ChatGPT's role in the fake news phenomenon
Following its explosion onto the scene in November 2022, it has been hard to ignore ChatGPT. With the ability to answer questions, solve problems, and create content -- to name just a few of its competencies -- the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot can be hugely beneficial to businesses and employees. Whether used to avoid trawling the internet for the answer to a question, write a blog post, or simply inspire an idea for a new product, it can certainly help cut costs and save time and resources.
Yet, the use of ChatGPT has caused a lot of debate and controversy. One of the main areas of concern is around employment -- if AI can do the same, if not a better, job than humans, for a fraction of the cost, are business leaders likely to replace humans with this technology? Goldman Sachs has predicted that as many as 300 million full-time jobs could be diminished or lost to AI and automation technology. However, it is not as straightforward as some of the most pessimistic outlooks make it seem.
The new challenger bank ethos: Why sustainability is fueling the next wave of disruption
If you were to take their marketing at face value, you’d assume that big banks were leading the finance sector’s charge regarding sustainability. And while they undoubtedly play an essential role, especially when financing major renewable energy projects and the like, the biggest disruption comes from challenger banks.
Increasingly, popular challenger banks such as Monzo and Starling, for example, are marketing themselves as more sustainable, capitalizing on a growing desire for banks to prioritize the environment. In fact, a recent report found that 67 percent of customers want their bank to be more sustainable.
RIP AdDuplex
AdDuplex, the cross-promotion network targeted at Windows apps and games, has announced plans to shut down. The service allowed developers and publishers to promote apps for free by helping each other. That's not all it did though. Over the years, when BetaNews reported on usage share for Microsoft's various operating systems -- Windows 11 versus Windows 10, for example -- those share figures came from AdDuplex.
That is about to end however, as after more than 12 years, AdDuplex finds it is no longer able to continue.
Majority of Brits are concerned about their digital identity and take steps to protect it
A new study of over 1,200 members of the UK public shows that 72 percent of respondents say they are concerned about the privacy of their digital identity, while 75 percent are concerned that the mobile apps they have are utilizing data to track their online and, sometimes, offline activity.
Perhaps more significant though is that 81 percent of people have bothered to read the small print and then decided to actively deny the permissions that an app is hoping to be given.
Real-time web data -- a new source of competitive intelligence [Q&A]
Gathering real-time public web data for business intelligence is a new competitive asset for some companies, but little information is available about the use cases for such data.
We spoke to Aleksandras Šulženko, product owner at Oxylabs.io, to learn more about how web data can be a valuable resource for enterprises.
Microsoft is tweaking the Windows 11 Start menu to highlight its own apps
Microsoft is testing a change to the Start menu in Windows 11 that will make it clearer which shortcuts relate to system apps. Built-in apps and tools are highlighted with a new "System" badge.
The update came in recent build of the operating system, but is not currently enabled by default. With a little tweaking, however, it is possible to switch on the new Start menu labeling system.
The SaaS-data protection disconnect: Are you sleepwalking into a catastrophe?
In recent years, demand for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions such as Salesforce, Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 has exploded. Indeed, by 2025 it’s been projected that SaaS will account for 85 percent of the software that organizations use.
While these cloud-powered software services are now mission-critical for most organizations, many are sleepwalking their way into a potential data loss disaster. Why? Because they’re relying on their SaaS providers to do all the heavy lifting where data protection is concerned.
Three must-know cybersecurity building blocks
The increasing sophistication of cybercriminals significantly influences the rise in cybercrime, the frequent lack of sufficient cybersecurity measures, and the high profitability of cybercrime. Cybercriminals constantly refine their skills, developing advanced malware and phishing techniques to bypass security protocols. This progress often outpaces many businesses' and individuals' ability to safeguard their digital assets -- as a lack of resources, underestimation of risk, or insufficient awareness often results in inadequate cybersecurity measures. Further fueling this upward trend is the lucrative nature of cybercrime, with offenders able to amass significant profits from stolen money or data, often with a low risk of apprehension due to the anonymity of the internet and digital currencies.
