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While much of the buzz about AI today revolves around flashy copilots and productivity hacks, the reality for most data scientists and data engineering teams remains far less glamorous. Even in 2025, they still spend much of their time on the most tedious part of the job: cleaning and preparing data, i.e., dealing with missing values, duplicates, and inconsistencies. But Snowflake CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy wants to change thatnot by replacing the people doing the work, but by eliminating the friction that slows them down, such as the endless cycles of reactive reporting. His bold bet is on agentic AI: autonomous model instances that can ingest data, reason over it, and make real-time decisions with minimal human engineering input. Until now, AI tools have been excellent at one-step tasks: You ask a question, you get an answer; you ask for code, you get a snippet. They are powerful assistants, but they require constant direction, Ramaswamy tells Fast Company. In the enterprise [space], agentic AI means goal-directed autonomy. From Data Silos to Conversational Insight Ramaswamy, a former head of Google Ads, Greylock partner, and CEO of search startup Neeva, took the reins at Snowflake in February 2024 after it acquired Neeva. He brought deep AI and search expertise, quickly realigning the companys go-to-market strategy and accelerating AI talent infusion through acquisitions like Crunchy Data, Samooha, and Datavolo. As a result, Snowflake reported its first billion-dollar quarter in May 2025, marking a 26% year-over-year increase. Now his vision centers on embedding intelligent agents into the very fabric of Snowflakes platform, transforming AI from a surface-level feature to a foundational layer of enterprise computing. Ramaswamy says agentic AI moves beyond static dashboards by using smart agents that understand business goals, pull the right data, run analyses, and deliver clear, multistep answers. The real value, he adds, comes from building these agents on solid data so they can deliver lasting results across the business. “Agents built on top of a strong data foundation will unlock tremendous value across the enterprise,” he says. This year, Snowflake has launched a wave of agentic AI-powered product releases, including Snowflake Intelligence, the Data Science Agent, Cortex AISQL, and agent-driven apps in the Snowflake Marketplace. What was once primarily a warehouse for storing and querying data is now evolving into a full-fledged “AI data cloud.” Ramaswamy believes the real opportunity lies in making AI useful and accessible to the hundreds or thousands of people who need to make data-driven decisions every day. Todays enterprises are overwhelmed by complexity, Ramaswamy says, and adding more disconnected AI tools only makes things worse. Snowflakes focus has been on simplifying access to data, something its refined over the past decade. You can only trust AI outputs if you trust the data foundation,” he says. The End of Data Science? Not Quite. Data science is fundamentally about turning raw, structured, and unstructured data into actionable insights. For years, data scientists have often been buried in technical tasks, far removed from the boardroom or customer conversation. However, with Snowflakes Data Science Agent (currently in private preview), much of that manual effort is being automated, freeing up data teams to focus more on strategy, insight, and impact. The agent handles data quality assessment, automatic preprocessing, feature design based on best practices, model selection and training using Snowpark code, and performance evaluation, all in under an hour. Compared with traditional workflows that take days or weeks, this dramatically accelerates pipeline creation. Moreover, generated pipelines include validated code, model lineage tracking, and integrated documentation. According to Ramaswamy, the divide between technical and business teams wasnt due to unwillingness to collaborate, but rather a lack of shared tools and language. Now, with AI enabling natural language as the interface to data, more people can contribute to data-driven outcomes. When experts in different fields can access insights on their own, it improves collaboration and speeds up smarter decision-making. Or, as Ramaswamy explains: “Its about bringing the data to everyone. And its not just for data scientists or engineers. With the public release of Cortex AISQL in June 2025, Snowflake has extended SQL for data teams and business users alike with AI-native operators. Ramaswamy says enterprises most valuable insights have long been trapped at the intersection of structured and unstructured data, but it was nearly impossible to analyze them together. Cortex AISQL changes that by empowering data teams to query all data types. The distinction between a database table and a PDF will become irrelevant to the end user. You will simply ask your business question, and the platform will be intelligent enough to find and synthesize the answer from all of your enterprise data, wherever it resides, he says. New