AI Safety Tools, Diversity in IT, Voice Tech Risks, and RMM Market Shifts

[00:00:01] It's Tuesday, December 17th, 2024, and I'm Dave Sobel. Four things to know today.

[00:00:06] AI observability gets real. Anthropics Clio detects threats and offers a blueprint for safer AI.

[00:00:14] Same story, different quarter. IT leadership still struggles with diversity.

[00:00:19] AI voices burn out and big bets, why guardrails and guidance are your best AI tools. And

[00:00:24] big shift in RMM, Kaseya tops ConnectWise, but can they hold the crown?

[00:00:30] This is the Business of Tech. Anthropics has developed a tool called Clio, designed to identify

[00:00:37] new threats and unknown harms in using its AI chatbot, Claude. Recently, Clio detected a coordinated spam

[00:00:45] network attempting to manipulate search engine optimization by generating text through Claude.

[00:00:50] This internal tool analyzes a million conversations to cluster similar topics and highlight suspicious

[00:00:57] activities. Anthropics found that the top uses for Claude include coding and software development,

[00:01:03] educational purposes, and business strategy, with the latter three categories accounting for only about

[00:01:08] 23 percent of interactions. The company aims to share Clio's methodology to encourage other AI labs to adopt

[00:01:16] similar strategies for monitoring and improving the safety of AI technologies. In the future, Anthropics

[00:01:22] can envision using Clio to understand the evolving job landscape and enhance safety evaluations based

[00:01:28] on real-world usage. The cost of operating Clio is roughly $48 per 100,000 conversations.

[00:01:36] Why do we care? It's encouraging to see a model provider invest in an observability and risk

[00:01:42] detection tool which must be integrated into AI deployments. Service providers offering AI solutions to

[00:01:48] customers to help customers must build similar governance frameworks or partner with vendors who can provide

[00:01:53] monitoring capabilities. Service providers could leverage Clio's model to develop new AI safety and

[00:02:00] monitoring services, offering clients real-time observability into their AI tools to identify risk,

[00:02:06] optimize performance, and ensure compliance. This would be a notable competitive advantage in a

[00:02:11] landscape where model providers are rapidly moving to commoditization.

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[00:03:10] Each quarter, this podcast releases our research data on the demographic makeup of IT leadership, broken down by race and

[00:03:17] sex. By surveying public websites, we're looking to track the change over time. This quarter, we surveyed 300 companies and 4,465

[00:03:26] humans, 47% vendors and 48% technology providers. This quarter, we found that 89% are white and 3.3% are black. The breakdown is also 78.6% male.

[00:03:39] The data remains similar between vendors and tech providers. And while last quarter was slightly different, this quarter was nearly the same.

[00:03:46] When we look at publicly traded or Fortune 100 companies, the numbers improved for women remain at 26%. The racial divide remains within 2%. This data is essentially identical to last quarter, the quarter before that, and the quarter before that.

[00:04:01] In Computer Weekly, a recent survey by 10th Revolution Group reveals that 71% of tech workers believe their workplaces are making strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

[00:04:10] The survey, part of their careers and hiring guide 2324 indicates that 69% of respondents say their employers are investing in DEI initiatives.

[00:04:21] However, progress has been slow. Figures from the British Computer Society show that the percentage of women in tech roles increased by only 4% in four years, while the number of individuals from black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds grew by just 2%.

[00:04:35] Despite these challenges, most tech professionals affirm the positive impact of the efforts, particularly among marginalized communities.

[00:04:43] Nonetheless, there are concerns that recent budget cuts and a lack of leadership support may hinder the effectiveness of these initiatives, especially for women, with 40% of women in tech indicating that their career choices are influenced by their caregiving responsibilities.

[00:04:59] Why do we care?

[00:05:01] The demographics have stayed the same.

[00:05:03] Here's a different take.

[00:05:04] The U.S. is entering a period where efforts to impact change are less popular or changing.

[00:05:10] By continuing to report on the demographics, we can evaluate the results of those policies.

[00:05:15] Diverse leadership is proven to drive better decision-making, innovation, and financial performance.

[00:05:20] As policies are removed or changed, we'll see if the situation changes.

[00:05:27] And a bit more in Experts Warn.

[00:05:29] A recent report from Recorded Future indicates that 11LAB's AI voice generation technology was likely used in a Russian influence operation aimed at undermining European support for Ukraine.

[00:05:41] The campaign, termed Operation Undercut, utilized AI-generated voiceovers in misleading videos that targeted European audiences, questioning military aid and portraying Ukrainian politicians as corrupt.

[00:05:55] Researchers verified the use of 11LAB's technology by submitting the videos to the company's AI speech classifier, which confirmed the AI origin of the audio.

[00:06:05] Although the operation's impact on public opinion was minimal, it highlights the potential for generative AI to be misused in disinformation campaigns.

[00:06:14] 11LAB's has faced scrutiny before, including an incident involving a robocall impersonating President Joe Biden during a primary election.

