(This column originally appeared in Forbes)
Here are five things in business tech news that happened this week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
This Week in Business Tech News
Business Tech News #1 — The best cheap Windows laptops for 2025.
Valentina Palladino of Engadget listed the best affordable Windows laptops for 2025, focusing on models under $700. Top picks include Acer’s Aspire 5 A515–56–347N Slim Laptop for reliability and budget-friendly price. Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 5 14, and Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Go 3. Palladino emphasized the importance of balancing performance, build quality, and battery life without making too many compromises. She recommended looking for laptops with decent processors, solid-state drives (SSD) for speedy boot times, and at least an FHD display. (Source: Engadget)
Why this is important for your business:
Here’s what I learned about laptops for my small business: 1. Replace them every 4 years unless you’ve got some backup devices;
2. Most businesses would be fine with the laptops on Palladino’s list. Businesses that rely heavily on video and design apps need more powerful devices;
3. Secure them with VPN, security software, and updated operating systems always; 4. As a traveler, battery life is critical;
5. RAM and hard drive space have become less important over the years. Most laptops are sufficient.
Business Tech News #2 — Experts can teach you how to get the most out of Microsoft Excel for only $30.
Microsoft is offering a great deal on its 2025 Microsoft Office Pro Bundle — available for $29.99 (regularly $160). This bundle focuses primarily on Microsoft Excel, offering beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses. Users can learn essential skills such as pivot tables, formulas, macros, VBA, and data analysis. The bundle also includes comprehensive lessons on other Microsoft Office apps like Word, PowerPoint, and Access, covering both basic interfaces and advanced features. (Source: PCMag)
Why this is important for your business:
Admit it — you’re paying for Microsoft Office and likely using 20 percent of it. If that’s you, then you’re not alone. Most of my clients are doing the same. So am I! With training so cheap, why wouldn’t we take advantage so that our employees can learn more skills and become more productive with the software that we actually own and pay for!
Business Tech News #3 — Overhyped: Manus from Monica — AI made in China.
Manus — an AI developed by the Chinese company Butterfly Effect — is making waves as a fully autonomous AI agent. Not everyone is sold. AI developer Lutz Finger says Manus is “overhyped” and not as revolutionary as it claims to be. Unlike DeepSeek — which introduced meaningful advancements — Manus is seen as just another large language model executing scripted workflows.
Finger emphasizes that Manus lacks true decision-making capabilities and operates based on statistical averages rather than genuine insights. However, Yichao Ji — co-founder and chief scientist of Manus AI — insists that “[Manus] isn’t just another chatbot or workflow, it’s a truly autonomous agent that bridges the gap between conception and execution.” Its multi-agent architecture allows it to manage intricate workflows with minimal user intervention. This system comprises specialized sub-agents that collaborate under the supervision of an executive agent, enhancing efficiency and reducing the need for constant user oversight — a promising glimpse into artificial general intelligence (AGI), which aims to think and learn like humans. (Source: Forbes; The Independent)
Why this is important for your business:
Manus and DeepSeek are indeed overhyped mainly because they’ve revealed that Silicon Valley isn’t the only game in town for innovative AI models and platforms. But it’s going to be a stretch for businesses to rely on a Chinese-backed platform with their data. And many American companies are already developing similar knock-offs. All of this is good for small businesses. Competition keeps prices under control.
Business Tech News #4 — AI can steal your voice, and there’s not much you can do about it.
A recent Consumer Reports investigation found that most AI voice cloning programs lack meaningful safeguards to prevent nonconsensual impersonation. The report highlights that many services can mimic a person’s voice with just a few seconds of sample audio, making it easy to clone voices without consent. The investigation examined six leading AI voice cloning tools and found that five had easily by-passable safeguards. Only one service — Descript — had somewhat effective measures in place. The potential for misuse, such as fraud, scams, and disinformation, calls for stronger regulations and safeguards in the industry. (Source: NBC News)
Why this is important for your business:
There is something you can do. In fact, a few things. Train your employees. Ensure that if requests are being made for money or other data that they call back the requestor. Make sure you have multiple ways of authentication. Require multiple signoffs for any financial transaction. As realistic as deepfake bots can sound, it really only takes a few questions before you realize that you’re indeed talking to a bot. So enforce vigilance.
Business Tech News #5 — Digits announces AI-powered accounting platform to take on QuickBooks and Xero.
Digits has launched an AI-powered accounting platform called the Autonomous General Ledger (AGL), designed to compete with QuickBooks and Xero. The platform automates bookkeeping tasks, such as categorizing transactions and reconciling accounts, providing real-time financial insights. Digits’ proprietary AI models — trained on over $825 billion in small-business transactions — outperform generic large language models like ChatGPT. The platform aims to address the shortage of accountants by allowing them to do more with less. Pricing starts at $100 per month for startups and small businesses. (Source: Fast Company)
Why this is important for your business:
Get ready for a wave of new AI companies offering better solutions for accounting than the name brands we use right now. That’s because companies like Intuit and Xero are operating off of older architecture and structured database systems designed over the past few decades. Companies like Digits are starting from scratch with the latest and greatest models. But don’t count out the big brands. Intuit, Xero and others will partner, invest and outright buy companies that can offer similar solutions.
