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We’ve just stepped into Q4! Can’t believe how time flew so fast (Cliché, right, but I know you feel the same way). 

So, congratulations for getting this far. 👏

Seriously, give yourself a pat on the back ‘cause you are awesome!

And as Q4 begins, allow us to share with you snippets of what we’ve been reading lately. 

“Sometimes you deserve a pat on the back, even if you have to do it yourself.” –Frank Sonnenberg

Inside:

This Week’s Must-Reads

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This week’s must-reads

Students beware – purely using AI can affect your brain

MIT researchers found that excessive use of AI can weaken the brain. Their study tracked  students in writing their essays over four months - one group used ChatGPT, one used a search engine, and one used only their brains. 

They discovered that brain connectivity scaled down with the amount of technological support. The group that did not use AI support showed the highest brain connectivity, while the search-engine group showed intermediate and the LLM group showed the weakest.

Thailand’s satellite technology in response to flooding

The past week’s non-stop heavy rainfall in Thailand, including Greater Bangkok, have caused severe  flooding in several areas. As of 28 September, nine roads in Bangkok  were still flooded and people were advised to check road conditions before  going out. Schools and government offices have closed and some private companies have adjusted their work hours. The Thai government, meanwhile, has released satellite imagery of the flooding situation so people can monitor the current situation.

How do you handle criticism?

This career advice is a handy tool for when you want to practice the question, “How do you handle criticism?”

It is worth knowing that the People Officer or HR personnel that you’re interviewing with wants to assess your emotional regulation, self-awareness, and growth mindset. 

By using the STAR Method, you’ll be able to phrase your answer well and practice for your interviews. Just try to avoid the mistakes of being defensive or expressing blame (even if you know your colleague was to blame in that situation 😉).

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The DICT Philippines temporarily banned Discord and lifted it, all within 24 hours

Manila, Philippines. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) have banned the Discord platform temporarily on the evening of the 23rd of September and lifted it the following day. 

They lifted the ban after Discord committed to cooperating with the government in briefing the authorities on their Global Teen Experience and other child-safety mechanisms. According to DICT, “The government welcomes innovation and digital platforms that benefit Filipinos. But operating in the Philippine digital space comes with a responsibility: to help keep Filipinos, especially children, safe online.”

What do you think about this?

BetterGovPH launches a petition to protect the digital democracy of Filipinos

In response to the discord, BetterGovPH recently posted that they're “launching ‘Protect Our Digital Democracy,’ a petition asking DICT, CICC, NTC, and Congress to commit to real safeguards: no arbitrary blocking without a clear legal basis and evidence, public disclosure of blocking and restoration decisions, protection for privacy and encryption, real accountability for child protection, and open consultation with the public before lasting policies are set.

This isn't about choosing between safety and freedom. It's about making sure decisions affecting millions of Filipinos aren't made without us.”

An interesting case of the mass book piracy by OpenAI

“OpenAI's lawless determination to do virtually anything to win the AI arms race has brought them to court. Major book authors and the Author’s Guild in the US revealed these in their brief: 

• OpenAI and Microsoft Knew Their Systems Would Replace Human Writers and make them unemployed; 

• “Autocompleting” Other People’s Work; 

• “Acceptable Economic Disruption” and more…”

And just another warning when chatting with AI for personal advice

Because it’s not a secret anymore and we care for you. Numerous studies and vlogs have been informing the public of the sycophantic (flattering, people-pleasing) models of AI. Stanford scientists published their report revealing that AI chatbots are too agreeable with the user, even when the topic is harmful. 

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(Webinar) Scrum.org The AI Delegation Audit - A Recurring Check for Work You’ve Handed to AI Tuesday, October 6,2026

“Most teams that hand work to AI never check what happens next. Someone routes a task to an AI engine, gets a result, and moves on. Nobody asks whether the AI should have kept that task, whether the routing call was right, or whether a bad decision is quietly repeating every Sprint. The Delegation Audit is the artifact in the A3 Delegation System designed to address this gap: a recurring review of what your team assisted with, automated, or avoided, and whether those calls still hold up.”

(Webinar) Scrum.org What is the Impact of AI on Scrum and the Scrum Master Tuesday, November 12, 2026

“AI is rapidly reshaping how work gets done within Scrum Teams. It can create a strong sense of increased productivity and faster progress. But in complex environments, speed and volume don’t automatically translate into value. In some cases, they may even create an illusion of progress, while reducing transparency and shared understanding.”

What topic would you like to see next? Let us know by sending us a message! 

We’ll feature you when your idea gets picked!

Sources:

Frank Sonnenberg. 2018. You’re Awesome! Give Yourself a Pat on the Back

Nataliya Kosmyna, et. al. 2025 Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task 

Stanford Report. 2026 AI overly affirms users asking for personal advice

The Author’s Guild. 2026 Unsealed Briefs in Authors’ Case v. Microsoft/OpenAI: Top Execs Knew Their Mass Book Piracy Was Illegal And Would Put Authors Out of Work

Tech Pinas. 2026 Why Discord Was Banned in the Philippines and Why The Ban Was Lifted by DICT After Less Than 24 Hours

Philippine News Agency. 2026 DICT lifts Discord ban as platforms vow cooperation

DICT. 2026 DICT Lifts Discord Ban after Platform Commits to Concrete Online Safety Actions

Khaosod English. 2026 GISTDA’s Satellite images show high flood risks across Thailand

Daily Remote. 2023 How to Answer "How Do You Handle Criticism"? (With Sample Answers)