TechForge recently caught up with Gil Pekelman, CEO of all-in-one IT management platform, Atera, to discuss how AI is becoming the IT professionals’ number one companion.
Can you tell us a little bit about Atera and what it does?
We launched the Atera all-in-one platform for IT management in 2016, so quite a few years ago. And it’s very broad. It’s everything from technical things like patching and security to ongoing support, alerts, automations, ticket management, reports, and analytics, etc.
Atera is a single platform that manages all your IT in a single pane of glass. The power of it – and we’re the only company that does this – is it’s a single codebase and single database for all of that. The alternative, for many years now, has been to buy four or five different products, and have them all somehow connected, which is usually very difficult.
Here, the fact is it’s a single codebase and a single database. Everything is connected and streamlined and very intuitive. So, in essence, you sign up or start a trial and within five minutes, you’re already running with it and onboarding. It’s that intuitive.
We have 12,000+ customers in 120 countries around the world. The *** is our second-largest country in terms of business, currently. The US is the first, but the *** is right behind them.
What are the latest trends you’re seeing develop in AI this year?
From the start, we’ve been dedicated to integrating AI into our company’s DNA. Our goal has always been to use data to identify problems and alert humans so they can fix or avoid issues. Initially, we focused on leveraging data to provide solutions.
Over the past nine years, we’ve aimed to let AI handle mundane IT tasks, freeing up professionals for more engaging work. With early access to Chat GPT and Open AI tools a year and a half ago, we’ve been pioneering a new trend we call Action AI.
Unlike generic Generative AI, which creates content like songs or emails, Action AI operates in the real world, interacting with hardware and software to perform tasks autonomously. Our AI can understand IT problems and resolve them on its own, moving beyond mere dialogue to real-world action.
Atera offers Copilot and Autopilot. Could you explain what these are?
Autopilot is autonomous. It understands a problem you might have on your computer. It’s a widget on your computer, and it will communicate with you and fix the problem autonomously. However, it has boundaries on what it’s allowed to fix and what it’s not allowed to fix. And everything it’s allowed to deal with has to be bulletproof. 100% secure or private. No opportunity to do any damage or anything like that.
So if a ticket is opened up, or a complaint is raised, if it’s outside of these boundaries, it will then activate the Copilot. The Copilot augments the IT professional.
They’re both companions. The Autopilot is a companion that takes away password resets, printer issues, installs software, etc. – mundane and repetitive issues – and the Copilot is a companion that will help the IT professional deal with the issues they deal with on a day-to-day basis. And it has all kinds of different tools.
The Copilot is very elaborate. If you have a problem, you can ask it and it will not only give you an answer like ChatGPT, but it will research and run all kinds of tests on the network, the computer, and the printer, and it will come to a conclusion, and create the action that is required to solve it. But it won’t solve it. It will still leave that to the IT professional to think about the different information and decide what they want to do.
Copilot can save IT professionals nearly half of their workday. While it’s been tested in the field for some time, we’re excited to officially launch it now. Meanwhile, Autopilot is still in the beta phase.
What advice would you give to any companies that are thinking about integrating AI technologies into their business operations?
I strongly recommend that companies begin integrating AI technologies immediately, but it is crucial to research and select the right and secure generative AI tools. Incorporating AI offers numerous advantages: it automates routine tasks, enhances efficiency and productivity, improves accuracy by reducing human error, and speeds up problem resolution. That being said, it’s important to pick the right generative AI tool to help you reap the benefits without compromising on security. For example, with our collaboration with Microsoft, our customers’ data is secure—it stays within the system, and the AI doesn’t use it for training or expanding its database. This ensures safety while delivering substantial benefits.
Our incorporation of AI into our product focuses on two key aspects. First, your IT team no longer has to deal with mundane, frustrating tasks. Second, for end users, issues like non-working printers, forgotten passwords, or slow internet are resolved in seconds or minutes instead of hours. This provides a measurable and significant improvement in efficiency.
There are all kinds of AIs out there. Some of them are more beneficial, some are less. Some are just Chat GPT in disguise, and it’s a very thin layer. What we do literally changes the whole interaction with IT. And we know, when IT has a problem things stop working, and you stop working. Our solution ensures everything keeps running smoothly.
What can we expect from AI over the next few years?
AI is set to become significantly more intelligent and aware. One remarkable development is its growing ability to reason, predict, and understand data. This capability enables AI to foresee issues and autonomously resolve them, showcasing an astonishing level of reasoning.
We anticipate a dual advancement: a rapid acceleration in AI’s intelligence and a substantial enhancement in its empathetic interactions, as demonstrated in the latest OpenAI release. This evolution will transform how humans engage with AI.
Our work exemplifies this shift. When non-technical users interact with our software to solve problems, AI responds with a highly empathetic, human-like approach. Users feel as though they are speaking to a real IT professional, ensuring a seamless and comforting experience.
As AI continues to evolve, it will become increasingly powerful and capable. Recent breakthroughs in understanding AI’s mechanisms will not only enhance its functionality but also ensure its security and ethical use, reinforcing its role as a force for good.
What plans does Atera have for the next year?
We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of Autopilot, scheduled for release in a few months. While Copilot, our comprehensive suite of advanced tools designed specifically for IT professionals, has already been instrumental in enhancing efficiency and effectiveness, Autopilot represents the next significant advancement.
