More isotonic drink, Tuesday September 20, 2005, at Bramley Training Area near Basingstoke, where the Army announced it will be including the sports drink in its ration packs. The powdered drink will be incorporated in 24-hour ration packs after the its producer, GlaxoSmithKline, won the three-year contract in a tendering process. See PA Story DEFENCE Drink. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Photo credit should read: Chris Ison/PA (Photo by Chris Ison - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images) This isn't search — it's advice. And when users follow those links or act on suggestions, they convert at dramatically higher rates compared to normal search traffic. In my studies, LLM-generated traffic behaves more like a personal recommendation than a keyword query. But here's the catch: if your brand isn't listed, you're invisible. The customer won't even consider you. Good numbers are hard to come by. LLM traffic, like what comes from ChatGPT, doesn't always leave a clean trail — users might just copy and paste a product name and head to Amazon or another site. To get better data, we created a ChatGPT-style experience inside the site search of several e-commerce stores. In A/B tests, we compared regular keyword search with an AI-guided, conversational search experience. The difference was stunning: almost 9x higher conversion. Yes, nine times. But it's not just conversion that's changing — the way people search is evolving, too. In the past, users typed one or two words like 'camera.' Now, when they're shown more natural and detailed responses, they respond in kind. We're seeing queries like: 'What's a compact camera for wildlife photography that fits in a carry-on?' Semrush backs this up with broader data: In our interviews, shoppers said they felt more 'understood' and 'better about their purchase.' It didn't feel like a search engine. It felt like getting advice from a knowledgeable friend. If you scale that behavior to external LLM traffic — not just on-site — the value of that traffic already rivals what you get from SEO. For brands, this means it's time to rethink how you show up in these conversations. That's what AEO — Answer Engine Optimization — is all about. Brands need to act. If you're not being cited by LLMs, you're becoming increasingly invisible. To get picked up by an LLM, you need to understand how these models learn from content. Masking in ML Training LLMs are pattern-completion engines. I often use the example of 'Life is like a box of ___' in my online certificate from Cornell. Correct. The answer is Chocolate. Machines learn the right answer through trial and error. This approach is called masking. To show up in an LLM's response, your content needs to become part of its masked training data. LLMs look for authoritative, helpful, and authentic content. Since they predict the next word in a conversation with a user, they favor content written in a conversational or Q&A format. For brands a new playbook is emerging AEO. I outlined all what brands need to know. AEO is just the beginning. Two even bigger shifts are on the horizon — and both will deeply impact how brands show up in the age of AI: Paid Ads in LLMs and Model Context Protocol and agents that act on behalf of the LLM. The future is already underway. Ping me on LinkedIn if you want to continue the conversation.
Chicago Tribune
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Afternoon Briefing: Latest Naperville ‘teen takeover' results in multiple arrests
Good afternoon, Chicago. After Naperville police allegedly found a 14-year-old carrying a loaded, semiautomatic pistol at a downtown 'teen takeover' event last weekend, authorities are urging safety and, again, stressed they have zero tolerance for illicit behavior. 'While we encourage everyone to exercise their first amendment right and we encourage everyone to enjoy what the downtown provides, we need everyone to do that lawfully,' Naperville police Cmdr. Rick Krakow said. 'There's going to be zero tolerance for any sort of criminal behavior, from trespassing to disorderly conduct to fighting.' Since May 1, there have been seven planned teen takeover events in Naperville, each with varying degrees of participation, Krakow said. The latest, held Saturday, resulted in five arrests, including that of the 14-year-old, who was charged with one count of unlawful possession of a weapon, authorities said. Charges in other arrests included disorderly conduct and battery. Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration never undertook a formalized national search for a new CTA president despite the mayor saying last month that his office had in fact done so, according to responses to public records requests made by the Tribune. Read more here. More top news stories: After two years of rain-soaked July Fourth weekend events, could the NASCAR Chicago Street Race be heading west to eternally sunny San Diego? Chicago is set to host the third annual street race July 5-6 on a pop-up course in and around Grant Park, completing an inaugural three-year agreement with NASCAR. The deal, struck during former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's administration, includes a two-year renewal option. Read more here. More top business stories: The Chicago Sky lead the league in turnovers per game (18.7) and opponent points off turnovers (20.5). A staggering 23.4% of the Sky's offensive possessions result in a turnover. This weakness ballooned into a full-on crisis against the Mystics as the Sky hemorrhaged points, giving up 40 on 22 turnovers — 1.8 points per. Read more here. More top sports stories: Watching MJ Lenderman at the Salt Shed yesterday was to be reminded of the curious power of exhaustion. It's a beautiful, humid, rickety sound. You can hear in it why the sighs of Neil Young became inextricable from Watergate-era malaise, and how Lenderman, 50 years later, sounds like both a throwback to strung-out singer-songwriters of the '70s and very much of his own time. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: Juneteenth has been celebrated by Black Americans for generations, but became more widely observed after former President Joe Biden designated it a federal holiday in 2021. It is recognized at least as an observance in every state, and nearly 30 states and Washington, D.C., have designated it as a permanent paid or legal holiday through legislation or executive action. Read more here. More top stories from around the world:
Chicago Tribune
13 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
‘Teen takeover' event in downtown Naperville Saturday attracted 150 people, resulted in 5 arrests, police say
After Naperville police allegedly found a 14-year-old carrying a loaded, semiautomatic pistol at a downtown 'teen takeover' event last weekend, authorities are urging safety and, again, stressed they have zero tolerance for illicit behavior. 'While we encourage everyone to exercise their first amendment right and we encourage everyone to enjoy what the downtown provides, we need everyone to do that lawfully,' Naperville police Cmdr. Rick Krakow said. 'There's going to be zero tolerance for any sort of criminal behavior, from trespassing to disorderly conduct to fighting.' Since May 1, there have been seven planned teen takeover events in Naperville, each with varying degrees of participation, Krakow said. The latest, held Saturday, resulted in five arrests, including that of the 14-year-old, who was charged with one count of unlawful possession of a weapon, authorities said. Charges in other arrests included disorderly conduct and battery, Krakow said, adding that he had no reports of injuries from the incidents. Police estimated about 150 people were involved with Saturday's takeover. Asked when the gathering took place, Krakow couldn't give an exact time but said that 'when the sun starts to go down, the activity tends to ramp up.' Police were aware of the gathering ahead of time as it had been advertised on social media and assigned eight to 10 officers to be there, he said. There also were a few school resource officers patrolling the downtown as part of their normal assignment when schools aren't in session, Krakow said. Even prior to the takeover, downtown Naperville was abuzz with activity. At the Naperville Municipal Center, a few thousand demonstrators gathered for a 'No Kings' rally while Naperville's fourth annual Juneteenth celebration took place over at Rotary Hill. And along Jackson Avenue, there was a classic car show. Despite the activity, staffing the events 'was not an issue,' Krakow said. 'Staffing those events, especially all in one day, can be difficult,' he said. 'But the men and women of the Naperville Police Department are dedicated and committed to the safety of everyone downtown or any area where there's going to be large gatherings.' In the wake of Saturday's takeover, Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the 14-year-old's arrest on firearm-related charges was a 'wake-up call' and 'reminder that safety isn't something that we can take for granted.' 'Our kids need us,' he wrote. 'They need mentors, guidance, support, and, sometimes, someone to step in before things go too far. We can't afford to look the other way. If you see a young person struggling, reach out. If something feels wrong, report it.' Speaking to the incident, Krakow addressed parents and guardians, urging them to 'know where and what your teenager is participating in.' Naperville police previously emphasized zero tolerance for unlawfulness after two takeover events took place the weekend of May 17-18, leading to the issuance of numerous citations and two arrests. There were similar incidents in 2023, including one in which police had to be dispatched downtown to break up a group of about 150. Such gatherings are not unique to Naperville. Takeovers have become commonplace in Chicago's downtown neighborhoods over the past few years.
