New startups are created every day –  each with fresh ideas and solutions.

However, the reality is stark: up to 90% of startups fail, with the average failure rate for the first year standing at 10%.

But as time progresses, the odds get even more challenging. In the span from the second to the fifth year, a staggering 70% of new businesses crumble. With such daunting statistics, it’s clear that maintaining a startup becomes an uphill battle for founders without the right foundations.

With so many startups facing a tough journey right from their inception, the pressing question becomes: How does one successfully navigate the tech industry? The key lies in having a groundbreaking idea and understanding the broader tech landscape and the forces shaping it.

Understanding the Tech Startup Landscape

The tech industry today is a mixed bag of opportunities and obstacles. Rapid advancements in areas like AI, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) bring forth new possibilities. Yet, navigating this landscape requires more than just a unique product or service.

Rise of Global Tech Hubs

An exciting shift in recent years is the emergence of new technological hubs across the globe. While Silicon Valley remains iconic, cities from Bangalore to Berlin are making names for themselves as hotbeds of tech innovation. This global expansion means startups now have a wider array of ecosystems to choose from, each with its unique advantages, resources, and challenges.

The Venture Capital Influence

The role of venture capital (VC) has become increasingly prominent in shaping the tech startup scene. The infusion of VC funds can catapult a startup to new heights, providing the necessary resources to scale and innovate. However, with this financial backing comes heightened investor expectations. Meeting growth metrics, achieving profitability, and ensuring a substantial return on investment are now integral parts of the startup journey. It’s a double-edged sword: while VC can fast-track growth, it also brings with it the pressure of constant performance.

The Founder’s Journey

To truly succeed, a founder needs resilience, a consistent capacity to innovate, and the agility to adapt to an ever-changing market. The terrain of the tech landscape keeps evolving, and only those startups that can both anticipate and adeptly respond to change will endure and prosper.

So, what are the key strategies that can help a startup beat the odds and thrive in this challenging landscape?

7 Tips for Successfully Growing Your Tech Startup

Given the complexities of the tech environment, a strategic approach is vital. Here are seven essential tips to help your tech startup not only survive but thrive in this dynamic industry:

• Embrace Innovation

Being innovative isn’t just about new ideas, but also about effectively addressing market needs. A shining example of this is AdTech Holding’s project, Applabz.com. Positioned as an expert mobile development team, Applabz turns conceptual ideas into tangible, cutting-edge mobile solutions. From custom app development to effective mobile marketing strategies, they embody the spirit of innovation. With a diverse suite of apps like JAX VPN and Brushly — and their commitment to a personalized approach, Applabz showcases how innovation, combined with meeting market demands, can elevate a brand’s stature in the industry.

• Know Your Target Audience

Understanding your audience is fundamental. It’s not just about demographics but recognizing their pain points, preferences, and aspirations. Tools like audience analytics and surveys can offer invaluable insights, helping startups tailor their offerings more effectively.

• Diversify Revenue Streams

Relying on a single income source can be risky. By exploring various monetization strategies, startups can ensure a steadier cash flow and greater financial security. Whether it’s through in-app purchases, subscriptions, or affiliate marketing, diversification is key.

• Build a Strong Team

The backbone of any successful startup is its team. Hiring individuals who are not only skilled but also align with the company’s vision is vital. A motivated team, driven by a shared goal, can propel a startup to unparalleled heights.

• Focus on Customer Satisfaction

Word of mouth travels fast. Positive reviews can boost a brand, while negative feedback can just as quickly tarnish its reputation. It’s essential to value user feedback and implement strategies prioritizing customer satisfaction.

• Optimize Marketing Strategies

While it’s tempting to splurge on marketing, startups must remember the importance of ROI. Leveraging data-driven marketing can ensure that every penny spent yields results. From SEO to social media ads, effective marketing is about targeting the right audience with the right message.

• Stay Updated with Industry Trends

The tech industry is characterized by rapid change. One significant trend in recent years is the rising interest in machine learning. With its potential to revolutionize various sectors, from healthcare to finance, staying updated with such trends is essential. Startups should be ready to leverage new technologies and trends to remain competitive. Regularly attending tech conferences, following industry news, and engaging in continuous learning can help keep a startup at the forefront of innovation.