data operators allow users to filter, classify, summarize, and analyze text and images directly within SQL queries. Likewise, the platforms new FILE data type can store multimedia content inside Snowflake, making it possible to work with documents, audio, images, and text alongside structured data. For instance, a product analytics team can join sales figures with sentiment from support transcripts or defect images in a single pass, with results that are both explainable and auditable. Ramaswamy claims Cortex AI has already become a foundational pillar of many customers enterprise AI strategies. For example, health wearables company Whoop used Snowflake Cortex AI to create an agent-powered chat app that makes data accessible across the organization. This tool frees up the analytics team to focus on higher-impact work (like strategy and forecasting) instead of routine data pulls. Likewise, SaaS platform for financial services TS Imagine used Snowflake Cortex AI to build Taia, an AI agent that automates customer casings, work that once involved three full-time employees. Built by data analysts with little AI experience, Taia now handles over 60,000 inquiries annually, freeing up staff for higher-value decisions, Ramaswamy says. The most visible piece of Snowflakes agentic evolution is Snowflake Intelligence, a new conversational AI experience built atop LLMs from OpenAI and Anthropic. Snowflake Intelligence can handle query generation, data synthesis, and insight summarization across structured and unstructured formats. But if AI agents can handle the grunt work of data science, where does that leave the data team? Ramaswamy, for his part, acknowledges concerns about AI replacing jobs
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E-Commerce
Sextech has always operated without the safety nets most industries take for granted, and because of this, entrepreneurs in the space have become experts at navigating structural barriers. Whether in the face of ad bans, payment processor restrictions, social taboos, regulatory gray areas, or even economic downturns, sexual wellness brands have continued to innovate and expand the market, which was estimated at $42.6 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $82 billion by 2030. But in 2025, with President Trumps ongoing trade war with China creating economic whiplash, sextech brands are scrambling to adapt. Its incredibly difficult to create a strategy during times of economic volatility because its impossible to predict what will happen next, says Polly Rodriguez, cofounder and CEO of sexual wellness brand Unbound, whose products are manufactured in China. Any long-term strategy is null and void. So instead, weve stayed . . . nimble, working closely with our manufacturers and freight forwarders to respond to daily changes in trade policy. Polly Rodriguez [Photo: courtesy Unbound] To help absorb the cost increases that tariffs have levied on her business, Rodriguez says shes started bundling freight costs, cutting back on packaging, and sending goods via slower carrier methods. Right now, tariffs on Chinese-made goods stand at 51%, but that could balloon to 145% if a trade deal is not reached by August 12. Either way, Rodriguez says there wont be any going back to business as usual. If the first 100 days of this administration have taught me anything, it’s to expect nothing but sheer chaos, she says. I’m not expecting any long-term stability anytime soon. [Photo: courtesy Unbound] Todays political and economic climate has become even more challenging by the global reality of manufacturing: Most of it happens overseas. An estimated 70% to 80% of the world’s sex toys are made in China. That includes the raw materials sourced from mainland China, not to mention the custom molds, which are too heavy to transport stateside. Currently, there is just nowhere else in the world that can manufacture the goods we make anywhere close to the level that China can, Rodriguez says. It does not make financial or economic sense to move our manufacturing out of China, and I think anyone worth their salt in the adult industry would agree with me. [Photo: courtesy Unbound] Still, she insists this crisis has only strengthened her relationships with suppliers. Over the last nine years, we’ve developed lasting relationships with the individuals who run these manufacturing facilities, Rodriguez says. They are an extension of our company, and there would be no Unbound without them. We share holiday greeting cards, baby and vacation photos, and look forward to visiting them every year in Shenzhen. We care not only about their businesses but about them as individuals, as our partners and friends. [Photo: courtesy Unbound] An industry under attack While founders like Rodriguez are weathering the economic turbulence, a broader conservative resurgence, particularly in the U.S., is impacting sexual wellness brands as well. Were seeing brands in this space really struggle right now, says Bryony Cole, sextech founder and global trends expert. Whether its Sephora pulling back from their sexual wellness section or investors becoming more cautious, anything