Sound familiar? Well, hold on to your hats: there’s a new trend in town, and it’s a major pushback against all of the cloud marketing hype and the start of a trend reversal back towards owning and operating your own IT infrastructure.

Yes, really. Humans truly are the ficklest creatures.

It’s about money

But in this instance, the attitude shift is actually quite understandable, because it’s about money – that scarce resource that has become even more scarce in these trying economic times. In a nutshell, in some instances, businesses are discovering that using the cloud can be more expensive in the long run than paying for and using their own on-premises resources.

This is from the mouth of David Linthicum, host of the YouTube channel Cloud Computing Insider, and a multi-decade veteran of the US IT industry. He was responding to a recent spate of articles, in particular, David Heinemeier Hansson’s The Big Cloud Exit FAQ, that detailed how some companies are deciding to ditch the cloud and move back to owning and operating their own IT infrastructure because the cloud was proving to be too expensive for their needs.

Debunking cloud marketing

Interestingly, Heinemeier Hansson’s article ended up debunking much of the hype surrounding the cloud, including these 11 cloud marketing myths. They were uncovered by Heinemeier Hensson’s company’s move away from it, and the counterpoints that debunked them were inspired by their real-world experiences.

1. Reduced operational team and payroll: The move away from the cloud did not result in an increased payroll or team changes. The same team that managed applications in the cloud now operates them on-premise, showing that cloud services do not necessarily reduce the need for operational staff.
2. Cost advantages of cloud services: Despite efforts to optimise the cloud bill, it remained significantly high, challenging the notion that cloud services always offer cost savings. Even after optimising cloud expenses, the costs were still substantial, indicating that savings are not as guaranteed as the cloud hype might want people to believe.
3. Cloud-native applications ensure lower costs: The belief that Cloud Native applications or serverless functions automatically lead to cost savings is misleading. The costs associated with these technologies do not always result in savings, similar to how buying single-wrapped sugar cubes doesn’t save money compared to bulk purchases.
4. Superior cloud security with less effort: Security challenges stem primarily from the application and its direct dependencies, whether hosted on the cloud or on-premise. Effective security practices are required in both scenarios, debunking the myth that cloud services inherently provide a higher level of security with less effort.
5. Need for super engineers to operate hardware: The expertise required to run on-premise hardware is largely the same as that needed for cloud operations. Knowledge of operating internet-facing servers is widely available and not exclusive to a select group of super engineers.
6. Owning hardware requires building datacentres: Renting space in professional datacentres negates the need to build and manage your own datacentres. This approach is common and practical, showing that owning hardware does not entail the complexities and costs of creating datacentres from scratch.
7. Unmatched cloud reliability and redundancy: Achieving high reliability and redundancy is possible with on-premise hardware through geographical dispersion and replication strategies, similar to cloud setups. This challenges the perception that only cloud services can provide such levels of reliability.
8. Faster international performance with cloud: Using international CDNs for content delivery speeds up global performance, whether you’re using cloud services or hosting your own hardware. This demonstrates that cloud services do not have a monopoly on fast international performance.
9. Cloud as the sole solution for demand spikes: Overprovisioning your own hardware can also handle demand spikes, showing that the cloud is not the only efficient solution for autoscaling. The notion that only cloud services can manage sudden increases in demand is therefore not accurate.
10. Advantages in service contracts and licensing fees with cloud: Running applications on open-source software can eliminate the need for expensive service contracts and licensing fees associated with cloud services. This indicates that cloud services do not always offer clear advantages when it comes to operational costs.
11. Cloud computing is cheaper, easier, and faster: The initial attraction to cloud services was based on promises of cost savings and ease of use. However, the experience showed that managed services still required management, and advances in technology did not translate into savings, challenging the perception that cloud computing is always the best option.

For even more detail, read The Big Cloud Exit FAQ that was linked earlier.

The question for SA businesses

These discrepancies, learned from the practical experience of moving away from the cloud, raise some interesting questions for South African businesses that are either already using the cloud or considering it. The most important one is “Is this cloud move really necessary and can we still do what we need to without lifting and shifting our current infrastructure (or part thereof) into a cloud ecosystem?”.

Of course, it’s a complicated question and one that only careful consideration and consultation with IT service providers can answer. But only if they do not have an agenda to push you into whichever cloud ecosystem benefits them most.

One size doesn’t fit all

Ultimately, what this new trend reinforces is that the choice between using cloud services and/or on-premise solutions is not one-size-fits-all or the answer to every infrastructure-related question businesses have, and should instead be guided by careful consideration and analysis of costs, operational needs, and long-term business objectives.

It’s just interesting to see that some companies have found out that the cloud isn’t always the best answer to their technical or operational (or financial) challenges, and that moving away from the cloud is not just a practical and workable option, but it can end up saving money as well… all with no major downsides.