Currently in beta so whoever wants to try it already can, Autopilot directly interacts with end users, automating and resolving common IT issues that typically burden IT staff, such as password resets and printer malfunctions. By addressing these routine tasks, Autopilot allows IT professionals to focus on more strategic and rewarding activities, ultimately improving overall productivity and job satisfaction.
For more information, visit atera.com
Atera is a sponsor of TechEx North America 2024 on June 5-6 in Santa Clara, US. Visit the Atera team at booth 237 for a personalised demo, or to test your IT skills with the company’s first-of-kind AIT game, APOLLO IT, for a chance to win a prize.
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.
The post Gil Pekelman, Atera: How businesses can harness the power of AI appeared first on AI News.
View the full article
For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
TechForge recently caught up with Gil Pekelman, CEO of all-in-one IT management platform, Atera, to discuss how AI is becoming the IT professionals’ number one companion.
Can you tell us a little bit about Atera and what it does?
We launched the Atera all-in-one platform for IT management in 2016, so quite a few years ago. And it’s very broad. It’s everything from technical things like patching and security to ongoing support, alerts, automations, ticket management, reports, and analytics, etc.
Atera is a single platform that manages all your IT in a single pane of glass. The power of it – and we’re the only company that does this – is it’s a single codebase and single database for all of that. The alternative, for many years now, has been to buy four or five different products, and have them all somehow connected, which is usually very difficult.
Here, the fact is it’s a single codebase and a single database. Everything is connected and streamlined and very intuitive. So, in essence, you sign up or start a trial and within five minutes, you’re already running with it and onboarding. It’s that intuitive.
We have 12,000+ customers in 120 countries around the world. The *** is our second-largest country in terms of business, currently. The US is the first, but the *** is right behind them.
What are the latest trends you’re seeing develop in AI this year?
From the start, we’ve been dedicated to integrating AI into our company’s DNA. Our goal has always been to use data to identify problems and alert humans so they can fix or avoid issues. Initially, we focused on leveraging data to provide solutions.
Over the past nine years, we’ve aimed to let AI handle mundane IT tasks, freeing up professionals for more engaging work. With early access to Chat GPT and Open AI tools a year and a half ago, we’ve been pioneering a new trend we call Action AI.
Unlike generic Generative AI, which creates content like songs or emails, Action AI operates in the real world, interacting with hardware and software to perform tasks autonomously. Our AI can understand IT problems and resolve them on its own, moving beyond mere dialogue to real-world action.
Atera offers Copilot and Autopilot. Could you explain what these are?
Autopilot is autonomous. It understands a problem you might have on your computer. It’s a widget on your computer, and it will communicate with you and fix the problem autonomously. However, it has boundaries on what it’s allowed to fix and what it’s not allowed to fix. And everything it’s allowed to deal with has to be bulletproof. 100% secure or private. No opportunity to do any damage or anything like that.
So if a ticket is opened up, or a complaint is raised, if it’s outside of these boundaries, it will then activate the Copilot. The Copilot augments the IT professional.
They’re both companions. The Autopilot is a companion that takes away password resets, printer issues, installs software, etc. – mundane and repetitive issues – and the Copilot is a companion that will help the IT professional deal with the issues they deal with on a day-to-day basis. And it has all kinds of different tools.
The Copilot is very elaborate. If you have a problem, you can ask it and it will not only give you an answer like ChatGPT, but it will research and run all kinds of tests on the network, the computer, and the printer, and it will come to a conclusion, and create the action that is required to solve it. But it won’t solve it. It will still leave that to the IT professional to think about the different information and decide what they want to do.
Copilot can save IT professionals nearly half of their workday. While it’s been tested in the field for some time, we’re excited to officially launch it now. Meanwhile, Autopilot is still in the beta phase.
What advice would you give to any companies that are thinking about integrating AI technologies into their business operations?
I strongly recommend that companies begin integrating AI technologies immediately, but it is crucial to research and select the right and secure generative AI tools. Incorporating AI offers numerous advantages: it automates routine tasks, enhances efficiency and productivity, improves accuracy by reducing human error, and speeds up problem resolution. That being said, it’s important to pick the right generative AI tool to help you reap the benefits without compromising on security. For example, with our collaboration with Microsoft, our customers’ data is secure—it stays within the system, and the AI doesn’t use it for training or expanding its database. This ensures safety while delivering substantial benefits.
Our incorporation of AI into our product focuses on two key aspects. First, your IT team no longer has to deal with mundane, frustrating tasks. Second, for end users, issues like non-working printers, forgotten passwords, or slow internet are resolved in seconds or minutes instead of hours. This provides a measurable and significant improvement in efficiency.
There are all kinds of AIs out there. Some of them are more beneficial, some are less. Some are just Chat GPT in disguise, and it’s a very thin layer. What we do literally changes the whole interaction with IT. And we know, when IT has a problem things stop working, and you stop working. Our solution ensures everything keeps running smoothly.
What can we expect from AI over the next few years?
AI is set to become significantly more intelligent and aware. One remarkable development is its growing ability to reason, predict, and understand data. This capability enables AI to foresee issues and autonomously resolve them, showcasing an astonishing level of reasoning.
