The growing potential of generative AI

Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Claude, and GitHub CoPilot, have demonstrated their remarkable capabilities in creating human-like text, stunning visuals, and even music compositions. This means that anyone, anywhere, can recreate the artwork using tools like Midjourney or even get their favourite singers to cover alternative music outside of their repertoire.

In addition to satisfying our curiosities, these tools also help reduce the time and effort required to produce high-quality content at work. For example, in the gaming industry, AI can assist in generating detailed environments, character designs, and dialogue, allowing game developers to focus more on storytelling and gameplay mechanics.

The use of generative AI can also help to democratise creativity. Independent creators and smaller studios, rather than big blockbusters, often need more resources than their larger counterparts. However, with generative AI, they can produce professional-grade content. This can level the playing field, fostering a more diverse and vibrant ecosystem. But there are risks to consider, too.

Putting the risks of automation under the microscope

The same attributes that make generative AI appealing are also presenting risks. One of the most significant concerns is that human workers will no longer be needed, substantially reducing the workforce. As AI becomes more proficient, companies may streamline their creative departments, relying more on algorithms and less on human talent. This could lead to job displacement for entry-level roles and seasoned professionals who find their skills no longer desirable or living up to a machine’s production.

The impact on job opportunities extends beyond direct employment. The gaming industry, for example, has long been a vibrant community where artists, designers, and developers collaborate and create captivating experiences for players. Reducing the number of these professionals could stifle the collaborative spirit between them all, leading to a halt in creativity as we know it. In short, the diversity of human experience, talent, and emotion – vital to creating resonating and impactful art — might be lost if AI-generated content becomes the norm.

AI: Fighting for our livelihoods?

Proactive measures for a balanced future

To harness AI’s benefits while mitigating its risks, a multifaceted approach is needed. Firstly, there must be a commitment to ethical AI development. This includes ensuring transparency in how AI tools are used and human oversight remaining integral to the process.

In addition to this, education and continuous learning are essential. As AI reshapes creative workflows, the skills required in the industry will evolve. Investing in training programs that help game designers and artists adapt to new tools and techniques can ensure that the workforce remains relevant and competitive—ultimately making it harder for employers to shoo them out of the door and be replaced by machines. This could involve integrating AI literacy into art and design curriculums, fostering a new generation of creators who are as comfortable with generative AI as traditional tools.

Lastly, businesses should adopt a balanced approach to workforce management. Rather than looking at AI as a means to cut costs, companies can view it as an opportunity to enhance existing human capabilities. By maintaining robust teams that combine human creativity with AI efficiency, businesses can drive innovation while preserving the jobs and livelihoods of their employees. This approach will lead to more dynamic outputs, blending human ingenuity with machine precision.

Looking at the future of creativity

There’s no denying that generative AI holds immense potential to revolutionise creative workflows. However, it poses significant risks to job opportunities and the essence of human creativity without careful consideration and proactive measures to safeguard existing talent.

By embracing ethical AI development, investing in education, and adopting balanced workforce strategies, we can navigate this landscape without making mistakes that will endanger us all. AI isn’t expected to go anywhere and will only continue to advance its capabilities. So, being mindful of the opportunities and risks it carries with it means we can ensure that the future of creativity remains vibrant, inclusive, and profoundly human.

ChatGPT can help workers, instead of replacing them — read the article here.

The post The double-edged sword of Generative AI in creative workflows appeared first on TechInformed.

Even organisations that might not regard themselves as “digital first” are recognising that they need to be where their customers are, and that might no longer be on the other end of a landline.

Take UK and Europe-wide company Euro Car Parts — owned by the LKQ Corporation — which is something of a sleeping giant. The firm now boasts more than 330 branches and stocks over 160,000 distinct parts for automobiles.

The spare parts firm’s purpose-built 1 million sq ft national distribution centre in Tamworth, UK, is second only in size to Amazon’s warehouses. And yet, as head of sales excellence Chole Thomson explains: “Unless you’ve ordered a spare part from us, you’ve probably never heard of us!”