Who’d have thunk it, given how loudly the global IT industry has trumpeted the benefits of the cloud all these years?

While desktop software has been widely used in the past, there’s a growing trend of companies switching to cloud-based accounting systems. This is driven by the biggest perceived benefit of cloud accounting: that all you need is a PC connected to the internet and a browser, and you can use it from anywhere.

And from an IT perspective, accounting software that’s delivered from the cloud is also much easier to manage than desktop software. It’s also really handy to have the option to scale it up and down as the business’s needs fluctuate, making it a great choice for businesses as market conditions change.

Cloud-based accounting software

Cloud accounting software, which is hosted inside a brand-name datacentre (Azure/AWS/Google etc.), allows businesses to access and manage their accounts and financial data over the internet without needing to install software on their computers. This is a huge win for small businesses that don’t have the resources to effectively manage desktop software.

And then there are the costs: companies pay a monthly subscription to use cloud accounting software and get the benefit of anywhere-anytime access on various devices, automatic data backups that happen without the need for human intervention, and (depending on the vendor) easy integration with other business applications. This provides a real-time view of business operations, which can help businesses make the right decisions at exactly the right time, leading to more wins and excellent business outcomes over time.

Desktop accounting software, on the other hand, requires that the accounting program is directly installed onto a computer. This also requires the upfront purchase of a software license and, sometimes, payment for version updates. All financial data is stored locally on the PC, and management can only access the software on the computer where it’s installed.

Frankly, all of this is a giant pain to manage.

Why is that? It’s because going the desktop route is far less flexible as it doesn’t allow financial information to be accessed remotely or while traveling, and requires someone to do manual, on-site data backups. Desktop systems are also limited to using the installed version of the software, which isn’t necessarily up to date, and potentially doesn’t offer all of the features accountants need to do their jobs to the best of their ability.

When we compare cloud and desktop accounting software, there are several major differences to keep in mind.

Accessibility

Being able to access financial data from anywhere using any internet-connected device is in stark contrast to desktop accounting software, where access is restricted to the computer on which it’s installed.

This difference is a big one for businesses with workers who aren’t always in the office, as cloud accounting offers greater flexibility and mobility by enabling money management when finance people are on the go.

Using accounting software installed on a desktop PC, however, means it can only be accessed when people are in the office. Unless someone installs remote access software like TeamViewer on that PC, but that in itself is an inelegant and less-secure solution and is thus not recommended.

Installation and updates

Cloud accounting systems offer a huge advantage when it comes to updates. In cloud systems, updates are automatic and seamless as they happen invisibly to the user, ensuring that the version you’re using is always the latest one, without you needing to do anything to make it so.

Even when completely new software is released that necessitates a version update, you’ll get that new version for no extra money as it’s already paid for by your subscription fees.

In contrast, desktop systems require manual installation of updates and fixes, which can be time-consuming and may lead to delayed adoption of new features and security patches. This contrast significantly affects the efficiency and ease of maintaining the accounting software. Plus, a new version of that software means you’ll have to buy it.

Security and backups

Cloud accounting systems provide robust security and automated backups. The security is managed by vendors who offer enterprise-grade protection and access controls. These systems are always doing data backups, which keeps your data super safe. In contrast, desktop systems require you to manually handle both security and backups. This process is far more labour-intensive and poses a higher risk of data loss or security breaches if not managed properly. And it’s easy to not manage it properly.

Financial reporting and compliance

Cloud-based accounting systems generally offer more extensive and customisable reporting capabilities compared to desktop systems. They support real-time, customised reporting to meet specific business needs and comply with relevant accounting standards and regulations. Desktop systems, however, typically have a limited range of financial reports with little customisation.

And while they can export data to spreadsheets for custom reporting, this can be difficult to do and is prone to human error. Cloud systems also provide better support for compliance with complex regulatory requirements and accounting standards as they are kept as up-to-date as possible, and are thus compliant very shortly after new legislation has passed.

Think about switching

We hope we’ve convinced you to at least think about switching to cloud accounting software. Yes, it’s relatively new and new can be scary, but it really does solve a lot of the problems of running accounting software locally on a PC inside your business.

To recap: it’s always up to date, it’s always compliant with the latest legislation, reporting is a breeze, and it’s always available so long as you have a device and an internet connection to access it. You don’t need to manage licenses manually, you don’t need someone to look after that one specific PC that the software is on, and you don’t have to worry about backing anything up yourself.

If you haven’t switched to a cloud-based accounting system yet, please think seriously about it – we’re pretty sure you’ll be happy you made the switch. Talk to your current accounting software provider, they may already have something for you.

When asked about his thoughts on the matter, he said that HP is protecting its IP, which is understandable given how much money is spent developing it. The other reason HP does it, he said, is because apparently, non-genuine cartridges can spread malware.

