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S&P 500 Q3 2024 Buybacks Decrease 4.0% from Q2 2024, as 12-month Expenditure Increases 4.7% from Previous Year; Earnings Per Share Increases from Buybacks Improves; Buybacks Tax Results in a 0.42% Reduction in Q3 Operating Earnings and 0.48% Reduction in Q3 Earnings

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2 years ago

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S&P 500 Q3 2024 buybacks were $226.6 billion, down 4.0% from Q2 2024’s $235.9 billion and up 22.1% from Q3 2023’s $185.6 billionThe 12-month September 2024 expenditure of $918.4 billion was up 16.7% from the prior 12-month expenditure of $787.3 billion Consumer Discretionary increased spending by 13.5%, as Information Technology and Health Care reduced their spending by 6.4% and 10.2% respectively The net buyback 1% tax reduced Q3 2024 operating earnings by 0.42% and As Reported GAAP by 0.48%

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) today announced the preliminary S&P 500® stock buybacks or share repurchases data for Q3 2024.

Historical data on S&P 500 buybacks is available at www.spdji.com/indices/equity/sp-500.

Key Takeaways:

Q3 2024 share repurchases were $226.6 billion, down 4.0% from Q2 2024’s $235.9 billion expenditure, and up 22.1% from Q3 2023’s $185.6 billion.For the 12-months ending September 2024, buybacks were $918.4 billion, up from $787.3 billion for the prior 12-month September 2023 period; the 12-month peak was in June 2022 with $1.005 trillion.332 companies reported buybacks of at least $5 million for the quarter, up from 324 in Q2 2024 and up from 281 in Q3 2023; 381 companies did some buybacks for the quarter, up from 373 in Q2 2024 and up from 362 in Q3 2023; 425 companies did some buybacks in the last 12-month period, up from 420 in the prior 12-month period.Buybacks remained top heavy, as concentration increased, with the top 20 S&P 500 companies accounting for 53.2% of Q3 2024 buybacks, up from Q2 2024’s 52.3%, and above the historical average of 47.6% and the pre-COVID historical average of 44.5%.13.7% of companies reduced share counts used for earnings per share (EPS) by at least 4% year-over-year, up from Q2 2024’s 12.7% and down from Q3 2023’s 13.8%; for Q3 2024 174 issues increased their shares used for EPS over Q2 2024, and 277 reduced them.S&P 500 Q3 2024 dividends increased 2.4% to a record $157.0 billion from Q2 2024’s $153.4 billion and were 8.9% greater than the $144.2 billion in Q3 2023.For the 12-month’s ending September, dividends set a record $616.2 billion payments, up 6.2% on an aggregate basis from the prior 12-month September 2023’s $580.2 billion.Total shareholders return of buybacks and dividends decreased to $383.6 billion in Q3 2024, down 1.5% from Q2 2024’s $389.3 billion and up 16.3% from Q3 2023’s $329.8 billion.Total shareholder returns for the 12-months ending September 2024 increased 12.2% to $1.535 trillion from the prior 12-month periods $1.367 trillion.The 1% tax on net buybacks, which started in 2023, reduced the Q3 2024 S&P 500 operating earnings by 0.42%, down from Q2 2024’s 0.45%, as it reduced As Reported GAAP earnings by 0.48%, down from the prior 0.49%. For the 12-month September 2024 period, the 1% tax on net buybacks reduced earnings by 0.45% for operating and 0.50% for As Reported.

“After declining in 2023, companies have increased their buyback expenditure, but have remained in a dollar range for the first three quarters of 2024. This was amidst significant stock price increases with the result being fewer shares purchased and less of an upward EPS push. Additionally, with big-cap stocks up nearly 30% year-to-date, it is difficult for companies to keep up with that much of an increase in their buyback budget, especially with two-thirds paying dividends in addition to buybacks. However, Q4 2024 buybacks appear to have increased so far, even as stock prices have moved up, as companies’ stock-up on issues needed for employee options, and ahead of any uncertainty over 2025 buyback restrictions or an increase in the 1% buyback tax,” said Howard Silverblatt, Senior Index Analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices.

1% Buyback Excise Tax:

The 1% excise tax on net buybacks reduced Q3 2024 operating earnings by 0.42%, down from Q2 2024’s 0.45% and up from the 0.39% for Q3 2023. The 12-month impact was 0.45%, up from the 12-month September 2023’s 41%. The tax on As Reported GAAP earnings impact decreased to 0.48%, down from Q2 2024’s 0.49% and up from Q3 2023’s 0.42%. The 12-month impact was 0.50%, up from September 2023’s 0.46%.

