A person’s hand holds an iPhone with the OpenaAI ChatGPT app running GPT-4 visible, Lafayette, … [+]
Here are five things in business tech news that happened this week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
OpenAI’s new feature allows users to dial ChatGPT from any phone. As detailed on its website, this “experimental launch” allows users in the U.S. can call 1-800-CHATGPT (1-800-242-8478) to have a live, interactive chat with ChatGPT for up to 15 minutes for free. The aim is to make ChatGPT more accessible to people who may not have a smartphone or computer. People outside the U.S. can send text messages to the same number for free using WhatsApp. Conversations are stored and may be reviewed for safety purposes, according to OpenAI’s announcement. (Source: PYMNTS)
People who tell me they don’t use AI chatbots like ChatGPT are going to be people without jobs. Chatbots can be used to do all sorts of things, but the primary use I’m seeing is to provide quick advice and information to help people live their lives and do their jobs better. True, you can access these chatbots via a mobile app and talk directly to your phone. But for some, it may be easier just to make a phone call. Newspapers, radio, internet, TV…there are plenty of ways for people to access information, depending on how they’re most comfortable. This is just another way to access the power of AI.
OpenAI’s Sam Altman shared his predictions about the future of AI. Altman distinguishes between AGI – Artificial General Intelligence – and superintelligence, noting that superintelligence will far surpass AGI’s capabilities. Altman anticipates this will lead to a surge, accelerating scientific progress and technological breakthroughs at a rate “10 times faster” than current expectations. He suggests that superintelligence might be just “a few thousand days away,” potentially arriving sooner than anticipated. Altman believes that while these changes will revolutionize society in how it functions, it won’t alter fundamental human values. (Source: Windows Central)
You can consider “superintelligence” as a great or terrifying thing, but regardless it’s coming and there’s no one better to make that prediction than Altman. For businesses in the scientific fields, applications using super intelligent AI will leverage that technology to speed up research and development and create better products. While commercial use of this technology is still a few years away, the timeline is getting shorter and shorter.
Sales and marketing platform Thryv has featured its new Reporting Center which aims to provide small businesses with easy access to critical insights. (Source: Stock Titan)
Thryv will offer five standard reports to cover sales, customer insights, team activity, appointments, and marketing campaign performance. Other key features include Data-Driven Insights to help small businesses grow and manage their operations effectively. The Visual Reports tool delivers key business metrics in a visual format, making it easier for business owners to understand and act on the data. Users can also build customized reports or select from a template library, focusing on specific metrics and ready-to-use charts.
Sam Singleton of PCWorld presented a detailed snapshot of what the future looks like for Virtual Private Networks. Singleton boils it down to what’s called the “Zero Trust Concept.” Zero Trust is a cybersecurity strategy that assumes no user or device is inherently trustworthy, regardless of whether they are inside or outside the network. Instead of relying on a single perimeter defense (like a traditional VPN), Zero Trust requires continuous verification of all users and devices – which ultimately enhances security. Modern VPNs will still be relevant but will need to evolve to fit into the Zero Trust model, offering more granular and continuous security checks. (Source: PC World)
I agree with this prediction and to take it seriously you should be reviewing Singleton’s theory with your IT team. Zero Trust security applications, tools and technologies are bound to proliferate in the next few years, so it’s worth staying ahead. My concern is latency and speed, particularly if every device needs to be verified for its security. However, I’m confident this problem can be ultimately addressed as hardware becomes faster and AI is leveraged for quicker analysis.
Software will be a key theme for small businesses in 2025. Small business service platform Hello Alice has assessed what 2025 will look like for small businesses. Co-Founder, Elizabeth Gore said, “There’s going to be about five times the amount of small businesses launching in 2025 than at any time our history.” Small business owners are focused on tools that will help them operate more efficiently and sell their products or services. Citing companies like Square, Shopify and Nerdwallet, these are prime examples of companies that offer software tools to support small business efficiency. “AI is going to be huge for small businesses,” Gore also said. (Source: Yahoo Finance)
The number of startups are already exploding. New apps will proliferate. As I write this there are companies that we are not yet familiar with that will soon become household names, thanks to the growth of AI. I don’t think these changes will fundamentally impact small businesses as soon as 2025. But they’re coming and I’ll be doing my best to keep you informed.
Every week I reviewed five business tech news stories and provide my thoughts on how this news impacts your business.
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