AI Innovations in Customer Service, Windows 11 Updates, and Apple's Healthcare Disruption

[00:00:02] [SPEAKER_00]: It's Thursday, September 19, 2024, and I'm Dave Solve, three things to note today.

[00:00:08] [SPEAKER_00]: A Slack, T-Mobile, and Adobe Launch AI agents linked in data practices highlight some growing trust issues.

[00:00:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Windows 11 version 24H2 rolls out amid looming Windows 10 and the support deadlines with some security challenges ahead,

[00:00:24] [SPEAKER_00]: and Apples Healthcare Move, AI and IT support, and next-gen reasoning models, balancing innovation with strategic caution.

[00:00:33] [SPEAKER_00]: This is the Business of Tech.

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_00]: And it's not just Salesforce releasing AI agents this week.

[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Slack is introducing AI agents from various partners, including Salesforce, Asana, Adobe, and others to enhance user workflows.

[00:00:51] [SPEAKER_00]: These agents will help users access and manage information directly within Slack, although they will have limited access to customer data.

[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_00]: While the integration aims to streamline tasks and improve productivity, there's a challenge in convincing users to adopt the tools, as many are still hesitant about AI adoption in the workplace.

[00:01:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Additionally, Slack is implementing features like conversation notes and AI driven workflows to enhance user experience further.

[00:01:19] [SPEAKER_00]: T-Mobile has partnered with OpenAI to create a new AI powered customer service platform called Intent CX, which aims to enhance customer interactions by analyzing call transcripts and identifying pain points.

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_00]: The initiative part of a multi-year collaboration will utilize OpenAI's technology and is set to begin implementation next year.

[00:01:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Both companies plan and develop additional AI tools with a focus on personalization and improving customer journeys.

[00:01:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Adobe is set to launch a new video model for its Firefly AI platform, enabling users to create short videos on demand through text to video and image to video features.

[00:02:03] [SPEAKER_00]: The model emphasizes commercial safety by using only public domain or licensed content.

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_00]: A tool called Genitive Extend will also be available for Adobe Premiere Pro to generate contextually aware content between footage.

[00:02:19] [SPEAKER_00]: The official release date is yet to be announced, but users can sign up for notifications on Adobe's website.

[00:02:26] [SPEAKER_00]: And what about all this training data?

[00:02:28] [SPEAKER_00]: LinkedIn has opted users into training-genitive AI models using their data without prior consent as part of a new privacy policy.

[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Users can opt out via account settings, but this does not affect data already used for training.

[00:02:46] [SPEAKER_00]: LinkedIn claims to use privacy enhancing technologies to protect personal data and does not train models on users from the EU, EEA or Switzerland.

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_00]: This move follows meta's recent admission of similar practices.

[00:03:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Why do we care?

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Provider's composition themselves as key players in the integration and ethical use of AI helping clients navigate these new schools effectively.

[00:03:12] [SPEAKER_00]: But they must also be prepared to address the growing scrutiny around data privacy and the potential for AI to disrupt traditional workflows in ways that aren't always positive.

[00:03:23] [SPEAKER_00]: How about just changing the policy?

[00:03:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, that's incredibly damaging to trust.

[00:03:29] [SPEAKER_00]: The note that's where they can get away with it. Those European users are protected.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_00]: There's a market in helping businesses integrate these AI tools effectively, offering consulting and support services to manage change and adoption.

[00:03:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And asking the hard questions about what customers are comfortable with.

[00:03:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Are you and your clients tired of the time-consuming ticket tennis of coordinating meetings and health desks calls?

[00:03:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Wouldn't it be better to automate this process with a tool that connects directly to connect wise manage or auto-task?

[00:04:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Time zest offers scheduling automation that gives you complete control of your schedule and eliminates the hassle of calendar paintball.

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_00]: As the only service designed specifically for MSPs, it integrates into your workflow and makes scheduling appointments easy on you and your clients.

[00:04:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Plus, you can try times S for free.

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Visit timesS.com slash MSB radio and use the code MSB radio to get 10% off your first year of time sets.

[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Microsoft will begin rolling out windows 11 version 24H2 to customers in October 2024,

[00:04:49] [SPEAKER_00]: following a preview release on September 24th.

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Throw that will occur in two milestones, the first milestone starting in June.

[00:04:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Users can opt into the update on September 24th or wait for the cumulative update on October 8th.

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Although 24H2 is a minor update with no major features, it includes useful tweaks and performance improvements,

[00:05:11] [SPEAKER_00]: particularly for AMD based PCs. Microsoft bases a significant challenge as Windows 10 approaches its end of

[00:05:19] [SPEAKER_00]: support date on October 14th 2025 with approximately 60% of Windows PCs still running this version.

[00:05:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Users will no longer receive security updates unless they pay for extended security updates,

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_00]: leaving many vulnerable to cyber attacks.

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_00]: There are many applications for users as the current market share of Windows 10 versus 11 is

[00:05:42] [SPEAKER_00]: significant and potential options for those unable to upgrade and it highlights the concerns about

[00:05:47] [SPEAKER_00]: security and the likelihood of continued use of outdated systems.