Given the size and scale of Euro Car Parts, it’s surprising to learn that, until recently, its sales offices relied on an old, end-of-life telephony system. Phone desks were still ringing constantly, but these were increasingly supplemented by WhatsApp messages between sales team members using their personal devices and customers.

According to Thomson, the firm recognised the need to bring these customer interactions back in-house and to save valuable data so that they could build up a better profile of these customers and their preferences.

WhatsApp: “There cannot be a British Internet” — Read the article here.

Euro Car Parts turned to customer experience vendor Genesys to integrate voice notes, WhatsApp, and other digital channels to meet these new generational customers’ expectations.

For Thomson, another advantage of using Genesys’ cloud-based orchestration system was getting a heads-up on incoming calls.

“Our old school way of doing things was to memorise the incoming phone number that came up on the screen so that you’d know ‘that is Sandra!’

“But knowing that a call is coming from ‘Bob’s Garage’ and immediately being able to see the customer’s likes/dislikes brand-wise is helpful,” Thomson enthuses.

The new system was installed in February and has now launched in England, Scotland, and Wales. Genesys and WhatsApp were fully deployed by mid-May, and according to Thomson, Euro Car Parts is now dealing with over 500 brand new WhatsApp conversations every day; a figure that, she adds, is growing “week-on-week”.

Genesys and Lighthouse Works partner to boost CX careers for blind workers

Data dive

One of the big business benefits of moving to the new system has been the amount of data the company has been able to gather on its customers and internal processes, according to Thomson.

It is currently in the process of pulling in the latest info it has gained from Genesys so that it can apply this data in meaningful ways.

“We’ve never had as much data as we do now,” she says. “We don’t have any more blind spots. We can see everything. We can now analyse the peaks and troughs of the different queries we receive as well as the different sales that are coming in. So, we can enhance that journey and look at what’s working and not working for our sales teams.”

In terms of the WhatsApp integration, Thomson explains that a typical interaction might include a customer taking a picture of a registration plate, and requesting some brake pads or a clutch and flywheel.

“The sales advisor will order that part but now they will be able to look at what those customer preferences are and add any weekly specials that we might have on brake fluid, for instance,” she says.

She adds that while Euro Car Parts comprises of sales offices, rather than contact centres, the firm is looking closely at this model and its customer journeys.

“We’re currently looking at what CX centres do well, looking at the customer journey and are learning how we bring that into our world,” she says.

AI capabilities

According to Thomson, the next step for Euro Car Parts is to integrate AI and gamification into its new orchestration system.

“We’re excited about using AI for data mining and sentiment analysis to understand what our customers want,” she says.

“AI will let us know things like whether we’ve already set up a promotion for a weekly deal that we’ve already offered before, five times. Or finding out whether there’s a tool on offer that they want. We want to use that information and give the customer what they want.”

Gamification, she adds, will also help celebrate the performance of the company’s sales teams, by giving managers a clear view of who the top performers are.

“In the past it was a bit more unpredictable – someone could just have sold one expensive part. Now we can see who has really been working hard on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. It will certainly make them more competitive!”

• Chloe Thomson spoke with TechInformed at Genesys Xperience UKI tour 2024 in June at the Truman Brewery in East London. Live event photography by Nick Beard

The post Driving sales for a new generation appeared first on TechInformed.

Speaking on stage at TechBBQ in Copenhagen just a day after the first electoral debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and President Donald Trump, the former US Army intelligence analyst said the “normalisation of disinformation” is “ensuring participants in democracy become so jaded, confused and exhausted, they lose confidence in their institutions.”

Manning, who in 2013 was convicted of leaking classified military documents to Wikileaks, added that campaigns to mislead voters have been made easier because of the internet.

“I’m generally a technology optimist, but there is a concern for the potential for misuse,” she said. “The biggest issue we’ll face in the next 15 years is how we verify information.”

While AI-generated images and text are both a problem, the root issue lies in how information is verified and how easily users trust information.

“As these technologies improve, even sophisticated users may struggle to distinguish between AI-generated content and reality,” she said.

However, the activist reiterated her view that we should not blame the technology, calling this a “short-sighted view.”

