Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's warning in our column last week about a looming AI-driven
white-collar job apocalypse ignited a national conversation that pulled
in everyone from former President Obama to President Trump's AI czar.
Critics
saw the warning as alarmist, saying the "doomer" attitude fails to
account for the new jobs and economic riches AI might shower on the U.S.
public.
On the flip side, Obama and others saw the interview as
vital truth-telling — a clear-eyed warning that government and
companies should consider deeply and urgently.
Why it matters:
In the flood of conflicting views, one broad consensus emerged. Every
U.S. citizen should start preparing today for society-shifting AI
advancements coming soon.
So we plucked the best of what AI
experts, government officials, business leaders, AI-savvy college
students and Axios readers sent us to compile a toolkit for turning AI
into a force multiplier for you.
Learn the models: There
are many generative AI models you can use now for free. Here's a cheat
sheet for where to get each one, what it's best for, and what you get if
you upgrade to paid version, via Axios chief tech correspondent Ina Fried:
ChatGPT (OpenAI): The pioneering chatbot offers image and video generation, and can be used through mobile and computer apps as well as via ChatGPT.com (and even an 800 number). ChatGPT Plus service ($20/month)
offers more and earlier access to the latest models, plus additional
privacy options. Check out the advanced voice mode's natural
back-and-forth conversation.
Claude (Anthropic): Though
less-known than ChatGPT, Claude is favored by many businesses for its
impressive coding skills and neutral, helpful tone. The $20-per-month version allows for more usage, priority during busy times and early access to new models.
Grok(X): Built
into X (formerly Twitter), Grok pitches itself as a "truth-seeking AI
companion for unfiltered answers" — though its responses tend to be
similar to those of other engines. Free users get a limited number of
queries and image generations. Paid options include the $30-per-month
SuperGrok and premium subscriptions to X (starting at $8/month).
Perplexity: Perplexity
has carved out a niche as a combination of AI chatbot + search engine.
The $20-per-month Perplexity Pro service offers image generation and
access to a range of models, allowing you to see their different
responses in one place.
Gemini (Google):
Google's assistant can integrate with Gmail and offers a well-regarded
tool called NotebookLM that can turn your notes (or any document) into a podcast. The $19.99-per-month Pro plan includes more access to its Whisk and Veo video tools plus more storage.
Meta AI:
Meta's AI assistant is available across Facebook, WhatsApp and
Instagram, with free access to image generation and a chatbot based on
the company's Llama model.
Apple: Apple has the
most limited AI of the group. But Apple Intelligence offers a taste of
the technology in the apps you already use on your iPhone or Mac,
including tools to tweak your writing, create a custom emoji or generate
images. Apple Intelligence is free but requires a recent Mac or iPhone.
Experiment aggressively: You only see the possible magic by experimenting. Three easy ways to start:
Writing:
Train the model to write in your voice by asking the LLM to save your
writing style after feeding in things you've written in the past. The
more you feed, the better it mimics. Jim has a JimGPT, trained on
hundreds of speeches and columns, as well as a saved version of our
Smart Brevity™ style, fine-tuned to his personal quirks.
Health:
Feed in as much health information as you feel comfortable, including
lab results, and you'll be amazed by generative AI's ability to help
guide you on health choices, workouts, warning signs and supplements.
(Always consult a doctor where appropriate!)
Research: AI
chatbots can be great for preparing for a meeting, understanding a new
subject or planning a trip. Just ask for what you want to know —
background on a person or company, or some good day trips in the city
you're visiting.
Master the prompts: This
is the first advanced technology that you don't need to be a computer
nerd or coder to master. You simply need to master the art of prompting.
These tips are excerpted from a Substack synthesis by Elvis Saravia, a U.K.-based machine-learning research scientist, summarizing a Y Combinator roundtable:
Be hyper-specific & detailed
(the "manager" approach): Treat your LLM like a new employee. Provide
very long, detailed prompts that clearly define their role, the task,
the desired output, and any constraints.