Expert Insights

After understanding and using these critical growth tips, drawing from those who’ve walked the same path is beneficial. Insights from industry leaders provide not just inspiration but real-world context to these tips. Let’s hear from some tech veterans about their experiences and the importance of robust growth strategies.

“When we began with Applabz, we faced numerous hurdles, just like any startup. But our commitment to understanding our audience and continuously innovating kept us ahead of the curve. Our growth journey wasn’t just about scaling but learning and adapting at every step.” – Ilya Pasyuk, Senior Frontend Developer at Applabz

“At AdTech Holding, we’ve learned that the technology industry waits for no one. Rapid innovation is crucial, but without a clear strategy, even the most revolutionary products can get lost in the noise. It’s our focus on understanding market needs and adapting with agility that has anchored our success. Growth isn’t just about scaling; it’s about making informed, strategic decisions every step of the way.” — Alex Vasekin, CEO, AdTech Holding

Learning from these industry leaders offers invaluable insights. Now, let’s reflect on what all this means for startups striving for success

Navigating the Path to Tech Startup Success

Startups are frequently presented with immense opportunities but face equally daunting challenges. As we’ve discussed, the key to thriving amidst this dynamic landscape is multifaceted.

Startups must prioritize innovation, deeply understand their audience, diversify their revenue streams, build strong teams, focus on customer satisfaction, optimize marketing efforts, and remain attuned to industry trends. These aren’t just strategies; they’re necessities in today’s tech ecosystem.

The insights from industry leaders further cement the importance of a strategic approach to growth. For every tech startup out there aiming to defy the odds, remember: growth and innovation are intertwined. Embrace them, and you’re already on the path to success.

About AdTech Holding

Founded with the vision of revolutionizing the AdTech and MarTech landscapes, AdTech Holding has consistently stood at the forefront of technological innovation. With a diverse portfolio of projects and services, the company is committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions tailored for brands, tech enthusiasts, investors, and business owners worldwide. Rooted in a culture of excellence and driven by a passion for innovation, AdTech Holding is not just a leader in the industry; it’s a beacon for those striving to make a mark in the world of technology.

For more information, visit AdTech Holding’s website.

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European Union antitrust regulators have restarted their in-depth investigation into Adobe’s proposed $20 billion acquisition of web-based design platform Figma, giving themselves until February 5th to reach a decision on the mega tech deal.

According to an Oct. 20 Reuters report, the European Commission, which acts as the EU’s top antitrust watchdog, halted its probe last month while waiting for more information it had requested from Adobe and Figma. Now with responses in hand, regulators will spend the next three months analyzing whether the merger would significantly reduce competition in the market for interactive design software.

Critics argue that by absorbing its rival Figma, Adobe could gain an insurmountable market position

Critics argue that by absorbing its rival Figma, Adobe could gain an insurmountable market position, allowing it to raise prices, degrade services, and hinder innovation for the many product teams and graphic designers who rely on digital design tools.

Figma has seen meteoric growth since its founding in 2012, emerging as a rare competitive threat to Adobe’s long-dominant Photoshop, Illustrator and XD products. If combined, Adobe and Figma would control over 50% of the global market for interactive design platforms, an alarming prospect for many customers.

Regulators will specifically analyze whether Figma’s web-based platform truly represents an innovative alternative to Adobe’s desktop-centric creative suite. Given Figma’s expansive feature set and collaborative abilities, the Commission may conclude that Figma occupies a distinct competitive space that deserves protection from monopolization.

To secure approval, Adobe will likely have to offer remedies to prevent restricted access to Figma’s platform, locked-in pricing, degraded quality, and limited integration with non-Adobe software. These remedies could include firewalling Figma’s operations, maintaining Fima’s software quality, and agreeing to fair pricing clauses.

It remains uncertain whether such behavioral commitments will satisfy the Commission’s concerns or if Adobe will need to make structural changes like divesting Figma outright. In any case, regulators aim to prevent this blockbuster $20 billion deal from severely diminishing competition in the world of digital design. The clock is now ticking for Adobe to assuage antitrust fears before February 5th or face potential rejection of the transformative acquisition.