Silverblatt added: “The 1% tax remains a manageable expense and has not impacted overall buybacks at this point. However, given the initial 1% buyback tax had bipartisan support and remains an attractive cash generator, there is an expectation that some increase or potential change to the type of buybacks that are taxed will remain on the table as the U.S. budget negotiations start. Given the current corporate sensitivity to costs, a buyback tax rate of 2% to 2.5% was seen as impacting both buybacks and the EPS impact of share-count-reduction, which is already at a lower level due to higher stock prices. Under an increased tax, some of the expenditures may shift from buybacks to dividends. However, any shift would not be on a-dollar-for-dollar basis as dividends remain a long-term pure cash-flow item which must be incorporated into corporate budgets.”

Q3 2024 GICS® Sector Analysis:

Information Technology maintained its lead in buybacks, even as it decreased its expenditure by 6.4%, representing 28.2% of all buybacks for the quarter. Q3 2024 expenditures declined to $64.0 billion, compared to Q2 2024’s $68.4 billion, and was up 31.8% from Q3 2023’s $48.6 billion expenditure. For the 12-months ending September 2024, the sector increased its expenditure 23.4% to $249.5 billion, representing 26.8% of all S&P 500 buybacks, compared to $199.3 billion spent in the prior 12-month period ending September 2023, which represented 25.3% of all buybacks.

Financials decreased buybacks by 2.7% for Q3 2024 as it collectively spent $44.1 billion on buybacks, accounting for 19.4% of all S&P 500 buybacks. This was down for the quarter compared to Q2 2024’s expenditure of $45.3 billion, and up 50.3% from Q3 2023’s $29.3 billion. For the 12-month September 2024 period, Financials spent $161.8 billion, up from $131.4 billion for the prior 12-month period.

Healthcare decreased its Q3 2024 expenditure by 10.2%, spending $16.9 billion, compared to the Q2 2024 expenditure of $18.8 billion, and was up 13.0% from the Q3 2023 $15.0 billion expenditure. For the 12-months ending September 2024, the sector spent $74.4 billion, down from the prior period’s expenditure of $76.0 billion.

Consumer Discretionary increased their spending in Q3 2024 by 13.5% to $20.6 billion, up from the prior $18.2 billion and up 9.5% from the Q3 2023 expenditure of $18.8 billion.

Energy increased their spending by 9.9% to $18.3 billion from Q2 2024’s $16.7 billion and was 12.8% higher than the $16.2 billion spent in Q3 2023.

Issues:

The five issues with the highest total buybacks for Q3 2024 were:

Apple (AAPL): continued to dominate the issue level buybacks, as it again spent the most of any issue with its Q3 2024 expenditure, ranking as the 4th highest in S&P 500 history. For the quarter, the company spent $25.4 billion, down from Q2 2024’s $28.8 billion (which is the largest in index history). Apple holds 18 of the top 20 record quarters (Meta Platforms holds #16 and QUALCOMM holds #18). For the 12-months ending September 2024, Apple spent $100.4 billion on buybacks, up from the prior 12-month period’s $83.0 billion. Over the five-year period, Apple has spent $448 billion, and $695 billion over the ten-year period.Alphabet (GOOG/L): $15.3 billion for Q3 2024, down from $15.7 billion in Q2 2024; the 12-month expenditure was $62.9 billion versus the prior expenditure of $60.7 billion.NVIDA (NVDA): $12.7 billion for Q3 2024, up from $8.8 billion in Q2 2024; the 12-month expenditure was $34.5 billion versus $10.4 billion.Meta Platforms (META): $12.4 billion for Q3 2024, up from $9.5 billion in Q2 2024; the 12-month expenditure was $48.2 billion versus $26.1 billion.JP Morgan (JPM): $6.4 billion for Q3 2024, up from $5.3 billion in Q2 2024; the 12-month expenditure was $16.8 billion versus $7.5 billion.

For more information about S&P Dow Jones Indices, please visit  https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/. 