We anticipate a dual advancement: a rapid acceleration in AI’s intelligence and a substantial enhancement in its empathetic interactions, as demonstrated in the latest OpenAI release. This evolution will transform how humans engage with AI.
Our work exemplifies this shift. When non-technical users interact with our software to solve problems, AI responds with a highly empathetic, human-like approach. Users feel as though they are speaking to a real IT professional, ensuring a seamless and comforting experience.
As AI continues to evolve, it will become increasingly powerful and capable. Recent breakthroughs in understanding AI’s mechanisms will not only enhance its functionality but also ensure its security and ethical use, reinforcing its role as a force for good.
What plans does Atera have for the next year?
We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of Autopilot, scheduled for release in a few months. While Copilot, our comprehensive suite of advanced tools designed specifically for IT professionals, has already been instrumental in enhancing efficiency and effectiveness, Autopilot represents the next significant advancement.
Currently in beta so whoever wants to try it already can, Autopilot directly interacts with end users, automating and resolving common IT issues that typically burden IT staff, such as password resets and printer malfunctions. By addressing these routine tasks, Autopilot allows IT professionals to focus on more strategic and rewarding activities, ultimately improving overall productivity and job satisfaction.
For more information, visit atera.com
Atera is a sponsor of TechEx North America 2024 on June 5-6 in Santa Clara, US. Visit the Atera team at booth 237 for a personalised demo, or to test your IT skills with the company’s first-of-kind AIT game, APOLLO IT, for a chance to win a prize.
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.
The post Gil Pekelman, Atera: How businesses can harness the power of AI appeared first on AI News.
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For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
OpenAI has secured a deal to access real-time content from Reddit through the platform’s data API.
This allows OpenAI to incorporate conversations from Reddit into ChatGPT and other new products, echoing a previous agreement that the platform had with Google, reportedly valued at $60 million.
The partnership enables OpenAI to better sample the datasets on which their models are trained, allowing AI systems to become more precise and context-aware. For human communication and natural language processing, this means models like ChatGPT can stay continually updated with one of the vastest collections of public discourse available, enabling them to respond more effectively.
As part of this collaboration, Reddit will be able to develop and release new AI-powered tools for its users and moderators, utilising OpenAI’s advanced language models. This collaboration could result in more effective moderation tools and a set of features specifically designed to help users better understand thread information. Features might include summarising content or assisting users in forming responses to replies without having to write everything from scratch.
The primary goal of these features is to refine language interactions for all users. Moreover, as part of this partnership, OpenAI will serve as an advertising partner, enabling Reddit to offer ads that are more tailored and relevant, utilising OpenAI’s capacity to capture the subtleties of user behaviour.
The reaction of Reddit’s community to this partnership ******** uncertain, but their historical engagement and vocal opposition to unfavourable executive decisions, such as those during the protests over API pricing, suggest they may respond vigilantly. The acceptance of this partnership will hinge critically on OpenAI’s ability to maintain user privacy and adhere to Reddit’s platform norms.
From OpenAI’s viewpoint, partnering with Reddit signifies a crucial strategic development. It positions the company to highlight its prominent AI technology in direct competition with giants such as Google and Microsoft, and crucially, within the integral realm of social media. For Reddit, this collaboration could provide a substantial advantage over less progressive platforms, potentially reshaping its image and attracting more users.
The partnership offers great promise but also raises critical ethical and methodological questions. Integrating real-time user-generated data to advance AI capabilities could lead to privacy violations and potentially restrict users’ freedom of expression. Additionally, this application of AI might clash with existing ethical norms.
Steve Huffman, the CEO of Reddit, supports the integration, stating it will promote more relevant content and improve community engagement, consistent with the vision of a connected internet. However, navigating the implications of this deal is complex, particularly in light of Reddit’s history with data scraping issues and recent copyright disputes.
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.
The post OpenAI secures key partnership with Reddit appeared first on AI News.
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Microsoft has launched a new type of personal computer designed with AI capabilities, underscoring the company’s commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology across its product lineup.
This new category not only boosts Microsoft’s ventures but also positions it to compete directly with AI-led advancements from tech giants such as Alphabet and Apple. During an event at Microsoft’s campus in Redmond, Washington, CEO Satya Nadella unveiled the Copilot+ PCs. These computers, developed in collaboration with manufacturers like Acer and Asustek Computer, align with Microsoft’s stock prices reaching near all-time highs amid Wall Street’s expectations that AI will significantly boost earnings for major tech firms.
These PCs are engineered to manage a greater share of AI tasks locally, reducing reliance on cloud data centres. Priced from $1,000, the devices are slated to begin shipping on June 18. The lineup includes laptops from established manufacturers such as Dell Technologies, HP, and Samsung Electronics, complemented by two models from Microsoft itself.
Technical innovations and product range
The Surface Laptop, Microsoft’s inaugural Copilot+ device, features a Qualcomm Snapdragon X series system-on-chip. This chip includes a built-in AI accelerator capable of delivering up to 45 tera operations per second (TOPS) of computing power. Available in 13.5-inch and 15-inch models, these laptops offer up to 64 gigabytes of RAM and 1 terabyte of flash storage.