tied to sexuality or bodily autonomy feels under attack right now. For an industry that was finally gaining mainstream legitimacy, breaking into national retailers and riding the tailwinds of the MeToo movement, todays cultural climate feels like a sharp reversal to the progress made over the past decade. There was this influx of optimism and innovation 10 years ago, Cole recalls. We thought female-founded brands were finally going to make it. But today, its more like were operating in the shadows, just trying to withstand the storm. And though Cole notes that sextech has never operated in a truly stable environment, the difference now is the scale and intensity of that volatility. Cole, who founded Sextech School, a pre-accelerator designed for entrepreneurs, job seekers, and investors entering the sextech market, points to a wave of diversification as founders explore digital education, alternative revenue streams, and community-based funding strategies. /p> At Sextech School, we think a lot about how to move beyond just delivering physical products, Cole says, noting that there are online programs and new verticals available. People are getting smarter by necessity and fostering more support for one another within our community. But lean operations are only part of the survival equation. So is faith in the long arc of cultural progress and the staying power of sexual wellness. In 1970, only 1% of women used vibrators, Rodriguez says. Today, its over 65%. That trajectory doesnt reverse just because a bunch of old white men are uncomfortable with us enjoying our bodies. Still, neither Cole nor Rodriguez is naive about what lies ahead. Cole worries that many small businesses wont survive the combined pressures of economic chaos and social regression. Its tough to predict, she says. But I always talk about through-topia, the idea that even amid dystopia and utopia, some incredible things can still emerge. . . . We just have to hold the line and keep going.
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E-Commerce
This year alone, companies have announced over 740,000 job cuts so far, a high since 2020. And thats just in the US. But for a growing number of professionals (even before 2025), the solution hasn’t been in polishing their résumés, but in building personal brands that create true job security for them. Building a personal brand can let you: Showcase your talents Create an audience/network Get people to know who you are, what you do, and what to come to you for When done well, a strong personal brand attracts job offers before roles are even posted, leads to consulting or speaking opportunities, and opens the door to new networks that cant be accessed with a résumé alone. For me, building my personal brand over the past 10+ years has meant creating content online (mostly on LinkedIn & Twitter), and writing for publications like Entrepreneur, Inc., The Next Web, and many others. All these efforts have opened a lot of doorsfrom starting out as a freelance writer to running a six-figure content marketing agency, and then eventually becoming the cofounder of Leaps (an AI platform that helps people and teams turn their raw expertise and experience into content that builds their personal brands). For this article, I spoke with four professionals whove used their personal brands to turn their careers around. Andres Vourakis, a data scientist, built a safety net of opportunities and extra income after layoffs shook his early career. Ana Calin left a 15-year executive role and became the creator of one of Substacks fastest-growing newsletters, giving her complete freedom and a thriving business. Paul O’Brien, a veteran marketer, leveraged his reputation to evolve from the SEO guy into a thought leader on startup economics and public policy. And Joei Chan, once a content marketing leader, turned unemployment into a creative rebrand that now draws clients who want her to tell their truth, show up fully, and build their brand with authenticity. We got into fears, breakthroughs, identity work, and how building a personal brand is transforming not just their careers, but their lives. From layoffs to lightbulbs What made you realize you needed a personal brand, and how did that moment spark your journey? Andres Vourakis: I was unfortunately laid off early in my career, and that experience opened my eyes to the real meaning of job security. I realized that job security wasn’t about working hard to become an essential worker, because at any moment, a business could decide to let you go. And over the past few years, I’ve seen many talented friends become victims of massive layoffs in tech. Thats when it really clicked for me: real job security is staying future-proof. Building my personal brand is not only allowing me to grow, share my data science expertise, and connect with lots of great people, but its also helping me generate extra income. It helps me sleep better at night knowing that my livelihood wont be decided by a business that may no longer find my work valuable tomorrow. Ana Calin: I didnt set out to “build a personal brand.” I just wanted freedom. I