“The same arguments could be made about photo doctoring, and then Photoshop.”

With her speech coming just hours after the first face-to-face confrontation between Democrat Presidential candidate Harris and her rival Republican nominee Trump, Manning said she is “cautiously optimistic about the state of American democracy”.

“It is shakier than it has ever been, but it is heading in a direction that leads me to believe this uncertain period may be coming to an end. But that could change,” she added.

Encryption and privacy

Manning delivered her keynote to a packed hall of tech entrepreneurs and experts in the Danish capital’s Lokomotivvaerkstedet venue, confronting the current dividing lines being drawn between regulators in some countries and social media platforms.

In Brazil, a judge last week chose to ban social media platform X after it refused to appoint a local representative in a wider legal battle over the moderation of political content that allegedly incited violence and spread misinformation. X boss CEO Elon Musk has taken to the former Twitter platform to deny any wrongdoing and accuse the judge of breaching Brazil’s constitution.

Plus, the chief executive of Telegram has recently announced it will improve moderation on the platform after he was arrested in France for allegedly allowing criminal activity to run on the platform.

When asked for her opinion on privacy in the wake of these issues, Manning said: “I certainly take issue with Telegram not cracking down on very problematic information on its platform.”

However, she said that she is not sure where the line can be drawn on privacy and transparency in these instances.

“I tend to believe that an individual has a right to privacy, but I think large groups of people and the actions they do in an organised manner should be transparent.”

“When it comes to institutions, like Telegram, they still need to be held accountable, and there should be transparency over everything and everybody.”

Cyber secrecy

Manning continued that secrecy is “almost impossible” in 2024 because of “smartphones and the ability to capture information on the ground and share it quickly.”

“It’s very difficult to hide information,” she said. “I was shocked that in 2022, I had more information as a civilian about what was happening on the ground in Ukraine than I did as an intelligence analyst in 2010.”

She claimed that conflicts and information are very visible if you know how to look for them.

In the same vein, Manning said that cybercriminals are often ahead of cybersecurity professionals “due to a lack of experience on the part of those protecting against these threats.”

“Also, companies have little incentive to fully protect their information.

When a data breach happens, it gets reported, but then the news is quickly buried among other stories.”

As a result, Manning claims companies aren’t held liable: “This lack of accountability is one of the reasons why we see so many data breaches without substantial consequences.”

The post Chelsea Manning talks misinformation, X and Telegram at TechBBQ appeared first on TechInformed.

In the ongoing battle within the EU to regulate multinational corporations, led by European Union antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, Apple has been ordered to pay Ireland €13bn ($14.4bn) in back taxes, while Google has been fined €2.4bn ($2.7bn) for antitrust violations.

Vestager, who has made a name for herself going after Big Tech’s tax arrangements within the EU, said in a post on X, “Today is a huge win for European citizens and tax justice.”

One bad Apple

The case against Apple goes back to 2016 when the European Commission accused the company of receiving illegal tax benefits from Ireland.

According to the Commission, Apple’s subsidiaries in Ireland paid a much lower tax rate than other companies — as low as 0.005% in 2014 — a practice that violated EU state aid rules.

The Irish government, however, sided with Apple, arguing that the arrangement was lawful, stating that its low corporate tax rate is an essential tool in attracting foreign investment.

In 2020, the General Court of the CJEU issued a judgement annulling the Commission’s case, but the Commission appealed the judgement, and the Court has now ruled its 2016 decision stands.

In an official statement after the latest judgement, the Irish Department of Finance said: “The Irish position has always been that Ireland does not give preferential tax treatment to any companies or taxpayers.”

Apple vehemently denied the European Commission’s accusations, insisting it complied with both US and Irish tax laws.

“This case has never been about how much tax we pay, but which government we are required to pay it to,” an Apple spokesperson said. “We always pay all the taxes we owe wherever we operate, and there has never been a special deal.”

The iPhone 16 manufacturer maintained that its income was already subject to taxation in the US and that the Commission was trying to rewrite the rules retroactively.

Despite this, the Court ruled in favour of the Commission, and Apple must now repay the taxes.