On the surface this sounds feasible – malware bad – but it begs the question, “How bad are HP’s security capabilities if they can’t secure their printers against compromise?”. Completely preventing a printer from working to stop a potential malware infection seems a bit of an overreaction.

Printers bad, supplies good

As the interview progressed, the real truth came out: he eventually said that HP “…loses money on the hardware, makes money on the supplies”, and that it’s a “bad investment” for them if they sell a printer to a customer (which he claims is sold at a loss) and the customer then doesn’t print enough or doesn’t use Genuine HP supplies.

What he admitted is that their printing revenue model doesn’t work if people use third-party ink cartridges. This is why HP’s aim for years now (by Lores’ admission) has been to “…reduce the number of unprofitable customers”. Following printer firmware updates from 2022 and 2023 for certain models, bricking printers that don’t use expensive Genuine HP cartridges is how they have gone about doing that.

It’s little wonder there’s a Class Action lawsuit about it in the US, brought by people who don’t like this idea. Whether it’ll change anything is anyone’s guess, of course.

They Want You On An Ink Subscription

Ultimately, what Mr. Lores wants, is for people to switch to an “ink subscription”, whereby they pay a monthly fee for all of their printing needs. HP has long been pushing in this direction with its “Instant Ink” program in the US.

Sadly, The South African version is a lot more tame and is more like a personal shopper who will go and buy your ink for you than a monthly subscription fee to have all your printing needs met.

Subscriptions=A 20% Uplift

HP’s American CFO, Marie Myers, said to investors at the UBS Global Technology conference last year (as reported by The Register): “We absolutely see when you move a customer from that pure transactional model… whether it’s Instant Ink, plus adding on that paper, we sort of see a 20 percent uplift on the value of that customer because you’re locking that person, committing to a longer-term relationship.”

SHP deliberately wants to lock you into an expensive printing ecosystem, and it’s not an accident. It’s their actual strategy to ‘Create Value For Their Shareholders’. How lovely.

Key Takeaways

• HP considers you a “bad investment” if you buy an HP printer and then don’t print enough or if you try to save a few bucks by using 3^rd-party ink cartridges.
• If you don’t use Genuine HP cartridges and run updates on your printer, your printer could stop working entirely and there’s nothing you can do about it.
• HP’s solution is to push people towards a subscription model for their printing needs.

HP’s approach leaves a lot to be desired.

Printing Sucks

Printing sucks even when companies aren’t out to screw you lock you into their ecosystem for the sake of their profits. Here’s why:

• Inkjet printing is expensive (plus your printer might not print black & white text documents if it’s out of magenta)
• Ink tanks are messy (but they do produce more prints than cartridge-based printers at a lower per-page cost)
• Laser printers print really sharp documents (but they’re pricy)
• Renting a printer from a managed service provider to save yourself the hassle of maintaining it costs more money in the long run (even if the up-front costs are lower).

The choice businesses that need to print are left with is less “which one should I choose” and more “which poison would I like to drink?”.

If any of you have suggestions on the best way to approach business or home office printing, we’re all ears. Right now, all of the options available seem to suck eggs.

[Image: AI-generated by Adobe PhotoShop Beta]

For business in particular, though, it can’t just be ignored: businesspeople simply must wrap their heads around this potential threat, especially with the rise of generative AI (GenAI) that can be roped in to create all manner of malicious and convincing campaigns that target businesses.

Malinformation poses such a threat, Gartner predicts that by 2028, businesses worldwide will spend over $30 billion every year to fight it.

What is Malinformation?

Basically, malinformation is truthful information that is used to deceive, harm, or manipulate – often with the goal of making money. The nuance here is that unlike misinformation, which is inaccurate information shared without harmful intent, and disinformation, which is false information shared with the intent to pull the wool over people’s eyes, malinformation is based on truth but deliberately twisted to cause harm.

An example of malinformation in action

Imagine a scenario where a company releases accurate but selective financial information about a competitor to make people think it’s financially unstable. They might share real data about that company’s increased debt levels without also mentioning the corresponding growth in assets and revenue that came about as a result – things that any good businessperson knows would justify taking on additional debt.

This limited view of that company’s finances could feasibly lead to a drop in investor confidence, cause its stock price to drop, and harm the company’s reputation, even though the information shared was technically correct. Painting misleading pictures with selective use of facts and truth is what malinformation is all about.

The business impact

There are several reasons to be vigilant against malinformation. First, it can cause brand damage, which could cause customers to lose faith in your company and take their money elsewhere. It can also stir up trouble inside your organisation and lead to employee disengagement and conflict, especially if sensitive information is used.

And then there are the regulatory and legal challenges it could lead to if the malinformation campaign against you involves the misuse of data or breaches of privacy laws. None of these are things businesses want or need.