[00:06:22] The company has implemented safety measures to prevent unauthorized impersonation and has seen significant growth, with annual recurring revenue increasing from $25 million to $80 million in less than a year.

[00:06:34] A recent survey by EY reveals that as business leaders approach 2025, many are grappling with challenges related to artificial intelligence, including fatigue and burnout.

[00:06:45] Over half of senior leaders reported feeling like they are failing amid the rapid growth of AI, with enthusiasm for its adoption declining across organizations.

[00:06:55] Employees are struggling with overwhelming information and developments associated with AI.

[00:07:00] Despite these challenges, more than one-third of leaders plan to invest at least $10 million in AI next year, an increase from 30% six months ago.

[00:07:09] However, leaders cite infrastructure and data processes as obstacles to motivation and adoption.

[00:07:15] The growing interest in responsible AI practices has been noted, with three in five leaders wanting to focus more on the technology's risks and enhance employee training on responsible use in 2025.

[00:07:27] A recent report by Atacama reveals that 72% of data leaders fear failing to adopt artificial intelligence could lead to a competitive disadvantage.

[00:07:37] While 74% of organizations have implemented some AI solutions, only 33% have integrated them across their operations.

[00:07:46] The report highlights that data privacy and security concerns are major barriers to AI adoption, affecting 43% of respondents.

[00:07:55] Notably, 54% of all respondents feel pressured by the consequences of not adopting AI.

[00:08:01] The anticipated benefits include transforming customer service, with 57% believing it will enhance this area, particularly in smaller organizations.

[00:08:09] The report emphasizes the importance of clean data, with 51% of data leaders prioritizing data quality to maximize AI's potential for improving operational efficiency and decision-making.

[00:08:21] In the insurance sector, 68% view operational efficiency as a key driver for AI adoption.

[00:08:28] At the same time, healthcare organizations struggle with integrating legacy systems, but remain optimistic about AI's role in predictive analytics.

[00:08:37] And as highlighted in the Financial Times, businesses are facing challenges in managing employees' use of artificial intelligence tools.

[00:08:44] As companies increasingly integrate AI into their operations, leaders struggle to enforce policies regarding its usage.

[00:08:51] This concern comes with a growing reliance on technology to enhance productivity.

[00:08:56] Research indicates that over 70% of organizations are exploring AI solutions, yet many lack clear guidelines on implementation.

[00:09:04] The article highlights the importance of establishing comprehensive strategies to balance innovation with employee oversight,

[00:09:11] ensuring that AI tools are utilized effectively while maintaining organizational integrity.

[00:09:16] Why do we care?

[00:09:18] Service providers must prepare themselves and their clients for handling AI voices in scams.

[00:09:25] This is in a landscape of opportunity, as reported yesterday, and fatigue, burnout, and information overload.

[00:09:31] Standing still results in a competitive disadvantage, and to be successful, organizations have to be with their employees by issuing helpful guidance.

[00:09:40] That said, many organizations are still in the pilot phase, and the actual ROI of artificial intelligence remains unproven in many sectors.

[00:09:49] Go forth with guardrails against misuse, align to specific business goals, and invest in workforce training.

[00:09:56] Or offer that as a service.

[00:10:01] Per new Canalys data, in a significant market shift, ConnectWise has lost its long-held position as the number one provider of remote monitoring and management,

[00:10:10] a title it had maintained for 29 years, according to the organization.

[00:10:15] Kaseya has now taken the lead in market share.

[00:10:17] However, Kaseya's victory is tempered by its recent drop from the champions quadrant of Canalys' RMM-PSA leadership matrix,

[00:10:25] with Ninja 1 and Halo PSA now entering the competition.

[00:10:29] Notably, Ninja 1 has experienced impressive growth, increasing by 54% year-over-year, overtaking Enable to claim the third spot.

[00:10:37] Canalys' chief analyst Jay McBain highlighted that Kaseya is focusing on pricing strategies and bundling services,

[00:10:43] while ConnectWise is concentrating on its IASO platform.

[00:10:48] Why do we care?

[00:10:49] Kaseya is aggressive about pricing to win customers.

[00:10:52] Pricing flexibility and bundle offerings are attractive in the short term,

[00:10:56] but can create challenges for providers over time if the perceived value or innovation lags.

[00:11:03] For service providers, Kaseya's approach is an opportunity for cost management.

[00:11:07] Still, they need to weigh dependency risks, and notably, they've been moved out of that champions quadrant,

[00:11:12] raising questions about execution and customer satisfaction,

[00:11:16] which could be exploited by ConnectWise if their IASO investment pays off in accelerated product development.

[00:11:23] But here's the headline.

[00:11:25] Evaluate vendors beyond market share and focus on sustainable innovation,

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[00:12:26] Thanks for listening.

[00:12:28] Today is National Maple Syrup Day, National Device Appreciation Day,

[00:12:32] and our friends in the North and Canada also celebrate National Maple Syrup Day.

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