Here are five things in tech that happened this week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
(This column originally appeared in Forbes)
1 — Why he’s unlikely to use Copilot for Microsoft 365 anytime soon.
Tony Phillips of How-To Geek shared his reservations about adopting Microsoft’s AI-powered Copilot in their productivity suite. Phillips’ key concerns include privacy and data security in terms of how data is processed and stored when using AI features. He also expressed doubts about effectiveness and accuracy, unsure about the AI’s ability to understand and perform tasks accurately, and questioned whether the cost to access premium AI features is justified. “Ultimately, I enjoy creating original work from scratch and putting my name to it,” Phillips concluded. (Source: How-To Geek)
Why this is important for your business:
Phillips is only scratching the surface. Copilot is a hot mess. I recently did a webinar where I had optimistically and naively hoped to demonstrate how Microsoft Copilot could be used in Dynamics and it failed miserably. Spinning screens, no responses, inaccurate responses and an overall lack of functionality that really made me question why Microsoft even released this product. All it did was make my company look bad. I truly believe that Copilot will one day mature into an productive and useful tool. But this is not the day.
2 — Report reveals how AI will transform the SMB landscape.
Software company Pax8 shared results from its Channelnomics AI Buying Trends survey that illuminated the ways in which artificial intelligence will transform the small and midsize business (SMB) landscape. The report highlights AI’s critical role in enhancing efficiency, data analysis, customer engagement, and overall business processes. Key findings include 88 percent of SMBs have implemented at least one AI system while 96 percent plan to purchase more AI tools within the next year. Forty-two percent expressed insufficient infrastructure and security as major security barriers — with 58 percent currently working with a solutions provider to deploy AI. (Source: SME horizon)
Why this is important for your business:
I’m betting that SMB’s use of AI here is nothing more than doing queries in ChatGPT or messing around with Copilot and Gemini. As a write here, AI is still a big company game and smaller businesses are advised to wait to until software companies release products that — unlike Copilot which I wrote about above — can actually increase productivity and provide ROI for their customers.
3 — This HP Chromebook made living without Windows easier than expected.
Cesasr Cadenas reported for ZDNet on his first-hand experience using the HP Chromebook Plus x360. He noted highlights such as its bigger screen, more powerful hardware, high-end performance, and flexibility that allows it to be used as a tablet. The keyboard, Cadenas notes, is his favorite feature “by far” for its responsiveness and durability. He was also pleasantly surprised by the eight-hour battery life after he did a test-run by continuously playing a YouTube stream. Overall, Cadenas recommends the Chromebook Plus x360 as a “great all-round work 2-in-1.” (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
There used to be a time when Chromebooks were simply a cheaper laptop that were required to be online to be useful as data and files were stored in the cloud. But these devices are changing to becoming full-blown laptops that can rival Windows and iOS machines.
4 — McDonalds is removing its AI drive-thru voice ordering system from over 100 restaurants after its mishaps went viral.
McDonald’s test phase with AI voice-order technology in its drive-thrus has come to an end after a string of viral videos showed customers experiencing less than efficient customer service. The article cites TikTok videos where simple one-drink orders were mistakenly multiplied by the AI. In another instance, a customer ordered a cup of water and vanilla ice cream and found that “four ketchup packets and three butter packets” were added to her order. The company has stated its plans to further develop the technology and presumably address system glitches. “As we move forward, our work with IBM has given us the confidence that a voice ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurants’ future,” McDonald’s was quoted in the report. (Source: Business Insider)
Why this is important for your business:
Another day, another failed AI story. If you’re still worried about AI killing the human race, take comfort in that it’s still incapable of ordering ice cream at a fast food restaurant. Like Microsoft, McDonalds rolled out its offerings way too soon and — like Microsoft — are suffering the backlash. What’s the rush, people? Get it right and then release it to the public!
5 — The world’s first infinitely reusable manufacturing mould is revealed.
Engineering company Fyous has unveiled PolyMorphic moulding, the world’s first infinitely reusable manufacturing mould, which can produce parts 14 times faster than 3D printing with zero waste. This technology uses 28,000 densely packed pins to create shapes, significantly reducing tooling waste and production time. It supports various applications, including vacuum forming and foam casting. The innovation aims to revolutionize manufacturing by accelerating product development and enhancing sustainability. (Source: Manufacturing Tomorrow)
Why this is important for your business:
Do you understand any of this stuff? There are plenty — particularly those in manufacturing — that do. And the ability to produce a part 14x faster than other methods is an incentive for them to try out this technology. There are countless advances in tech that benefits small and mid-sized firms that have little do to with the tech giants of the world.
