For years, innovation has centered on speed. Faster processing. Faster decisions. Faster communication. But as artificial intelligence reshapes the modern workplace, a quieter truth is emerging from neuroscience and behavioral psychology: as technology accelerates, people are slowing down emotionally. Across industries, employees report rising cognitive fatigue, decreased trust, and a growing sense of isolation despite being more digitally connected than ever before.
Over time, you learn that trust is not built in the moment of a sale, but in the quiet consistency that comes before and after it. It's about listening more than you speak, remembering the small things that matter to people, and showing up when it counts. Homes are where people live their stories, and when you help them find one, you become part of that story too.
This is a story about Starbucks, economics, and good things that are hard to put a number on. The company invested over $500 million in additional labor hours. They brought back Sharpies so baristas could write names and smiley faces on cups. They set a goal to fulfill orders within four minutes while emphasizing personal connection.
"Today, usage is dominated by these generalist AI systems, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT or Google's Gemini, but we're seeing, starting with specific categories, this move into more specialized apps."
The Picturephone, unveiled at the 1964 World's Fair, aimed to create intimacy through technologyâa promise of connection and understanding in a rapidly modernizing world.