Joining the Surface Laptop is the new Copilot+ version of the Surface Pro, a versatile two-in-one PC. This 10.6-inch tablet converts into a laptop with a detachable keyboard, known as the Flex Keyboard, which also functions as a wireless connector and stylus charger for the Surface Pro.
Both the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro are equipped with the Snapdragon X processor, available with up to 32 gigabytes of RAM and one terabyte of storage. The high-end models feature an OLED display, enhancing visual quality significantly.
A distinctive feature of the Copilot+ series is “Recall,” which allows the device to log all user activities—from web browsing to voice chats—and store this data locally. This functionality creates a searchable history that users can access to revisit past activities, even months later.
Yusuf Mehdi, head of consumer marketing at Microsoft, announced at the press event that the company anticipates selling 50 million AI PCs in the coming year. He emphasised that the enhanced capabilities of AI assistants, now operating directly on these PCs, will make a compelling case for consumers considering upgrades.
Despite a 15% decline in global PC shipments last year, according to Gartner, Microsoft is optimistic about the potential market share for its Copilot+ PCs.
Analyst Ben Bajarin from Creative Strategies remarked: “People just need to be convinced that the device experience alone justifies this entirely new category of Copilot+ machines.”
Echoing Intel’s 2011 strategy with the “Ultrabook,” which aimed to compete against Apple’s MacBook Air, Microsoft’s introduction of the “Copilot+” category is poised to redefine the slim-form Windows laptop market.
Microsoft also revealed that GPT-4o, the latest advancement from OpenAI’s ChatGPT, will soon be integrated into Copilot. Additionally, the new series of Surface Pro tablets and Surface Laptops will incorporate Qualcomm chips based on Arm Holdings’ designs, utilising the innovative Prism technology to adapt software originally designed for Intel and AMD processors for use on Arm-based systems.
At a recent demonstration, Microsoft showcased how its new devices, running Adobe photo editing software, outperformed an Apple device, just weeks after Apple introduced a new AI-focused chip expected to enhance future laptops.
Challenges and opportunities in the evolving PC market
Facing strong competition in the traditional PC market, Microsoft continues to lead in integrating the latest AI trends into consumer products. This strategic initiative, fueled by its partnership with OpenAI, aims to secure a leadership position in the fiercely competitive AI industry, challenging rivals like Alphabet.
Just last week, both OpenAI and Alphabet’s Google introduced new AI technologies that support real-time, voice-responsive interactions, establishing new benchmarks for AI voice assistants. Meanwhile, Windows PC manufacturers are contending with increased pressure from Apple, whose custom Arm-based chips have set new standards in battery life and performance.
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.
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As artificial intelligence continues to progress at an unprecedented rate, developing new and innovative AI tools has become crucial for shaping the future of the industry. However, keeping up with all the latest advancements can often feel overwhelming, with new tools emerging every day across diverse domains and applications.
This is where AI Parabellum steps in as a one-stop destination to uncover the most cutting-edge AI tools from around the world. As the premier AI tools directory, AI Parabellum aims to bring all innovators and enthusiasts together on a single platform. By spotlighting the top AI tools curated from the vast landscape, AI Parabellum serves as a guide for anyone interested in staying at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field.
A Central Hub for AI Tool Discovery
With its easy-to-navigate directory format, AI Parabellum provides a bird’s-eye view of the AI tool ecosystem. Browsing through different categories like image, text, video, audio and more, users can discover the most promising tools spanning various industries. Some tools you may come across include image generators for visual creations, chatbots for conversational services, and text generators for writing assistance.
AI Parabellum also maintains an extensive list of the 500+ best AI tools ranked by traffic, giving a comprehensive overview of the most popular tools making waves currently. This curated selection acts as a starting point for anyone looking to evaluate the top-performing solutions in the market. With regular updates, the directory ensures users have their fingers on the pulse of the latest trends and developments.
A Platform for AI Creators
In addition to being a discovery hub, AI Parabellum doubles up as a platform for AI tool creators to showcase their work. On the Submit AI Tool page, creators can list their AI tool with options for verified, featured and premium listings. This provides an opportunity to get their innovations exposed to a dedicated audience of potential users and investors.
Listings offer valuable promotion through placement in relevant categories and ranking in search results. For creators, it serves as an effective strategy to expand user base, gather valuable feedback and take their tool to the next level. With AI Parabellum’s widespread reach and dedicated following, being featured offers high visibility and recognition that can help tools gain true momentum in the industry.
Simplifying AI Adoption
As AI becomes increasingly pervasive across all walks of life, platforms like AI Parabellum play a crucial role in simplifying adoption. By acting as a one-stop catalog, it reduces the effort needed to discover suitable solutions. The easy browsing and thorough reviews further help evaluate options quickly based on specific needs.
For organisations and businesses, AI Parabellum eases the process of shortlisting potential AI partners. Individuals also benefit from the curated selection to learn about emerging trends and explore tools relevant to their interests. In bringing the AI community together, such directories foster greater accessibility of this powerful technology for all.
In summary, AI Parabellum has established itself as a premier destination for both exploring the innovative universe of AI tools and getting creations recognised by a global audience. For anyone interested in staying at the cutting-edge of this revolutionary domain, AI Parabellum is a must-visit to uncover the future ahead.
