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Recent reports about AI project failure rates have raised uncomfortable questions for organizations investing heavily in AI. Much of the discussion has focused on technical factors like model accuracy and data quality, but after watching dozens of AI initiatives launch, I’ve noticed that the biggest opportunities for improvement are often cultural, not technical.Internal projects that struggle tend to share common issues. For example, engineering teams build models that product managers don’t know how to use. Data scientists build prototypes that operations teams struggle to maintain. And AI applications sit unused because the people they were built for weren’t involved in deciding what “useful” really meant.In contrast, organizations that achieve meaningful value with AI have figured out how to create the right kind of collaboration across departments, and established shared accountability for outcomes. The technology matters, but the organizational readiness matters just as much.Here are three practices I’ve observed that address the cultural and organizational barriers that can impede AI success.Expand AI literacy beyond engineeringWhen only engineers understand how an AI system works and what it’s capable of, collaboration breaks down. Product managers can’t evaluate trade-offs they don’t understand. Designers can’t create interfaces for capabilities they can’t articulate. Analysts can’t validate outputs they can’t interpret.The solution isn’t making everyone a data scientist. It’s helping each role understand how AI applies to their specific work. Product managers need to grasp what kinds of generated content, predictions or recommendations are realistic given available data. Designers need to understand what the AI can actually do so they can design features users will find useful. Analysts need to know which AI outputs require human validation versus which can be trusted.When teams share this working vocabulary, AI stops being something that happens in the engineering department and becomes a tool the entire organization can use effectively.Establish clear rules for AI autonomyThe second challenge involves knowing where AI can act on its own versus where human approval is required. Many organizations default to extremes, either bottlenecking every AI decision through human review, or letting AI systems operate without guardrails.What’s needed is a clear framework that defines where and how AI can act autonomously. This means establishing rules upfront: Can AI approve routine configuration changes? Can it recommend schema updates but not implement them? Can it deploy code to staging environments but not production?These rules should include three elements: auditability (can you trace how the AI reached its decision?), reproducibility (can you recreate the decision path?), and observability (can teams monitor AI behavior as it happens?). Without this framework, you either slow down to the point where AI provides no advantage, or you create systems making decisions nobody can explain or control.Create cross-functional playbooksThe third step is codifying how different teams actually work with AI systems. When every department develops its own approach, you get inconsistent results and redundant effort.Cross-functional playbooks work best when teams develop them together rather than having them imposed from above. These playbooks answer concrete questions like: How do we test AI recommendations before putting them into production? What’s our fallback procedure when an automated deployment fails – does it hand off to human operators or try a different approach first? Who needs to be involved when we override an AI decision? How do we incorporate feedback to improve the system?The goal isn’t to add bureaucracy. It’s ensuring everyone understands how AI fits into their existing work, and what to do when results don’t match expectations.Moving forwardTechnical excellence in AI remains important, but enterprises that over-index on model performance while ignoring organizational factors are setting themselves up for avoidable challenges. The successful AI deployments I’ve seen treat cultural transformation and workflows just as seriously as technical implementation.The question isn’t whether your AI technology is sophisticated enough. It’s whether your organization is ready to work with it.Adi Polak is director for advocacy and developer experience engineering at Confluent.

