The Hack Newsletter - Edition 37 | Think Cloud

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💥📣Edition 37 of The Hack - Beyond ChatGPT: Harnessing the Power of DSAI Triad for Real Business Growth

Content Quick Links:

Beyond ChatGPT: Harnessing the Power of DSAI Triad for Real Business Growth

How to make the pain of passwords go away.

The Hack Podcast

New to Microsoft /New to Google

Quote/Tech fact/Did You Know

Tech Update

Meet The Team

Helping the Community

Fun Tech Quiz

Secure Your Success with a Cyber Risk Assessment

PROMPT TUTORIAL:80/20 Learning Prompt

You’d be lost without it, so don’t forget email security

BUSINESS GADGET OF THE MONTH

Q&A

Welcome To Our Monthly Newsletter,

Beyond ChatGPT: Harnessing the Power of DSAI Triad for Real Business Growth.

The ChatGPT phenomenon has propelled AI into the global spotlight. Yet, for business leaders, the true potential of AI lies beyond the generative chatbot hype. It rests in the strategic intersection of data, security, accessibility, and intelligence (DSAI). This combination is the key to unlocking tangible growth and outpacing competitors in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

The DSAI Triad: Your Roadmap to Post-ChatGPT AI Success

Let's break down the DSAI framework:

Data Security: In the cloud era, robust data security is non-negotiable. It builds the trust that powers AI adoption. Prioritise solutions with advanced encryption, access controls, and compliance with industry regulations.

Data Accessibility: Siloed data is wasted data. The right cloud solutions democratise data access across teams, enabling cross-functional insights and speeding up informed decision-making.

Data-Intelligence: This is where AI shines brightest. Advanced algorithms and machine learning models turn your data into actionable insights, driving everything from hyper-personalized customer experiences to predictive supply chain operations.

ChatGPT and now Google Gemini: Charting the Course for AI's Industry Impact

Google Cloud Next 2024's recent announcements provide exciting tools to amplify your DSAI strategy:

Vertex AI Agent Builder: Create AI-powered agents and conversational interfaces with unprecedented ease. Streamline customer support, automate internal processes, and provide intuitive self-service options that boost customer satisfaction and reduce overhead.

Gemini 1.5 Pro: Harness the power of cutting-edge language models for deeper analysis, complex reasoning, and more nuanced customer interactions. This opens doors to AI-driven content generation, intelligent market research, and more.

Open-Source Integration: Google's embrace of open-source models grants you greater flexibility. Fine-tune AI tools for your specific business needs and integrate them seamlessly with your existing workflows.

Key Takeaways

Stay away from the hype. Instead, focus on how DSAI can solve your core business challenges and drive tangible ROI.

Invest in cloud-based solutions. They provide the scalability, security, and accessibility needed to leverage AI's potential fully.

Seek partners who prioritise usability. Look for intuitive, 'no-code' platforms like Vertex AI Agent Builder that empower business users to shape AI applications directly.

How to make the pain of passwords go away.

Passwords. They’re the keys to our digital kingdoms and the most significant pain in our necks. They’ve been around since the dawn of the internet, and guess what? Even with replacements being introduced, they’re not going away anytime soon.

I’m sure you’ve felt the pain of managing a billion passwords for all your accounts. It’s exhausting and risky. Perhaps it’s time you considered using a password manager.

The natural beauty of password managers is you only have to remember one password – the master password to log in to your manager. Then, it does everything else for you.

It creates long, random passwords.

It remembers them and stores them safely

And it will even fill them into the login page for you

That means no more racking your brain trying to remember if your password is “P@ssw0rd123” or “Pa55w0rd123” (both are really bad and dangerously weak passwords by the way). With a password manager, all the work is done for you.

We won’t sugarcoat it – password managers aren’t invincible. Like all superheroes, they have their weaknesses. Cybercriminals can sometimes trick password managers into auto-filling login details on fake websites.

But there are ways to outsmart criminals. First, disable the automatic autofill feature.

Yes, it’s convenient, but better safe than sorry, right? Only trigger autofill when you’re 100% sure the website is legit.

