Small businesses seemingly always need to take a long look at the way they do things because they need to be as efficient as possible to carve out a market share. This often means using technology to make everything work. There are many different types of technologies that can help any SMB build more efficient operations, but the two we will outline in today’s blog, are two technologies that are probably doing the most to help SMBs improve.
By now, you’ve probably started hearing a lot about AI and how it’s doing a lot of things to disrupt the world. It seems like every modern software application boasts AI capabilities, social media feeds are plastered with generative AI content, and techy people everywhere are providing their two cents on this new technology. The main star of artificial intelligence right now is ChatGPT, so we figured we’d shed some light on exactly what it does in plain English, and how you might be able to take advantage of it.
Artificial Intelligence is beginning to sweep over modern computing and it can present some stark benefits for a business. AI has been deployed in various ways to help streamline your operations. Let’s look at five ways AI is helping businesses be their best.
Maintaining network security has proven to be more difficult for organizations as time has gone on. Like the people trying to keep them out of networks they don’t have access to, hackers are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their cyberattacks and achieve various malicious objectives. Here are some ways in which hackers are using AI.
Technology can be a huge benefit or an annoying hindrance for a business. It really depends on how it is maintained or used. Just like the PC in the 1980s, Internet access in the 1990s, and the advent of social media over the past decade or so, there are a couple interesting technologies that, if properly used for business, can bring substantial value for workers, customers, and the organization as a whole. Let’s take a look at three of them.
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool that can revolutionize small businesses. With its ability to analyze vast amounts of data and make intelligent decisions, AI has the potential to streamline operations, improve customer service, and drive growth. Let’s explore some practical applications of AI that can benefit small businesses and help them thrive in today's competitive landscape.
Artificial intelligence is becoming an integral technology for modern businesses, but you can’t just roll up to the AI store and get some AI. The machine learning algorithms that make up modern AI are integrated into the software that your business relies on. Microsoft, long known for being amongst the top business computing companies, has begun to integrate AI into their software. One place that most businesses will get first-hand experience with this technology is through their Microsoft 365 subscription. We will introduce you to Microsoft Copilot and what benefits it ultimately brings users.
We get it: you’d expect to read the statement “AI is everywhere nowadays” as a science fiction story about the enslavement of humans by the very machines they’ve created. We aren’t quite there yet, but more and more humans are coming to rely on artificial intelligence to automate a lot of different tasks inside their businesses. Let’s take a look at what people are actually using AI for.
Artificial intelligence, or AI, is just one way of describing the concept of machine learning technologies. AI has grown considerably over the past couple of years, so much that automation as we know it today wouldn’t exist without it. Throw in some data-driven insights and you have a technology that has cemented itself for use in a business environment, but there are some concerns with how fast it is growing and evolving.
When it comes to network security, businesses need all the advantages they can get, especially since cybersecurity as an industry is one which is rapidly adjusting and responding to an enormous amount of ever-changing threats. One way in which security researchers have attempted to subvert this security rat race is through artificial intelligence measures, a trend that promises to change the way businesses protect themselves more effectively.
For better or worse, the way information technology is being used has come to define the way that businesses run. The most noteworthy companies are the ones using their data to their advantage and utilizing cutting-edge tools to facilitate efficient processes and productivity while managing their costs. One technology is giving more and more organizations the freedom to accomplish their goals and automate more of their mundane processes: Artificial Intelligence
Healthcare is one industry that consistently operates under an immense amount of pressure, and as such, professionals in the industry are always trying to find new and innovative ways to make things more manageable. The latest technology to aid in this trend is artificial intelligence, or AI, and it has proven to be a considerable asset for the industry. Here are some ways that AI has changed the way healthcare manages particularly stressful situations for the better.
In popular science fiction, the portrayal of an artificial intelligence is that of an entity completely compelled by pure logic, objective fact being the only thing that factors into its considerations. The same can not be said of the artificially intelligent tools currently in use in the real world. Much like their flawed creators, many of today’s AI systems have presented some considerable biases in their operations. Let’s discuss this issue, and how it can be resolved.
Artificial intelligence, commonly known as AI, is used in several different ways in various industries, but one of the most impactful has been with cybersecurity and its automation. On the other hand, however, are the hackers who use AI in ways that fly in the face of the efforts of these cybersecurity professionals and use AI for cybercrime. What are some ways that AI is used in cybercrime, and why is it so scary for businesses to handle?
Not everyone understands the ways that businesses can leverage artificial intelligence, among the most popular of emerging technologies, to improve the way they do business. This is because there is fundamental confusion about what exactly AI is capable of. This month, we thought we would take a brief look at AI and how it can be used by even the smallest business to build more efficient operations.
The small business owner is always looking for a way to either cut costs or to get more value out of their technology. Today, many businesses are looking to automated tools fueled by AI to do just that. Today, we thought we would talk a little bit about AI for small business and how it works to help increase business productivity.
Many students are taking advantage of online education, yet there are some pitfalls that can hold students back; namely, the lack of face-to-face interaction and assistance from the instructor. Now, artificially intelligent teaching assistants might be able to offer some reprieve to this issue.