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You walk into your bank, ask about CD rates, and the teller slides a sheet across the counter with two or three options. You pick one, sign the paperwork, and that’s it. Your money is locked up for six months or a year, earning whatever rate that one institution offers you.Most people never question this process. But Schwab’s latest research makes a compelling case that you might be leaving money on the table by limiting yourself to the CD menu at a single bank.If you’ve been parking cash in bank CDs without ever considering what’s available through a major alternative, you could be missing out on better yields, broader insurance protection, and a level of flexibility that bank CDs simply don’t provide.Brokered CDs open the door to rates your bank won’t show youThe core difference is simple. A bank CD comes from one institution. A brokered CD comes through a brokerage firm that aggregates CD offerings from dozens, sometimes hundreds, of FDIC-insured banks across the country. According to Schwab, this wider selection gives you access to a broader range of maturities, yields, and structures than any single bank can provide.Think about it this way. Your local bank might offer a 12-month CD at 3.5% APY. But through a brokerage platform like Schwab CD OneSource, you could compare 12-month CDs from dozens of issuing banks and potentially find one paying 4.0% or higher. As of mid-March 2026, the best CD rates available range from approximately 3.50% to 4.30% APY, depending on term length, according to NerdWallet’s CD rate tracker.You also get maturity options your bank probably doesn’t offerBrokered CDs are available in terms ranging from one month to 30 years, according to Schwab. Most traditional bank CDs top out at five years. If you want a short-term, three-month CD or a longer-duration option to lock in today’s rates for a decade, a brokerage account makes that possible. And you can hold all of these CDs alongside your stocks, bonds, and other investments in the same account.How brokered CDs expand your FDIC protection beyond $250,000The FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. That limit has been in place since 2010, and it covers both principal and accrued interest. If you have $300,000 in CDs at a single bank under a single ownership category, $50,000 of that sits uninsured.Brokered CDs solve this problem without requiring you to physically open accounts at multiple banks. When you buy brokered CDs from different issuing banks through your brokerage account, each CD is covered up to $250,000 by the issuing bank’s FDIC insurance. According to the FDIC, deposits at separate FDIC-insured institutions are insured independently.More Personal Finance:Why selling a home to your child for a dollar can backfireElon Musk says ‘universal high income’ is comingFTC, 21 states sue Uber over ‘shady’ subscription billingThat means you could hold $250,000 in CDs from Bank A, another $250,000 from Bank B, and $250,000 from Bank C, all sitting in one brokerage account, and each amount would be fully insured. For savers with larger cash positions, this is a significant advantage over parking everything at a single bank.Brokered CDs make building a CD ladder far easierA CD ladder is a strategy where you split your cash across multiple CDs with staggered maturity dates. So, instead of locking all your money into one 3-year CD, you spread it across 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year CDs so that a portion of your money matures every year. This gives you regular access to cash while still capturing higher yields on longer-term CDs.According to Schwab, a single brokerage firm will generally offer a wide enough range of maturity dates to build a one-, two-, or five-year ladder that meets your investment goals. Doing the same thing with bank CDs would mean visiting multiple individual banks, filling out separate paperwork at each one, and managing multiple statements.A practical CD ladder exampleHere’s how a basic 3-year CD ladder might work with $30,000:$10,000 in a 1-year brokered CD$10,000 in a 2-year brokered CD$10,000 in a 3-year brokered CDWhen the 1-year CD matures, you reinvest it into a new 3-year CD. A year later, the original 2-year CD matures, and you do the same. Over time, you always have a CD maturing annually, and your entire ladder earns the higher rates that longer-term CDs tend to offer. Through a brokerage, you can build and manage this entire structure in one account.The trade-offs you need to understand before buying brokered CDsBrokered CDs are not a straight upgrade over bank CDs. They come with specific risks that Schwab outlines clearly, and if you don’t understand them before buying, you could end up worse off.Selling early could mean losing moneyUnlike bank CDs, most brokered CDs don’t charge early withdrawal penalties. Instead, if you need your money before maturity, you sell the CD on the secondary market. The price you get depends on current interest rates. If rates have risen since you bought your CD, your lower-yielding CD will be worth less than what you paid for it. If rates have fallen, you could sell at a profit. But there’s no guarantee of either outcome, and there’s no guarantee a buyer will be available at the price you