Welcome, innovators.

Most people don't associate Office Depot and OfficeMax stores with cutting-edge technology, but their parent company—The ODP Corporation—has set out to change that. 

A couple of weeks back the company announced the implementation of cutting-edge generative AI technology. Keep reading to be impressed…

In today’s newsletter:

• Today’s must-read stories 📰

• Office Depot and OfficeMax step into the future

• Prompt of the day ✍️

Today’s must-read stories 📰 

AI could help people find more purpose at work 🧑‍💼

AI can enhance workers' sense of purpose by taking over mundane tasks, allowing them to focus on building meaningful connections, fostering creativity, and investing in personal growth

Microsoft’s latest evolution of Copilot AI tools 🤖

Microsoft has released new AI-powered Copilot tools across its work apps, including Business Chat, Excel with Python integration, and AI-enabled features in PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, and Team.

Gusto AI assistant is (almost) here 💰

Gusto has introduced "Gus," an AI-powered assistant designed to help small business owners save time by providing personalized insights, answering compliance questions, executing tasks like PTO approvals, and delivering quick, relevant business information.

Together with Ashby

Transform your hiring game with Ashby

For a hectic startup, hiring can be a messy process. Ashby makes it so much easier. (That’s why writing this particular slot was so much fun — at The Deep View we use Ashby and love it).

Their interface is intuitive, and applicants are easily organized, making reviews quicker, more targeted, and as painless as possible.

With Ashby, our scheduling is almost completely automated, and as it turns out, their new AI-assisted application review actually enables us to deliver a much more human experience. Having all our workflows in a single tool helps us deliver a better candidate experience with better data and more accuracy.

Plus, all of Ashby’s AI-backed features are reliable, secure and trustworthy (it checks all the boxes).

If you’re hiring — but want to handle that process without your usual migraines — switch to Ashby. 

AI Artwork 🖼️ 

Miscellaneous resources

• Tired of receiving compliance notices from state tax agencies? Automate payroll, compliance, and benefits management with Warp. Get started today and get a $1,000 gift card.*

• Cornell University: Online AI certificate programs.

• Pennsylvania State University: Online AI master’s degree program.

• University of Texas: Postgraduate program in AI & machine learning.

AI tools 🔨 

• LanguageTool: AI-powered grammar checker.

• Postwise: Your personal AI ghostwriter, trained on engaging, viral content.

• Branding 5: Discover brand positioning or conduct competitor analysis with the help of AI.

Together with Vellum

Unlock the Power of AI: Join Vellum’s Free GenAI Webinar Series

If you’re new to AI or need the confidence to launch in production, you need Vellum’s free GenAI webinar series. From idea to validation to production-grade systems — hear best practices from AI experts who have been in your shoes at companies like Redfin and Drata.

Come to learn and speed up AI development. 

Register now and discover the power of accelerated AI development.

Office Depot and OfficeMax step into the future

The ODP Corporation, the parent company of Office Depot and OfficeMax, is leveraging cutting-edge generative AI technology to enhance customer experiences and streamline operations in its retail stores. 

This initiative demonstrates ODP’s commitment to integrating AI to transform both customer-facing interactions and behind-the-scenes efficiency.

Key takeaways

• Immediate access to information: Associates use natural language queries through the ODP Personal Assistant AI application to get instant answers.

• Comprehensive knowledge bases: Gen AI technology provides access to relevant internal data, empowering associates across 900 stores with quick, accurate customer assistance.

• Enhanced customer experience: Associates can now focus more on customer engagement, delivering faster, more accurate responses, to improve overall service quality.

Our thoughts

ODP’s use of generative AI is a game-changer for both store associates and customers. By equipping associates with AI-powered tools, ODP is significantly enhancing efficiency and improving the customer experience. This marks a pivotal—and somewhat surprising—shift in how the company approaches retail technology.

Prompt of the day ✍️ 

Journalist (create a news brief)

How it works:

This prompt creates a concise, relevant, and engaging news brief by using user input, reference materials, and iterative evaluations to ensure it meets journalistic standards and captures the audience's attention.

Why use it:

A journalist would use this prompt to streamline the creation of high-quality, audience-focused news briefs, ensuring accuracy, relevance, and engagement while saving time through guided refinement and expert-level evaluation.

Prompt Example:

{"prompt":"Develop a tailored News Brief aligned with the user's individual needs, drawing insights from the supplied reference materials. Initiate interaction with the user to obtain essential specifics and resolve any ambiguities. Iteratively refine the News Brief through consistent evaluations using the given evaluationRubric and gather user input to ensure the end product aligns with the users expectations.}

You can find the prompt in its entirety here.