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YouTube is implementing changes to improve the exposure of news from “reliable sources” on its platform. This involves introducing a new “engaging viewing experience” for mobile devices, which aims to offer users additional news-related content as they watch news videos. By prioritizing authoritative voices in search results and recommendations, YouTube hopes to build trust and enhance accuracy for its users. This measure will help counteract misinformation and ensure viewers receive information from valid sources. Additionally, YouTube plans to allocate $1.6 million to support news content creation for its short-form service called Shorts.

Users will see the updated YouTube watch page when they open a video with a newspaper icon. This will present relevant long-form videos, livestreams, podcasts, and Shorts videos below the currently playing content. The goal for this change is to provide a richer news consumption experience on YouTube, motivating users to interact more with reputable news sources and various formats. By investing in Shorts’ production, YouTube demonstrates its dedication to spreading trustworthy news and growing an informed user base.

The production of shortform Shorts news content in collaboration with over 20 organizations across ten countries

This partnership hopes to stimulate the creation of reliable and engaging news content in a condensed format, catering to the increasing number of users who prefer consuming information in smaller portions. By offering financial assistance and resources, YouTube creates an environment where reputable news organizations can thrive and share vital information through Shorts, ultimately improving the platform’s informative content.

YouTube’s investment in trustworthy news is significant, particularly when other platforms are reluctant to engage with news from traditional mainstream sources. By partnering with established news outlets, YouTube intends to minimize the time and effort needed to create shorter, more digestible news stories while maintaining journalistic integrity. This initiative is expected to foster greater trust among users, as conventional news organizations with proven track records will repurpose their content for this fast-evolving platform.

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GameSquare Esports Inc. has acquired Los Angeles-based esports organization FaZe Clan in an all-stock transaction, the companies announced on Friday. The deal values FaZe at approximately $16 million based on the current market caps of both companies.

According to an Oct. 20 Digitday report, FaZe Clan is one of the most recognizable brands in esports, with over 526 million followers across social media platforms. However, the organization has faced numerous controversies in recent months including accusations of sexism and homophobia. Its stock price has plummeted from a high of $24.69 in August 2022 to just $0.18 currently.

In May, FaZe laid off approximately 40% of its staff. Then in September, CEO Lee Trink departed the company. These challenges made FaZe an attractive acquisition target for GameSquare and other esports companies looking to buy low.

GameSquare is a publicly traded esports company based in Texas, backed by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones

The firm aims to help brands market to the competitive gaming audience through business units like Stream Hatchet and Ninja Labs.

Acquiring FaZe bolsters GameSquare’s connections with esports fans. As GameSquare CEO Justin Kenna stated:

“FaZe Clan is, to me, the only truly globally recognized brand in gaming, […] so it brings a huge audience, and I think it brings a huge amount of opportunity.”

To help revive FaZe, its creator-founders like Banks and Temperrr are returning to leadership roles post-acquisition. Meanwhile, GameSquare has brought back other former FaZe executives like Duane Jackson and Jaci Hays.

According to Kenna, going private again will empower FaZe’s founders to “drive the brand forward” without public company pressures. He wants to “get back to being the brand that it was” before recent controversies.

While FaZe’s brand power remains, experts say GameSquare must still attract sponsors to make the deal pay off. Esports relies heavily on diminishing brand deals versus recurring revenue streams.

The acquisition provides a lifeline for FaZe Clan as it aims to rebuild. With GameSquare’s diverse business mix and experienced leadership team, the company appears well-positioned to steer FaZe back on course. But transforming the embattled esports icon remains a formidable challenge.

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Think about the last software program you purchased for your employees. You may have needed only one or two of its features, so you kept the previous program that your employees used before as well. After that was implemented, you noticed that a few essential features of your business’s analytics software don’t work with the new software. As a result, you purchased a data and analytics add-on specifically for the latest software. To complicate matters even more, your BI team must keep using the previous data tool since it offers features the new one does not.