Assign a clear role (persona
prompting): Start by telling the LLM who it should act like (e.g., "You
are a manager of a customer service agent," "You are an expert prompt
engineer"). This sets the context, tone, and expected expertise.
Outline the task & provide a plan:
Clearly state the LLM's primary task (e.g., "Your task is to approve or
reject a tool called..."). Break down complex tasks into a step-by-step
plan for the LLM to follow.
Meta-prompting
("LLM, improve thyself!"): Use an LLM to help you write or refine your
prompts. Give it your current prompt, examples of good/bad outputs, and
ask it to "make this prompt better" or critique it.
Reality check: AI bots are known to sometimes make things up, known as hallucinating. Verify the information you get if you plan to rely on it.
Be
sure you're comfortable with the information you're sharing with an AI
assistant. In some cases, companies may use the data you share to train
the models or serve advertising. Paid versions sometimes allow you to
limit this. This Axios series, "What AI knows about you," details how the various chatbots train their systems.
Know the danger zones:
If you're worried about your current major or job, be clear-eyed that
the following list is areas AI experts think are most vulnerable:
Programming and coding jobs, particularly entry-level, are likely to be the first to be hit.
Telemarketers, some types of teachers, political scientists and arbitrators are quite vulnerable to automation by LLMs, a study by professors at Princeton, NYU and the University of Pennsylvania found.
Image-generating
AI will affect opportunities for interior designers, architects, art
directors and mechanical drafters, the study says.
Own it:
Figure out, now, ways to leverage LLMs to vastly improve your
productivity, creativity and enjoyment. This is a snooze-you-lose
moment. But if you jump in, start to master LLMs, and try to 2x your
output this year and 10x it down the road, this could be a game-changer
for your career.
We encourage Axios colleagues to share their best findings with others in related gigs so that everyone grows with AI.
Go deeper: "Behind the Curtain: A white-collar bloodbath."
Yet missing from much of the debate is a crucial question: What are the tangible costs and benefits of DEI? Who benefits, who doesn’t, and what are the broader effects on society and the economy?
As a sociologist, I believe any productive conversation about DEI should be rooted in evidence, not ideology. So let’s look at the research.
Who gains from DEI?
In the corporate world, DEI initiatives are intended to promote diversity, and research consistently shows that diversity is good for business. Companies with more diverse teams tend to perform better across several key metrics, including revenue,
profitability and worker satisfaction.
A focus on diversity can also offer profit opportunities for businesses seeking new markets. Two-thirds of American consumers consider diversity when making their shopping choices, a 2021 survey found. So-called “inclusive consumers” tend to be female, younger and more ethnically and racially diverse. Ignoring their values can be costly:
When Target backed away from its DEI efforts, the resulting backlash contributed to a sales decline.
But DEI goes beyond corporate policy. At its core, it’s about expanding access to opportunities for groups historically excluded from full participation in American life. From this broader perspective, many 20th-century reforms can be seen as part of
the DEI arc.
Consider higher education. Many elite U.S. universities refused to admit women until well into the 1960s and 1970s. Columbia, the last Ivy League university to go co-ed,
started admitting women in 1982. Since the advent of affirmative action, women haven’t just closed the gender gap in higher education – they outpace men in college completion across all racial groups. DEI policies have particularly benefited women, especially white women, by expanding workforce access.
Many Ivy League universities didn’t admit women until surprisingly recently.
Similarly, the push to desegregate American universities was followed by an explosion in the number of Black college students – a number that has increased by 125% since the 1970s, twice the national rate. With college gates open to more people than ever, overall enrollment at U.S. colleges has quadrupled since 1965. While there are many reasons for this, expanding opportunity no doubt plays a role. And a better-educated population has had significant implications for productivity and economic growth.