Gartner’s outlook on malinformation

Research firm Gartner has plenty to say about malinformation. They predict that by 2028, the spending to fight malinformation will eat into marketing and cybersecurity budgets, cannibalising them by as much as 10%. This is an indication of how scary the threat of malinformation is, and how seriously businesses need to take it.

Gartner also believes that by 2027, 45% of CISOs will see their roles expand beyond cybersecurity, and have them tackling issues like malinformation due to the inevitable regulatory pressures that will emerge as well as the expanded attack surface. If you’re a CISO or you play a similar role, expect the fight against malinformation to land in your lap.

Interestingly, Gartner anticipates malinformation to cause knowledge workers to unionise more, with a 1,000% increase in unionisation by 2028. They think the change will be due to the increased adoption of GenAI and the concerns it raises about job security and ethics.

Tackling the challenge

Oh, great, yet another thing to worry about, right? You will be happy to know that good advice on how to tackle this soon-to-be-scourge already exists, and it’s right out of the ‘effective cybersecurity’ and ‘cybersecurity best practices’ handbook.

1. Lead Responsibly: Assigning a dedicated executive, such as the CISO, to oversee efforts against malinformation is a must. This role should encompass monitoring, prevention, and response strategies.
2. Educate Employees: Raising awareness about the nature and risks of malinformation among staff is essential. Training sessions can help employees identify and report potential instances of malinformation.
3. Beef Up Your Security: Reviewing and improving data security and privacy practices can prevent bad actors from accessing sensitive information that could be used maliciously.
4. Monitoring and Response Plans: Be sure to encourage vigilance among staff, but also have a good and effective response plan in place in case the worst happens anyway.
5. Keep Everyone Updated: Regular communication with customers, partners, and regulators about how the company is addressing malinformation can help maintain trust and transparency.

Preparation and understanding

As if business isn’t complex enough, we must now deal with malinformation as well. However, because it’s a fact that business increasingly relies on digital technologies, and the bad people who are out to make a quick buck at your expense are highly motivated to keep plying their trade, understanding and preparing for this relatively new risk is more important than ever.

By recognising the seriousness of the issue, leading responsibly, and putting effective counter-strategies in place, businesses can protect themselves against the damaging effects of malinformation.

And yes, it’s just another thing to add to the list of challenges facing businesses in the modern era, but maybe, just maybe, it will lead to more effective data privacy and protection strategies down the line, and we will one day look back on it all and have a laugh…

Maybe. But while it remains a contemporary threat, it will likely pay to be prepared.

While it seems Windows 11 only just arrived on the scene, Microsoft seems very keen to make the most of its recent investments in AI, which may be the reason behind the push to get this next version into consumers’ hands in the next year. Windows releases are always of interest, regardless of their reasons, so here is a look at the changes and innovations expected in this next-gen Windows platform. Will it be Windows 12? We will just have to wait and see.

Shift in strategy

The introduction of the Hudson Valley update marks a departure from the previous leadership’s approach under Panos Panay (who recently announced his move to Amazon). Under Panay, Windows had adopted a rhythm of releasing smaller, more frequent feature updates, known internally at Microsoft as “Moment” updates, alongside a traditional three-year cycle for major platform releases.

However, the new leadership team, which oversees the Windows & Web Experiences division, is reverting to an annual release cycle for major platform updates. This shift is a return to a more traditional update schedule, taking a more sparing approach of using Moment updates for minor feature enhancements.

Key features, timeline

The Hudson Valley update, set to be rolled out in 2024, is based on the Germanium platform release, which is expected to achieve a Release To Manufacturing (RTM) milestone in April of the same year. Despite this, the complete rollout of the Hudson Valley update is not anticipated until September or October 2024, allowing for additional development and refinement over the northern summer months.

Advanced AI

One of the most notable aspects of Hudson Valley is its emphasis on advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. These capabilities will likely make their way into various aspects of the operating system, offering supposedly ground-breaking enhancements and functionalities.

A key feature includes the integration of an AI-powered Windows Shell with an advanced Copilot system. This system is designed to operate continuously in the background, helping people find things, initiating projects or workflows, and understanding user context.

If the update can help Word open the folder of the most recent file we worked on instead of just showing us the Onedrive folder when we click Save As, we can totally get behind this.

Other AI innovations

The update is expected to introduce a new history/timeline feature (not to be confused with that other Timeline feature that Microsoft cancelled back in 2021), which will let people revisit past activities on the system, filtered by specific search criteria. Enhanced search is also on the horizon, with the ability to understand natural language queries, allowing users to locate documents or information by simply typing out what they want in everyday language.

Content creation

Beyond the AI-focused advancements, the Hudson Valley update also plans to introduce a dedicated area within the Start menu and File Explorer, tailored for content creators. This area will serve as a hub for Microsoft’s suite of creative tools and services, providing streamlined access to applications like Microsoft 365, Designer projects, Word, and PowerPoint.

