The Hack Newsletter - Edition 41 | Think Cloud

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💥📣Edition 41 of The Hack - AI’s Turning Point: Why Microsoft’s $14.5 Billion Bet on OpenAI Changes Everything

Content Quick Links:

AI’s Turning Point: Why Microsoft’s $14.5 Billion Bet on OpenAI Changes Everything

2025 Predictions: And My Personal Highlight

The number one threat to your business? Ransomware

Tech Update

New to Microsoft /New to Google

Quote/Tech fact/Did You Know

Helping the Community

FUN TECH QUIZ

Christmas Opening Hours

PROMPT TUTORIAL

Need new hardware? Here’s where to start…

BUSINESS GADGET OF THE MONTH

Q&A

Welcome To Our Monthly Newsletter,

AI’s Turning Point: Why Microsoft’s $14.5 Billion Bet on OpenAI Changes Everything

This year marked a monumental shift. AI has moved from hype to necessity, and 2025 is set to be the year of Microsoft 365 Copilot. Backed by Microsoft’s $14.5 billion investment in OpenAI, Copilot is transforming how we work—automating reports in Excel, generating actionable insights in Teams, and turning ideas into reality.

At Think Cloud, this moment feels like the culmination of two decades of preparation. Scott pointed out we were one of the region’s first Microsoft Small Business Specialists way back in 2003, so we’ve always been ahead of the curve. In 2011, we moved clients to Google Workspace, which was the only true cloud-first platform back then. By 2018, we had rebranded to Think Cloud, aligning with the cloud-first future and supporting both productivity solutions depending on clients' true needs. With a clear goal: to go above and beyond virtual services and become a true extension of our clients’ teams.

During COVID, we launched our Cloud Academy to equip businesses with knowledge and know-how for the digital age. This includes free cybersecurity training and AI mastery courses like How-To-Master-ChatGPT-CoPilot-And-Gemini-In-One-Day.

Launching our Microsoft 365 and Copilot Readiness Assessment keeps us at the forefront of what we predicted was going to happen - See our video from when we first predicted The Power Of Microsoft Copilot In Your 2024 Business Strategy.

2025 Predictions: And My Personal Highlight

So after spending the day down a rabbit hole on stats Google Workspace is suggested to lead with 44% market share, Microsoft 365 follows at 30% (here's my research from Statista and by Fabio Duarte over on Exploding Topics there's a ton more but let's call it a two-horse race either way). For me startups will stick with Google, while Fortune 500 companies that moved to Google Workspace - (In fact, Google Workspace was being used by over 40% of Fortune 500 companies in 2023 ) these giants likely won’t switch—it’s tough to fix what isn’t broken. But as AI reshapes work, the battle for dominance will be all about AI capabilities in our work tools.

Which brings me back to Copilot, which is powered by OpenAI the gold standard in my eyes, with Gemini being late to the party, it feels like it's being held back......where do you think Google' search add revenue is going to go..... 🤔💭

This year, I shared my insights across the UK, just last month at the Personal Finance Society 2024 National Conference, “Rewired”, where I joined visionaries like Jason Bates, co-founder of Monzo and Starling, and F1 icons Guenther Steiner and Karun Chandhok. Together, we explored how AI and leadership are reshaping industries and preparing us for the future.

You can check out my keynote where I set the scene for what lays ahead - And do not miss the future jobs report section, where I take a deep dive into the top 10 skills we all need in our organisations...... and yes, you guessed it, AI and Technology are slap bang front and centre, as are some forgotten human skills of resilience and adaptability.

Today, we are proud of the truly amazing team we continue to build and to wrap up 2024 here are a few of my own personal highlights before we dive into the last Hack for 2024!:

🌐 Explore our interactive avatar on our website today (you should be able to see a live avatar on the bottom left of your screen), its powered by HeyGen who we're proud partners with and Microsoft’s LLM. Go see the future of AI in action! This idea was born collaborating with the Personal Finance Society, when I asked the following question to Sophia Awan: “What’s the biggest challenge in Personal Finance right now?”

The answer? Complex regulation changes, like Consumer Duty. We transformed dense legislation into clear, actionable insights. But we didn’t stop there—an AI version of me delivered these findings live, linked to Microsoft LLM

📈Launched our Benchmarking suite of business diagnostic tools in partnership with Winning Moves Ltd, which now contributes to the University of Hull ’s AI for Business and the Creative Growth programmes, helping local SMEs access digital data and know-how to drive their businesses in 2025 and beyond.

🤖 Dr. Wasim Ahmed set off fantastic creative AI assignment on Thomas Tuchel, blending football and public opinion, we used AI to create a magical learning experience for delegates when lecturing on the AI For BuBusiness Programme with Hull University

📣 We brought together the first ever Yorkshire & Humber AI Summit with inspiring Keynotes, panel discussions demonstrating real-world AI implementation, interactive workshops that went beyond ChatGPT. To sharing stages with icons like Jason Bates (Monzo Bank) and Guenther Steiner (F1) over at the PFS end of year Rewired Conference in Manchester.

This years theme has been about leadership and AI reshaping everything!

The Number One Threat To Your Business? Ransomware

Imagine this: You’re starting a normal day, coffee in hand, ready to tackle your to-do list. Suddenly, a red screen flashes on your computer, and a message pops up: “Your files have been encrypted. Pay up to get them back.”

That’s ransomware, a cyber attack that’s fast becoming the number one threat to businesses worldwide. It’s become a top choice for cybercriminals because it’s profitable, easy to deploy, and very effective.

Cybercriminals get their ransomware software onto a computer, often from something as simple as a link in a phishing email (that’s an email pretending to be from a trusted source). When clicked, it installs software that gives them access.