In Google, we antitrust

The case against Google dates back to 2017 when the European Commission fined the company for abusing its online shopping comparison market dominance.

According to the Commission, Google gave preferential treatment to its own comparison-shopping service, disadvantaging smaller rivals.

The fine was the EU’s largest antitrust penalty ever issued at the time, totalling €2.4bn ($2.7bn) — until 2018, when the EU fined Google €4.3bn ($4.75bn) for abusing the dominant position of its Android mobile operating system to promote Google’s search engine.

Google has consistently contested the EU’s decision, arguing that its practices improved the quality of its services for consumers.

The company adjusted its shopping service in 2017 to comply with the EU’s ruling but continued to appeal the fine.

In a statement, Google said of its adjustments: “Our approach has worked successfully for more than seven years, generating billions of clicks for more than 800 comparison shopping services.”

Despite these efforts, in its latest ruling, the Court solidified the Commission’s stance that Google abused its market position and that it was right to find Google’s conduct “discriminatory” and its appeal “must be dismissed in its entirety.”

Google faces another similar trial in the UK as a London court has argued that Google should pay £13.6bn in a lawsuit over whether it has too much influence on the online advertising market.

Who EU gonna call?

The cases were undoubtedly being closely observed across the EU as a significant moment for Big Tech’s European tax affairs — especially as the EU’s investigations between companies and member states have faced setbacks.

Just last year, Amazon successfully defended its tax arrangements in Luxembourg in a court battle, and the Commission similarly lost a case involving the Netherlands’ tax treatment of Starbucks, though it chose not to appeal.

The post EU strikes a blow against Apple and Google in landmark rulings appeared first on TechInformed.

What a whirlwind year it’s been for us at Civo! Some of the highlights from the year have been announcing the total abolishment of egress fees, launching our UK sovereign cloud offering and opening our own event space in London, Tech Junction.

We’ve also made significant strides in sustainability through our collaboration with Deep Green. Our partnership allows us to repurpose the heat generated by our data centres to warm public spaces.

And this is just the beginning! We have a number of hugely exciting announcements planned for Civo Navigate. While I can’t reveal the details just yet, I can say that these upcoming announcements will continue to push things forward for us. So stay tuned – the best is yet to come!

What are the biggest challenges facing the cloud industry today?

The cloud industry is facing two major hurdles that we’re keeping a close eye on. First, there’s the issue of data sovereignty. With tightening regulations around data protection, businesses are increasingly concerned about where their data resides. We’re seeing a surge in demand for solutions that can guarantee data stays within specific borders. It’s a complex challenge, but one we’re actively addressing.

The second big challenge is market competition. Let’s face it, the cloud landscape is still dominated by a few giants, which can hamper innovation and limit your options as a customer. We’re particularly interested in the upcoming decision of the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) based on their investigation into the cloud marketplace. Their ruling could shake up the industry and potentially create a more level playing field.

If the CMA does decide to intervene, it could open things up for a more diverse and competitive marketplace. We might see measures that prevent vendor lock-in, promote open standards, and foster true competition based on innovation rather than market dominance.

What are the key actions Civo is taking to be sustainable?

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do at Civo. We believe that the cloud industry has a responsibility to innovate not just in technology, but also in environmental stewardship.

One of our proudest initiatives is our collaboration with companies that are reimagining how we use the heat generated by data centres. We’re working closely with Heata, who’ve developed a brilliant system to use server heat to warm homes. Similarly, our partnership with Deep Green is helping to heat public swimming pools with the excess heat from our data centres. These projects aren’t just about reducing our carbon footprint; they’re about turning what was once waste into a valuable resource for communities.

Given the significant environmental impact of data centres, it’s our responsibility as a cloud provider to prioritise sustainability. Data centres are known for their high energy consumption and heat generation. As the demand for cloud services continues to grow, so does the potential for negative environmental consequences. It is why sustainability is a core part of our mission. We recognise that it’s not enough to provide efficient services simply; we must also actively seek ways to reduce our carbon footprint and positively impact the communities we serve.