In terms of energy efficiency, Microsoft is reportedly working on significant improvements to the Windows energy-saving function, potentially extending battery life by up to 50% on compatible hardware. A new “green power” feature, aimed at optimising charging cycles based on the availability of renewable energy sources, is also in development, although for South Africans this will be moot considering our uncertainty at electricity availability regardless of source.

Branding dilemma

In the middle of all this, it seems nobody knows for sure what Microsoft will call this version of Windows. Will it just become part of Windows 11 via updates, or will Microsoft take maximum advantage of the fuss that an entirely new version of Windows will doubtless cause?

The final decision, which we must stress has not been made, will likely be influenced by whatever marketing potential Microsoft thinks they can squeeze out of this. The smart money is on it being called Windows 12 since the core of the operating system certainly sounds like it’s going to be so different from anything that came before, but only time will tell.

Should businesses care?

It would be naïve of anyone to think AI and a version of Windows that uses it at every turn don’t have major implications for businesses. Yesteryear’s considerations of licensing costs and having the right hardware to run it aside, businesses will now need to ask themselves if they can afford not to upgrade to the next version of Windows, considering the potentially game-changing AI functions it will likely ship with. Since AI is touching everything from OS security to search to data analysis and the overall end-user experience, the potential for increased productivity is certainly there.

It’s still early days, though, and much energy will be put into analysing these considerations in the coming months, but for now, we’re just shining a light on what’s headed our way from Microsoft so that our business readers are at least aware of it for now.

In other words, we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we’re not sure if it’s an escape from the darkness or an oncoming train just yet. Best to just keep an eye on it, in case.

Windows to the future

The Hudson Valley update certainly seems to be a significant evolution of Windows, and it’s being driven by Microsoft’s feverish focus on AI integration, enhancing the user experience, and the long-term sustainability of the Windows brand.

As Microsoft makes its way through these changes under new leadership, there’s no doubt a lot of people, myself included, are eagerly anticipating this next-gen Windows. And if all goes well, the year ahead could well be a watershed moment in the operating system’s ongoing development.

Exciting times.

No, says Loryan Strant, product and innovation lead at Dutch IT consultancy Rapid Circle.

But why does he say that? Strant, one of Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professionals, believes it’s because nobody has had enough time with Copilot yet to have learned enough about it to be meaningfully helpful in a business context. In a long rant published online titled “How to Identify Copilot Bullsh*t”, Strant made a pretty strong case for businesses to take any offer of claimed expertise with a large pinch of salt.

Oh, you’re a Copilot expert, are you?

Basically, he calls BS on content creators – as he says, “IT professionals, corporate bloggers, and in some cases, even MVPs” – and their knowledge of Copilot. He says that the platform has only been publicly available since November, and only to a small number of Microsoft Partners, and therefore anyone claiming to have used it for a long time can’t be telling the truth.

Besides that, Copilot itself has changed a lot since its release, leaving it in a state of “some things are clear and some things are still a dark art”.

The other problem Strant has is, owing to its recent release, anyone claiming to have Copilot expertise is doing little more than repeating Microsoft’s website content and not offering anything unique. And by bamboozling prospective clients about their knowledge and experience with Copilot, they could be heading for disaster.

Inexperience and a lack of real knowledge plus a ridiculously complicated and powerful technology being unleashed on your company data… what could go wrong?

Ask pointed questions

His advice to businesses that are interested in Copilot is to ask some pointed questions of your chosen Microsoft Partner when it comes time to decide on the way forward.

While Strant only provided one question to ask (How long have you had access to it), we’re going to take that and extrapolate it into several that we hope will help businesses figure out if their Microsoft Partner is on the level or blowing smoke about their Copilot experience.

Question 1: How long have you been working with Copilot, and can you provide examples or case studies of your successes in that time?

Question 2: How did you get access to Copilot considering the high cost and licensing requirements?

Question 3: Can you show how your expertise adds value beyond what is publicly available through Microsoft’s resources and web content?

Question 4: How have you adapted your strategies or recommendations in response to the changes and adjustments Microsoft Copilot has undergone since its release?

Question 5: Can you talk about the potential risks (like data privacy) of implementing Microsoft Copilot, and how have you addressed/would you address those risks?

Be cautious

Navigating the complexities of Microsoft Copilot is going to need a careful, informed approach, especially for businesses that are looking for guidance on this brand-new technology that’s only just become commercially available.

Strant’s scepticism is a valuable reminder that while emerging technologies like Copilot offer exciting possibilities, they also necessitate a discerning and cautious approach when seeking consultancy.

Read More: Microsoft goes all-in on AI at Ignite

The questions provided serve as a very basic toolkit for businesses to start vetting potential consultants. They emphasise the importance of not just technical know-how, but also ethical considerations, adaptability, and whether or not your chosen vendor can actually add value.