S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P 500 proforma net buyback tax impact

TAX

TAX % OF

TAX % OF

$ BILLIONS

OPERATING

AS REPORTED

12 Mo Sep,’24

$8.50

0.45 %

0.50 %

12 Mo Sep,’23

$7.16

0.41 %

0.46 %

9/30/2024

$2.11

0.42 %

0.48 %

6/30/2024

$2.20

0.45 %

0.49 %

3/31/2024

$2.18

0.47 %

0.54 %

2023

$7.24

0.40 %

0.45 %

2022 proforma

$8.47

0.51 %

0.58 %

2021 proforma

$7.93

0.45 %

0.47 %

 

S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P 500, $ U.S. BILLIONS

(preliminary in bold)

PERIOD

MARKET

OPERATING

AS REPORTED

DIVIDEND &

VALUE

EARNINGS

EARNINGS

DIVIDENDS

BUYBACKS

DIVIDEND 

BUYBACK 

BUYBACK 

$ BILLIONS

$ BILLIONS

$ BILLIONS

$ BILLIONS

$ BILLIONS

YIELD

YIELD

YIELD

12 Mo Sep,’24 Prelim.

$48,701

$1,902.69

$1,685.91

$616.16

$918.40

1.27 %

1.89 %

3.15 %

12 Mo Sep,’23

$35,938

$1,756.47

$1,541.07

$580.21

$787.26

1.61 %

2.19 %

3.81 %

2023

$40,039

$1,787.36

$1,610.73

$588.23

$795.16

1.47 %

1.99 %

3.46 %

2022

$32,133

$1,656.66

$1,453.43

$564.57

$922.68

1.76 %

2.87 %

4.63 %

2021

$40,356

$1,762.75

$1,675.22

$511.23

$881.72

1.27 %

2.18 %

3.45 %

2020

$31,659

$1,019.04

$784.21

$483.18

$519.76

1.53 %

1.64 %

3.17 %

2019

$26,760

$1,304.76

$1,158.22

$485.48

$728.74

1.81 %

2.72 %

4.54 %

2018

$21,027

$1,281.66

$1,119.43

$456.31

$806.41

2.17 %

3.84 %

6.01 %

9/30/2024 Prelim

$48,701

$502.01

$441.41

$157.04

$226.56

1.27 %

1.89 %

3.15 %

6/28/2024

$45,843

$489.95

$445.96

$153.41

$235.93

1.32 %

1.91 %

3.23 %

3/28/2024

$44,078

$458.28

$397.38

$151.61

$236.82

1.35 %

1.85 %

3.20 %

12/31/2023

$40,039

$452.44

$401.16

$154.10

$219.09

1.47 %

1.99 %

3.46 %

9/30/2023

$35,938

$437.90

$399.35

$144.18

$185.62

1.61 %

2.19 %

3.81 %

6/30/2023

$37,162

$457.93

$405.66

$143.20

$174.92

1.55 %

2.19 %

3.74 %

3/31/2023

$34,342

$439.08

$404.57

$146.76

$215.53

1.67 %

2.50 %

4.17 %

12/31/2022

$32,133

$421.55

$331.50

$146.07

$211.19

1.76 %

2.87 %

4.63 %

9/30/2022

$30,119

$422.94

$373.04

$140.34

$210.84

1.83 %

3.26 %

5.09 %

6/30/2022

$31,903

$395.02

$360.21

$140.56

$219.64

1.70 %

3.15 %

4.85 %

3/31/2022

$38,288

$417.16

$388.68

$137.60

$281.01

1.37 %

2.57 %

3.94 %

12/31/2021

$40,356

$480.35

$456.72

$133.90

$270.10

1.27 %

2.18 %

3.45 %

9/30/2021

$36,538

$441.26

$420.64

$130.04

$234.64

1.37 %

2.03 %

3.40 %

 