When choosing a password manager, go for one with strong encryption and multi-factor authentication (MFA), where you generate a code on another device to prove you are the user. These extra layers of security can make a big difference in making your accounts impenetrable.

Enterprise password managers offer helpful features like setting password policies and analysing your teams’ passwords for vulnerabilities. Plus, they often come with behaviour analysis tools powered by machine learning tech. Highly recommended.

But here’s the thing – no matter how advanced your password manager is, it’s only as good as the person using it. So, do yourself a favour: Train your team to stay vigilant against scams, and always keep your password manager up to date.

THE HACK PODCAST

Prepare to explore the profound realms of leadership and innovation in our forthcoming Hack episode. We are honored to host Dan Cockerell, who previously served as the Vice President of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Florida. Envision cultivating an environment where creativity thrives, teamwork is standard practice, and innovation propels achievement. Dan will share invaluable insights on guiding a team with seemingly magical prowess, leveraging his remarkable experiences leading one of the world's most cherished attractions.

Listen here!

NEW TO MICROSOFT 365

More AI features are coming to Teams Chat.

Microsoft Copilot is going to open up a load of new features in Teams Chat,

making it easier and more convenient to use.

AI supported features will include better call quality, intelligent call recaps, and messaging composition, as well as new hybrid camera tech that can move between office-based and remote attendees during calls.

NEW TO GOOGLE WORKSPACE

Share and collaborate using spaces in Chat.

Never miss a minute of brainstorming in your next meeting. Collaborate with your team in a chat space. Conversations are organised into different conversation threads in spaces, so you and your team can discuss multiple subjects at the same time. Converse with co-workers, share files and other online resources, and work together on team projects.

TECH FACTS

iPod creator Tony Fadell had his MP3 player idea rejected by both Phillips and RealNetworks before turning to Apple, who loved the idea. And the rest, as they say, is history.

An older phone that doesn’t have smartphone capabilities is known as a “dumb” phone.

Microsoft reported 32 million daily active users of Teams on 11th March 2020. By 28th October that same year, that number had risen to 115 million. Wonder why…?

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“Get closer than ever to your customers. So close that you tell them what they need well before they realise it themselves.”

Steve Jobs, former CEO of App

You could soon type with your eyes?

Sounds crazy, but Microsoft is developing an Eye-Gaze technology that will help people type and interact with applications using just their eyes.

It uses so-called ‘dwell-free’ typing, meaning you’d just need to look at keys on a screen and the technology would – supposedly – understand the actions you want to take. The tech also uses AI to gather information that makes predicting behaviour patterns more accurately.

Do you think that’s cool… or scary?!

Tech Update

Canva is about to get bigger.

If you do any kind of graphic design in your business, you may be familiar with Canva. It’s one of the best tools out there for non-designers. In a surprise announcement, Canva recently revealed its acquisition of Affinity’s Photo, Designer, and Publisher apps.

These are alternatives to Adobe’s professional design apps. We haven’t heard yet what changes, if any, are coming…but stay tuned.

Meet The Team

Full name

Rachael Burton

Role

Sales Administration Assistant

What Do You Do At Think Cloud?

I do the Sales Administration, helping to organise and prepare quotes and look after the sales team.

What Is Your Favourite Movie?

I don't have a favourite movie but I love all of the Harry Potter films.

What Do You Enjoy Doing When Not At Work?

I enjoy spending time with family and friends and my dogs, as well as going out for walks and meals/drinks

What 3 Items Would You Take On A Desert Island?

My laptop so I can watch endless amounts of Netflix, my dogs and loads of chocolate.

What's Different About Working At Think Cloud?

I've worked in a few larger companies but I love working with such a small number of people, it feels more like a family and everyone is so lovely, it makes coming into work worth it!

Helping the Community

In Q1 2024, Think Cloud demonstrated commitment to social responsibility by donating £1 for every ticket feedback received.

With 394 responses, we proudly raised £394 for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

Kudos to the team for their impactful contribution!

FUN TECH QUIZ

MAY THE QUIZ BE WITH YOU!

What does URL stand for?

What was the most downloaded app of the 2010s?