Copilot and other AI technologies are indeed quite exciting and can potentially change how many organisations do business in significant ways. But since it’s still early days, all businesses should choose carefully, be wise, and above all, be cautious.

Nonetheless, emerging technologies are often the key to staying ahead, provided they are used effectively. Generative AI is the latest emerging technology that’s gathering momentum; it is also much more than just a buzzword, and we believe South African business owners would benefit from wrapping their heads around it.

In mid-2023, a McKinsey Global Survey called “The state of AI in 2023: Generative AI’s breakout year” revealed some fascinating insights into the world of Generative AI, or “GenAI,” and how it’s shaping business around the world. Today, we’ll delve into the findings of this study and discuss why South African business owners should seriously consider embracing Generative AI for their businesses, too.

What is Generative AI?

Before we explore the potential benefits, let’s examine Generative AI more closely. In simple terms, it’s a part of artificial intelligence dedicated to generating realistic content like text, images, or music without direct human involvement. Think ChatGPT, Dall-E, and services like them, and you have an idea of what GenAI is capable of. Essentially, it enables computers to generate ‘new’ creative content all on their own.

According to the McKinsey report, Generative AI is making some pretty big waves worldwide. The survey revealed that one-third of respondents reported regular use of GenAI tools within their organisations. Yes, in a relatively short time, AI tools have become an important part of businesses around the globe.

South African business owners take note

Now, you might be thinking, “How does this relate to my South African business?” Well, the connection lies in the potential advantages that Generative AI can offer you.

1. Staying competitive

The business world is becoming increasingly competitive, and having and maintaining a competitive edge is essential. Generative AI can help your business be even more competitive by automating tasks, creating content more efficiently, and providing innovative solutions to longstanding challenges. Business services like realistic chatbots that can deliver decent customer service and answer questions in a way that isn’t frustrating for the customer are examples of how GenAI can help.

2. Expanding your reach

Expanding your business by reaching more people is a smart move. Generative AI can be a valuable tool for this by crafting custom content that resonates with your target audience, thereby widening your reach and engaging your customers on a more personal level. Customers that are engaged are more likely to become customers that return.

3. Enhancing productivity

When you automate tasks like data entry and transcribing audio or video using GenAI, and when you generate content like marketing emails, social media updates, and product descriptions quickly, your human team can concentrate on more strategic and creative work. This has the potential to dramatically boost productivity and allow your teams the time and freedom to do more valuable things with their work time.

4. Cost savings

The McKinsey report suggests that organisations using GenAI experience various advantages, including cost savings. By automating tasks and improving efficiency, you can reduce operational costs and allocate your resources more effectively.

5. Strategic decision-making

Accessing immediate insights derived from reliable data is essential for making decisions that benefit your business the most. Generative AI can examine huge amounts of data and give you these insights in real time, giving you the ability to make smart strategic choices that drive your business forward.

6. Adapting to industry trends

Generative AI can help you quickly adapt to changing industry trends. By automating processes and content generation, you can keep up with the latest developments and respond to market changes faster than ever before. And since today’s business world does indeed change faster than Superman in a phone booth (showing your age there – Ed), being able to respond almost as quickly thanks to GenAI is a major advantage.

7. Employee development

With so much to learn about AI in general and GenAI specifically, you would be right in being concerned that your staff’s skill levels are not where they need to be. This is why reskilling your workforce is a key aspect of embracing Generative AI. The McKinsey survey suggests that adopting this technology can lead to more extensive reskilling efforts, ensuring your employees can do what’s expected of them, and for their skills to remain competitive in the job market.

The road ahead for South African businesses

While Generative AI holds immense promise, it’s quite important to approach its adoption strategically. Here are some steps for South African business owners to consider:

1. Assess your needs: Understand how Generative AI can benefit your specific industry and business model. Identify areas where automation and content generation can make the biggest impact. This is where consulting with your IT provider or talking directly to companies like Microsoft can shed some much-needed light on your next steps.
2. Invest in training: Reskilling your employees is a step that cannot be skipped. Invest in training programs to ensure your workforce understands the power of GenAI and can harness it effectively.
3. Collaborate with experts: As we touched on in step 1, you must seek guidance from experts and technology providers experienced in implementing (or creating) Generative AI solutions. They can help you navigate and customise the adoption process to meet your requirements.
4. Monitor progress: Continuously monitor the performance of Generative AI solutions within your business. Adjust your strategies as needed to maximise benefits.

Generative AI is no longer a distant concept; it’s a reality that is transforming businesses worldwide. While the McKinsey report was more about the general state of GenAI adoption in the international business community, South African business owners would do well to take note of this technology and also consider the potential benefits it can offer.

Embracing Generative AI can help your business stay competitive, engage with customers more effectively, and drive growth in an increasingly digital world.

So, South African entrepreneurs, we encourage you to explore the possibilities of Generative AI. At the very least, we encourage you to look it up online (here’s a good starting point) and give some thought to talking to someone who knows a lot about it to start getting a sense of what it could do for you in the coming months and years.