S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P 500 SECTOR BUYBACKS

SECTOR $ MILLIONS

Q3,’24

Q2,’24

Q3,’23

12MoSep,’24

12MoSep,’23

5-YEARS

10-YEARS

Consumer Discretionary

$20,605

$18,156

$18,809

$83,536

$73,592

$365,235

$791,744

Consumer Staples

$7,734

$10,466

$5,014

$39,240

$22,595

$161,100

$369,936

Energy

$18,313

$16,669

$16,233

$65,200

$73,623

$204,808

$293,020

Financials

$44,054

$45,286

$29,303

$161,844

$131,433

$713,734

$1,334,993

Healthcare

$16,906

$18,825

$14,960

$74,441

$75,956

$379,165

$789,673

Industrials

$15,852

$16,829

$14,286

$76,647

$63,513

$305,574

$659,760

Information Technology

$63,981

$68,356

$48,554

$245,911

$199,264

$1,163,809

$2,035,428

Materials

$4,454

$5,192

$5,278

$17,849

$18,753

$92,855

$154,619

Real Estate

$204

$728

$853

$1,795

$2,178

$11,644

$21,673

Communication Services

$33,818

$34,478

$32,020

$148,137

$124,343

$589,004

$641,074

Utilities

$636

$940

$306

$3,797

$2,010

$13,284

$22,427

TOTAL

$226,557

$235,926

$185,615

$918,398

$787,260

$4,000,212

$7,114,347

SECTOR BUYBACK MAKEUP %

Q3,’24

Q2,’24

Q3,’23

12MoSep,’24

12MoSep,’23

5-YEARS

10-YEARS

Consumer Discretionary

9.09 %

7.70 %

10.13 %

9.10 %

9.35 %

9.13 %

11.13 %

Consumer Staples

3.41 %

4.44 %

2.70 %

4.27 %

2.87 %

4.03 %

5.20 %

Energy

8.08 %

7.07 %

8.75 %

7.10 %

9.35 %

5.12 %

4.12 %

Financials

19.44 %

19.20 %

15.79 %

17.62 %

16.69 %

17.84 %

18.76 %

Healthcare

7.46 %

7.98 %

8.06 %

8.11 %

9.65 %

9.48 %

11.10 %

Industrials

7.00 %

7.13 %

7.70 %

8.35 %

8.07 %

7.64 %

9.27 %

Information Technology

28.24 %

28.97 %

26.16 %

26.78 %

25.31 %

29.09 %

28.61 %

Materials

1.97 %

2.20 %

2.84 %

1.94 %

2.38 %

2.32 %

2.17 %

Real Estate

0.09 %

0.31 %

0.46 %

0.20 %

0.28 %

0.29 %

0.30 %

Communication Services

14.93 %

14.61 %

17.25 %

16.13 %

15.79 %

14.72 %

9.01 %

Utilities

0.28 %

0.40 %

0.16 %

0.41 %

0.26 %

0.33 %

0.32 %

TOTAL

100.00 %

100.00 %

100.00 %

100.00 %

100.00 %

100.00 %

100.00 %

 

S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P 500 20 LARGEST Q3 2024 BUYBACKS, $ MILLIONS 