had just left my 15-year executive role; big title, global travel, the whole you made it package. And yet, I felt done, ready for something that felt mine. I remember staring at a blank LinkedIn post, wondering what to say. I had no niche, no strategy, no idea what people would care about. But I wrote anyway, about quitting, about reinvention, about starting from scratch. And people listened and responded. That was the spark. From that one post came DMs, leads, and ultimately a real business. The first step: finding the confidence to show up What was your very first step in building your personal brand, and what gave you the courage to share it publicly? Joei Chan: The first real step was launching Brand New, my Substack newsletter. I was freshly unemployed, creatively raw, unsure of my next chapter. But I had this deep urge to tell the truth. To turn my mess into a message. So I started writing. When I started posting online after being fired, there was definitely hesitation. I worried about looking unprofessional, scaring off future employers, or being labeled as emotional or difficult. But now I see vulnerability as a creative strategy. Its not oversharing, its storytelling that names the deeper truth and helps others feel less alone. From there, I started a video series called “Rebranding My Life After Losing My 9 to 5.” It was scrappy and personal, just me, documenting the messy middle. Paul O’Brien: Having come from Yahoo! and then helping HP take advantage of search engine optimization (SEO) and Google, it just clicked and made sense to kick off my personal brand and start sharing my expertise in public. What gave me confidence was that in 2002, very few people knew how to do SEO. Confidence to put yourself out there often comes from knowing that people will find value in what you have to offer. Ana Calin: I stopped trying to sound smart and started sounding like myself. I didnt have a niche, and I wasnt selling anything. But I had real stories about quitting, reinventing, and failing forward. I wrote a post on LinkedIn about walking away from my executive role. And it wasnt the highlight reel; the actual messy version. No strategy or call to action, but just truth. That one post brought in over 50,000 views. And that gave me the nudge I needed. The unexpected rewards of showing up authentically Looking back, whats one surprising way your life or career has improved because of your personal brand? Ana Calin: I thought I was building a brand. Turns out, I was building a life. One with no boss, no Sunday scaries, no pretending. I found my voice, the one I had buried under professionalism for 15 years. And when you find your voice, everything shifts. And you stop chasing opportunities, you start choosing the ones to accept as they come, thanks to your personal brand. Joei Chan: I feel more me than I have in years. What began as a career crisis became the greatest rebrand of my life. It led me back to my voice, my creativity, and a deeper truth: The branding and creative work I love isnt just strategic, its spiritual. And unexpectedly, this is the work people now come to me for: helping them reclaim their own story and show up fully as themselves. Paul OBrien: Being out there lets you evolve over time, as we all do. I started out known for SEO; I even leaned int it with the nickname SEOBrien, thanks to my early work at Yahoo! and HP. But as I kept writing and sharing, my interests shifted toward startups, economic development, and innovation. Over time, the content I created followed that shift, and so did my audience. Now, instead of being known for search, Im sought out for my work as a startup economist and my perspectives on public policy for entrepreneurs. That evolution wouldnt have happened without a personal brand that allowed me to grow in public. Andres Vourakis: Its improved my confidence, my ability to communicate ideas, and even how effectively I do my work as a data scientist. Ive spent so much time reflecting on what I do and why I do it, especially when creating content, that I now have way more clarity in how I approach problems and explain my thinking. Your story is your safety net Traditional job security is fading away fast. I cant count how many top performers Ive seen with impressive résumés who are finding themselves out of work with little warning. But what does exist, and is increasingly powerful, is the ability to position your skills and experience in a way that makes people want to work with you. Thats what a personal brand does. It makes you visible, builds trust, and shows not just what you do, but how you think. And that combination attracts new opportunities (job offers, clients, collaborators, even investors) often before roles are ever publicly posted. Personal brands are the new, real job securitythe safety net that ensures people know who you are, what you bring to the table, and why youre worth betting on. So start now. Start sharing your expertise, your story, your perspective. The earlier you build your brand, the more protected, and in demand, youll be.
Category:
E-Commerce
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