Digital Deep Dive Show:: EP 009
Reed Dailey
Client Relationship Executive at CohnReznick | Management Consulting | Private Equity | Venture Capital | Podcaster
This article is part of the Digital Deep Dive Show,?which aims to showcase incredible technology and the exceptional people building it, using it, and the impact it has on business and society at large.?Subscribe here?and?follow me to read future editions Digital3DShow.
In this episode, we discuss current news in tech, a Chicago spotlights on Redshelf, a Podcast feature on Kara Swisher's interview with Mark Benioff, how Spotify is devoting more resources on Podcasts, and where I am going to be IRL so we can connect and eat cake together :).
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IN THE NEWS
Story-1:: AI-In Everything
Overview: Microsoft Corp. unveiled new AI-powered features integrated into several of its core business apps, including enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management systems. Then on Tuesday,?Salesforce Inc.?informed the masses after a nice set of quarterly earnings that it would integrate OpenAI’s generative AI technology across its customer relationship management platform. This included Slack.
Why It Matters: In the future will everyone have their own assistant that knows its preference, likely so. While many organizations are scrambling to add AI to their pitch decks and capabilities. Those that will win are the ones with proprietary data sets and can accelerate time-2-market or use it to enhance customer experience.?
Interesting to see if SF’s new AI-driven features help close deals faster, and service customers more efficiently, or is it just going to be more features that aren’t used? Only time will tell.?With respect to Microsoft, it will all be about how individuals incorporate AI into their workflow to accelerate time-2-market and improve on efficiencies.?
Link: Bloomberg
Story-2:: Funding for AI
Overview: Salesforce Inc. on Tuesday launched a $250 million venture-capital investing fund targeting startups that are developing ChatGPT-like technology that can work with its business software applications, the company said.
Why It Matters: Salesforce Ventures has previously invested in companies that have gone public, including Zoom Video Communications Inc., Snowflake Inc. and DocuSign Inc. Such investments may become more important as a vehicle for growth as acquisitions are likely off the table
Story-3:: Bing Hits 100 Million AU
Overview: We are pleased to share that after a number of years of steady progress, and with a little bit of a boost from the million+ new Bing preview users, we have crossed 100M Daily Active Users of Bing.?This is a surprisingly notable figure, and yet we are fully aware we remain a small, low, single-digit share player.?That said, it feels good to be at the dance!
Why It Matters: There are two really interesting takeaways, the first being that Bing, which had never found its way, just hit 100 Million users. The second is that if you are using Bing, then you are likely not using Google as much or at all. It will be interesting to see how Chat GPT continues to take market share and as a result, wallet share away from Google and as a result, how Google will respond beyond releasing more features to match Chat GPT.
Link: Bing Blog
Story-4:: AI with GrammarlyGO
Overview: This week, Grammarly announced to the world GrammarlyGO—Grammarly’s on-demand, contextually aware assistant powered by generative AI. With GrammarlyGO, we’ll be changing the way people and businesses communicate and get work done by accelerating productivity where writing happens. It will uniquely offer relevant, contextually aware suggestions that account for personal voice and brand style while staying true to our?augmented intelligence?philosophy to keep customers in control of their experience. GrammarlyGO will enable customers to save time, enhance their creativity, and get more done—helping individuals achieve their potential and enterprises transform how they work.
Why It Matters: Grammarly has been my go-to writing tool for years. If I am writing something, I am typically analyzing it in Grammarly. The addition of Chat GPT has only added a step into my workflow, in the sense that I now go Chat GPT, then Grammarly, then a personal scan and edit, then a send or post. The fact that I might be able to skip the step from Chat GPT and just have GrammarlyGo support writing and, more likely, email or slack/text response would be extremely useful and should also act as an accelerant.?
Link:?Grammarly News Blog
Story-5:: Jitterbit acquires ZUDY to expand the application development capabilities
Overview: Jitterbit acquired Zudy, a leading no-code / low-code application development platform provider for enterprise organizations. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. This acquisition expands on Jitterbit’s existing capabilities in the no-code / low-code application development space, further demonstrating the company’s commitment to providing a best-in-class suite of tools and services for integrating and automating business processes. The newly acquired platform complements Jitterbit’s existing solutions with additional choice and flexibility, making Jitterbit’s full suite of tools and services available via cloud deployment, on-prem installation or a hybrid approach.
Why It Matters: While the focus on hyper-automation initiatives further fuels the growing adoption of low-code and no-code technologies. The acquisition of Zudy will allow Jitterbit to accelerate the time to value for organizations pursuing app-deployment and automation initiatives across every industry, even highly regulated sectors such as life sciences and financial services.
Link: Jitterbit Press Release
CHICAGO SPOTLIGHT
Company: eBook Reader RedShelf Raises $15M?