At worst, it’s a lame trend that doesn’t actually do anything. At best, it could propel your business into the stratosphere. Seems like a risk worth taking.

Being aware of these trends can give your brand an edge when messaging your target audience, whether that’s via social media, your website, or other marketing channels. To help with this, the popular online stock platform Depositphotos has released its annual report on emerging creative trends, offering readers valuable insights into the future of visual communication and design.

In the report, Depositphotos delves into the trends gaining momentum, shedding light on the visual elements that capture the imagination of both creators and consumers. By analysing the search queries entered by their users, Depositphotos identifies the creative trends that are on the rise, providing marketers and designers with insights into what people are looking for, and how they can craft engaging and relevant content based on those trends.

Depositphotos’ approach is not limited to data analysis, either. It also consults industry experts and examines exemplary instances in advertising, product design, and beyond.

Here’s what you should know about the report.

Visual Trend Spotting

Depositphotos’ annual report is grounded in data, making it a reliable resource for anticipating trends that are likely to shape the visual marketing landscape. By tracking the surge in search queries and content downloads within their community, the report unveils what visuals are in demand and where consumer preferences are headed.

Expert Opinions

In addition to data-driven insights, Depositphotos consults industry experts to provide a well-rounded perspective on emerging visual trends. This input from seasoned professionals offers a deeper understanding of these trends’ significance and potential impact on your marketing efforts.

Real-World Applications

The report doesn’t stop at identifying trends; it illustrates how they manifest in the real world. By showcasing examples from advertising campaigns, product design, and other creative outlets, the report helps you visualise how these trends can be applied effectively.

The Year Ahead

As you prepare your marketing plans for 2024, consider the findings of the report on emerging creative trends. Knowing what people are looking for and staying aware of the visual shifts that may occur in the coming year can help you develop marketing materials that are fresh, engaging, and relevant.

Below, you’ll find an infographic summarising Depositphotos’ report; it touches on the important points but doesn’t go into great detail.

If you want to read the report in full, you’ll need to go to Depositphotos’ website and provide your email address to access the download. While this isn’t ideal, it’s at least free.

We hope business-minded readers find many useful visual trend insights contained therein, and we wish you all much success in your marketing efforts (digital and otherwise) in the coming year.

These changes, rolled out in the November 2023 non-security preview update for 11 (with 10 updates to follow soon), represent more than compliance—they symbolise a strategic shift towards what you could call “enhanced user control and interoperability”.

What that means for you is “these changes make the operating system less of a bloated, spyware-infested pain in the rear end to work with”.

Finally.

And while there’s no word yet on exactly how or when these changes will impact South Africa, since Europe is a major trading partner from whom we take our lead on many things, it wouldn’t be a surprise if exactly the same (or similar) changes roll out to Windows 10 and 11 running on South African PCs in the coming months.

To make sure that South African businesses are aware of the possible changes, we’ve compiled this report on what the changes are, why they were implemented, and what that could mean for businesses whose PCs use the OS.

Understanding the changes

At the heart of this update is a commitment to clarity and giving the user greater control over their Windows environment. After the update, Windows PCs in the EEA will now clearly identify operating system functions in settings, the start menu, and search functions. This move towards transparency is good for business users, especially those with less technical know-how, as it allows them to understand their systems better.

For example, system components will be clearly labelled with “system” in the Start menu’s All list and search results. This kind of clarity is meant to make navigation simpler, which time-pressed professionals will likely appreciate. It might also inspire less fiddling with system settings by end users, which IT admins will probably appreciate.

Windows is giving users more power to manage their computers by allowing them to remove some built-in apps that they might not want, such as Camera, Cortana (which is on its way out anyway), and Microsoft Edge. This means business users can customise their computers to have only the apps they really need and use.

Easy connection between different apps

The ability of Windows to work seamlessly with third-party programs, often referred to in technical circles as “interoperability”, is another cornerstone of these updates. In doing so, Microsoft is creating ways for other companies’ apps to work better with Windows features, making everything more connected and user-friendly.

This inclusivity extends to feeds in the Windows Widgets Board and web search in Windows Search. This not only enhances the functionality of third-party apps but also gives business users access to a broader range of tools and services, directly within the Windows ecosystem.

Data synchronisation and default apps

The synchronisation of Microsoft account data across devices is a subtle yet significant feature for business users. This synchronisation ensures that settings, apps, passwords, and even pinned apps and preferences are consistent across devices, which comes in handy when you have access to more than one Windows system and you want your work to follow you between them.

With the new update, this synchronisation won’t be on by default – people will be asked if they want their settings and data to follow them. This means they won’t be forced to use a Microsoft account with Windows, as they were with Windows 11 Home, or limp along on a local account as they did in Windows 10.