Company  

Ticker

Sector

Q3 2024

Q2 2024

Q3 2023

12-Months

12-Months

5-Year

10-Year

Indicated

Buybacks

Buybacks

Buybacks

Sep,’24

Sep,’23

Buybacks

Buybacks

Dividend

$ Million

$ Million

$ Million

$ Million

$ Million

$ Million

$ Million

$ Million

Apple 

AAPL

Information Technology

$25,361

$28,810

$21,315

$100,390

$82,981

$447,515

$695,312

$15,204

Alphabet

GOOGL

Communication Services

$15,291

$15,684

$15,787

$62,862

$60,720

$254,992

$286,684

$4,687

NVIDIA

NVDA

Information Technology

$12,676

$8,795

$4,570

$34,463

$10,373

$57,727

$63,828

$984

Meta Platforms

META

Communication Services

$12,361

$9,507

$5,657

$48,203

$26,141

$160,186

$186,187

$4,369

JPMorgan Chase

JPM

Financials

$6,361

$5,336

$2,382

$16,804

$7,549

$59,191

$128,042

$14,226

Visa

V

Financials

$5,867

$4,535

$3,756

$16,921

$12,231

$57,955

$91,193

$3,942

Exxon Mobil

XOM

Energy

$5,512

$5,326

$4,412

$18,505

$17,767

$47,485

$57,614

$17,594

Chevron

CVX

Energy

$4,714

$2,930

$3,334

$13,932

$14,698

$37,297

$41,992

$11,090

Microsoft 

MSFT

Information Technology

$4,107

$4,210

$4,831

$16,530

$21,503

$121,743

$196,231

$24,678

Bank of America 

BAC

Financials

$3,534

$3,535

$1,000

$10,380

$4,763

$59,117

$119,907

$7,021

Wells Fargo

WFC

Financials

$3,435

$6,012

$1,480

$17,798

$9,507

$59,433

$128,399

$5,446

Aptiv 

APTV

Consumer Discretionary

$3,076

$431

$0

$4,429

$129

$4,759

$8,387

$0

Mastercard

MA

Financials

$2,935

$2,643

$1,908

$9,580

$9,699

$37,409

$59,130

$2,178

Marathon Petroleum 

MPC

Energy

$2,701

$2,896

$2,819

$10,320

$9,067

$30,860

$39,248

$1,218

Adobe

ADBE

Information Technology

$2,668

$2,635

$1,120

$8,727

$5,604

$28,760

$37,203

$0

Cisco Systems

CSCO

Information Technology

$2,168

$2,242

$1,453

$7,496

$5,679

$28,141

$81,114

$6,446

Comcast 

CMCSA

Communication Services

$1,990

$2,266

$3,543

$10,441

$11,285

$36,817

$62,107

$4,790

Procter & Gamble 

PG

Consumer Staples

$1,939

$1,516

$1,500

$5,445

$4,853

$39,715

$63,805

$9,487

American Express 

AXP

Financials

$1,935

$1,762

$1,400

$5,890

$3,389

$22,044

$41,754

$1,573

PayPal Holdings

PYPL

Financials

$1,817

$1,564

$1,459

$5,688

$5,645

$21,744

$29,565

$0

Top 20   

$120,448

$112,635

$83,726

$424,804

$323,583

$1,612,890

$2,417,702

$134,933

S&P 500

$226,557

$235,926

$185,615

$918,398

$787,260

$4,000,212

$7,114,347

$631,944

Top 20 % of S&P 500

53.16 %

47.74 %

45.11 %

46.25 %

41.10 %

40.32 %

33.98 %

21.35 %

   Gross values are not adjusted for float

 

S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P 500 Q3 2024 Buyback Report

SECTOR

DIVIDEND

BUYBACK 

COMBINED

YIELD

YIELD

YIELD

Consumer Discretionary

0.62 %

1.44 %

2.06 %

Consumer Staples

2.42 %

1.42 %

3.84 %

Energy

3.23 %

3.83 %

7.06 %

Financials

1.42 %

2.30 %

3.72 %

HealthCare

1.70 %

1.40 %

3.10 %

Industrials

1.31 %

1.77 %

3.08 %

Information Technology

0.59 %

1.51 %

2.10 %

Materials

1.85 %

1.73 %

3.58 %

Real Estate

3.24 %

0.16 %

3.40 %

Communications Services

0.99 %

3.84 %

4.83 %

Utilities

2.90 %

0.35 %

3.25 %

S&P 500

1.25 %

1.82 %

3.06 %

   Uses full values (unadjusted for float)

   Dividends based on indicated; buybacks based on the last 12-months ending Q3,’24

 

Share Count Changes

(Y/Y diluted shares used for EPS)

>=4%

<=-4%

Q3 2024

4.84 %

13.71 %

Q2 2024

5.04 %

12.70 %

Q1 2024

4.62 %

13.25 %

Q4 2023

3.81 %

12.63 %

Q3 2023

4.60 %

13.80 %

Q2 2023

4.22 %

16.27 %

Q1 2023

4.02 %

18.47 %

Q4 2022

5.01 %

19.44 %

Q3 2022

7.21 %

21.24 %

Q2 2022

8.42 %

19.84 %

Q1 2022

7.62 %

17.64 %

Q4 2021

10.06 %

14.89 %

Q3 2021

10.22 %

7.41 %

 

ABOUT S&P DOW JONES INDICES

S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since Charles Dow invented the first index in 1884, S&P Dow Jones Indices has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets.

S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/.

S&P Dow Jones Indices Media Contacts:
April Kabahar
(+1) 917 796 3121
april.kabahar@spglobal.com

Alyssa Augustyn
(+1) 773 919 4732
alyssa.augustyn@spglobal.com

S&P Dow Jones Indices Index Services:
Howard Silverblatt
Senior Index Analyst
(+1) 973 769 2306
howard.silverblatt@spglobal.com 

 

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SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices

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As ADA Anniversary Approaches, University of Phoenix Survey Highlights AI’s Potential to Advance Accessibility in Work and Learning

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July 24, 2026

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Survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of University of Phoenix finds among those already using AI in the workplace, 60% say AI has improved their knowledge of and ability to use accessibility standards and guidelines.