You might remember how teaching assistants functioned from your own days at the university. They typically act as an aid to the professor, taking on responsibilities that professors don’t have time for, or simply don’t want to do, like administering tests, handing out homework assignments, and helping students who need assistance. In many cases, teaching assistants have been known to actually teach the class and lead in discussions. If students don’t get enough attention or are finding themselves falling behind, the teaching assistant is usually the first person they would go to for answers.
In order to fill this position for online classrooms, some universities have experimented with artificial intelligence programs called “bots” that can help students, should the need arise. One such bot, Jill Watson, was used as a TA for a class in Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence at the Georgia Institute of Technology to a degree of success. Jill helped students understand the core curriculum of the class, and wound up being so helpful that students couldn’t guess that “she” wasn’t a real person.
Online teaching focuses on learning management systems, many of which use a discussion board interface that’s designed to facilitate classroom-like discussion. Students can ask questions, which are answered by TAs or the professor. ComputerWorld reports that the KBAI class that’s offered every semester sees about 10,000 messages in its online forums, all of which need to be addressed. This is clearly too many messages and posts for just the TAs and the professor, so implementing an automated solution was a natural step forward.
Ashok Goel, the instructor of the KBAI class, explains that he and his team of graduate students had trained Jill on nearly 40,000 potential questions that have been asked since the class’s inauguration in the fall of 2014. Students that are invested in the subject matter will naturally ask questions, many of which are the same or similar, which makes AI the perfect way to respond to such inquiries.
At first, Jill had some difficulty working as a TA. Her answers would often be skewed off-topic or taken out of context by keywords. After some tweaking, Jill was capable of answering questions properly about 97 percent of the time. ComputerWorld states: “Initially, the human TAs would upload her successful responses to the students, but by the end of March, Jill didn’t need any assistance. She wrote to the class directly if she was 97 percent positive her answer was correct.”
This recent technology is also being used for many businesses. Utilizing automated “chatbot” solutions, businesses can divert some of their basic support to a carefully programmed AI. This AI is simply taught to look for certain keywords in questions, and then pulls up the appropriate answer to help the customer. In the event that the chatbot’s resources are exhausted and it can’t help the customer, it will drive the customer to a live person for a more hands-on approach. These solutions are reachable for small businesses, too - many of them just require time and careful planning to set up, so if you are tracking the types of questions that often bog down your customer service, you can automate them.
We tend to concentrate on the plus-side of working with recent technologies, but taking an objective approach is arguably the most important part of discussing new solutions. As robots continue to grow more realistic, will the line between humans and machines blur? Can developments such as these be good for society, or do they eliminate that which makes us human? Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to our blog.
Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more accessible to businesses of all sizes. In fact, it is swiftly becoming apparent that businesses that aren’t actively considering how to leverage AI in their processes are doing themselves a disservice.
With 2017 on its way out, there are many great technology solutions that businesses can take advantage of. Some of the most notable topics in business technology in recent years include business intelligence, artificial intelligence applications, and machine learning. What are some of the most important technologies that you’ll want to keep in mind for the 2018 business year?
We’ll take a look at some of the best and brightest technologies that are making waves in the industry, as well as what your organization needs to keep in mind when considering them for operation.
Artificial Intelligence
A business might use artificial intelligence for analyzing data to create better opportunities and outcomes, as well as create great customer experiences and enhance operations with automation. AI is capable of creating more streamlined operations and consumer experiences by using chatbots, as well as other machine-learning capabilities that allow your organization to create dynamic solutions. However, AI researchers believe that businesses should only implement these solutions sparingly, focusing on specific concepts and roles rather than broad ideas for how to use AI.
You might not be implementing AI immediately, but it’s worth mentioning that 59% of businesses are already planning for the day when they can do so, collecting data that will allow them to make the most of such a great new initiative.
Intelligent Analytics and Business Intelligence
Analytics are crucial in the business world. They allow organizations to make educated decisions about how best to manufacture and sell their products. By looking at specific information, organizations can optimize profits by streamlining the way that these processes are approached.
Business intelligence and analytics can make for great new opportunities both within your chosen industry, or in entirely new markets. You can potentially analyze how your organization will function in various sectors without making the jump immediately, which can make the difference between a failed attempt and full assimilation. It’s recommended that organizations looking to take full advantage of business intelligence use specialized apps that can extrapolate data and turn it into trends. These can be used to create value from your data.
Cloud Technology
The cloud isn’t necessarily new, but it’s still one of the best ways that you can access and implement modern technology solutions. Regardless of when and how you implement artificial intelligence or business intelligence applications, you’ll have the cloud option, which can be used to create a dynamic, flexible, and functional solution for your organization. Your business can simply use the Internet to connect to these apps, which creates an added convenience in its own right.
How will you use these technologies in 2018? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to reach out to The Connection, Inc at (732) 291-5938 for questions or concerns about how you can take advantage of these emerging trends.
Chatbots have been around for quite some time, and artificial intelligence is shaping the way that they are utilized for the modern business. Virtual assistants have risen in popularity, and they are featured on most smartphones out there. How can these “bots” help your organization?
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