By focusing on innovative solutions like heat reuse and renewable energy, we’re striving to set a new standard for environmental responsibility in the cloud industry. Being a responsible provider means considering the full lifecycle impact of our operations and continuously working to minimise our environmental footprint.

What is the firm’s biggest success?

Our biggest success has been challenging the status quo in the cloud industry. We’ve recognised that the cloud, as it stands, is broken – dominated by hyperscalers who’ve made it unnecessarily complex and expensive. Our mission has been to disrupt this model, and I’m proud to say we’re making significant headway.

Our greatest achievement lies in our relentless pursuit of simplicity and value for money. We’ve stripped away the complexity that’s become synonymous with cloud services, offering a streamlined, user-friendly platform that doesn’t compromise on performance.

But what I’m most proud of is how we’re changing the conversation around cloud services. We’re proving that it’s possible to offer high-performance, scalable cloud solutions at a fraction of the cost of the big players. Our growing customer base and their success stories are a testament to the fact that the market is ready for a change.

What’s your top tip for finding tech talent?

When it comes to finding tech talent, our philosophy at Civo is all about fitting square pegs in square holes. We’ve learned that the most successful hires aren’t just those with the right skills on paper, but those who align with our culture and are passionate about what they do.

We focus on finding the right type of person first, then worry about the specific role. We believe that skills and experience can be gained over time, but passion, cultural fit, and the right mindset are invaluable from day one.

My top tip? Engage directly with the tech community. This isn’t just about posting job ads; it’s about becoming an active participant in the spaces where passionate tech professionals gather.

Consider attending or even hosting hackathons, contributing to open-source projects, or participating in tech meetups and conferences. These events are goldmines for connecting with skilled individuals who are genuinely excited about technology and innovation. It’s not just about finding someone with the right skills on paper but also someone who brings enthusiasm and fresh ideas to the table.

Remember, the best talent isn’t always actively job hunting. By engaging with the tech community and building relationships, you’re creating a pipeline of potential candidates who already know and respect your company. This approach takes time, but it’s an investment that can pay off with high-quality hires who are more likely to stick around and contribute meaningfully to your team.

You are a prolific founder of companies. What is it that excites you about building a new business?

What truly excites me about building a new business is the opportunity to tackle new challenges and solve novel problems. Each venture presents a unique set of obstacles that require innovative thinking and creative solutions. It’s this process of identifying gaps in the market, conceptualising solutions, and then bringing them to life that I find incredibly invigorating.

With each new business, there’s an opportunity to push boundaries and make a meaningful impact. The thrill of problem-solving and the potential to create something that genuinely improves people’s lives or businesses is what drives me. It’s not just about building a successful company; it’s about the journey of learning, adapting, and growing through each new challenge we face.

Why is it important to simplify software development processes?

Streamlined processes allow developers to focus on what truly matters – creating innovative solutions and delivering value to users. By reducing complexity, we can significantly decrease the time to market for new features and products, which is critical in maintaining a competitive edge. Simplified processes also lower the barrier to entry for new developers, fostering a more inclusive tech community and allowing a wider range of voices and ideas to contribute to the field.

I’ve seen firsthand how simplified cloud infrastructure can empower developers to work more efficiently and creatively. Simpler processes often lead to more reliable and maintainable code, reducing technical debt and improving the overall quality of software products. In essence, simplification isn’t just about ease of use; it’s about enabling innovation, improving productivity, and ultimately creating better technology solutions for everyone.

What are you looking forward to at Civo Navigate?

What I’m looking forward to most is the unprecedented opportunity for our community to come together, learn, and share ideas in person. The energy of face-to-face interactions, especially after the challenges of recent years, is something I’m particularly anticipating.

What is new this year? 

I’m incredibly excited about Civo Navigate making its debut in Berlin this year. This move to one of Europe’s most vibrant tech hubs marks a significant milestone for us. We’ve significantly expanded our program, offering more workshops, talks, and networking opportunities than ever before. We’ve curated an impressive lineup of speakers from various backgrounds, ensuring a wide range of topics and perspectives.

But what truly sets this year apart are the announcements we’ve got up our sleeves. Without giving too much away, I can say that we’re about to shake things up in the private cloud space with a solution that brings together the best of public and private clouds. It’s all about simplifying complexity without compromising on performance or security.