If that situation sounds chaotic, that’s because it is. Tech sprawl is a real problem. Tech sprawl can be defined as the process where companies overload different, overlapping software programs, cloud applications, or technology products in order to fill a gap. Companies end up having one, two, or three of every type of software imaginable, using each one only for one or two features.

The negative impact of tech sprawl

Eighty percent of IT leaders believe that tech sprawl is one of companies’ biggest problems. (https://www.idginsiderpro.com/article/3614785/the-battle-to-combat-data-sprawl-what-cios-need-to-do-now.html). The following adverse effects stemming from the phenomenon are examples of how it slows down digital transformation. Learn what they are and how to avoid falling victim to tech sprawl.

1. Tech sprawl is expensive. Purchasing numerous programs or products to use one or two features from each one isn’t only impractical but also costs money. The licensing fees can quickly add up, and new tech tools are generally pretty pricey. Many times, the software a company purchases becomes buried under newer programs and is easily forgotten. An estimated 40 billion dollars a year is spent on unused software. When businesses seek to cut costs, they inadvertently inundate themselves with more debt by purchasing too many technology-related products.
2. Tech sprawl is risky. When companies use too many programs in their workflow processes, they leave private data vulnerable to cyber-attacks. It can be impossible to track and secure every single program employees use. As employees incorporate new cloud-based programs into their workflows, their IT department must learn new security measures for those applications. As tech sprawl grows, the average IT department simply cannot handle the high demand. This leaves many unprotected files at risk for data breaches.
3. Tech sprawl leads to siloed data. Siloed data is a major problem in companies that use various programs in their operations. Since not all software programs “speak” to each other, employees must learn how to use different applications and save login details for each one. When this problem arises in a contact center, agents could find themselves trying to access a program they accidentally uninstalled or forgot the password. This can lead to very unhappy customers if this type of scenario occurs while on the phone with an agent.
4. Tech sprawl hinders good communication within the company. Many software applications allow users to easily communicate with one another by simply tagging them within the app and relaying the message they wish to send. Problems could arise when the recipient does not use that program and fails to get a notification. Sometimes, they haven’t learned how to use it. In other instances, employees may send each other files that can only be opened with a program that the recipients do not have. This can become a more significant problem if several employees use different programs and run into the aforementioned scenarios daily. Messages get lost, employees become confused, and frustration builds up as simple projects take too long to execute.

One platform changes everything

Now that so many companies offer work-from-home options or have converted to 100% remote, tech sprawl is a problem that they definitely want to avoid. Transforming your contact center into a fully digital one is much easier when all agents need is one program to work.

Implementing a unified and customizable omnichannel cloud platform (livevox.com/what is a cloud based) in your contact center’s workflows is exactly how companies avoid falling into the tech sprawl trap. An omnichannel platform brings all the central components of a contact center’s operations under one roof. The RoI numbers speak for themselves: companies saw a 229% return on their investments after eliminating wasteful programs and using the platform.

Unlike other hosted programs, a cloud-based platform employs top cybersecurity talent to ensure customer data is safe and secure from cyberattacks. They also boast several certifications, such as PCI DSS and (AICPA) SOC 2.

Since the platform houses all the tools an agent needs to do their job, the extra software programs or cloud applications aren’t necessary anymore. Those additional cybersecurity risks are eliminated because all your operations stem from one highly secured platform.

Siloed data is no longer a problem once companies switch over to an omnichannel platform. The platform provides everything a contact center needs, from analytics to quality management and sales support to agent performance tools. Agents do not have to worry about navigating different programs; everything will be easily accessible in one place.

Watch your company’s productivity increase as communication improves. A cloud-based platform offers personalized notifications for users. All communication can be done through the platform that everybody has access to. Since it provides major departments of a contact center with all they need to do their jobs, the concern over communicating through various different programs is eliminated.

Tech sprawl is undoubtedly a problem now that most companies have moved to cloud-based solutions. With some due diligence and the use of one omnichannel platform, wasteful programs and overspending are much better controlled. Your contact center will benefit as your agents provide a positive experience for your customers with the help of a cloud-based omnichannel platform.