want.Callable CDs can cut your returns shortSome brokered CDs are callable, meaning the issuing bank can redeem the CD before its maturity date. Schwab notes that this typically happens when interest rates decline. The bank calls back your higher-rate CD, returns your principal and earned interest, and you’re left to reinvest at whatever lower rates are available. Before buying any brokered CD, you should check whether it’s callable or non-callable.Brokered CDs pay simple interest, not compound interestHere’s a detail that often gets overlooked. Bank CDs typically compound interest daily or monthly, meaning your interest earns interest over the term. Brokered CDs, on the other hand, generally pay simple interest. According to an E*TRADE’s comparison of bank and brokered CDs, interest from a brokered CD is deposited into your cash account rather than reinvested into the CD itself. On smaller amounts or over shorter terms, the difference is minimal, but over longer periods and with larger balances, compound interest adds up.Brokered CDs make the most sense for these types of saversNot everyone needs to switch from bank CDs to brokered CDs. If you have a small amount to park for a short period and your bank offers a competitive rate, a traditional CD may be perfectly fine. But for certain types of savers, brokered CDs fill gaps that bank CDs cannot.Scenarios where brokered CDs are worth exploringYou have more than $250,000 in cash savings: Spreading your CDs across multiple issuing banks through a brokerage account gives you FDIC coverage on each CD without the hassle of managing separate bank relationships.You want to build a CD ladder: The variety of maturities available through a brokerage makes laddering straightforward. You can manage a 5-year ladder from a single account.You already have a brokerage account: If you hold investments at Schwab, Fidelity, or Vanguard, you can add brokered CDs alongside your stocks and bonds without opening a new account.Your bank’s CD rates are below average: Major brick-and-mortar banks often offer lower CD rates than online banks and brokered options. If your bank is paying 2.5% on a 1-year CD while brokered CDs are paying closer to 4%, the difference on a $50,000 deposit is $750 in a single year.What brokered CDs cost and how fees compare to bank CDsBank CDs are generally free to open. You deposit your money, earn the stated rate, and pay nothing unless you withdraw early. Brokered CDs can be different. Some brokerages charge a commission or fold a markup into the CD’s yield. Others, like Schwab, receive a placement fee from the issuing bank, which means you may not see a separate charge but the yield you receive could already reflect that cost.According to Schwab, higher transaction costs for a brokered CD may reflect the potential benefits of a wider and more diverse offering. A brokerage may aggregate and vet CD options, provide access to multiple banks, shop for competitive rates, and assist with renewals. Still, you should always compare the net yield you’re actually earning (after any fees) to what’s available from a direct bank CD or high-yield savings account.Why the rate environment in 2026 makes this decision more urgentThe Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate three times in 2025, and CD rates have been falling in response. According to Bankrate’s 2026 CD rate forecast, yields are likely to keep declining this year. The best available rates as of March 2026 sit in the 3.50% to 4.30% range, but those numbers are expected to drift lower as the year progresses.That’s why it’s now a particularly important time to compare your options. If you lock in a competitive CD rate today through a brokered CD, you protect that yield, even if rates fall further over the next 12 to 24 months. Waiting could mean settling for a lower rate later.The practical next stepBefore committing to any CD, compare the rate your bank offers against what’s available through at least one brokerage. Look at:The APY on comparable terms (same maturity, same deposit size)Whether the brokered CD is callable or non-callableAny transaction fees or commissions the brokerage chargesWhether the CD pays simple or compound interestYour total FDIC exposure at each issuing bankIf you already have a brokerage account, checking brokered CD rates takes five minutes. If you don’t, platforms including Schwab CD OneSource, Fidelity, and Vanguard all offer broker CD marketplaces where you can compare rates from multiple banks in one place.Your bank’s CD is convenient, but convenience has a costThere is nothing wrong with a bank CD. It’s simple, predictable, and FDIC insured. But if you’re choosing a bank CD because it’s the only option you’ve ever been shown, you’re making a decision based on limited information. Schwab’s comparison of brokered and bank CDs shows that a wider market of options exists, and for many savers. Those options could mean better rates, stronger insurance coverage, and more control over how and when your money matures.The rate environment in 2026 makes this comparison even more relevant. With CD yields expected to keep falling, the sooner you shop around, the better rate you can lock in.Related: What falling interest rates mean for investing in bonds, CDs