We’re also venturing into new territory with an AI initiative that we believe will redefine what’s possible in terms of sovereignty and trust in AI applications. It’s an exciting step forward in our mission to empower businesses with cutting-edge, ethical technology solutions.

They’re just a taste of the innovation we’re bringing to the table this year, and I can’t wait to see how they’ll be received by the tech community.

What should attendees be excited about?

Attendees should be excited about the sheer concentration of talent and knowledge that will be present at Navigate Berlin. With some 40 talks, 10 workshops, and attendees from all over the world, the opportunities for learning and networking are immense. The chance to learn from peers and industry leaders in an intimate setting is invaluable.

Our keynote speeches by Kelsey Hightower and Frank Thelen are certain to be highlights – their insights into cloud-native technologies and entrepreneurship in the tech world are not to be missed. But beyond the formal sessions, I’m a firm believer in the power of community and peer learning. The hallway conversations, impromptu discussions, and connections made during breaks often lead to some of the most valuable takeaways. Navigate isn’t just a conference; it’s a gathering of a community passionate about cloud technology and innovation. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting in the field, there’s something here for everyone to be excited about.

How do you take your coffee?

Frequently!

Besides caffeine, how do you recharge your batteries during a working day?

While caffeine certainly plays its part, I find that the most effective way to recharge during the workday is through meaningful interactions with my team. I make it a point to touch base with colleagues across different departments regularly. These interactions aren’t just about work progress; they’re opportunities to share ideas, solve problems collaboratively, and often spark new innovations.

There’s an energising effect that comes from bouncing ideas off each other or working through a challenge together. Sometimes, a quick chat with a team member can provide a fresh perspective that reinvigorates my approach to a task. I also find that our team’s collective enthusiasm for what we’re building at Civo is contagious. Seeing their passion and dedication often gives me that extra boost of energy to push through the day. It’s not just about individual recharging; it’s about tapping into the collective energy and creativity of our team.

How do you switch off at the end of the day?

Work-life balance is critical, and for me, it’s all about family time. As soon as I step through the door, I make a conscious effort to leave work behind and fully engage with my family. Focusing on my loved ones not only helps me disconnect from work but also provides a different kind of fulfillment and energy.

Having a family-focused evening routine not only helps me switch off but also ensures I’m recharged and ready for the next day. It’s a reminder that while work is important, it’s the moments with family that truly matter and provide the balance needed to sustain a demanding career in tech.

The post A coffee with… Mark Boost, Civo appeared first on TechInformed.

This downsizing comes just months after Bending Spoons acquired the Dutch file-sharing platform in July for an undisclosed amount.

WeTransfer, which currently employs over 350 people and serves around 600,000 subscribers and 80 million monthly users, will undergo significant restructuring.

Bending Spoons CEO Luca Ferrari explained that the company aims to create a “smaller, more sharply focused WeTransfer organisation” to ensure long-term success.

Ferrari claimed that Bending Spoons thoroughly analyses each acquisition to determine the best action.

“Once the vision is clear, we try to close the gap between the status quo and the vision as quickly and as fully as we can,” Ferrari told TechCrunch.

Bending Spoons has a history of restructuring its acquisitions, having previously implemented job cuts at Evernote and Meetup — and even laid off the entire team at Filmic after taking them over.

In a LinkedIn post, Gregory Witek, senior engineering manager at Booking.com, said, “Private equity companies have proven that acquiring companies and optimising their costs can work. However, since these transactions are private, they often remain undisclosed, so it’s hard to say how profitable they are.

“So far, Bending Spoons has raised more than $500M and is valued at more than $2.5bn, and this year, they have been on an acquisition spree.”

WeTransfer has used its advertising platform to promote arts and culture, even commissioning the short film “The Long Goodbye”, which won an Oscar in 2022 — leaving many with mixed feelings about its addition to a large portfolio.

In 2022, WeTransfer planned an initial public offering in Amsterdam, aiming for a valuation of up to 716 million euros, but due to market volatility, the IPO didn’t go ahead.