While DEI generates returns for many businesses and institutions, it does come with costs. In 2020, corporate America spent an estimated US$7.5 billion on DEI programs.
And in 2023, the federal government spent more than $100 million on DEI, including $38.7 million by the Department
of Health and Human Services and another $86.5 million by the Department of Defense.
The government will no doubt be spending less on DEI in 2025. One of President Donald Trump’s first acts in his second term was to sign an executive order banning DEI practices in federal agencies – one of several anti-DEI executive orders currently facing legal challenges. More than 30 states have also introduced or enacted bills to limit or entirely restrict DEI in recent years. Central to many of these policies is the belief that diversity lowers standards, replacing meritocracy with mediocrity.
But a large body of research disputes this claim. For example, a 2023 McKinsey & Company report found that companies
with higher levels of gender and ethnic diversity will likely financially outperform those with the least diversity by at least 39%. Similarly, concerns that DEI in science and technology education leads to lowering standards aren’t backed up by scholarship. Instead, scholars are increasingly pointing out that disparities in performance are linked to built-in biases in courses themselves.
That said, legal concerns about DEI are rising. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Justice have recently warned employers that some DEI programs may violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Anecdotal evidence suggests that reverse discrimination claims,
particularly from white men, are increasing, and legal experts expect the Supreme Court to lower the burden of proof needed
by complainants for such cases.
The issue remains legally unsettled. But while the cases work their way through the courts, women and people of color will continue to shoulder much of the unpaid volunteer work that powers corporate DEI initiatives. This pattern raises important equity concerns within DEI itself.
At the same time, in spite of DEI initiatives, women and people of color are most likely to be underemployed and living in poverty regardless of how much education they
attain. The gender wage gap remains stark: In 2023, women working full time earned a median weekly salary of $1,005 compared with $1,202 for men − just 83.6% of what men earned. Over a 40-year career, that adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost earnings. For Black and Latina women, the disparities are even worse, with one source estimating lifetime losses at $976,800 and $1.2 million,
respectively.
Racism, too, carries an economic toll. A 2020 analysis from Citi found that systemic racism has cost the U.S. economy $16 trillion since
2000. The same analysis found that addressing these disparities could have boosted Black wages by $2.7 trillion, added up to $113 billion in lifetime earnings through higher college enrollment, and generated $13 trillion in business revenue, creating
6.1 million jobs annually.
In a moment of backlash and uncertainty, I believe DEI remains a vital if imperfect tool in the American experiment of inclusion. Rather than abandon it, the challenge now, from my perspective, is how to refine it: grounding efforts not in slogans
or fear, but in fairness and evidence.
Posted By Dammara Lifrieri (Guest-NonMember),
Thursday, May 29, 2025
American Bar Association - Real Property, Trust and Estate Law
DATE: Wednesday, June 4, 2025 TIME: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET
This
webinar teaches attorneys how to vet, challenge, differentiate and
defend real and personal property appraisals by understanding USPAP and
industry standards, spotting
common errors, and properly qualifying experts. It covers key
differences between asset types, real case studies, and strategies to
ensure credible valuation evidence in litigation.
Speaker: Daniel Boring, Kidder Mathews Inc., Nakomis, FL
Posted By Member Luis Ramos,
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
New York CE/CLE Webinar:Title Surveys
Date & Time
May 29, 2025 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Webinar ID
943 9350 4764
Participant ID
431513
Passcode
930168
Description
Join WFG National Title Insurance Company for a 1-hour CE/CLE webinar aimed at educating title agents and attorneys about land surveys.
After attending this course, you will have a clear understanding of transactional issues related to surveys and how to resolve these types of issues before you get to the closing table.
*This program also provides the opportunity to earn one credit towards the professional practice requirement, appropriate for newly admitted and experienced attorneys.
What Is a “Notice of Recorded Document”? This is a notification sent to registered subscribers each time a deed, deed-related document, mortgage, or mortgagerelated document has been recorded against a specific property in New York City. You must register to receive notification.