They lock your files, making them unreadable. The cybercriminals demand payment, usually in cryptocurrency, and promise to return access once they’re paid. Some even threaten to leak sensitive info if you don’t comply.

It’s scary and the consequences for any business are huge. It’s not just the loss of data, it’s expensive, time-consuming, and could break the trust you enjoy with your customers and suppliers.

So, how do you keep your business safe?

The good news is that basic security practices can go a long way. Start by training your team not to click on suspicious links or open unexpected attachments. Regularly updating applications and security software is also crucial, as it closes security gaps cybercriminals might try to exploit.

Most importantly, create a reliable backup system. Set up isolated, “cold” backups that are disconnected from your main system. So, if an attack hits, your data remains untouched. Regularly test these backups to make sure they work when you need them. In a ransomware attack, being able to restore your data from a safe backup can save your business from costly downtime or ransom demands.

Ransomware is serious, but a proactive approach can make all the difference. With the right prep, you can keep your business running smoothly. If you’d like help with that, get in touch.

TECH UPDATE

Not using Copilot? You can get rid of the shortcut key

Microsoft is giving us more flexibility with Windows 11.

Namely, with the Copilot key. Now, with the latest updates (23H2 and 24H2), you can use the Copilot key to open different apps in Microsoft 365, like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel Of course, if your keyboard doesn’t have a Copilot key, this won’t apply. Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PCs include this key by default. Previously, it just opened the Copilot panel, but soon it will offer more options based on preference.

NEW TO MICROSOFT 365

You can create a custom AI with Microsoft… soon

Microsoft is introducing a way for businesses to create custom AI agents in Copilot Studio, which can automate tasks and save time. Unlike basic AI tools that respond to direct commands, these AI agents can be set up to act automatically – doing things like checking

customer details or inventory when an email arrives.

Microsoft is rolling out ten ready-made agents in Dynamics 365, which can be customised for tasks like sales and case management. These agents are designed to be easy to set up without coding, making automation accessible for all businesses.

Right now, this tool is only available in a public beta, but we expect to see a rollout soon.

NEW TO GOOGLE WORKSPACE

To improve your success with Gemini for Google Workspace, follow some basic best practices when writing prompts telling Gemini what to do.

Use natural language.

Be clear and concise.

Provide context.

Use specific and relevant keywords.

Break down complex tasks into separate prompts.

TECH FACTS

Domain name registration used to be free. Way back when people didn’t realise how huge the internet would be, registering a domain name was free. Until 1995 that is, when a fee was introduced – and it was high! Prices were typically $100 (around £77) for two years of registration.

5 megabytes of data used to weigh a ton – literally. In 1956, the first computer had something like a hard drive. At the time, it was a huge leap in storage capabilities, but the cabinet that contained the hard drive weighed over 2,200 pounds and held just 5 MBs of data.

In December 1987, Microsoft released version 2.0 of Windows. It was most famous for being the version of Windows that prompted Apple’s famous lawsuit against Microsoft for copyright infringement of the Macintosh operating system.

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“It’s very difficult to design something for someone if you have no empathy.”

Stewart Butterfield, co-founder of Flickr and Slack.

Now PDFs are being hijacked

Cybercriminals have another new trick: Hiding malicious QR codes in PDF attachments.

Instead of putting them directly in emails, scammers slip these codes into PDF files to bypass email security filters and lure people into scanning them on their phones (which often have weaker security).

They’ll pose as big brands and send “urgent” emails about invoices, deliveries, or payments to push people into opening the file and scanning the code.

Be cautious and don’t scan QR codes unless you’re certain they’re genuine.

Helping The Community

🎉 You Spoke, We Gave Back! 🎉

Thanks to your feedback on our support tickets, we raised £328.00 for HEY Children’s University in Q3 2024. With Gift Aid, this total grew to £410.00—all at no extra cost! 💙

Your voices made this possible, helping to support brighter futures for local children.

Thank you for being part of something amazing! 🙌

FUN TECH QUIZ

HO HO How good is your tech knowledge this December?

Bill Gates famously dropped out of university, but which one?

What kind of technology powers the displays in laptops?

What’s the generic term for the mechanical, electrical and electronic components of a computer?

Without looking - what letter is between Q and E on a computer keyboard?

QR codes were invented back in 1994 for tracking what?

Answers at the bottom of the page!

PROMPT TUTORIAL: Brainstormer Prompt

"Topic: [How to double your creative output] For the topic above, brainstorm new angles or approaches. Prioritise ideas that are uncommon or novel."

Need New Hardware? Here’s Where To Start…

When your team’s computers or internet starts lagging, it’s often a sign your hardware needs an upgrade. But with so many tech options, you may want some help knowing where to start. Allow us…

First, think about what your team needs. Office-based teams need powerful desktops, while mobile workers may benefit from lightweight laptops. Make sure the hardware can handle your daily tasks comfortably – more complex tasks like graphic design will need more powerful machines.

Ergonomics matter too, so consider comfortable screens, keyboards, and portable designs if they’re on the go.

Next, look beyond computers to your network setup, like routers and switches. Even the best devices won’t work well if your network equipment is outdated. Investing in quality network gear, like routers with strong Wi-Fi coverage and built-in security, keeps everything connected smoothly.

To stay future-ready, pick hardware that can grow with you. For example, choose computers with upgradeable storage or memory and network equipment that can handle more devices. Cloud solutions can also be a flexible option, letting you expand storage or services as you need them.

Finally, focus on durability and security. Good hardware should last and protect your business.

When you’re making big decisions like this, it’s a good idea to consult with experts – like us – who can guide you

on cost-effective options and can make sure your technology will meet today’s needs and tomorrow’s growth.

If we can help you with that........

Get In Touch