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.
The post Discovering the future of AI – Introducing AI Parabellum (an AI tools directory) appeared first on AI News.
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AI has made some – to put it mildly – big changes in our world in recent years, and although nobody can say for sure what it’s going to do next or what kind of impact it’s going to have on many aspects of our lives, people are eagerly looking out for those alterations (some with slight trepidation). What does it mean for those who love the buzz and thrill of the casino world?
Precise predictions are, of course, challenging to make, but it’s likely that AI is going to make major alterations soon to the way the gambling world works. Now, we’re going to caveat the whole article by reminding people that AI is a long way from perfect at the moment (and that’s generating some serious concerns and major complaints), but it’s also pretty powerful and has a lot of potential… so let’s unpack that!
What’s AI Already Doing?
You might (or might not) be surprised to learn that AI is already doing a lot of work in the online casino; it’s responsible for a whole lot of the computing that goes on behind the scenes (where, let’s be honest, most players aren’t looking), and it helps casinos across the planet function effectively, ensuring their games work – and work well.
We all know that AI doing a lot of the legwork when it comes to making online games play – it’s got to be able to respond effectively to player behavior, make intelligent decisions, and present even the best players with worthy opponents that can test their skills. And does it do so? Yes… staggeringly well at times.
AI does some other major jobs too, one of them being to analyze player behavior for both safety and personalization reasons. In terms of safety, it’s got some hard-hitting advantages: it can learn how an individual player generally behaves when gambling online and look for discrepancies that could indicate ****** is occurring. The account can then be paused while an investigation takes place – potentially saving players from losing large amounts of money to scammers! Sounds pretty good to us.
Next, AI bumps up the relevance of offers and bonuses, again by watching what players do online. They’ll note what promos and deals you click on, respond to your preferences, and create offers that have been honed to exactly match your tastes! This is a great way to enhance the casino experience for players; you’re not just getting any old offer in your inbox, but a proper, useful offer that aligns with the games you play and the things you like (well, most of the time; we all know this isn’t perfect yet!).
The new power casinos have to analyze player behavior can also lead to better regulations and more responsible gambling, creating win-wins for everyone involved.
What’s Coming Next?
Next, let’s turn our sights to that exciting horizon, and the anticipation of what we might see in the future. Well, firstly, it’s going to become better and better at playing games, as mentioned above – the more we train AIs, the better they become at their various tasks. So even the games where they currently don’t excel are likely to become better in the future.
We’re also likely to see better graphics hitting the scene, as AIs improve their ability to generate images well. Got a favorite online live poker game, for example? The graphics might already seem swish but wait until a few years down the line… they’ll be unbelievable, especially if they get coupled with VR at some point! We’re looking forward to seeing how *********** online casino games (and other casino games, for that matter!) develop as time passes.
Their player analysis is likely to improve too. We’ve all laughed at how bad computers seem to be at predicting our likes and dislikes at times (we’re sure you’ve experienced that moment where you get a dozen ads for a product you’ve already purchased, for example), but it is getting better… and we don’t see that trend going away any time soon. Of course, the more data the AI has, the better its predictions become, so it’s likely that casinos are going to bump up their focus on customer loyalty even more, which is no bad thing. It often leads to increased offers and bonuses to encourage you to stick with them, and nobody is complaining about that!
It’s hard to predict what else may come out of these exciting trends, but one thing is for sure: this isn’t slowing down or going away, and we’re expecting to see some intriguing developments in the next few years as more and more companies adopt and invest in AI. Casinos are just one small element, but they’re a fantastic example of where AI is now and what we might see coming as time progresses!
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.
The post Is AI going to upend the face of gambling? appeared first on AI News.
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76% of consumers in EMEA think AI will significantly impact the next five years, yet 47% question the value that AI will bring and 41% are worried about its applications.
This is according to research from enterprise analytics AI firm Alteryx.
Since the release of ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022, there has been significant buzz about the transformative potential of generative AI, with many considering it one of the most revolutionary technologies of our time.
With a significant 79% of organisations reporting that generative AI contributes positively to business, it is evident that a gap needs to be addressed to demonstrate AI’s value to consumers both in their personal and professional lives. According to the ‘Market Research: Attitudes and Adoption of Generative AI’ report, which surveyed 690 IT business leaders and 1,100 members of the general public in EMEA, key issues of trust, ethics and skills are prevalent, potentially impeding the successful deployment and broader acceptance of generative AI.
The impact of misinformation, inaccuracies, and AI hallucinations
These hallucinations – where AI generates incorrect or illogical outputs – are a significant concern. Trusting what generative AI produces is a substantial issue for both business leaders and consumers. Over a third of the public are anxious about AI’s potential to generate fake news (36%) and its misuse by hackers (42%), while half of the business leaders report grappling with misinformation produced by generative AI. Simultaneously, half of the business leaders have observed their organisations grappling with misinformation produced by generative AI.
Moreover, the reliability of information provided by generative AI has been questioned. Feedback from the general public indicates that half of the data received from AI was inaccurate, and 38% perceived it as outdated. On the business front, concerns include generative AI infringing on copyright or intellectual property rights (40%), and producing unexpected or unintended outputs (36%).
