Dr Nicola Millard
@docnicola.bsky.social
Researches, presents and writes about innovation in employee & customer experience. Former futurologist. Coffee fuelled, waistcoat wearing, ukulele playing chocoholic. Enjoys lingering in darkened rooms watching theatre, films & gigs
Do men and women experience hybrid working in different ways? Leesman explore the data www.leesmanindex.com/articles/bat...
Battle of the sexes: The gendered experience of hybrid working - Leesman
People come to office with different needs, and ideally, a workplace should be inclusive enough to support all of them so everyone can do their best work.
www.leesmanindex.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Do men and women experience hybrid working in different ways? Leesman explore the data www.leesmanindex.com/articles/bat...
With new wearable tech exploring the possibilities of harnessing brain activity, Unesco has drafted some global standards to govern the so-called 'wild west' of this emerging technology www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Unesco adopts global standards on ‘wild west’ field of neurotechnology
UN body’s recommendations driven by AI advances and proliferation of consumer-oriented neurotech devices
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:11 PM
With new wearable tech exploring the possibilities of harnessing brain activity, Unesco has drafted some global standards to govern the so-called 'wild west' of this emerging technology www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
My agent will talk to your agent: Multi agent research raises new questions about how well AI agents will perform when working unsupervised techcrunch.com/2025/11/05/m...
Microsoft built a fake marketplace to test AI agents — they failed in surprising ways | TechCrunch
The research raises new questions about how well AI agents will perform when working unsupervised — and how quickly AI companies can make good on promises of an agentic future.
techcrunch.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:42 PM
My agent will talk to your agent: Multi agent research raises new questions about how well AI agents will perform when working unsupervised techcrunch.com/2025/11/05/m...
Here's a great lesson on customer experience and automation from Alan Partridge 😀 youtu.be/rgwlgdQYgc8?...
Alan Partridge attempts to order a coffee in 2025 | How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge) - BBC
YouTube video by BBC
youtu.be
October 28, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Here's a great lesson on customer experience and automation from Alan Partridge 😀 youtu.be/rgwlgdQYgc8?...
"Work-life balance" has dethroned salary as the top reason employees stay with their companies, according to JLL’s survey of 8,700 office workers across 31 countries www.jll.com/en-hk/insigh...
Beyond Mandates: The Future of Hybrid Work
JLL Workforce Preference Barometer 2025
www.jll.com
October 27, 2025 at 4:31 PM
"Work-life balance" has dethroned salary as the top reason employees stay with their companies, according to JLL’s survey of 8,700 office workers across 31 countries www.jll.com/en-hk/insigh...
A new study has found that doctors who regularly used AI became less skilled at spotting cancer. Just like our ability to read physical maps, overreliance on automation could make us forget basic skills - time.com/7309274/ai-l...
Using AI Made Doctors Worse at Spotting Cancer Without Assistance
A new study offers the latest evidence of potential “deskilling” effects on AI users.
time.com
October 22, 2025 at 12:50 PM
A new study has found that doctors who regularly used AI became less skilled at spotting cancer. Just like our ability to read physical maps, overreliance on automation could make us forget basic skills - time.com/7309274/ai-l...
A few dazzling days at LFF - red carpets, fab films & even a Spielberg sighting. Hamnet was outstanding — I seriously dehydrated 😭; Frankenstein — sumptuous but too long; Sentimental Value — Skarsgård & Reinsve shine; H is for Hawk — Claire Foy + hawk = charm; Train Dreams — lovely trees, slow story
October 14, 2025 at 8:53 PM
A few dazzling days at LFF - red carpets, fab films & even a Spielberg sighting. Hamnet was outstanding — I seriously dehydrated 😭; Frankenstein — sumptuous but too long; Sentimental Value — Skarsgård & Reinsve shine; H is for Hawk — Claire Foy + hawk = charm; Train Dreams — lovely trees, slow story
A beautiful harvest moon over Stratford Upon Avon after a gorgeous Cyrano de Bergerac at the RST - by a nose one of the best productions I’ve seen at the RSC for a while
October 8, 2025 at 9:50 AM
A beautiful harvest moon over Stratford Upon Avon after a gorgeous Cyrano de Bergerac at the RST - by a nose one of the best productions I’ve seen at the RSC for a while
It is always fab to see Blade Runner on a big screen, but even better to have Ridley Scott do an intro Q&A at the BFI. It’s still so relevant in an era of AI, climate change & billionaire led mega-corporations (despite the 2019 tag & lack of mobile phones). Plus that Vangelis soundtrack is a banger!
