Each and every week the Square Holes team are deep in the bowels of a number of projects, working to mine all of the insights that we can to help grow businesses and support thriving cities.

These insights are used by businesses and organisations to innovate their offerings, move into new markets, track their impact and hone their products and output. Each week we will be sharing a broad insight that we have learnt for you to use in your own work.

Let us know what you find valuable!

Jason: Dangerous distractions

Most of society lives in shades of grey — messy compromises and competing views. But some voices cross a line. Climate change denial and anti-immigration marches aren’t harmless opinions; they’re dangerous distractions that stall progress and spread harm. A healthy society needs diversity of thought, but not all voices deserve equal weight. The real task is filtering signal from noise — building a future that’s fairer, sustainable, and resilient, rather than letting ignorance and hate pull us backwards.

Dylan: AI literacy 

This week I’ve been thinking about how quickly AI tools have advanced, creating content that’s often almost indistinguishable from human-made. With so much out there (some real, some not), media literacy feels more important than ever. Navigating this complex landscape means understanding the power of these tools, slowing down, asking questions and making sure we’re not just consuming, but also thinking critically about what we see and share.

Mahalia: Is somebody thinking of the children?

We are currently working on a project about AI education, and a clear concern in our recently run focus groups was around the impact the tool is already having on young minds. In a world where critical and creative thinkers are needed more than ever, is AI switching brains off, rather than on? While the automation of draining tasks is welcomed, we need to be careful about the others ways that AI is shaping how we spend our time and its impact on our ability to exercise the muscle of our brain. How are you speaking about AI to your children?

Think your business or organisation could do with some insights? Contact us here.