Google Alphabet, AI in Healthcare, a new competitor in translation software, hack on government emails and more on today's IT Talk Trivia

Welcome to IT Talk Trivia!?

In this first edition of the month, we're back to keep you up-to-date on the latest news and trends in the world of tech and business.

Stay tuned for insightful analysis, engaging stories, and thought-provoking discussions on all things tech. - And don’t forget to subscribe ?

???Alphabet Stock: Search Giant Is Just Getting Started

Given the macro headwinds, not many investors expected the magnitude of the Nasdaq-100’s rally through the first six months of 2023.?

Going into this year, we were positioned for bottom-line focused investment themes that we felt would be able to deliver earnings growth due to secular demand for its products, and in some cases, be able to reduce costs to maintain profitability.

One of the reasons we’re very positive about the AI potential for Google’s businesses is that it is sitting on the world’s very best consumer data, which is not an exaggeration in the least bit. Its ability to lead in artificial intelligence and large language models should not be underestimated.

We anticipate two outcomes. The antitrust outcome will be mild, and Google will be empowered to continue to dominate. Or, the outcome will require the ad properties to be broken up, leading to a weaker stance for Google. This could benefit smaller ad-tech players, which we have identified and are monitoring closely.

?? InnovationRx: 70% Of U.S. Adults ‘Concerned’ About AI In Healthcare

Around 70% of U.S. adults surveyed by Morning Consult said they are “concerned” about artificial intelligence in healthcare. The most concerned group was Baby Boomers at 77% percent, while Millenials and GenZers were tied at 63%.?

People surveyed were most comfortable with the idea of AI assisting with administrative tasks, and, in good news for all of the companies competing in the ambient AI space, 48% of people said they would be OK with their medical appointment being recorded and using AI to take notes.?

The lowest level of comfort at 34% was with AI being involved in helping perform surgical procedures. A strong majority – 3 out of 4 people – say healthcare providers should notify patients when AI is going to be involved.

?? This German Unicorn Is Trying To Take On Google Translate And ChatGPT

AI-based translation software, DeepL, is making its first appearance on the Forbes Cloud 100 list this year thanks to a machine learning translation model that users say is more precise than Google’s.

Jaroslaw Kutylowski speaks German, Polish and English. With DeepL, his startup's AI-powered translation tool, he can read and write in about 30 more. Founded in 2017, DeepL has developed translation software that it says is far more accurate than rival products offered by Google and others, thanks to some powerful artificial intelligence working in concert with human native language speakers.

DeepL’s proprietary neural network architecture — a machine learning technique that helps a computer learn information the same way a human brain does– has been trained on a vast database of publicly available bilingual (translated) and monolingual (untranslated) text in 31 different languages including Chinese, Russian, Spanish and Italian.

That’s a tiny fraction of the 130 languages that you can translate using Google.?

DeepL boasts more than 10 million monthly active users, 500,000 of whom pay anywhere between $9 and $59 per month. That includes grandparents who use DeepL to speak to grandchildren in their native language and romantic partners who struggle with a language barrier.?

But most of DeepL’s business comes from its 20,000 enterprise customers — Mercedes Benz, Fujitsu and German railway company Deutsche Bahn to name a few— who use DeepL’s software to translate everything from websites, legal contracts and customer agreements to emails, marketing copy and PowerPoint slides.

DeepL has been downloaded on 25 million devices —a pittance compared to the more than 1 billion installs of Google Translate. But those who’ve used it laud its accuracy.?

Nina Gafni, a professional translator based in Washington, DC who previously worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigations as a linguist and translator, uses DeepL to translate French, German and Italian to English.?

Will its accuracy be enough to overcome the practicality and familiarity of Google Translate?

US cyber board to investigate Microsoft hack of government emails

A U.S. review board tasked with investigating major cybersecurity incidents said it will begin looking at the recent intrusion of U.S. government email systems provided by Microsoft, whose handling of the incident drew ire and scrutiny from federal lawmakers and the wider security community.

The Cyber Security Review Board, or CSRB, said Friday that its latest investigation will include a “broader review of issues relating to cloud-based identity and authentication infrastructure.”

The board said it began considering an investigation after learning of the Microsoft cloud breach, which saw China state-backed hackers break into government email accounts, including the inbox of U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, several officials at the U.S. State Department, and other organizations not yet publicly named.

According to the slow drip of information about the incident, Microsoft said China-backed hackers stole a sensitive signing key that allowed unauthorized access to enterprise and government email inboxes hosted by the technology giant.?

That stolen key, coupled with a flaw that Microsoft has since patched, allowed the forging of authentication tokens that the hackers used to access the target’s email accounts as if they were the rightful owners.

The intrusions began in mid-May but were not detected until a month later when State Department officials detected the breach and notified?

Microsoft. It was only because the State Department used a higher-paid tier account that allowed access to logs that Microsoft keeps, which first revealed the hacks. Other departments with a lower paid tier were not given access to logs that may have spotted the intrusions sooner.

Following criticism, Microsoft capitulated soon after, saying it would make logs available for customers at no additional cost from September.

Microsoft’s Copilot AI can now help deploy field workers

Microsoft is bringing generative AI to frontline field workers by integrating its Copilot AI assistant into its field services platform, streamlining workflows but also enabling supervisors to know what technicians are doing on the job.?

Microsoft is bringing generative AI to frontline field workers by integrating its Copilot AI assistant into its field services platform, streamlining workflows but also enabling supervisors to know what technicians are doing on the job.?

Copilot, first introduced in March, is already on Microsoft 365 enterprise platforms and was first used by desk-bound employees who wanted AI to generate text for PowerPoint presentations. (It’s distinct from the Github service of the same name.)?

Now, Copilot will be added to the Dynamics 365 service used by field workers like cable technicians and electric repair personnel, among a swathe of other jobs in facilities, manufacturing, and healthcare.

With Copilot, service requests sent via Outlook will automatically pre-populate information, including how many times the same customer reached out for service before. Supervisors can review the work order before sending it off to field workers. By fall this year, those work orders will also recommend specific people for the job based on their travel time, availability, and skill set.?

Embracing the Power of Automation for Business Advancement

In this edition, let's delve into the remarkable realm of automation and its transformative impact on businesses:

From streamlining operations to enhancing customer experiences, automation has emerged as a game-changer, offering multifaceted benefits that catalyze growth and innovation.

Automation's most compelling advantage lies in its ability to boost efficiency and productivity. By automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, companies liberate valuable time and resources, allowing teams to focus on strategic initiatives and creative endeavours. This streamlined approach not only accelerates processes but also leads to heightened operational efficiency, fostering business expansion and improved competitiveness.

Moreover, automation’s potential to minimize errors and elevate quality is undeniable. By replacing manual processes with automated systems, the risk of human error diminishes significantly, resulting in consistent and high-quality outputs.?

This resonates strongly with customers, enhancing their satisfaction and loyalty while fortifying the brand's reputation.?

Additionally, automation empowers data-driven decision-making. Real-time and accurate insights into operations and performance providing managers with a comprehensive understanding of the business landscape. Informed by these insights, leaders can make strategic choices that keep the company agile in response to market dynamics, ensuring sustained success.

The possibilities that automation offers are truly exhilarating. As we continue on this journey, let's explore how this dynamic tool can be harnessed to propel our businesses toward new heights of excellence and innovation.