Property owners and their agents (including child, spouse, or domestic partner of owner if they are a designee), the managing agent, the property owner’s attorney, the lienor, or executors/administrators of the estate of the owner or leinor of the property should register to be notified of documents recorded against the property. Notification will usually be issued the day after a document is recorded. Note: The Department of Finance is required to record all documents that meet recording requirements.
Why Should I Register to Receive Notification? Receiving a “Notice of Recorded Document” will alert registered property owners when documents are recorded without their knowledge and will allow them to take steps to limit the harm caused by the recording of a fraudulent document.
How Do I Register? Registering is easy and fast. Register electronically by visiting the Department of Finance website, www.nyc.gov/finance, or the ACRIS website, www.nyc.gov/acris and click on the “Recorded Document Notification” link. You can register by using your property address or the borough block and lot number. You may also submit a completed "Notice by Mail of Recorded Document" application which is available on our website or by calling 311.
Can I Register to Receive Notification for More Than One Property at a Time? No. You must register separately for each property.
Are There Any Fees Involved When Registering? There are no fees to register or to receive a notification sent via e-mail or regular mail. However, text message rates may apply (please consult with your carrier).
How Long Will My Registration Last? Your registration will remain in effect until you opt out of receiving notification. What Should I Do if I No Longer Wish to Receive Information About a Particular Property? You must “delete” your registration information by visiting the New York City Department of Finance website www.nyc.gov/finance or ACRIS website www.nyc.gov/acris and click on the “Recorded Document Notification” link. You may also delete your registration by submitting a completed “Notice by Mail of Recorded Document” application which is available on our website or is available by calling 311.
Will I Receive Notification for Every Document Recorded on the Property? No, a “Notice of Recorded Document” will be sent only when the following documents have been recorded:
Department of Finance Deed and Deed-Related Documents Agreement Air Rights Condemnation Proceedings Condo Declaration Confirmatory Deed Contract of Sale Correction Deed Court Order Deed In Rem Deed Judgment Life Estate Deed Memorandum of Contract Power of Attorney Real Estate Investment Trust Deed Revocation of Power of Attorney Sundry Agreement Unit Assignment
Mortgage and Mortgage Related Documents Agreement Collateral Mortgage Correction Mortgage Court Order Initial UCC1 (financing statement) Judgment Mortgage Mortgage and Consolidation Mortgage Spreader Agreement Satisfaction of Mortgage Subordination of Mortgage Sundry Mortgage Should an Owner (or the designee) of an Individual Cooperative Apartment Unit or Timeshare Register? It is not recommended that an owner (or designee) register because individual cooperative apartments units or timeshares do not have a unique block and lot number. If an owner (or designee) of a cooperative apartment unit or Timeshare registers to receive notification, registration can only be for the entire building. The registrant will receive a Notice of Recorded Documents affecting the building rather than a particular apartment unit or timeshare. This may result in a large number of unnecessary notifications.
What Should I Do if I Receive a “Notice of Recorded Document” and the Property is in Manhattan (New York County), The Bronx, Brooklyn (Kings County), or Queens? You should: 1. Go to the website at www.nyc.gov/acris and click on “Search Property Records”. 2. Enter the borough, block and lot number of the property and then you can review the document for which you have received a “Notice of Recorded Document.” (If you do not have access to a computer you may visit one of our City Register locations listed below.) 3. If you own property with another party/parties, you may want to contact them to find out if the other party/parties is/are aware of the document for which you have received notice. What Should I Do When I Receive a “Notice of Recorded Document” and the Property is in Staten Island (Richmond County)? If the property is in Staten Island, you must visit the Office of the Richmond County Clerk to view a copy of the recorded document. What will happen after I register for notification? Immediately after registering, you will receive an automatically generated email confirming that you elected to receive email notices whenever documents are recorded against the entered BBL. If you do not receive this email within 15 minutes, please verify that you entered the correct email address. If the email address that you entered (per the confirmation screen) is incorrect, you should re-register to receive notice using the correct email address. If you had used the correct email address, please check your junk mail as the antispam and email filtering you may be running can potentially cause these emails to arrive in your junk email folder. To prevent future emails from doing the same, please add acrisnrd@finance.nyc.gov to your safe senders list. If the email address that you entered is correct and the email is not in your junk email folder, you should call 311. If you requested registration of notification for a BBL, then starting the day of the registration you will be notified via email when any deed, deed-related document, mortgage, or mortgage-related document is recorded against that BBL. The email will contain a reference to the document(s) recorded the previous day. If you register by submitting a completed "Notice by Mail of Recorded Document" application, you will receive a confirmation of your registration by mail and receive notices by mail whenever documents are recorded against the entered BBL. If you do not receive the confirmation within two weeks, you should call 311.