[00:05:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Why do we care? Microsoft phased rollout of Windows 11 version 24H2 and the approaching end of

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_00]: support for Windows 10 present both a challenge and an opportunity for IT service providers.

[00:06:04] [SPEAKER_00]: The minor nature of the update may not be enough to drive massive adoption,

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_00]: but the security implications of sticking with Windows 10 are too significant to ignore.

[00:06:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Service providers should be preparing now by assessing client systems for upgrade readiness.

[00:06:19] [SPEAKER_00]: It might include auditing hardware compatibility with Windows 11,

[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_00]: planning phased rollouts to minimize disruption and ensuring that all applications and

[00:06:26] [SPEAKER_00]: services are fully compatible with the new OS. And don't want to do this work?

[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_00]: You're distributed, does?

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_00]: It's time to get into some big ideas. I've mentioned apples moving to healthcare with making

[00:06:41] [SPEAKER_00]: the AirPods Pro 2 into hearing aids with a software update. Matt Stoller of Big Walks through

[00:06:47] [SPEAKER_00]: the History. The development stems from a 2017 congressional act that allowed over the counter

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_00]: hearing aids aiming to break up a market dominated by a few firms and reduced costs.

[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Previously hearing aids were expensive costing $3,000 to $5,000 per year. Partly due to FDA

[00:07:07] [SPEAKER_00]: regulations requiring prescriptions. The market was controlled by six major firms that integrated

[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_00]: vertically managing insurance plans and owning networks of audiologists. The over-the-counter

[00:07:19] [SPEAKER_00]: hearing aid act led by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Brassley and signed by President Trump

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_00]: mandated the FDA to allow hearing aids without prescriptions. However, the FDA initially delayed

[00:07:32] [SPEAKER_00]: implementation until pressured by the Biden administration. The regulatory change opened up the market

[00:07:39] [SPEAKER_00]: allowing companies like Apple to innovate. Technative asks, how will AI change the future of IT support?

[00:07:47] [SPEAKER_00]: AI is set to transform IT support by enhancing efficiency rather than replacing human roles.

[00:07:53] [SPEAKER_00]: It addresses challenges like skills gaps and rapid tech changes by automating routine tasks

[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_00]: and providing smart assistance. Successful implementation requires focusing on tasks suited for AI,

[00:08:05] [SPEAKER_00]: training staff on new tools and ensuring human oversight to maintain service quality. Companies

[00:08:11] [SPEAKER_00]: that effectively integrate AI will likely achieve higher customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

[00:08:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Tanejipurro with another great article highlighting how the cost of intelligence in AI is rapidly

[00:08:25] [SPEAKER_00]: decreasing, which EPD-4 equipped with intelligence dropping 240 times in 18 months.

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Key factors include increased competition among model developers, improved efficiency and

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_00]: compute, the rise of smaller and smarter models new model architectures and the shift towards

[00:08:43] [SPEAKER_00]: on device in France. As cost continued to decline, new applications and industries are likely to emerge.

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Something founders to focus on innovative use cases that become feasible with lower intelligence costs.

[00:08:58] [SPEAKER_00]: An MIT technology review explains why open AI's new reasoning model is a big deal.

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_00]: It ranks in the 89th percentile on codeforces competitive coding questions among the top

[00:09:09] [SPEAKER_00]: 500 high school students in the USA Math Olympiad with 83.3% accuracy on math Olympiad questions

[00:09:17] [SPEAKER_00]: versus 13.4% for GPT-4O. It has a 78% accuracy on PhD level questions versus 69.7% from human experts

[00:09:27] [SPEAKER_00]: and 56.1% from GPT-4O. The model uses chain of thought reasoning, potentially making it valuable

[00:09:35] [SPEAKER_00]: for fields like drug discovery, material science and physics. However, comparisons to human-level

[00:09:41] [SPEAKER_00]: skills should be approached cautiously and measuring true reasoning ability remains challenging.

[00:09:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Why do we care? Just to note, my own doctor wasn't aware of the apple moves into health care

[00:09:53] [SPEAKER_00]: and considered it a big deal. Pass that went on. Whether it's integrating consumer tech

[00:09:58] [SPEAKER_00]: in health care deploying AI to enhance IT support or leveraging next generation reasoning models,

[00:10:03] [SPEAKER_00]: the key is to maintain a strategic approach, balancing innovation with caution and ensuring that new

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_00]: technologies are implemented thoughtfully and responsibly.

[00:10:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Today's episode is supported by Huntress. You want to focus on your clients and are always looking

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[00:11:00] [SPEAKER_00]: G2. Visit huntress.com slash MSP radio to find out more. Thanks for listening today.

[00:11:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Talk like a pirate day. R. Taro the five-show with J. McBane from Canales will drop into your

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[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Once again, thanks for listening to me. I'll talk to you again on our next episode of The Business of Tech.