AI Disruption in the Job Market: Hits 90% of Workers, Voice Cloning Risks, Carbon-Neutral Hardware

[00:00:02] It's Tuesday, April 30th, 2024 and I'm Dave Sobel. Three things to note today. AI set to disrupt the job market

[00:00:09] impacting 90% of workers within a decade, says the University of Chicago professor.

[00:00:14] The AI ethical dilemma bumbles new features and the risks of voice cloning in cybersecurity and circular computing

[00:00:22] partners with Total IT Global to offer carbon neutral hardware as a service. This is the Business of Tech.

[00:00:32] With as many breaches and security concerns as I report in this show, it should be obvious that

[00:00:36] cybersecurity is not just about technology but also the human expertise needed to interpret and respond

[00:00:43] to complex threats. Huntress is focused on elevating SMBs and MSPs around the world.

[00:00:50] Huntress has a suite of fully managed cybersecurity solutions powered by a 24x7 human-led SOC,

[00:00:58] dedicated to continuous monitoring, expert investigation and rapid response.

[00:01:02] And the proof is the execution. Huntress is the number one rated EDR for SMBs on G2.

[00:01:11] Want to know more about the platform? Visit huntress.com slash MSP radio to learn more.

[00:01:20] According to professor Eric Posner of the University of Chicago,

[00:01:23] the job market will experience massive disruption as AI becomes more prominent.

[00:01:29] Researchers warn that AI could impact millions of jobs with up to 90% of workers having their

[00:01:34] jobs impacted and 9% completely displaced by AI in the next 10 years. Posner argues that there's

[00:01:42] no social safety net to protect workers, risk permanent unemployment and that the emotional

[00:01:48] toll of not contributing to society could be significant.

[00:01:53] According to a survey by Adobe Analytics, more than half of Americans at 53% have tried

[00:02:00] generative AI. The survey also found that 82% of respondents believe that generative AI

[00:02:05] enhances their creativity and simplifies their lives. Gen AI is used for personal

[00:02:11] projects at 81%, work 30% and school 17% with tasks including research and brainstorming at 64%,

[00:02:20] drafting written content 44% and creating visuals or presentations at 36%.

[00:02:27] Additionally, 41% of Americans expect brands to use generative AI to enhance customer service

[00:02:33] and 58% report improved online shopping experiences.

[00:02:38] Why do we care? The insight we care about is levels of adoption and then layering on the potential

[00:02:45] imp. I'm not an AI doomsayer, I'm naturally an optimist. I'm also aware of that inclination.

[00:02:53] Posner observes the risks and I don't disagree with any of them. I'll note that this was

[00:02:57] true before AI, so the question is how much of an accelerant is AI going to be?

[00:03:03] For MSPs and IT services companies, the opportunity is to help customers

[00:03:07] with their customer service needs. Where will the appropriate places to inject AI be?

[00:03:14] That's the area to focus on.

[00:03:18] Let's talk AI use cases with a lot of ethical concerns.

[00:03:22] Bumble, the woman first dating platform, is introducing a new feature called opening

[00:03:28] moves that allows women to pre-write opening lines to send images, reducing the pressure of

[00:03:34] coming up with new messages each time. Users can either type a custom message or choose from

[00:03:39] pre-composed questions. The feature has shown higher reply rates and longer

[00:03:44] conversations during testing. The company plans to relaunch its app with new AI-powered

[00:03:50] features and potentially allow men to send the first message.

[00:03:54] An AI-generated voice message was used to trick a company into using BBC presenter Liz Bonin's

[00:04:01] likeliness in an ad campaign without her permission. Howard Carter, CEO of Incognito,

[00:04:08] was tricked by an AI-generated voice impersonating the presenter, leading her to the unauthorized

[00:04:15] use in an advertisement. The scammer used a suspicious Facebook profile,

[00:04:20] voice messages, and a fake contract to convince Carter of the legitimacy,

[00:04:25] resulting in a £20,000 payment to a digital bank account.

[00:04:30] And according to the BBC, voice cloning technology has become increasingly effective

[00:04:35] and is of interest to actors and cyber criminals. The technology can generate a synthetic copy

[00:04:40] of a person's voice by replicating their accent, timbre pitch, pace, and breathe.

[00:04:46] Voice cloning has potential commercial applications, such as translating actors' voices into

[00:04:50] different languages, but also poses security risks, as it can be used for cybercrime.

[00:04:57] Why do we care? Take a moment and consider the implication of Bumble's automation.

[00:05:03] Right now, this is pre-written by a Hup. How tempting will it be to add AI to that?

[00:05:10] I see the value of automation in a recurring task. Just ponder how tempting to over-automate it will be.

[00:05:18] Which leads to voice cloning. Who owns a voice?

[00:05:22] In lieu of actual regulation, companies should be transparent about how AI is used in their

[00:05:27] services, particularly when it can affect interpersonal interactions or when it involves

[00:05:31] personal data. This includes implementing robust consent mechanisms for the use of

[00:05:36] personal data, including biometric identifiers. The potential for voice cloning technology to

[00:05:42] be used in scams and fraud, as demonstrated in the Ing-Tagnito ad scam, presents a significant

[00:05:48] security risk. Technology can be employed to bypass voice recognition systems or to deceive

[00:05:54] individuals in personal or professional contexts. Consider for a moment. Are you and your customers

[00:06:01] ready to handle this?

[00:06:05] Circular computing and Total IT Global are partnering to offer carbon-neutral hardware as a

[00:06:10] service to MSPs and IT consulting firms. The partnership aims to provide re-manufactured

[00:06:16] laptops that undergo a rigorous process to ensure performance equal to or better than new,

[00:06:22] while saving on emissions and on costs. Customers can leverage certified carbon-neutral

[00:06:27] IT hardware that produces significantly lower CO2 emissions compared to new laptops. The demand for

[00:06:34] re-parage computers in their laptops is expected to grow, presenting recurring revenue opportunities

[00:06:39] for MSPs and IT solution providers. Research suggests channeled partners are addressing

[00:06:44] sustainability at differing rates across Europe, North America, and other regions,

[00:06:49] according to Canalis Research. Why do we care? This is a distinctive

[00:06:55] competitive advantage. This partnership not only addresses a functional need in terms of providing

[00:07:00] efficient and cost-effective IT hardware, but also taps into a critical ethical imperative

[00:07:06] by promoting sustainability. In Europe, where there is generally a higher emphasis on sustainability,

[00:07:12] MSPs might find a more receptive market for carbon-neutral offerings.

[00:07:17] Conversely, in North America, where the market focus is more on cost efficiency

[00:07:21] and technological advancements, the challenge may lie in balancing these priorities with

[00:07:27] sustainability. As the industry shifts towards more sustainable practices, this initiative

[00:07:33] could set a benchmark for how MSPs and IT consulting firms approach hardware provision.

[00:07:39] And that's why we care.

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[00:09:43] Bye.