proptech noun [U]
UK /ˈprɒp.tek/ US /ˈprɑːp.tek/
abbreviation for “property technology”: the business of using technology to buy and sell property in new ways

The real estate industry has undergone a significant technological transformation in recent years, and the word “proptech” has firmly come into common use. But this concept is so broad that you may even have no idea that the tool you’re using actually refers to proptech. In fact, proptech real estate solutions apply to all processes throughout the lifecycle of a property.
[solveit.dev, 27 October 2023]

tech prepper noun [C]
UK /ˈtek prep.əʳ/ US /ˈtek prep.ɚ/
someone who believes that a war or disaster will happen soon, and who makes sure they have reliable technology-related equipment and knowledge in order to be ready for it

You’re prepared for everything; with the tools you need to go off the grid at a moment’s notice. However, if your bug-out bag is missing a rugged laptop, you can’t rightly call yourself a tech prepper. Tech resilience is crucial for digital preparedness in unpredictable circumstances … Tech preppers have the tools and expertise they need to live off the grid, even if traditional infrastructure falls apart.
[bobjohnson.com, 27 March 2024]

See also prepper

cloudwashing noun [U]
UK /ˈklaʊd.wɒʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈklaʊd.wɑː.ʃɪŋ/
the act of marketing an old computer product or service as cloud-based when it is not, or mostly not, to take advantage of the popularity of cloud computing and make more money from the product or service

Cloud computing is low-maintenance, cost-effective and highly scalable – in fact, it’s nothing short of game-changing. But if you’re not vigilant, you could fall into the trap of procuring cloud software that’s traditional software in disguise. It’s called cloudwashing, and it’s becoming more common.
[rae.co.za, 17 March 2024]

See also -washing

About new words

noctalgia noun [U]
UK /nɒkˈtæl.dʒə/ US /nɑːkˈtæl.dʒə/
a feeling of sadness felt by some people because light pollution means they can no longer see a dark sky at night

The faster-than-expected growth in earthly and celestial lights is affecting human and ecological health. But it is not just our biology being affected. The night sky is also cultural. Stories, practices, and traditions both religious and secular rely on it … And so we now have “noctalgia” to define that specific feeling of a loss of a dark night sky. The cure for it is not difficult. It mostly needs political will. There are many ways to reduce light pollution.
[iflscience.com, 20 September 2023]

heat inequality noun [U]
UK /ˈhiːt ɪn.ɪˌkwɒl.ə.ti/ US /ˈhiːt ɪn.ɪˌkwɑː.lə.t̬i/
the situation where people in poor countries suffer the effects of hotter weather more than people in richer countries do, with more of them dying as a result

Heat inequality is causing thousands of unreported deaths in poor countries and communities across the world, a leading analyst of climate impacts has warned, following global temperature records that may not have been seen in 120,000 years.
[guardian.com, 16 August 2024]

carbon farming noun [U]
UK /ˈkɑː.bᵊn ˌfɑː.mɪŋ/ US /ˈkɑːr.bᵊn ˌfɑːr.mɪŋ/
the activity of growing crops in a way that captures and stores as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the soil as possible, thereby reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and helping to fight climate change

Carbon farming, ultimately, buys us time, Crawford believes. The world wants to get to net zero by 2050. None of the existing solutions for removing atmospheric carbon will scale fast enough to have an impact in the coming decades, Crawford says. This is why nature-based solutions are crucial.
[wired.com, 18 April 2024]

About new words

 

BYOAI abbreviation
UK /ˌbiː.waɪˌəʊ.eɪˈaɪ/ US /ˌbiː.waɪˌoʊ.eɪˈaɪ/
abbreviation for “bring your own artificial intelligence”: the practice of companies saying that employees can use their own artificial intelligence tools when at work

The potential benefits of BYOAI are substantial. Allowing individuals to select their own AI toolkit enables a more personalized approach to technology in the workplace, catering to the specific needs and styles of each employee, team, or department. This customization leads to greater autonomy (closely linked to job satisfaction), fosters innovation, and enhances productivity by enabling employees to work in more effective and enjoyable ways.
[mindport.ca, July 2024]

See also BYOD

AI washing noun [U]
UK /ˌeɪˈaɪ wɒʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˌeɪˈaɪ wɑː.ʃɪŋ/
the behaviour of a company or organization that tries to make people believe that it is using AI to make its products or services better, when really it is not doing this or is only partly doing it

