(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 SCAMS ARE THE NEW CRYPTO SCAMS, META WARNS.
Developments in conversational chatbot ChatGPT have been the focus of late which has naturally grabbed the attention of scammers. Tech experts — most recently Meta — are warning of various scenarios where ChatGPT could be used as a malicious tool. They specifically cite browser extensions and apps being used to appear as legitimate ChatGPT tools. Facebook business accounts were highlighted as a vulnerability. David Rosen of Meta stated there are plans in the works to increase security for users. (Source: Engadget)
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR BUSINESS:
Be careful of apps, tools and extensions that claim to be connected to ChatGPT. Do you research on them before installing.
2 — MICROSOFT TEAMS NOW LETS SMALL BUSINESSES CHARGE FOR APPOINTMENTS, WEBINARS AND MORE.
Microsoft Teams is now equipped to handle virtual payments for the small business owner who conducts their services online. Microsoft — ever savvy about how the virtual space has become a booming marketplace for SMBs — has made an essential upgrade for its Microsoft Teams customers in the US and Canada. (Source: The Verge)
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR BUSINESS:
Reportedly joining forces with PayPal, GoDaddy and Stripe, this latest addition could be a gamechanger for those who regularly host webinars and service-based professionals whose clients are in different parts of the country, says the article. The payments app is designed to track payments while allowing customers flexible payment options.
3 — BIGCOMMERCE RETOOLS B2B ECOMMERCE PLATFORM AND ADDS MULTI-STORES.
BigCommerce — the eCommerce platform for merchants — is introducing new functionalities to increase sales for B2B brands. (Source: PYMTS)
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR BUSINESS:
Features include a self-service portal for B2B buyers to place and manage their orders, an advanced pricing system that allows for dynamic pricing based on quantity or customer segment, and the ability to create and manage multi-locations. The goal is to help B2B brands streamline their online sales and improve the customer experience by providing a more personalized and user-friendly platform.
4 — SHOPIFY LAUNCHES BILL PAY: A TIME-SAVING TOOL FOR MERCHANT EXPENSES.
On its Product News page Shopify announced Shopify Bill Pay, a new tool designed to give merchants an organized method to track and pay vendors. (Source: Shopify)
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR BUSINESS:
The website listed the benefits of this new tool such a “dedicated bill pay dashboard to filter, sort and schedule payments.” The post also emphasized Bill Pay’s time-saving value as it’s expected to significantly cut back the hours a merchant will spend each month on expenses.
5 — CHATGPT IS THE MOST SOUGHT OUT TECH SKILL IN THE WORKFORCE — SAYS LEARNING PLATFORM.
Research is showing that there is high demand for artificial intelligence and machine learning skills, particularly for natural language processing and chatbot development. ChatGPT is being used in a variety of industries and applications, including customer service, marketing, and healthcare. The study suggests that based on this growing need organizations are actively seeking out individuals with AI skills to stay competitive in the market. (Source: ZDNet)
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR BUSINESS:
Entrepreneurs looking for new services to sell should be considering leveraging ChatGPT. Business owners should know that as workforce skills in this technology increases, so will be the demand to use it.