Forbes
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘The Last Of Us' Composer Gustavo Santaolalla Talks Scoring The Hit Franchise Across Gaming & Television: ‘A Very, Very Special Thing In My Life'
Gustavo Santaolalla, composer and laureate of two Oscars, attends a press conference at the 18th ... More Film Music Festival in Destilo in Krakow, Poland, on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Most composers would never consider going into video games after a pair of back-to-back Oscar wins, but Gustavo Santaolalla isn't most composers. For the 73-year-old musician/producer, the medium is utterly irrelevant, so long as the story contains a wealth of emotional resonance. Following a pair of Academy Awards for his work on Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain (2005) and Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Babel (2006), the Argentine native was 'approached by several companies' with tantalizing job offers that he turned down, the composer tells me over Zoom. 'I knew what I wanted to do. I think that whatever success I have achieved has to do not only with the things that I've done, but [also] the things that I've said no to. So at the time, there was the possibility of these big projects, but I knew what I wanted to do wasn't in the market yet." One thing he really wanted to see, for example, was a new breed of video game after years of watching his son and Bajofondo bandmates play games like FIFA. 'I always thought, 'Man, if somebody, someday connects in an emotional way with a gamer, aside [from] His prayers were ultimately answered by Neil Druckmann, a creative executive and director at video game developer Naughty Dog, who pitched a title that would connect 'with the player on an emotional level,' Santaolalla remembers. That's how he came to score The Last of Us (2013), its 2020 sequel, and the current HBO series adaptation. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Set in a post-apocalyptic reality ravaged by a mutated strain of the zombifying Cordyceps fungus, The Last of Us quickly gained the status of a modern classic, with plenty of widespread critical acclaim aimed at its character development, weighty themes, palpable emotion, player mechanics, and music, of course. 'When we found out that some people were crying while playing the game, we thought, 'This absolutely works,'' says the composer who never really viewed the project as a mere video game. 'I've never felt that I was composing for a game,' emphasizes Santaolalla. 'You can tell a great story in any medium. That's why I think it works great in a [TV] series [format]. It would have worked as a puppet theater show because it's a great story … It really talks about human relationships; parent-child relationships, father-daughter relationships — all that stuff.' Santaolalla, who likes to work on a project from the script stage, began scoring the original Last of Us about three years before the public officially stepped into the shoes of grizzled smuggler Joel and Cordyceps-resistance Ellie. 'In almost all the projects that I've worked on, I would say 80% of the music has been composed prior to anything,' he explains. 'I relate [to material] The resultant soundtrack — which utilized everything from acoustic and electric guitars to more obscure instruments like the Bolivian ronroco, vintage Fender Bass VI, and common PVC pipe — was achieved by an almost paradoxical approach. 'I work a lot with silence,' Santaolalla continues. 'I'm talking about an eloquent silence. Not silence as in the absence of sound, but a contrary silence that can sometimes sound louder than the loudest note you can have with an instrument. The use of space, the use of imperfection, which is a something that I love.' MADRID, SPAIN - JUNE 29: Argentinian musician Gustavo Santaolalla attends "Inteligencia Musical" ... More workshop at TAI University on June 29, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by) When the long-awaited screen adaptation finally got rolling at HBO under the eye of Emmy Award-winning writer Craig Mazin (Chernobyl), Santaolalla and series collaborator David Fleming knew they'd have to walk a narrow tightrope in order to please die-hard fans and newcomers alike. 'When things connect so deeply with people and you change it, they go, 'I liked the [original] much better!' notes the former. 'I think it was important to keep the themes [from the game], keep the sonic fabric. It didn't turn into an orchestral score … I think that was very important and and helped not to alienate the people who love the game and who have now embraced the series, too." He continues: 'I'm always thinking about supporting and pushing, not overstating or manipulating. You are manipulating in a way because you are trying to make the audience feel things, but in a subtle way. You want to make sure you are doing things dramatically and not melodramatically. That's a big challenge when you go into live-action, especially in stories that have such heavy dramatic content. I've composed music for films [before], but I particularly like to be very cautious with the use of music.' In terms of his working dynamic with Fleming, Santaolalla says the collaborative process was 'organic and natural" from the start, but even more so in the second season. 'We started to really exchange and infect each other's work. It's a great partnership," he adds, voicing excitement for what they'll come up with for Season 3. While not always the case, Fleming often gravitates towards action-oriented scenes, whereas Santaolalla prefers emotional and tension-filled moments. Prior to boarding The Last of Us franchise, Santaolalla thought he'd pretty much seen it all in a professional music career that began when he was 17 over half a century ago. However, the video game truly marked the beginning of a fresh and "totally unexpected" chapter for him after decades of scoring many lauded titles. 'The way that people have connected with the music through the game is different. It has such an intensity … That I could suddenly be involved in a project that connected me with a totally new audience that is now opening its ears to other stuff that I've done? It's a fantastic present that life has given me,' he concludes, recalling a particularly memorable fan interaction during a meet and greet in Helsinki last year. 'This girl comes up to me and says, 'I'm 21 years old and I've been a fan of yours since I was 10. Now I play the guitar because my dad played the game all the time.' It's a very, very rewarding project, and a very, very special thing in my life." Bella Ramsey, Gustavo Santaolalla, Alejandra Palacios at HBO's "The Last of Us" Season 2 Premiere ... More held at TCL Chinese Theatre on March 24, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
Forbes
10-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Circle Stock To $300?
