OpenAI Launches GPT-4 Omni, IBM Consulting Launches Copilot Runway, Solar Storm Disrupts GPS Farming

[00:00:01] It's Tuesday, May 14th, 2024, and I'm Dave Solt. Three things to know today.

[00:00:06] OpenAI launches GPT-4 Omni, their next-gen AI with real-time voice interaction capabilities.

[00:00:13] The Solar Storm disrupts GPS, impacting precision farming and critical agriculture operations.

[00:00:20] And IBM Consulting launches Copilot Runway to streamline AI integration in business workflows.

[00:00:28] This is the Business of Tech.

[00:00:31] Badline is OpenAI's announcements from yesterday.

[00:00:35] OpenAI has unveiled GPT-4 Omni, a flagship model capable of real-time verbal conversations with a human-like AI chatbot.

[00:00:44] GPT-4 O demonstrates impressive voice capabilities, including emotional expression and the ability to identify emotion and tone in users' speech.

[00:00:56] It can also process text, vision, and audio simultaneously, making it faster and more versatile.

[00:01:02] Users can interact with chat GPT in real-time, with an average response time of 320 milliseconds.

[00:01:10] OpenAI plans to release GPT-4 O as a desktop application for macOS as well,

[00:01:16] allowing users to start voice conversations with chat GPT directly from their computer.

[00:01:22] The demo showcased GPT-4 O's capabilities, although it did occasionally struggle to understand user intention.

[00:01:31] The references to the movie Her are intentional throughout it.

[00:01:35] OpenAI CEO Sam Altman hinted at the resemblance to the movie, expressed his admiration for it.

[00:01:43] AI startup Anthropic is updating its usage policy to allow minors to use third-party apps powered by its AI models,

[00:01:51] as long as specific safety features are implemented by the app developers.

[00:01:56] The safety measures include age verification systems, content moderation, and educational resources on responsible AI use for minors.

[00:02:05] Anthropic will also enforce compliance with child safety and data privacy regulations.

[00:02:10] The change in policy reflects the increasing use of generative AI tools by kids and teens for academic and personal purposes.

[00:02:18] Meta is exploring the development of AI-assisted earphones with cameras that could be used for object identification and language translation.

[00:02:27] The project, internally known as CameraBuds, is still in the design phase, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reviewing possible designs.

[00:02:37] Why do we care?

[00:02:38] Advances in the models are coming roughly every six to seven months, if you consider GPT-4 released in March of 2023 and GPT-4 Turbo in November.

[00:02:48] Interestingly, it's a slight step back in terms of training data, as Omni's data is through October 2023, while Turbo is through December 2023.

[00:02:58] We care because of the ease of upgrade.

[00:03:01] From first-hand experience, you point your application to the new model and you get the new capabilities.

[00:03:07] This ease of upgrade means that providers and their customers can quickly leverage the latest advancements without extensive redevelopment efforts,

[00:03:15] ensuring they stay competitive and deliver cutting-edge solutions to clients.

[00:03:19] It also means you have to stay up to date on a rapidly changing field.

[00:03:24] I added this speculation about Meta because of the form factor.

[00:03:28] I'll cover more spatial computing tomorrow, but I wanted to highlight the thinking about computing in new forms.

[00:03:36] Didn't want to miss this one from the weekend.

[00:03:39] That solar storm disrupted GPS and precision farming systems in tractors and agricultural equipment during the peak planting season,

[00:03:48] causing many farmers to halt their operations at a critical time for planting.

[00:03:53] The outages affected the accuracy of GPS systems, particularly the real-time kinematic systems used in modern tractors.

[00:04:01] Experts have warned about the vulnerability of modern tractors to satellite disruptions, and this incident highlights the potential impact on farming.

[00:04:09] Precision agriculture relies heavily on these systems for planting crops with uniform spacing,

[00:04:14] and any inaccuracies could lead to crop damage and reduced yield.

[00:04:19] The solar storm also raises concerns about the vulnerability of modern food supplies to GPS outages and cyber attacks targeting tractors and satellites.

[00:04:32] The event illustrates the importance of developing and implementing robust contingency plans

[00:04:36] and resilient infrastructure for clients in the agriculture sector, and in the broad sense, for everyone.

[00:04:42] By ensuring that farmers have backup systems and alternate solutions in place,

[00:04:46] providers can help mitigate the risks associated with disruptions and enhance the overall reliability of precision farm technologies.

[00:04:54] Precision farming relies heavily on real-time systems to ensure accurate planting,

[00:04:59] which is essential for optimizing crop yields and minimizing waste.

[00:05:03] The disruption forced many farmers to halt their operations during a peak planting season,

[00:05:08] potentially leading to economic losses and reduced productivity.

[00:05:13] It's a useful example for all.

[00:05:18] IBM Consulting has introduced Copilot Runway,

[00:05:21] a service that helps businesses integrate their own AI assistants into their workflows.

[00:05:26] Through this program, organizations can work with IBM consultants to create tailor-made copilots

[00:05:32] that integrate into their workflows and meet their specific needs.

[00:05:36] The program includes an adoption framework, a copilot accelerator,

[00:05:40] and access to pre-built copilots for various use cases.

[00:05:44] IBM is also expanding its IBM Microsoft Experience Zones

[00:05:49] to provide customers with hands-on workshops and testing of the Copilot Runway program.

[00:05:55] IBM Consulting's approach includes the Copilot Runway adoption framework,

[00:05:59] the Copilot Catalyst, and pre-built custom copilots for various use cases,

[00:06:03] such as procurement, customer service, and employee experience.

[00:06:08] Speaking of Copilot, according to analysts from Wedbush Securities,

[00:06:12] Microsoft has experienced its iPhone moment in AI,

[00:06:16] with its AI tool Copilot driving major momentum and benefiting its cloud products.

[00:06:22] Microsoft's investments in AI are predicted to continue pushing its cloud products forward

[00:06:27] with an estimated incremental $35-$40 of AI spend for every $100 of cloud Azure spend.

[00:06:35] Microsoft's first quarter report showed that AI is already paying off,

[00:06:38] with Microsoft Cloud generating $35.1 billion in revenue, up 23% year-over-year.

[00:06:46] Why do we care?

[00:06:48] IBM Consulting's offering is the big company equivalent of what I have been discussing on this show for SMB.

[00:06:54] An adoption workshop, process to implement, and training for customers.

[00:07:00] And we care because Microsoft investment is ideally the one for its partners too.

[00:07:05] The adoption framework and structured implementation process provided by IBM Consulting

[00:07:10] mirror the strategies MSPs can use to help their clients effectively leverage AI technologies.

[00:07:17] By offering similar services, providers can position themselves as valuable partners in the AI adoption journey,

[00:07:23] ensuring their clients benefit from the latest advancements while minimizing the challenges associated with implementation.

[00:07:30] This offers a blueprint for providing that value-added service that facilitate AI adoption and integration,

[00:07:37] ultimately driving client success and opening up new revenue streams.

[00:07:41] So it's not just me talking about it.

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[00:08:22] Thanks for listening. Today is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day and National Decency Day.

[00:08:29] So be decent of you to share a biscuit.

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[00:08:40] I'll be having a number of specific AI use cases on this week's live show, plus looks at the MSP market.

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[00:09:38] Once again, thanks for listening to me.

[00:09:41] I will talk to you again on our next episode of the Business of Tech.

[00:09:48] I'm Amy Jensen, and this has been a presentation of the MSP Radio Network.