The company hasn’t disclosed its long-term product roadmap under Bending Spoons’ ownership. However, WeTransfer has recently introduced a new feature allowing users to extend the expiry date of shared links.

The post WeTransfer cuts 75% of staff months after acquisition by Bending Spoons appeared first on TechInformed.

According to CNN, two officials from the US have raised concerns about the Russian military unit named the ‘General Staff Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research’ (GUGI).

“We are concerned about heightened Russian naval activity worldwide and that Russia’s decision calculus for damaging US and allied undersea critical infrastructure may be changing,” a US official said.

“Russia is continuing to develop naval capabilities for undersea sabotage mainly through GUGI, a closely guarded unit that operates surface vessels, submarines and naval drones.”

Subsea cables are a critical piece of the world’s internet infrastructure, delivering more than 95% of the data worldwide.

The US often tracks Russian ships that patrol close to critical maritime infrastructure and undersea cables often far from Russian shoes, the officials said.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russia has been accused of sabotaging a cable connecting Estonia and Sweden in the Baltic Sea, which Putin denied. It has since been blamed on a pro-Ukrainian group – although President Zelensky has not confirmed knowledge of the operation.

Plus, increased naval activity off the Irish coast raised alarm in 2023, as many cables connecting North America to Europe run through the region.

TI investigated earlier this year what the threat to subsea cables means, how they are protected, and how easily the cables can be fixed. Read here for more.

The post US raises concerns over alleged Russian sabotage of subsea cables appeared first on TechInformed.

The RansomHub group has claimed responsibility for the attack and is threatening to leak 93GB of data allegedly stolen from the organisation’s systems within six days, it said.

This relatively new ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operator extorts victims in exchange for not leaking stolen files and sells the documents to the highest bidder if negotiations fail.

Considering the wide range of reproductive and sexual healthcare services offered by Planned Parenthood, including access to contraception, abortion care, and hormone therapy, a data breach within the organisation could have significant privacy, legal and safety concerns for patients.

While the criminals have published confidential documents on their extortion portal on the dark web to prove their claims, this has not been confirmed by Planned Parenthood.

According to law enforcement agencies, since surfacing in February this year RansomHub and its affiliates have breached over 200 victims from a wide range of critical US infrastructure sectors.

Last month, the FBI, CISA, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a joint advisory about RansomHub’s trend of targeting healthcare organisations.

Earlier this month TechInformed published a report on a healthcare table top simulation, which focussed on preparing the sector to manage and mitigate cyber attacks.

Unhealthy attention

Healthcare has become a key target for ransomware criminals this year. Following an attack in February by ALPHV/Blackcat, Change Healthcare’s payment system was shut down leading to a reported $22 million ransom payout.

In the UK, meanwhile, a cyber-attack in June on pathology service Synnovis impacted several London hospitals and led to an unprecedently low level of blood stocks across England.

According to Greg Day, vice president and global field CISO at Cybereason, these attacks highlight how reliant the industry has become on digital technology for managing patient medical data and supporting numerous treatment processes.

He added that in his firm’s annual ransomware report on costs, it found that over half of the affected organisations took between three to 12 months to even detect they had been compromised.

“This delay often leaves many feeling compelled to pay the ransom. However, less than half of those who paid were able to recover their data and services without corruption.

He urged every business needs to test their response capabilities and strengthen their resilience. “As the complexity of attacks and the digitisation of medical systems continue to grow, we must develop faster, more effective ways to detect and mitigate these malicious operations,” he added.

The post Planned Parenthood: cyber attackers threaten to leak data appeared first on TechInformed.

Quirks like these demonstrate how important it is for organisations to weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of AI before applying it to any aspect of business. Without forethought, companies risk embarrassing or even disastrous consequences.

At the same time, it should be appreciated that GenAI is only in its infancy, yet to mature to its full-blown potential over the next few years. However, even in these early stages of development, it still has many strengths, provided implementations are thought through carefully.

AI strengths

The tax industry is a prime example of what’s already feasible with the current iterations.