October 4, 2025 at 8:47 PM
It is always fab to see Blade Runner on a big screen, but even better to have Ridley Scott do an intro Q&A at the BFI. It’s still so relevant in an era of AI, climate change & billionaire led mega-corporations (despite the 2019 tag & lack of mobile phones). Plus that Vangelis soundtrack is a banger!
Are we offloading critical thinking to chatbots? Research suggests that chatbot interactions alter how users think undark.org/2025/09/12/c...
Are We Offloading Critical Thinking to Chatbots?
Research, much if it by companies with deep investment in AI, suggests that chatbot interactions alter how users think.
undark.org
September 18, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Are we offloading critical thinking to chatbots? Research suggests that chatbot interactions alter how users think undark.org/2025/09/12/c...
“One cannot have too large a party” - Jane Austen fans gather in Bath to celebrate the author’s 250th birthday at the city’s annual festival www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
Janeites unite: Austen festival in Bath celebrates 250th anniversary of author’s birth
The annual festival, now the largest and longest-running of its kind, first took place in 2001 and has since grown to a 10-day programme drawing thousands of visitors from around the world
www.theguardian.com
September 15, 2025 at 9:04 AM
“One cannot have too large a party” - Jane Austen fans gather in Bath to celebrate the author’s 250th birthday at the city’s annual festival www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
The race to the best director Oscar is getting interesting this years as a more diverse, and potentially history making, field emerges www.theguardian.com/film/2025/se...
Film festival premieres promise a history-making Oscars showdown
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners could make him the first Black best director, Kathryn Bigelow could be the first woman to win best director twice – and there are more record-breaking contenders to come
www.theguardian.com
September 12, 2025 at 8:32 PM
The race to the best director Oscar is getting interesting this years as a more diverse, and potentially history making, field emerges www.theguardian.com/film/2025/se...
Hybrid Work in Retreat? Barely. Work location trends have remained stable since 2022, reflecting the durability of the hybrid work model. www.gallup.com/workplace/69...
Hybrid Work in Retreat? Barely.
Use of the hybrid work model has leveled off. Its success depends less on company mandates and more on how teams coordinate schedules and build trust.
www.gallup.com
September 8, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Hybrid Work in Retreat? Barely. Work location trends have remained stable since 2022, reflecting the durability of the hybrid work model. www.gallup.com/workplace/69...
Remote workers are spending less time working, but the relationship between remote work and productivity is more nuanced www.gallup.com/workplace/69...
Remote Staff Hours Fall, but Productivity Steady (For Now)
Remote workers are working fewer hours, but that doesn't mean productivity is falling. Here's how remote work is reshaping output and leadership.
www.gallup.com
August 27, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Remote workers are spending less time working, but the relationship between remote work and productivity is more nuanced www.gallup.com/workplace/69...
How automation alters roles and wages: “If the thing that gets automated is the easiest task, that leads to a narrowing of the pool of people that do it. But they are paid more” mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-t...
A new look at how automation changes the value of labor | MIT Sloan
Automation replaces experts in some occupations while augmenting expertise in others, according to a new MIT study.
mitsloan.mit.edu
August 26, 2025 at 11:21 AM
How automation alters roles and wages: “If the thing that gets automated is the easiest task, that leads to a narrowing of the pool of people that do it. But they are paid more” mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-t...
One second in a microwave and 5 drops of water - Google releases data on the energy & water consumption associated with AI usage www.technologyreview.com/2025/08/21/1...
In a first, Google has released data on how much energy an AI prompt uses
It’s the most transparent estimate yet from one of the big AI companies, and a long-awaited peek behind the curtain for researchers.
www.technologyreview.com
August 22, 2025 at 12:17 PM
One second in a microwave and 5 drops of water - Google releases data on the energy & water consumption associated with AI usage www.technologyreview.com/2025/08/21/1...
Physical retail isn't dead - but it needs a better customer experience in order to thrive mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-t...
The future of physical retail: 5 actions to elevate customer experience | MIT Sloan
Physical retailers should combine data-driven insights with human touch to create a seamless hybrid shopping experience, these B2B experts say.
mitsloan.mit.edu
August 6, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Physical retail isn't dead - but it needs a better customer experience in order to thrive mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-t...
Gallup's generational research shows that younger workers have a preference for in-person work, with the older cohorts swinging more towards remote flexibility. Caring responsibilities often shape the latter, whilst the former crave more connection to prevent isolation www.gallup.com/workplace/69...