A critical trust issue for businesses (62%) and the public (74%) revolves around AI hallucinations. For businesses, the challenge involves applying generative AI to appropriate use cases, supported by the right technology and safety measures, to mitigate these concerns. Close to half of the consumers (45%) are advocating for regulatory measures on AI usage.
Ethical concerns and risks persist in the use of generative AI
In addition to these challenges, there are strong and similar sentiments on ethical concerns and the risks associated with generative AI among both business leaders and consumers. More than half of the general public (53%) oppose the use of generative AI in making ethical decisions. Meanwhile, 41% of business respondents are concerned about its application in critical decision-making areas. There are distinctions in the specific areas where its use is discouraged; consumers notably oppose its use in politics (46%), and businesses are cautious about its deployment in healthcare (40%).
These concerns find some validation in the research findings, which highlight worrying gaps in organisational practices. Only a third of leaders confirmed that their businesses ensure the data used to train generative AI is diverse and unbiased. Furthermore, only 36% have set ethical guidelines, and 52% have established data privacy and security policies for generative AI applications.
This lack of emphasis on data integrity and ethical considerations puts firms at risk. 63% of business leaders cite ethics as their major concern with generative AI, closely followed by data-related issues (62%). This scenario emphasises the importance of better governance to create confidence and mitigate risks related to how employees use generative AI in the workplace.
The rise of generative AI skills and the need for enhanced data literacy
As generative AI evolves, establishing relevant skill sets and enhancing data literacy will be key to realising its full potential. Consumers are increasingly using generative AI technologies in various scenarios, including information retrieval, email communication, and skill acquisition. Business leaders claim they use generative AI for data analysis, cybersecurity, and customer support, and despite the success of pilot projects, challenges remain. Despite the reported success of experimental projects, several challenges remain, including security problems, data privacy issues, and output quality and reliability.
Trevor Schulze, Alteryx’s CIO, emphasised the necessity for both enterprises and the general public to fully understand the value of AI and address common concerns as they navigate the early stages of generative AI adoption.
He noted that addressing trust issues, ethical concerns, skills shortages, fears of privacy invasion, and algorithmic bias are critical tasks. Schulze underlined the necessity for enterprises to expedite their data journey, adopt robust governance, and allow non-technical individuals to access and analyse data safely and reliably, addressing privacy and bias concerns in order to genuinely profit from this ‘game-changing’ technology.
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Intelligent automation (IA) technologies are graduating from being operational to highly strategic. In terms of the bottom line, it’s even more impressive.
A study from SS&C Blue Prism, conducted by Forrester Consulting and published in April, put together a composite organisation representative of five customers interviewed. The conclusion was that, over three years, there were key gains in IA from greater productivity to compliance cost avoidance, to improved employee experience and retention. This represented an overall net present value of $53.4 million (£42.5m) per customer.
Yet this may just be the tip of the iceberg. Dan Segura, enterprise sales manager at SS&C Blue Prism, notes one healthcare client who, in what is described as a ************* estimate, delivered savings of more than $140m overall on cost avoidance and recoup. Another healthcare client delivered a use case with a claimed $43m benefit on its own; a **** which recouped overtime pay for nurses and staff during the pandemic.
“They built it in an afternoon,” Segura explains. “It’s a perfect example of being in the right place at the right time; and having the right skills and technology being ready.”
Many of the technologies which comprise intelligent automation have been around for a long time, such as classic RPA (robotic process automation) or OCR (optical character recognition). SS&C Blue Prism’s document automation, which forms part of the latter, is described as a ‘game-changer’ by Segura. “There’s a lot of these processes, whether it’s going to be ********* by a ****** or a human,” he says. “First things first, we’ve got to get data off documents.
“Automation is not just doing simple tasks anymore thanks to the introduction of AI and generative AI” he adds. “There’s now more understanding, whether it’s assessing information from documents, information from a message, structuring things that are semi-structured or unstructured, to drive the process or complete the process.”
Segura describes wider business process management (BPM) and process orchestration tool Chorus, meanwhile, as ‘one of the world’s best kept secrets.’ Or, at least, it was; in November analyst Everest Group named the tool as a leader and star performer in its Process Orchestration Products PEAK Matrix.
The tool is now getting leverage outside the traditional finance and insurance fields. “It is how millions and millions of transactions and pieces of work are getting done every day,” says Segura. “We’re now seeing adoption [elsewhere] alongside automation to orchestrate their work and give them that end-to-end work orchestration, visibility, and efficiency gains with whatever they have going on.”
So how does a use case come to life? It is often a mixture of inspiration and perspiration. Where SS&C Blue Prism comes in is to ‘help customers catch lightning’, as Segura puts it. “We’ve all been in that situation where it’s like ‘oh if I were running this place, here’s what I would do’,” he says. “Intelligent automation gives you the opportunity to reimagine your processes and transform how you get work done. Once that light switch turns on, and the initial use case is built, that’s really the secret sauce of SS&C Blue Prism; it’s that realisation and awareness of what intelligent automation can deliver.
“We’re always learning from our customers,” adds Segura. “It’s at their direction because they know their business and processes better than anybody. Combine their business expertise with the transformational power of intelligent automation and its digital workforce, then that’s where the magic happens.”
