(This column originally appeared in Forbes)
Here are five things in tech that happened this week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — Google Drive is about to get much better at video and search — and it’s about time.
Google Drive is getting a welcome update with faster video uploads and upgraded search filters. The Google Blog highlights the addition of “Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP” (DASH) — a technology that enhances connectivity, minimizes buffering, and a shortened interval between clicking play and playback. The other major update is improved search filters that will be available on the Google Drive app for iOS and will be added to Android “soon.” The filters will be found on the search bar and categorized by “File type, Owners, and Last modified” as explained on the blog page providing quicker, more efficient queries. (Source: TechRadar)
Why this is important for your business:
These changes are welcomed. But the big changes will come as Google Drive morphs into a large language model of all of your company’s data which can then be trained to generated responses and actions. Microsoft has already announced this strategy with OneDrive and I’m sure Google Drive won’t be far behind.
2 — Wix delivers the next generation of web creation with the release of the AI Website Builder.
Website builder and hosting service Wix has launched an AI-powered website builder. “The AI Website Builder represents the first time users can effortlessly harness such advanced AI capabilities to craft their digital presence,” said Avishai Abrahami, CEO of Wix. (Source: MarTech Series)
Why this is important for your business:
According to the company, users can create a website in “no time” through dialoging with Wix’s AI assistant that will process specific information — questions asked of the user such as their business type, services, and goals — then construct the website based on those answers and follow-up questions. All of the captured information — described as the user’s “story” — is applied to their site’s theme, text, and other key content. Users can edit and refine the website’s appearance at any point. All of these AI updates will provide business owners with the capability of creating great websites without paying a fortune for a web designer.
3 — OpenAI’s ChatGPT may have its first true rival in Anthropic’s new chatbot.
AI developer Anthropic announced Claude 3 — “a family of foundational AI models used for various applications.” The three models include Haiku, Sonnet, and Opus, which is described as its “most intelligent” model of the three. The results show that Opus scored higher than both GPT 4 and Gemini at “near-human levels.” The models can also process visual data such as photos and charts. Haiku can process visual data in “less than three seconds.” Claude 3 is available for a wide range of business and personal tasks. Users are offered a trial when signing up on Anthropic.com. (Source: Quartz)
Why this is important for your business:
The AI wars are getting more intense. I have some friends in the tech space who tell me that Claude 3’s Opus “blows ChatGPT away.” In the end it’s going to be all about getting reliable results in your conversations which will always be tough to measure when comparing different platforms. Regardless, Claude 3 is taking its rightful place with ChatGPT and Google Gemini as a real player in this space.
4 — TurboTax and H&R Block now use AI for tax advice. One columnist says it’s “awful.”
Speaking of reliable results, tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler reported on the chatbots H&R Block and Turbo Tax have integrated into their online filing systems. According to Fowler, the results were poor based on the experimental questions he asked the AI at each company. Example — Fowler tried the Turbo Tax’s self-help AI which “flubbed” half of more than 16 questions he asked and offered “wildly irrelevant” answers. Those answers were then passed on to Intuit which changed how the chatbot’s chose its answers. With H&R Block, Fowler said the AI was unhelpful on more than 30 percent of the questions and “confidently recommended an incorrect filing status.” He notes that both companies tag their chatbots as “works in progress.” His overall assessment is the AI its limitations and could create headaches for taxpayers who rely on the technology.(Source: Washington Post)
Why this is important for your business:
This is a great example of companies rushing out their products before they’re ready for prime time — and killing their credibility at the same time. Accountants and business owners will read this piece and shy away from this technology for who knows how long. Get it right the first time people, especially when it comes to something as important as taxes!
5 — As workers embrace AI, employers are slow to issue guidance.
Computerworld reported on a problematic issue concerning AI in the workplace. Employees are flying blind when it comes using the technology in a safe and secure manner. A survey conducted by Slack questioned 10,000 workers about their frequency of use and how they felt about AI’s impact on their productivity. The results found a 24 percent increase in daily in the last quarter with 42 percent saying they’re “excited” about AI taking over certain tasks. Yet nearly half of those questioned — 43 percent — said they’ve received no guidance from their bosses on how to use AI. This presents security issues and other risks as the technology evolves. (Source: Computerworld)
Why this is important for your business:
Every company — yes even yours and mine — needs an AI policy this year. It should state, among many other things, what how and why AI is used in your business and it should be updated quarterly, given the fast changing environment. Where’s the best place to write a draft AI policy for further review by an expert? Try ChatGPT, Gemini or…now…Claude!