A recent BlackBerry Global Threat Intelligence Report observed up to 12 attacks per minute from December 2022 to February 2023, and the number of unique attacks using new malware samples skyrocketed by 50 percent -- from one per minute in the previous report to 1.5 per minute during this reporting period. The most common weapons were droppers, downloaders, remote access tools (RATs), and ransomware, with the most significant target being the healthcare industry.
AmigaLive: Play classic Amiga games with others over the Internet
The Commodore Amiga was a very popular home computer. Introduced in 1985 originally as a successor to Commodore's even more popular C-64 home computer, it became a favorite of many with the introduction of the Amiga 500.
The 16-bit Amiga battled it out with the 16-bit Atari ST and several other devices in the 80s and early 90s. Amiga users of the time enjoyed some of the finest games ever produced up to this time. Games like Cadaver, Moonstone, The Secret of Monkey Island and Indiana Jones series of adventures, Lemmings, Cannon Fodder, Wizball, Another World, and Defender of the Crown were some of the defining titles of the era.
Consumers want personalized experience but worry about sharing the data that drives it
European consumers want the personal touch in marketing communications, but are reluctant about sharing the data that enables it.
A new report, from customer engagement platform Twilo, shows 51 percent of European consumers say they will become repeat buyers after a good personalized experience, while 49 percent will tell a friend or family member, and 33 percent will become a member of the brand's loyalty program for deals and rewards.
As Twitter flounders, rivals Mastodon and Bluesky flourish, and Meta launches Threads on Thursday
The rocky journey for Twitter continues under Elon Musk, with this weekend seeing bizarre constraints introduced in an attempt to reduce unspecified "data scraping". Users of the service found themselves hit with rate limit warnings as Twitter placed restrictions on the number of tweets that can be viewed each day.
Rival Mastodon has already seen a steady influx of Twitter escapees, and this continued over the weekend with a 300,000 jump in the number of active users; Bluesky is also faring well, to the point that sign-ups have been paused to allow for tweaks and fixes to be implemented to accommodate the levels of interest. But now eyes are turning towards Meta, as the Facebook owner prepares for the launch this Thursday of its own Twitter alternative, Threads by Instagram.
Linux-based Fatdog64-814 debuts as the final release of the 800 series
Today, the folks behind the lightweight Fatdog64 Linux distribution announce the release of the final version in the 800 series, Fatdog64-814. The developers confirmed that no further releases are planned for this series. However, that's far from the end of the road for Fatdog64 -- the project will continue to innovate and evolve with a brand-new base, the 900 series.
Taking a closer look at the updates from the previous version, Fatdog64-814 incorporates Linux-5.19.17, known for its low-latency, 1000Hz, dynamic preemption. A testament to its commitment to keeping current, the team has included microcode updates as recent as those of October 2022.
Memory-based attacks increase as attackers dodge cloud defenses
A new report shows a 1,400 percent increase in fileless or memory-based attacks, which exploit existing software, applications, and protocols to perform malicious activities against cloud-based systems.
The research from Aqua Security's Nautilus research team collected honeypot data over a six-month period and shows that more than 50 percent of the attacks focused on defense evasion.
The pros and cons of outsourcing data analytics
Today, companies utilize data analytics not only to understand past performance but also to predict future trends and make strategic decisions. However, as the volume and complexity of data continue to grow, many companies find it challenging to manage their data analysis needs in-house. Outsourcing data analytics has emerged as a potential solution to this challenge, and it is expected to become an increasingly popular option.
According to a report by Allied Market Research, the data analytics outsourcing market is projected to see an impressive compound annual growth rate of 29.4 percent between 2017 and 2023. In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of outsourcing data analytics, thereby providing insights to assist businesses in making informed decisions regarding this critical aspect of their operations.
Securing supply chains: Navigating risks in the evolving threat landscape
Across the interconnected global economy, complex supply chains ensure the seamless flow of goods and services across every industry. However, as cyber threats continue to evolve, organizations throughout this ecosystem are, often unknowingly, being exposed to more and more security risks as a direct result of being part of the chain. This creates a range of critical challenges for organizations whose very existence is dependent on the reliability and integrity of their supply chains at all their various levels.
Understanding the various stages of contemporary supply chains -- from material sourcing to manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, and distribution -- is essential for identifying potential vulnerabilities, with each stage susceptible to different types of risks.
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