Overview: Through RedShelf online marketplace, students can purchase or rent digital textbooks needed for their courses. The company works with over 10,000 book publishers and content creators to digitize textbooks and make them available on its platform.?
“RedShelf Manager works between the publisher, the student and the university to digitize the course materials that the professors and instructors choose,” Fenton said.?“We put that power at the fingertips of the course materials manager and the bookstore manager to operate that system.”
领英推荐
Key Takeaways: This was an interesting topic for me, namely because I have a small child who is in school and my wife and I were joking, I wonder if kids still have to cover books any more? Well, is Redshelf has anything to do with it, the answer will be no. Digital books are such a good and bad thing to me. Access is good, missing the physical feel is sad/bad. From a business lens, I love this model, giving publishers more tools and students/consumers greater access to connect is a scaling model anyone can get behind. Will be interesting to see what will be next from RedShelf as they move past this round.?
Link: Redshelf Press Center
PODCAST FEATURE
Podcast Episode:: On with Kara Swisher - Featuring Mark Benioff?
Overview: It’s On. Get to the heart of what makes powerful people tick — in interviews that have them sit back, relax and get grilled. Twice a week, Kara Swisher and her executive producer Nayeema Raza invite a guest to be “On with Kara Swisher.”
Episode Feature: Kara has interviewed Salesforce CEO and co-founder Marc Benioff many times but he says she'd never been as prepared to grill him as she was this time. It’s a showdown between a savvy CEO who is deft at turning the tables…and an interviewer who is unafraid to pin him down. Taped in front of a live audience at the Upfront Summit, the two tackle whether Marc will be able to keep up the victory lap of a surprisingly strong earnings report, his succession plan, their divergent takes on a divisive Elon Musk – and why having activist investors breathing down his neck is “fun” for Benioff.
Key Takeaways: First and foremost, if you are going to interview Mark Benioff, I suppose you better be ready for him to mess with you a bit. Kidding aside, SF had to make hard decisions; the CEO listened to the street, cut costs, disbanded the SF M&A team, and launched $250m of venture funding as a way to seek out new AI-driven companies and ideas. What will be interesting is will these changes be enough for those activist investors or will be required.
Episode Link: Apple Podcast | Spotify?
DEEP DIVE
Overview: During 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new creators to podcasting and we saw an influx of content, driving increased listenership and advertiser investment that has continued into 2022. If 2021 was a story of content explosion, then 2022 is one of diversification. As podcasting matures as a medium, we’re seeing growth among new segments - for example, listenership from outlying demos and countries newer to podcasting, consumption of different genres, and investment from more traditional brands. Leveraging data from Spotify and its enterprise podcast platforms*, this report dives into these trends and more with the hopes that they will aid publishers as they optimize their content and revenue strategies for the coming year. Download the infographic or continue reading to learn more.
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Spotify Founder & CEO Daniel Ek opened the event saying:
“Stream On is about all the ways we are bringing Spotify to life and letting creators at all stages of their careers know that we are open for business. We are focused on building the best home for them – a place where they can establish a career, thrive and grow and where the world can be inspired by their creativity. And that’s what we’ve been doing for almost 17 years: building, improving and reimagining this home to better meet creator needs and help them chart new pathways to success. As we look to the future, we are excited to expand that ambition to even more creators across new formats. We’re enabling more creativity, discovery and personalization than ever before by providing the best resources, support, and interactivity.”
Key Takeaways: I love the format of Podcasting, short, medium, long format shows, and everything in between. Even as people are commuting less than they did, say, five years ago. People are still walking their dogs, going for runs, etc. and the opportunity to consume content on the go has never been more prolific. As a publisher, I use what was called Anchor but seems to be rebranded as Podcaster. Spotify to publish my show, and it could not be easier. As Spotify and Youtube continue to focus more resources on podcasts, I look forward to seeing what additional features are released, providing greater access to data insights and commercial means.?
Link: MegaPhone
EVENTS
Event: The Taste of Innovation
Description: Join us as we spotlight?innovation?in the ever-changing world?of food.?
Date & Time: March 21st 5-7:30pm
Location: Chicago Shakespeare Theater?
Event Link: Event Details
Event: First of the Year 2023 for Start Something Ventures Social
Description: Quarterly event for Start Something Ventures SSV investors and portfolio company founders - build the community and help folks get to know each other a bit better.
Date & Time: Thu, March 30, 2023,?4:30 PM – 6:30 PM EDT
Location: DeveloperTown?5255 Winthrop Ave Indianapolis, IN 46220
Link: Event Details
If you are planning on being in the same city over the coming weeks. Please feel free to reach out on?LinkedIn,?Email, or Twitter?@ReedDailey
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