Looking on the positive side, AI works day in, day out, never getting tired or stressed, carrying out tasks at a vast scale. It is extremely efficient at the mundane and repetitive jobs that people tend to generally dislike and are highly time-consuming.

Take a task like analysing ledger data for VAT purposes; in some instances this can be millions of rows. There aren’t enough interns you could throw at the task of reviewing every row, yet AI can analyse this kind of dataset in seconds – making it the ‘infinite intern’.

Similarly, fast automation of routine tasks, like data entry, number-crunching and anomaly detection, are a piece of cake for AI. Well-suited to these types of activities, AI churns through data processing quickly, constantly, and reliably.

Its consistency is a key strength. Unlike employees, who may not always be objective, AI algorithms stick to the rules, applying them in the same way on each occasion. Whereas evidence shows an individual’s decision-making abilities and performance can vary significantly owing to factors such as hunger, fatigue, workload, and stress.

Even the time of day can make a difference to someone’s reasoning powers, as highlighted by a recent study. It found workers are less active and more prone to making mistakes on afternoons and Fridays, with Friday afternoon representing the lowest productivity point.

AI can also extract valuable insights from huge volumes of disparate tax and financial data that would take a person days or weeks to compile and interpret. Predictive analytics powered by AI can forecast trends, model different outcomes based on complex tax scenarios, and uncover potential compliance issues.

On this basis, AI sounds like a compelling choice for routine work and mass data crunching, at the very least. However, it’s not all plain sailing as AI tools are only as good as the training they receive. It’s a case of garbage in, garbage out.

AI weaknesses

If the data used to inform an algorithm is inaccurate, this will detrimentally affect the results it provides. This is how errors occur and biases creep in, where outcomes are at best misleading or, at worst, completely wrong.

They can also lack the capability to interpret important context, and miss subtleties which humans easily take into account. The end result can be spurious responses and hallucinations, where AI misinterprets data and fabricates answers. Fortunately, these issues can be rectified as AI does respond well to constant training, but this can take time.

It boils down to having the right monitoring, evaluation, and re-training in operation. AI tools shouldn’t be left to act on their own without proper oversight, and outputs should be sanity checked by humans.

The future for interns

So, what does the rise of AI mean for interns?

For tech-savvy generations, like Gen Z, the future for interns in the tax industry looks bright. Having grown up using technology throughout their lives, they expect to find technical innovation in the workplace. Indeed, many consider it a must-have when choosing a career path. The finance and tax industry has a massive opportunity to tap into this mindset to encourage new talent into the industry.

By harnessing AI to do the mundane work as the ultimate ‘infinite intern’, it can support new graduates and tax assistants rather than replacing them. Instead of spending most of the early part of their careers on traditionally laborious work, human interns will check and review information already processed and analysed by AI.

Thus, freeing up time to hone their accountancy skills more quickly. And, then use the insights that AI uncovers for more satisfying work, usually only possible much later in their tenure, such as strategic planning, problem solving and value-added decision-making for the business or its clients.

GenAI will continue to improve. But, for the time being, assuming it can mimic the expertise of a senior level decision maker is asking for trouble. However, if deployed with due diligence, AI can bring much needed efficiency and valuable insights to financial data processing. It will help to attract a forward-thinking generation of tax professionals looking for careers that champion technical innovation and new ways of working.

The post Who needs interns, when you have AI? appeared first on TechInformed.

They explore the difficulties governments face in regulating social media platforms while maintaining free speech and Elon Musk’s controversial stance on free speech absolutionism.

The conversation then moves to an insightful interview with Tom Alcock, founder of Code Red Partners, who shares his expertise in cybersecurity recruitment. He discusses the need to recruit beyond traditional methods, emphasising practical experience and diverse backgrounds.

Alcock also highlights the challenges of retaining cybersecurity talent, especially the importance of creating inclusive environments that foster engagement and prevent attrition to illicit opportunities. Diversity, he explains, plays a crucial role in bringing new perspectives and enhancing the overall effectiveness of cybersecurity recruitment.

The post TI:TALKS: Brazil bans X, plus finding cybersecurity talent with Tom Alcock appeared first on TechInformed.