The option to uninstall the default apps is quite a big win for anyone who has not liked, for example, that they couldn’t remove Edge from the OS. With this update, kicking Edge and other apps to the curb like the Microsoft Store, the default Calculator, and even Photos will be absolutely doable.

The bigger picture for business

While it’s a little sad that it took EU regulators to make Microsoft implement these changes, it’s still good to see Microsoft shifting towards a more user-centric, flexible, and inclusive Windows experience. For techies who like to tinker and anyone who hasn’t enjoyed Microsoft’s recent tendency to wall its garden off quite aggressively, it’s like an early Christmas present.

For business users, these changes in Windows will make it not only compliant with the latest EU rules but also easier to use. It will become more flexible, easier to personalise, and able to work with more apps and services; this won’t necessarily reduce the time spent on technical support, but it could make Windows better suited to business purposes.

Windows changes – When and how?

The official Microsoft blog that outlined these changes mentioned that “[t]hese changes will gradually be rolling out to devices in Release Preview over the next couple weeks. We will be previewing changes for Windows 10 in the Release Preview Channel at a later date. We’ll be updating Windows 10, version 22H2 and Windows 11, version 23H2 PCs in the EEA to be compliant by March 6^th, 2024.”

So take the above with a pinch of salt, and join us in sitting back and seeing if these EEA-specific changes make their way down to us in the next four to six months. We really hope they do, because we think Windows 11 (and 10 to some extent) has been long overdue for some under-the-hood user-friendly changes.

And if these updates somehow don’t end up impacting Windows 10 and 11 PCs in South Africa, it might be time to invest in a VPN and set your location to Europe.

Fortunately, there is good news – as the criminals evolve, so too do the tools to defeat them. Today, popular e-commerce platforms offer plugins that use machine learning and AI to detect and prevent fraudulent activity. Businesses just need to know about them and use them, so we thought we’d help with that by highlighting the top plugins and features for the most popular commerce platforms in South Africa, namely Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento (now Adobe Commerce).

Some are free, some are paid, so it’s up to the individual online store owner to decide how much they’re willing to spend on this protection.

Shopify fraud prevention plugins

Chargebacks happen when a customer disputes a charge on their credit card and asks their bank to reverse it; while it’s a legitimate function, it can be abused by fraudsters who could claim they never received the product they paid for and have the charge reversed, even though they did receive their goods. These plugins and features of Shopify can help stores not fall prey to this tactic.

Shopify Fraud Analysis: This built-in tool uses AI to closely check orders and highlight potential fraud risks before the worst can happen. It evaluates several factors, including transaction patterns and IP addresses, making it easier for merchants to spot and address suspicious activities.

Signifyd: Providing real-time fraud protection, Signifyd analyses orders and offers a guarantee against fraudulent chargebacks. Its machine-learning capabilities enable it to adapt and respond to evolving fraud tactics.

Riskified: An AI-driven platform, Riskified reviews and approves transactions, providing full protection against chargebacks. It’s designed to make instantaneous, accurate decisions on transaction legitimacy.

NoFraud: This plugin screens transactions in real-time, delivering immediate pass/fail decisions. NoFraud offers chargeback protection and integrates seamlessly, reducing the need for manual review.

WooCommerce fraud prevention plugins

WooCommerce Anti-Fraud: This extension quickly detects potentially fraudulent transactions. It scores each order based on various risk indicators, helping merchants to make informed decisions about transactions on their sites.

FraudLabs Pro: This tool focuses on analysing transactions for fraud and assigns risk scores to each, helping to identify and mitigate potential threats. The free version of the plugin limits you to 500 transactions per month; the bigger your transaction volume, the more FraudLabs Pro will cost (see their pricing page for details).

Magento fraud prevention plugins

Signifyd Fraud & Chargeback Protection: This tool provides risk assessments for transactions and protects against fraudulent chargebacks. Its integration with Magento ensures a smooth user experience, but a Signifyd account (and payment for its use) is required for it to protect your site.

Magento Fraud Protection by Riskified: Offering instant decisions on transactions, Riskified for Magento automates the review process, backed by artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies that accurately approve or reject transactions.

Kount: Kount’s integration with Magento enables real-time evaluation of fraud risks, using advanced AI to make precise risk assessments.

FraudLabs Pro for Magento: Similar to its versions for other platforms, FraudLabs Pro screens high-risk transactions, helping Magento users minimize the risk of chargebacks.

Don’t let fraudsters give you the slip

Implementing fraud prevention plugins that use advanced AI and ML technologies is a wise move for any e-commerce business. These tools not only enhance security but also improve the overall customer experience by minimizing false positives in fraud detection.

Each platform – Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento – offers plugins that help to prevent you from falling victim to online scamsters. By installing fraud-fighting plugins, you can protect your business from losing money due to fraudulent activities and give yourself some peace of mind in the process.