Any organisation, argues Segura, regardless of the industry, has change agents and citizen builders in waiting. Don’t think that’s a misnomer; the term is definitely ‘builder’.
“I hear about these citizen developer programmes, and they’ll say, ‘here we have 500, 1000 citizen developers.’ What I don’t hear is, ‘and with this army of citizen developers we’ve achieved this’,” says Segura. “Whereas I have customers where two people have basically become citizen builders with more of a robust type of approach.” The $43m healthcare single use case is a case in point. “It is the whole mantra of SS&C Blue Prism,” adds Segura. “We’re designed to go after those higher value chain automations that can have a tangible impact on some of the company’s key objectives.”
So, you have the idea, the value proposition, and the capability to build it out. How do you make it stick? Every organisation is different; though if your company has a continuous process improvement department then that can be a good place to start. Segura likens it to offshoring processes. “You don’t just wave it goodbye and never think about it again,” he explains. “At the end of the day, it still has to function.
“You’re not just ‘digital-shoring’ [automation] and it will essentially be taken care of by digital. Someone has to continuously improve the process; someone has to mind when something changes with the business rules or regulatory compliance; somebody has to be responsible for making sure that those changes are kept up in an agile way.”
SS&C Blue Prism has a longstanding, large US retail customer that combines that lightning capture with the right internal culture around automation. This is a company that has 72,000 employees, as well as 60 ‘digital workers’ executing more than 150 automations. One such automation, through using OCR technology, lets the company automate the processing of inbound customer orders received by digital fax.
The overall result is 6.2 million transactions processed to date, and 250,000 hours of work returned to the business. But there is one extra ingredient required, particularly for a big company: discipline.
“It took them a while to get to that point in maturity,” explains Segura. “They do have a very central function when it comes to the intelligent automation team, [but] keep in mind one of those processes is in supply chain. That process is regularly reviewing 4.2 million purchase orders; it’s minding 50 million inventory case volume; it’s going through two million SKUs for 8000 suppliers.
“This is highly iterative, but it’s that process of having that lightning rod to capture the requirements and give people who are not necessarily technical a platform and a methodology to iterate very closely with the intelligent automation team,” adds Segura.
Think of what SS&C Blue Prism does therefore as providing a superhero cape for those who don’t otherwise get the chance to step into the limelight. It is a message the company will look to broadcast at the Intelligent Automation event in Santa Clara on 5-6 June.
“SS&C Blue Prism opens up that door to enable your citizen builders really make an impact and deliver strategic benefits to the company,” says Segura. “You’re not just playing with a pilot, not just fooling around with something; you’re really getting into the strategic objectives of the company.”
Photo by Tara Winstead
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Tech Mahindra, a global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions, has collaborated with IBM to help organisations sustainably accelerate generative AI use worldwide.
This collaboration combines Tech Mahindra’s range of AI offerings, TechM amplifAI0->∞, and IBM’s watsonx AI and data platform with AI Assistants.
Customers can now combine IBM watsonx’s capabilities with Tech Mahindra’s AI consulting and engineering skills to access a variety of new generative AI services, frameworks, and solution architectures. This enables the development of AI apps in which organisations can use their trusted data to automate processes. It also provides a basis for businesses to create trustworthy AI models, promotes explainability to help manage risk and bias, and enables scalable AI adoption across hybrid cloud and on-premises environments.
According to Kunal Purohit, Tech Mahindra’s chief digital services officer, organisations focus on responsible AI practices, and incorporating generative AI technologies to revitalise enterprises.
“Our work with IBM can help advance digital transformation for organisations, adoption of GenAI, modernisation, and ultimately foster business growth for our global customers,” Purohit added.
To further enhance business capabilities in AI, Tech Mahindra has established a virtual watsonx Centre of Excellence (CoE), which is already operational. This CoE functions as a co-innovation centre, with a dedicated team tasked with maximising synergies between the two companies and producing unique offerings and solutions based on their combined capabilities.
The collaborative offerings and solutions developed through this partnership could help enterprises achieve their goals of constructing machine learning models using open-source frameworks while also enabling them to scale and accelerate the impact of generative AI. These AI-driven solutions have the potential to aid organisations enhance efficiency and productivity responsibly.
Kate Woolley, GM of IBM Ecosystem, emphasised the collaboration’s potential, adding that generative AI may serve as a catalyst for innovation, unlocking new market opportunities when built on a foundation of explainability, transparency, and trust.
Woolley said: “Our work with Tech Mahindra is expected to expand the reach of watsonx, allowing even more customers to build trustworthy AI as we seek to combine our technology and expertise to support enterprise use cases such as code modernisation, digital labour, and customer service.”
This collaboration aligns with Tech Mahindra’s continuous endeavour to transform enterprises with advanced AI-led offerings and solutions, including their recent additions like Vision amplifAIer, Ops amplifAIer, Email amplifAIer, Enterprise Knowledge Search offering, Evangelize Pair Programming, and Generative AI Studio.
It is worth mentioning that the two companies have previously collaborated. Earlier this year, Tech Mahindra announced the opening of a Synergy Lounge in conjunction with IBM on the company’s Singapore campus. This Lounge seeks to accelerate digital adoption for APAC organisations. It aids in operationalising and leveraging next-generation technologies such as AI, intelligent automation, hybrid cloud, 5G, edge computing, and cybersecurity.