PHOENIX, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As artificial intelligence becomes part of how people work, learn and solve problems, a new University of Phoenix survey conducted by The Harris Poll finds that recent working learners see meaningful opportunities for AI to support accessibility. The survey was designed to understand the impact of AI in the workplace and learning environments on accessibility, defined as ensuring digital content, tools and resources, including AI tools and output, are usable by people with different abilities through inclusive design, use of assistive technology or conformance with accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The findings are being released ahead of the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26.

The survey, conducted among 1,019 U.S. employed adults who completed a professionally presented training or school course in the past 12 months (“recent working learners”), found that, among workers already using AI in the workplace, 3 in 5 (60%) say AI has improved their knowledge of and ability to use accessibility standards and guidelines, including nearly 1 in 5 (19%) who report significant improvement. 

While the findings point to optimism about AI’s accessibility potential, they also reveal an opportunity for clearer organizational guidance: 45% of respondents say accessibility is absent from, unclear in, or they are uncertain whether it is covered by their workplace AI policies.

“The reality is that accessibility benefits everyone,” shares Kelly Hermann, Vice President of Accessibility and Student Affairs at University of Phoenix. “If accessibility is built in from the beginning, organizations are more likely to create AI-enabled environments that are universally usable. Clearer content, better summaries, accurate captions, and multiple formats can help workers and learners with disabilities, but they also help busy adults, multilingual learners, mobile users, and anyone trying to absorb information quickly.”

Key findings from the survey include:

Workers see AI’s accessibility potential: 89% of recent working learners identify workflows that could benefit from AI and accessibility tools, especially creating accessible documents, presentations, websites or learning materials (38%), presenting information in different formats such as plain language, audio, summaries or translations (33%), and training employees or learners on accessibility practices (30%).AI may help build accessibility awareness: Among those already using AI in the workplace, 60% say AI has improved their knowledge of and ability to use accessibility standards and guidelines.Accessibility is not always clear in workplace AI policies: 45% of recent working learners say accessibility is absent from, unclear in, or they are uncertain whether it is covered by their workplace AI policies.AI tools may not yet fully support different access needs: Among those who use workplace AI tools, only about a quarter of survey respondents (27%) say AI tools available through their workplace or professional learning environment support people with disabilities very well.Human oversight remains important: 36% of recent working learners say human review for important decisions or high-impact work should be part of responsible AI use at work or school.Workers also recognize how AI and accessibility can have an impact on their own career journey: 90% of recent working learners identify AI and accessibility skills that would be valuable in their current or desired career field, including 45% who see value in understanding when AI-generated content needs human review.

Why accessibility is essential to responsible AI adoption

As AI tools are used to draft documents, summarize information, generate captions and transcripts, create image descriptions, support learning and assist with workplace tasks, accessibility becomes central to responsible use. Poorly implemented AI can also create or amplify barriers, including inaccessible content, inaccurate summaries, biased outputs and tools that do not work effectively with assistive technologies.

“Responsible AI is not only about productivity,” Hermann said. “It is about whether the technology works for the people who need to use it. AI can help create more accessible materials and more flexible ways to engage with information, but it still requires clear policies, practical training and human judgment to make sure the outputs are accurate, applicable and usable.”

What the findings mean for employers and educators

The survey suggests that organizations have an opportunity to align AI adoption with supportive design, accessibility practices and workforce training. Employers and educators can take immediate steps by:

Naming accessibility directly in AI policies and guidance.Choosing AI tools with accessibility and assistive technology compatibility in mind.Training workers and learners to create, check and improve accessible AI-generated content.Making support pathways clear for people who experience barriers using AI tools.Keeping human review in place for important decisions, high-impact work and accessibility-sensitive outputs.

The survey also found workers want practical AI training. The most helpful resources identified by recent working learners include real-world examples from their field or industry (36%), hands-on practice using realistic workplace scenarios (34%) and step-by-step demonstrations of common tasks (33%).

Accessibility insights from University of Phoenix

Hermann shared the survey findings ahead of the ADA anniversary in recent media interviews. Hermann oversees the University’s accessibility initiative, including evaluation and remediation of curricular resources, the Center for Access, Resources, Engagement and Support Services (CARES), and the Office of Collaborative Learning and Educational Engagement. Her work focuses on fostering accessible and welcoming educational environments for students, faculty and staff.