What was the first game controller with vibration feedback?

Before Google’s mobile s AdOS, what was Android developed for?

Before it was knows as Adobe Photoshop, what was the earlier version of the software called?

Answers at the bottom of the page, Young Jedi!

Secure Your Success with a Cyber Risk Assessment

In today's fast-evolving digital landscape, cybersecurity is more than a technical requirement; it's a strategic asset for business success. That's why we're introducing our Cyber Risk Assessment service, designed to enhance your cybersecurity posture while mitigating risks before they escalate.

Guaranteeing Peace of Mind

We understand the importance of trust in business decisions, especially when it comes to cybersecurity investments. To ensure you can make this critical decision with confidence, we offer our Cyber Risk Assessment with a 100% money-back guarantee. If you're not satisfied, you face zero risk.

PROMPT TUTORIAL:80/20 Learning Prompt

80/20 Learning Prompt

"I want to learn about AI. Identify

and share the most important 20%

of learnings from this topic that will

help me understand 80% of it."

You’d be lost without it, so don’t forget email security

Let’s talk about something super important: Email security.

Yep, we know it might not sound like the most thrilling topic, but it’s a big deal. Businesses like yours face more cyber threats than ever.

We’ve seen our fair share of cyber attacks, and let us tell you, many of them start with a simple email (official figures say it’s a massive 90%!). Yep, that innocent-looking message in your inbox could be the gateway for cyber criminals to wreak havoc on your business.

So, why is keeping your business email secure so important? Well, for starters, it’s your first line of defence against cyber attacks. Think of it like locking the front door of your house to keep out intruders. If your email is secure, you’re making it a whole lot harder for cyber criminals to sneak in and steal your sensitive data.

But implementing proper email security measures safeguards your valuable data from getting lost or falling into the wrong hands. It’s not just cyber criminals you’re at risk from; an employee could accidentally leave a laptop on a train or in a coffee shop.

That could mean all your important business communications and documents were suddenly open for someone else to read. It would be a nightmare, right?

You might be thinking, “But I’m just a small business. Why would I be a target?” Ah, but here’s the thing – cyber criminals don’t discriminate based on business size.

In fact, small and medium-sized businesses are often seen as easier targets. That’s because they may not have the same level of security measures in place as larger corporations. So, don’t think you’re off the hook just because you’re not a Fortune 500 company.

Now that we’ve established why email security is crucial, let’s talk about how you can ramp up your defences. First off, use strong, unique passwords for your email accounts. None of that “p@ssW0rd123” nonsense, please. Better still, use a password manager to create and store uncrackable passwords.

Consider implementing two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security (where you generate a login code on another device to prove it’s you). And don’t forget to keep your software and security patches up to date – those updates often contain important fixes for vulnerabilities that cyber criminals love to exploit.

Lastly, educate your employees about the importance of email security. They could be your strongest defence or your weakest link when it comes to keeping your business safe from cyber threats.

Teach them how to spot phishing emails (emails pretending to be from someone you trust) and what to do if they suspect something isn’t right.

Get In Touch

BUSINESS GADGET OF THE MONTH

MELIFO monitor light bar

Your home office set up may take a little adjustment to get just right.

This monitor light bar will help create exactly the right lighting for your desk without creating glare on your screen or illuminating the whole room. It reduces eye strain, it’s cheap, and it’s easy to set up. Oh, and it looks really cool too!

£189.99 from Amazon

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

QUESTION

Will a free VPN (Virtual Private Network) provide enough security for my employees’ work phones?

ANSWER

It’s a good idea to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) when using any public Wi-Fi, to make sure no one is snooping on what

you’re doing online.

QUESTION

I hate sudden reboots for updates on

Windows 11, is there a way to avoid them?

ANSWER

Yes! Open “settings” and click on “Windows update” and then“advanced options”, you can then set your “Active hours”. Updates can be scheduled, where possible, outside of these hours.alistic budget, get in touch.

QUESTION

I hate my password manager, is it easy to change?

ANSWER

You can export your data, but it’s important to use a secure computer to do it. You should also be careful

not to back up the unencrypted file.

We can help you – get in touch.