Gold investors are heading into one of the most important weeks of the year. The Federal Reserve meets March 17 and 18. What Chair Jerome Powell says next Wednesday could move bullion sharply in either direction.Spot gold was struggling to hold the $5,050 level Friday, March 13. It is down more than 1% on the week as a stronger dollar weighs on the metal.This is not a routine Fed meeting. Oil is above $100. The February jobs report badly missed expectations. Core inflation is still running sticky at 2.5%. It is also Powell’s second-to-last meeting before his term expires in May. The dot plot update released Wednesday will be read very carefully.What is actually at stake for goldGold’s relationship with the Fed is simple in theory. When the central bank cuts rates, real yields fall, the dollar weakens, and gold rises. When the Fed holds or signals higher for longer, the opposite happens.The problem right now is that the data are pulling in two directions. Oil above $100 argues for the Fed staying put. But February’s jobs report showed the economy shedding 92,000 positions, with unemployment ticking up to 4.4%. That argues for easing.More Gold:Gold, silver surge after record drop flashes technical signalSilver and gold tumble triggers major reset for mining stocksJ.P. Morgan revises gold price target for 2026J.P. Morgan analysts describe the current setup as “geopolitical fear clashing with a resurgent dollar.” It is a rare scenario that makes predicting gold’s near-term direction genuinely difficult.Here’s where analysts broadly agree: Powell’s language matters as much as the rate decision itself. Words like “transitory” versus “persistent” when describing the oil shock could move gold by hundreds of dollars in a single session.The hawkish scenario: gold under pressureThe base case on Wall Street is that the Fed holds rates at 3.5 to 3.75 percent on Wednesday, March 18. The dot plot will likely signal fewer cuts than previously projected.Goldman Sachs has already pushed its first rate cut call back to September. Rate-cut expectations for 2026 have collapsed from where they stood just weeks ago. Before the Iran war began, markets were pricing in a June cut at near certainty. That confidence is now gone.If Powell stresses that energy costs complicate the inflation picture, real yields would likely climb and the dollar would strengthen. That combination historically pressures gold. The metal already fell sharply from its all-time high of $5,595 set in January. A hawkish Powell could accelerate that correction.The World Gold Council notes that during past oil-driven inflation shocks where the Fed held rates, gold dropped an average of 12% over the following six months. That would put the metal near the $4,400 range if history repeats.The dovish scenario: a fresh rallyThere is another path. If Powell acknowledges the weakening labor market and signals the Fed still expects to cut later this year, gold could bounce quickly. The jobs data give him room to do that. Losing 92,000 positions in a single month is not the kind of number a central bank can dismiss easily.Global gold ETFs posted a record $19 billion in inflows in January 2026 alone, Gold.org notes. Even on the market’s largest single-day decline in years, leading U.S. gold ETFs did not see outflows. Institutional demand remains structurally strong.

Global gold ETFs posted a record $19 billion in inflows in January 2026.Gottgens/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A dovish surprise from Powell could push gold back toward the $5,400 range. J.P. Morgan maintains a year-end target of $6,300 per ounce. Goldman Sachs projects $5,400. Both calls assume the Fed eventually resumes cutting.What could move gold either way this weekBeyond the rate decision itself, several things will shape how gold trades through the week.Key events gold investors should watchThe dot plot: A shift to zero cuts in 2026 would hit gold hard. Two cuts would likely stabilize or lift it.Powell’s oil language: “Transitory” signals green light for buyers. “Persistent” signals more pain ahead.PPI on March 18: Released the same day as the Fed decision. A hot reading would reinforce the hawkish case.Iran war headlines: Ceasefire signals would ease oil and trim gold’s safe-haven premium. Escalation does the opposite.The gold floor that may not move regardlessWhatever the Fed decides, analysts point to a structural demand story that makes a sustained gold collapse unlikely. Central banks have now bought more than 1,000 tonnes of gold in each of the past three consecutive years. That is well above the 400 to 500 tonne annual pace seen in the decade before 2022.Central banks bought a net 230 tonnes in Q4 2025 alone. China, India, Turkey, and Poland have all been consistent buyers. That demand does not disappear because the Fed holds rates for an extra quarter.”While precisely timing the catalysts is difficult, we continue to have strong conviction that gold demand will have enough firepower to push prices higher,” J.P. Morgan’s commodity team wrote recently.The Fed meeting is a short-term catalyst, not a structural pivot. For gold investors, the question is not whether to own the metal. It is how much volatility they can stomach to get to the other side of Wednesday.Related: J.P. Morgan drops blunt reality check on gold price surge