Small Business Tech Roundup: ChatGPT Will Now Use Current Data

(This column originally appeared in Forbes)

Here are five things in tech that happened this week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?

1 – ChatGPT can finally get up-to-date answers from the internet – here's how.

ChatGPT, the popular chatbot from OpenAI, can now retrieve accurate up-to-date information. Prior to this, the chatbot’s search function would mostly work with data through September, 2021. That limitation was removed recently as OpenAI made several updates which also include five distinct voice features programmed to have conversations. ChatGPT-Plus subscribers can now access current data for deep-dive research or quick fact-finding. The Plus membership fee is $20 per month. (Source: TechRadar)

Why this is important for your business:

Right now this is available to Plus subscribers but soon even the free version of ChatGPT will be able to access more current data. This has been a significant limitation of the chatbot since its introduction and one of the things that competitors like Google’s Bard has touted as its advantage (Bard uses current data from the Internet).

2 – Intuit Mailchimp and Wix enter a strategic multi-year partnership.

Intuit Mailchimp – the email marketing platform - is partnering with website builder and hosting service Wix to boost functionality and customer engagement in the small business sector. (Source: PR Newswire)

Why this is important for your business:

Both companies are hoping to make it easier for small businesses to streamline their online web and email marketing efforts with a combined system that offers more integration, easier setup and more powerful functionality.

3 – Zoom goes all-in on hybrid work as back-to-office mandates abound.

Collaboration platform Zoom continues to accommodate the remote work model that escalated during the pandemic. (Source: Computerworld)

Why this is important for your business:

The company is touting its integration with the employee experience app Workvivo – as announced in April of this year – and is asserting its prioritization of helping companies maintain optimal engagement with employees who work from home. The Workvivo application is designed to maintain a high-level of communication throughout the workday among employees who connect from different locations. Video conferencing, survey feedback and team chats are just a few of the features Workvivo offers.

4 – Google outlines new efforts to keep spam out of your inbox.

According to cybersecurity company Dataprot – over half of all emails (55.9 percent) that were sent globally in 2022 were spam – costing businesses billions of dollars. Google is stepping up its efforts to reduce the number of SPAM emails for those with Gmail accounts. Going forward, Google will require “bulk senders” (people who send over 5000 emails per day) to be authenticated according to their standards and by activating Gmail’s DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) feature. A “clear spam rate threshold” will also be implemented to curtail the volume of unwanted emails – or account holders can simply unsubscribe – which will be even easier to do than before per Google. (Source: CNET)

Why this is important for your business:

For companies like mine that rely heavily on email marketing platforms for marketing, this is a change that will need adaption. I’m expecting the major platforms to increase their scrutiny over our “opt-in” and other email marketing practices and I’m expecting an increase in unsubscribes with these features too. Looks like I’ve got some work to do!

5 – Square unveils over a dozen new features to help businesses win this holiday.

Financial services platform Square just released a new batch of tools for online businesses to take advantage this holiday season. (Source: Yahoo Finance)

Why this is important for your business:

To “supercharge online sellers’ presence” the new tools feature will provide 19 high-quality site design templates with a menu of fonts, images, and layouts to choose from. “Square for Retail” will help merchants with archiving and tracking inventory while creating salable product descriptions using generative AI. Other features include “Text Message Marketing” and “Group eGift Cards.”