Hermann’s office at University of Phoenix also convenes accessibility conversations through initiatives such as Access Amplified™, a free, annual virtual event focused on advancing digital accessibility in web development. The event brings together engineers, developers, designers, content authors and digital strategists for practical strategies and human-centered conversations that address the gap between coding practices and how users with assistive technology experience the web.

About the survey

The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of University of Phoenix from June 22–29, 2026, among 1,019 employed adults ages 18 and older who have taken a professionally presented training or a school course in the past 12 months, referred to as “recent working learners.” Data were weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, employment, marital status, household size, household income and smoking status to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 3.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

Review the complete survey at phoenix.edu/aiaccessibility.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is Built for Real Life. 50 Years Strong. The University innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world through flexible online learning, relevant courses, academic AI pillars, and skills-mapped curriculum for associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Active students and alumni have access to Career Services for Life® resources including career guidance and tools. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. 

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Mastech Digital to Announce Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results; Participate in Upcoming Investor Conference

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July 24, 2026

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PITTSBURGH, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mastech Digital, Inc. (NYSE American: MHH) (“Mastech Digital”), a leading provider of Digital Transformation IT Services, today announced the date for the release of its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, and its participation in an upcoming investor conference.

Second Quarter 2026 Earnings:

Mastech Digital will report its financial results for the second quarter 2026 before the market opens on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Management will host a live conference call and webcast at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on that day to discuss the Company’s financial performance and operating results.  The conference call will be hosted by Nirav Patel, President and CEO, and Kannan Sugantharaman, Chief Financial and Operations Officer.

Those wishing to participate via webcast should access the call through Mastech Digital’s Investor Relations website at https://investors.mastechdigital.com. Those wishing to participate via telephone may dial in at 1-800-715-9871 (USA) or 1-646-307-1963 (International) with the passcode 7506988. The replay will be available via webcast through Mastech Digital’s Investor Relations website.

Upcoming Investor Conference:

Mr. Sugantharaman will host a fireside chat at the Sidoti Micro-Cap Investor Conference on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 9:15 a.m. Eastern Time.

Mastech Digital management is scheduled to host virtual one-on-one and small group meetings with investors during the conference on August 19-20, 2026. Investors interested in arranging a meeting should contact their Sidoti representative or reach out to the Mastech Digital investor relations team at investors@mastechdigital.com.

About Mastech Digital, Inc.

Mastech Digital (NYSE American: MHH) is a leading provider of Digital Transformation IT Services. The Company offers Data Management, Analytics & AI Solutions, and IT Staffing Services with a digital-first approach. A minority-owned enterprise, Mastech Digital is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with offices across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and India. Visit us at www.mastechdigital.com.

Investor Relations Contact:
investors@mastechdigital.com 

 

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SOURCE Mastech Digital, Inc.

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SOLAI Limited Announces Extraordinary General Meeting

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July 24, 2026

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AKRON, Ohio, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SOLAI Limited (NYSE: SLAI) (“SOLAI” or the “Company”) (previously known as “BIT Mining Limited”), a technology-driven personal AI and digital infrastructure provider, today announced that it will hold its extraordinary general meeting of shareholders at 428 South Seiberling Street, Akron, Ohio, US on August 14, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., New York time.

Holders of record of ordinary shares and preference shares of the Company at the close of business on July 20, 2026, New York time (the “Record Date”) are entitled to receive notice of, and to attend and vote at, the extraordinary general meeting or any adjournment thereof. Holders of the Company’s American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) who wish to exercise their voting rights for the underlying ordinary shares must act through the depositary of the Company’s ADS program, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas.

The notice of the extraordinary general meeting, which sets forth the resolutions to be submitted to shareholder approval at the extraordinary general meeting is available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at https://ir.solai.com. 

About SOLAI Limited

SOLAI Limited (previously known as “BIT Mining Limited”) (NYSE: SLAI) (previously traded under “BTCM”) is a technology-driven personal AI and digital infrastructure provider. Building upon its historical legacy in digital asset mining and blockchain network operations, the Company is leveraging extensive experience in large-scale hardware deployment, data center operations, and high-performance computing to build the foundational infrastructure for personal AI computing and digital asset ecosystems globally.

For more information:

SOLAI Limited
ir@solai.com
ir.solai.com
www.solai.com 

Christensen Advisory
Jason Ng
Tel: +852-2117-0861
Email: solai@christensencomms.com 

 

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