Here are five things in tech that happened this week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — iPhone 16 Pro hands-on: A tech reporter lists the 3 favorite things about this “ridiculously overpowered supercomputer.”
Jason Hiner of ZDNet gives his “hands-on” review of the iPhone 16 Pro, highlighting several standout features: A touch-sensitive camera control button that performs multiple actions, a larger screen with thinner bezels, and upgraded video/audio recording. Hiner points out that the new audio mix software allows users to “edit audio directly” from the iPhone 16 and can separate background noise. Video recording can be done with the kind of pro-level quality found in expensive equipment. For Hiner’s in-depth review, visit the link. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
Yeah, he loved it. All of these features — and its AI potential — is getting a lot of attention, and rave reviews. Apple seems like it has another winner. However, I’m an Android user, sorry. There are less expensive options and — at least for most employees — they’re a more affordable device.
2 — Customers are growing more comfortable with AI customer service.
With AI’s expanding presence in the marketplace, customers are becoming comfortable with the technology’s integration with customer service. CRM platform Kustomer released its Customer Service Index which shows more customers are open to interacting with AI for customer service, appreciating its efficiency and availability. Half of consumers feel that AI has improved customer service and expect that trend to continue. The report touches on concerns with decreased human interaction because of AI’s advantages. (Source: CX Dive)
Why this is important for your business:
Actually, customers will have no choice. Once companies discover a technology that can save them money and increase productivity (i.e. the cloud, mobile apps, etc.) they embrace it and push it down to their audience. This is no different. Big companies are investing heavily in AI and the focus is on customer service — especially chatbots. Why? Because, it saves them money and increases productivity! The challenge they’ll face is balancing too much AI automation with a person’s desire to speak to another human.
3 — ServiceNow unveils data enhancements for ultra-scale performance.
ServiceNow — a California-based software company that helps companies manage digital workflows for enterprise operations. — has introduced significant data enhancements to its Now Platform, including the new RaptorDB Pro. The high-performance hybrid transactional and analytical tool delivers a 53 percent improvement in transaction times and faster analytics. The enhancements are designed to support ultra-scale performance, enabling users to handle complex AI workflows and access real-time insights. Future plans include the launch of Knowledge Graph, which will streamline data management and personalization across enterprises. (Source: ServiceNow)
Why this is important for your business:
This is a platform for larger companies, not small businesses. But you can see where things are heading. ServiceNow’s new offerings show how AI is quickly maturing. The company says it’s their “biggest AI release yet” with AI agents that automate workflows with human-like reasoning and comprehension working in the background to independently solve tasks. This is a step above traditional generative AI because its agents have “the context, reasoning abilities and responsible controls to deliver a great, human-centric service.”
4 — PayPal partners with Shopify to power a portion of Shopify Payments in the U.S.
PayPal and Shopify have expanded their partnership, with PayPal becoming an additional processor for credit and debit card transactions through Shopify Payments in the U.S. (Source: PayPal)
Why this is important for your business:
This collaboration integrates PayPal wallet transactions into Shopify Payments, creating a unified system for managing orders, payouts, and chargebacks. Building on their 2022 collaboration, the partnership aims to streamline operations for merchants and enhance payment options.
5 — Yoast elevates AI-powered SEO features.
Yoast — a service that provides “SEO for Everyone” — recently upgraded its SEO toolset by incorporating AI-powered features aimed at enhancing user experience and improving content optimization. (Source: MarTech Series)
Why this is important for your business:
These updates include the integration of artificial intelligence to provide better suggestions for optimizing content structure, readability, and keyword placement. The AI-driven enhancements are designed to assist content creators in ranking higher on search engines by delivering smarter, real-time SEO insights.