Beyond Tech Mahindra, IBM watsonx has been used in other collaborations to speed up the deployment of generative AI. Also happened early this year, the GSMA and IBM announced a new partnership to support the use and capabilities of generative AI in the telecom industry by launching GSMA Advance’s AI Training program and the GSMA Foundry Generative AI program.
In addition, there is a digital version of the program that covers both the commercial strategy and technology fundamentals of generative AI. This initiative uses IBM watsonx to provide hands-on training for architects and developers seeking in-depth practical generative AI knowledge.
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
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Google has unveiled a series of updates to its AI offerings, including the introduction of Gemini 1.5 Flash, enhancements to Gemini 1.5 Pro, and progress on Project Astra, its vision for the future of AI assistants.
Gemini 1.5 Flash is a new addition to Google’s family of models, designed to be faster and more efficient to serve at scale. While lighter-weight than the 1.5 Pro, it retains the ability for multimodal reasoning across vast amounts of information and features the breakthrough long context window of one million tokens.
“1.5 Flash excels at summarisation, chat applications, image and video captioning, data extraction from long documents and tables, and more,” explained Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind. “This is because it’s been trained by 1.5 Pro through a process called ‘distillation,’ where the most essential knowledge and skills from a larger model are transferred to a smaller, more efficient model.”
Meanwhile, Google has significantly improved the capabilities of its Gemini 1.5 Pro model, extending its context window to a groundbreaking two million tokens. Enhancements have been made to its code generation, logical reasoning, multi-turn conversation, and audio and image understanding capabilities.
The company has also integrated Gemini 1.5 Pro into Google products, including the Gemini Advanced and Workspace apps. Additionally, Gemini Nano now understands multimodal inputs, expanding beyond text-only to include images.
Google announced its next generation of open models, Gemma 2, designed for breakthrough performance and efficiency. The Gemma family is also expanding with PaliGemma, the company’s first vision-language model inspired by PaLI-3.
Finally, Google shared progress on Project Astra (advanced seeing and talking responsive agent), its vision for the future of AI assistants. The company has developed prototype agents that can process information faster, understand context better, and respond quickly in conversation.
“We’ve always wanted to build a universal agent that will be useful in everyday life. Project Astra, shows multimodal understanding and real-time conversational capabilities,” explained Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
“With technology like this, it’s easy to envision a future where people could have an expert AI assistant by their side, through a phone or glasses.”
Google says that some of these capabilities will be coming to its products later this year. Developers can find all of the Gemini-related announcements they need here.
See also: GPT-4o delivers human-like AI interaction with text, audio, and vision integration
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The UAE is making big waves by launching a new open-source generative AI model. This step, taken by a government-backed research institute, is turning heads and marking the UAE as a formidable player in the global AI race.
In Abu Dhabi, the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) unveiled the Falcon 2 series. As reported by Reuters, this series includes Falcon 2 11B, a text-based model, and Falcon 2 11B VLM, a vision-to-language model capable of generating text descriptions from images. TII is run by Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council.
As a major oil exporter and a key player in the Middle East, the UAE is investing heavily in AI. This strategy has caught the eye of U.S. officials, leading to tensions over whether to use ********* or ******** technology. In a move coordinated with Washington, Emirati AI firm G42 withdrew from ******** investments and replaced ******** hardware, securing a US$1.5 billion investment from Microsoft.
Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary General of the Advanced Technology Research Council and an adviser on strategic research and advanced technology, proudly states that the UAE is proving itself as a major player in AI. The release of the Falcon 2 series is part of a broader race among nations and companies to develop proprietary large language models. While some opt to keep their AI code private, the UAE, like Meta’s Llama, is making its groundbreaking work accessible to all.
Al Bannai is also excited about the upcoming Falcon 3 generation and expresses confidence in the UAE’s ability to compete globally: “We’re very proud that we can still punch way above our weight, really compete with the best players globally.”
Reflecting on his earlier statements this year, Al Bannai emphasised that the UAE’s decisive advantage ***** in its ability to make swift strategic decisions.
It’s worth noting that Abu Dhabi’s ruling family controls some of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, worth about US$1.5 trillion. These funds, formerly used to diversify the UAE’s oil wealth, are now critical for accelerating growth in AI and other cutting-edge technologies. In fact, the UAE is emerging as a key player in producing advanced computer chips essential for training powerful AI systems. According to Wall Street Journal, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with investors, including Sheik Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who runs Abu Dhabi’s major sovereign wealth fund, to discuss a potential US$7 trillion investment to develop an AI chipmaker to compete with Nvidia.
Furthermore, the UAE’s commitment to generative AI is evident in its recent launch of a ‘Generative AI’ guide. This guide aims to unlock AI’s potential in various fields, including education, healthcare, and media. It provides a detailed overview of generative AI, addressing digital technologies’ challenges and opportunities while emphasising data privacy. The guide is designed to assist government agencies and the community leverage AI technologies by demonstrating 100 practical AI use cases for entrepreneurs, students, job seekers, and tech enthusiasts.
This proactive stance showcases the UAE’s commitment to participating in and leading the global AI race, positioning it as a nation to watch in the rapidly evolving tech scene.
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
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