What will happen after I request deletion of my registration? Immediately after requesting deletion of your registration you will receive an automatically generated email confirming that you elected to no longer receive email notices whenever documents are recorded against the entered BBL. If you do not receive this email within 15 minutes, please verify that you entered the correct email address. If the email address that you entered (per the confirmation screen) is incorrect, you should re-register to receive notice using the correct email address. If you had used the correct email address, please check your junk mail as the antispam and email filtering you may be running can potentially cause these emails to arrive in your junk email folder. If you request deletion of an existing registration for a BBL and any deed, deed-related document, mortgage, or mortgage-related document is recorded against that BBL the day you requested deletion, you will receive an email notification; however, you will not receive notification of any subsequent recordings unless you register again. If you request deletion of your registration by submitting a completed "Notice by Mail of Recorded Document" application, you will receive a confirmation by mail that you elected to no longer receive notices whenever documents are recorded against the entered BBL. If you do not receive the confirmation within two weeks, you should call 311. After I Review the Document, What Should I Do? 1. If you know about the recorded document and it is correct you do not need to take any further steps. 2. If the document is incorrect or if you were not aware of the document, call 311. If you are calling from outside of New York City, call 212-NEW-YORK or 212-639-9675. The call center representative will be able to refer you to an appropriate agency to assist you in resolving your issue.
Department of Finance l Division of Land Records l City Register Locations MANHATTAN BRONX 66 John Street, 13th Floor 3030 Third Avenue, Room 280 New York, NY 10038 Bronx, NY 10455
BROOKLYN QUEENS 210 Joralemon Street, Room 2 144-06 94th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11201 Jamaica, NY 11435
OFFICE OF THE RICHMOND COUNTY CLERK 130 Stuyvesant Place Staten Island, N.Y. 10301
Disclaimer The Department of Finance assumes no liability for failure to provide the requested notice of recorded document with respect to the property for which you are registering to receive notification. The City of New York, including the Department of Finance, and the Office of the Richmond County Clerk assumes no liability for performing its legal duty to record documents, even if those documents are in some instances later be determined to be erroneous, fraudulent, or invalid.
A lot of times we think about DEI as only about race or gender, but
neurodivergency is also a factor in hiring. Title insurance jobs tend to be
non-customer-facing, and call for attention to detail and focus that
neuro-divergent workers often excel at.
As
more and more of our older employees retire, many of our companies are
looking for the best possible people as the next generation of title
insurance professionals, especially searchers and readers. The unique
requirements for those jobs- careful attention to detail, intense focus,
and recognition of slight differences- are often qualities held by
those suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However the job
interview process often shortchanges those individuals, as social
awkwardness masks their abilities.
The following article explains how
recognizing those interview biases can reward your company with great
employees.
The New York State Land Title Association, Inc. advances the common interests of all those engaged in the business of abstracting, examining, insuring titles, and otherwise facilitating real estate transactions. The Association promotes the business
and general welfare of its Members and protects real property title holders’ ownership rights.
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