Representation of cryptocurrency and Circle logo displayed on a screen in the background are seen in ... More this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on June 10, 2022. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Circle Internet Group Inc (NYSE: CRCL), the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, has rapidly emerged as one of the market's most watched stories following its IPO. Currently trading around $115 — a significant increase from its IPO reference price of $31 — the company has attracted substantial institutional support and increasing public interest from investors. With the crypto-fintech sector gaining momentum and regulatory clarity becoming more apparent, many are now asking: could Circle ultimately reach $300 per share? Circle's current primary revenue source is derived from the yield produced by the reserves supporting USDC, which now has a circulating supply close to $60 billion. These reserves, mainly invested in short-term U.S. Treasuries, generate dependable, scalable interest income — providing a foundational revenue stream. In 2024, Circle reported over $1.5 billion in revenue, primarily from interest earned on these reserves. If USDC's circulation grows to $150–200 billion over the next three to five years — a feasible scenario given the surge in global demand for stablecoins — Circle's reserve income alone could reach $4–5 billion annually. In addition to passive income, Circle's product roadmap features enterprise-grade APIs for programmable payments, digital identity layers, FX rails, and on-chain treasury services. This infrastructure-first strategy positions Circle similarly to a 'Stripe for digital dollars.' With substantial traction in these services, Circle could generate $2–3 billion in additional revenue from software-like recurring sources. Combining this with reserve yield, total revenue could grow to $6.5–8 billion annually within five years. Circle's capital-light operational model allows it to scale profitably. Despite high partner distribution expenses — such as payments to Coinbase — its underlying margin profile remains robust. Over time, net margins in the range of 25–30% are likely as the business diversifies and gains more control over customer relationships. If net income reaches $1.8–2.4 billion, and Circle holds 300–350 million shares outstanding post-IPO, the company could achieve earnings per share (EPS) in the $6.00–8.00 range. At a price of $300 per share, Circle would have a market capitalization in the range of $45–50 billion. This would correspond to a price-to-earnings multiple of 40–50x, which is in line with the valuation of rapidly growing, high-margin fintech platforms — especially those developing enterprise infrastructure (e.g., Stripe, Adyen, or legacy Visa during its earlier growth phase). In this situation, Circle would be valued not just for growth, but for being a unique crypto-native company with strong compliance, significant partnerships (e.g., BlackRock, Visa), and a pivotal role in the tokenization of real-world assets. A share price of $300 for Circle is not merely a bullish aspiration — it represents a goal that illustrates the company's desire to become the digital financial infrastructure layer of the internet. To achieve this, Circle must increase the circulation of USDC, enhance its platform services, and demonstrate its ability to generate stable earnings at scale — all while maintaining regulatory credibility. If this vision becomes a reality, Circle won't just be a stablecoin company — it will be a fundamental component of the financial system of the future. In such a landscape, a price of $300 may not signify overvaluation, but rather a fair valuation. Investing in a single stock like CRCL carries risks. Conversely, the Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, which contains 30 stocks, has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 over the past four years. What's the reason for this? Overall, HQ Portfolio stocks have provided higher returns with lower risk compared to the benchmark index, resulting in a less volatile experience, as shown by HQ Portfolio performance metrics.