Fully Remote Work Least Popular With Gen Z
Gen Z prefers hybrid work over fully remote and is more likely than older generations to want employees in the office more often.
www.gallup.com
July 31, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Gallup's generational research shows that younger workers have a preference for in-person work, with the older cohorts swinging more towards remote flexibility. Caring responsibilities often shape the latter, whilst the former crave more connection to prevent isolation www.gallup.com/workplace/69...
My agent will talk to your agent – but the best agent may win. New research shows that in AI-to-AI price negotiations, weaker models often lose out—costing users real money and raising concerns about growing digital inequality www.technologyreview.com/2025/06/17/1...
When AIs bargain, a less advanced agent could cost you
New research shows that in AI-to-AI price negotiations, weaker models often lose out—costing users real money and raising concerns about growing digital inequality.
www.technologyreview.com
July 28, 2025 at 9:06 AM
My agent will talk to your agent – but the best agent may win. New research shows that in AI-to-AI price negotiations, weaker models often lose out—costing users real money and raising concerns about growing digital inequality www.technologyreview.com/2025/06/17/1...
A new study explores how AI agents are reshaping the workforce. But instead of just asking what AI CAN do, it asks what workers WANT it to do. This includes an equal partnership with AI, not full automation, & a better alignment between AI investments & worker preferences arxiv.org/pdf/2506.06576
arxiv.org
July 25, 2025 at 1:41 PM
A new study explores how AI agents are reshaping the workforce. But instead of just asking what AI CAN do, it asks what workers WANT it to do. This includes an equal partnership with AI, not full automation, & a better alignment between AI investments & worker preferences arxiv.org/pdf/2506.06576
Since getting AI and humans to work together effectively is essential for business productivity, does it make sense to merge IT and HR functions? This company thinks so…https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-moderna-merged-its-tech-and-hr-departments-95318c2a
Archived version:
archive.ph/0qWXw
Archived version:
archive.ph/0qWXw
archive.ph
July 21, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Since getting AI and humans to work together effectively is essential for business productivity, does it make sense to merge IT and HR functions? This company thinks so…https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-moderna-merged-its-tech-and-hr-departments-95318c2a
Archived version:
archive.ph/0qWXw
Archived version:
archive.ph/0qWXw
"When developers use AI tools, they take 19% longer than without—AI makes them slower" - another study showing that AI decreases the productivity of experts.The big question is how we develop and nurture expertise in the first place, or are generalists + AI the future? metr.org/blog/2025-07...
Measuring the Impact of Early-2025 AI on Experienced Open-Source Developer Productivity
We conduct a randomized controlled trial to understand how early-2025 AI tools affect the productivity of experienced open-source developers working on their own repositories. Surprisingly, we find th...
metr.org
July 14, 2025 at 1:28 PM
"When developers use AI tools, they take 19% longer than without—AI makes them slower" - another study showing that AI decreases the productivity of experts.The big question is how we develop and nurture expertise in the first place, or are generalists + AI the future? metr.org/blog/2025-07...
AI + Human - AI works best when it complements human effort, not when it replaces it. “Pursuing AI without equal focus on people often leads to underwhelming results and added organisational risks” www.gallup.com/workplace/66...
Play the Long Game With Human-AI Collaboration
Decades of economic research show that technology initiatives that marginalize the human element frequently fall short and sometimes backfire.
www.gallup.com
July 1, 2025 at 10:01 AM
AI + Human - AI works best when it complements human effort, not when it replaces it. “Pursuing AI without equal focus on people often leads to underwhelming results and added organisational risks” www.gallup.com/workplace/66...
ChatGPT may erode critical thinking skills - “users had the lowest brain engagement & consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic & behavioral levels.” This research is based on a small sample but it does reinforce the concern that AI could increase cognitive laziness time.com/7295195/ai-c...
ChatGPT's Impact On Our Brains According to an MIT Study
The study, from MIT Lab scholars, measured the brain activity of subjects writing SAT essays with and without ChatGPT.
time.com
June 23, 2025 at 12:19 PM
ChatGPT may erode critical thinking skills - “users had the lowest brain engagement & consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic & behavioral levels.” This research is based on a small sample but it does reinforce the concern that AI could increase cognitive laziness time.com/7295195/ai-c...
Companies That Replaced Humans With AI Are Realising Their Mistake: “The human touch remains irreplaceable in many interactions” futurism.com/companies-re...
Companies That Replaced Humans With AI Are Realizing Their Mistake
As AI agents have yet to pay for themselves, more and more executives are waking up to the sloppy reality of AI hype.
futurism.com
June 20, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Companies That Replaced Humans With AI Are Realising Their Mistake: “The human touch remains irreplaceable in many interactions” futurism.com/companies-re...