When it comes to AI washing, there are several types. Some companies claim to use AI when they’re actually using less-sophisticated computing, while others overstate the efficacy of their AI over existing techniques, or suggest that their AI solutions are fully operational when they are not.
[bbc.co.uk/news, 27 June 2024]

See also -washing

AIaaS noun [U]
/ˌeɪ.aɪˌeɪ.eɪˈes/
abbreviation for “artificial intelligence as a service”: a service that allows businesses to buy a variety of AI tools and capabilities from a single platform

AIaaS works like other cloud-based services, providing AI products and services via an “as a service” model. It can help you effectively collect and store as much data as you want. AIaaS is easy to implement, enabling businesses and individuals to experiment with various public cloud platforms, machine learning algorithms, and services.
[geekflare.com, 19 July 2024]

About new words

centibillionaire noun [C]
UK /ˌsen.tɪˌbɪl.jəˈneəʳ/ US /ˌsen.t̬ɪˌbɪl.jəˈner/
someone who has assets and investments worth at least 100 billion dollars, pounds, etc.

It took the dot-com bubble to create the first centibillionaire, Bill Gates, whose Microsoft shares briefly pushed him beyond 11 figures in 1999 before the crash chopped his net worth nearly in half. No one would come close for almost two decades … Jeff Bezos finally cracked the code anew in late 2017, becoming the second $100 billionaire when Amazon rocketed toward $1 trillion in market capitalization.
[forbes.com, 2 April 2024]

meme stock noun [C]
UK /ˈmiːm ˌstɒk/ US /ˈmiːm ˌstɑːk/
a share in a company that becomes popular with investors through social media

Many investors flock to meme stocks because they can realize substantial returns in a short period … Julio Bedolla, wealth manager at LourdMurray, explains some of the psychology that drives people to trade meme stocks: “Investors are drawn to meme stocks for several reasons; the biggest, in my opinion, is FOMO (fear of missing out) on the next ‘get rich quick’ trend.”
[money.usnews.com, 2 July 2024]

bag holder noun [C]
UK /ˈbæg həʊl.dəʳ/ US /ˈbæg hoʊl.dɚ/
an investor who owns shares in a company that have gradually lost all their value and are now worth nothing

Value investors who seek underpriced stocks run a high risk of becoming bag holders. They buy stocks that are out of favor in the market, believing their price will rebound. This means that they even invest in stocks that have declined in value significantly. In such cases, there’s always a chance that the market may know more than them, and the security price drops further.
[wallstreetmojo.com, 4 April 2024]

About new words

flextirement noun [U]
UK /ˈfleks.taɪə.mənt/ US /fleks.ˈtaɪr.mənt/
an arrangement where an employee gradually reduces their working hours until they completely retire

Instead of a full-blown retirement when you reach 62 years old and can collect social security benefits, flextirement allows an employee to move to a more part-time role and eventually shorten the number of hours worked over a certain time period until they officially retire. Instead of working a full 40-hour week, that person might switch to only half that, leaving them time to begin to enjoy retirement.
[worklife.news, 30 October 2023]

sunlighting noun [U]
UK /ˈsʌn.laɪt.ɪŋ/ US /ˈsʌn.laɪ.t̬ɪŋ/
the act of working at an extra job that your main employer is aware of

Should companies offer strict policies on moonlighting or allow room for sunlighting? The answer might be a balanced approach that neither stifles employee freedom nor exposes companies to potential risks. Either way, it’s time to rethink how we approach employment and day-to-day work.
[linkedin.com, 31 October 2023]

See also moonlighting

conscious quitting noun [U]
UK /ˌkɒn.ʃəs ˈkwɪt.ɪŋ/ US /ˌkɑːn.ʃəs ˈkwɪt.ɪŋ/
the act of leaving your job because you do not share the same values as the people in charge of your company

Chris Preston, founder and director of The Culture Builders, says conscious quitting is happening because “Gen Z’ers are joining companies that have a culture either built on fabrications, or completely at odds with their own moral compass. “To stop it, organisations have to be both more honest about why they exist or how they work and take a long hard look at the work environment they are dropping our latest generation of talent into.”
[peoplemanagement.co.uk, 12 December 2023]

See also quiet quitting

About new words