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Nvidia has today unveiled Eureka, an AI agent to train robots that harnesses the power of OpenAI’s GPT-4. This groundbreaking agent promises to change how robots learn, equipping them to handle complex tasks with increased precision and autonomy.

Eureka’s unique approach involves autonomously generating reward algorithms to instruct robots. Perhaps slightly scary but nevertheless impressive, this method has enabled robots to learn a variety of tasks, including opening cabinets and manipulating scissors, for instance. In total, robots have been trained in nearly 30 different tasks using Eureka, showcasing its vast potential.

Earlier this year, the AI community saw the rise of agents like Auto-GPT and BabyAGI. Now, Eureka advances that trend, and its integration with GPT-4 underscores Nvidia’s dedication to AI research.

GPT-4: The powerhouse behind Eureka

By integrating generative and reinforcement learning, Eureka addresses challenges that have long plagued the AI sector. Specifically, traditional reinforcement learning often struggled with reward design. Anima Anandkumar, Nvidia’s senior director of AI research, underscores the breakthrough in reward design, stating: “Eureka is a first step toward developing new algorithms that integrate generative and reinforcement learning methods to solve hard tasks.”

Eureka’s reward programs, which facilitate robots’ trial-and-error learning, reportedly surpass human-written ones in over 80% of tasks. This has resulted in a performance boost of over 50% for the robots, according to the Nvidia team. These results are due to the AI agent leveraging OpenAI’s GPT-4 and generative AI to craft software code, rewarding robots during reinforcement learning.

Utilizing GPU-accelerated simulation in Nvidia’s Isaac Gym, Eureka can efficiently assess the quality of numerous reward candidates, streamlining training. The AI continually refines itself, guiding various robots, from dexterous hands to bipedal robots, in mastering diverse tasks.

Spealing on dexterity, Nvidia senior research scientist Linxi “Jim” Fan highlighted Eureka’s blend of GPT-4 and Nvidia’s GPU-accelerated simulation technologies. Fan stated, “We believe that Eureka will enable dexterous robot control and provide a new way to produce physically realistic animations for artists.”

The team’s research paper provides additional information on Eureka, such as how it uses evolutionary processes to optimize reward code.

Nvidia’s combination of large language models with GPU-accelerated simulation technologies in Eureka highlights the company’s vision for AI’s future. Depending on perspective, with Eureka training robots to outperform humans, the possibilities might be endless or might possibly be the end.

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Chinese chip equipment producers are witnessing a significant rise in orders as the United States tightens restrictions on China’s semiconductor sector. Domestic tool manufacturers like Naura and etching device maker AMEC are obtaining more bids from Chinese foundries as companies prioritize local alternatives over foreign-made equipment. This shift towards relying on local equipment suppliers has been driven by the need to reduce dependency on foreign technologies and circumvent the export controls imposed by the U.S. government. In turn, this presents a new opportunity for domestic manufacturers to innovate and expand their footprint in the global semiconductor market, ultimately strengthening China’s homegrown semiconductor industry.

Increased bids for domestic manufacturers

Huatai Securities reported that from January to August 2023, domestic manufacturers secured nearly half (47.25%) of all machinery equipment bids placed by Chinese foundries. This number jumped to 62% between July and August, indicating a shift in the industry as businesses prepare for worsening U.S. limitations and concentrate on self-sufficiency, as promoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping. As a result, local machinery equipment manufacturers are experiencing a surge in demand, which is expected to contribute significantly to the growth of China’s domestic machinery industry. Additionally, this shift towards self-sufficiency is likely to reduce dependency on foreign imports, thereby aiding the nation in navigating the global market challenges posed by the ongoing trade restrictions.

This surge in sales highlights the growing demand for advanced technology within the country and demonstrates the strengthening capabilities of China’s local equipment manufacturers in catering to this demand. Despite this current growth, Chinese manufacturers will likely face difficulties as the U.S. and other nations’ restrictions are predicted to cease accumulating foreign-made chip equipment. The restrictions may prompt Chinese manufacturers to rely heavily on domestic technology, leading to possible limitations in innovation and the quality of their products.

Equipment-related revenue of China’s top 10 domestic equipment manufacturers increased by 39% year-on-year in the first half of 2023, generating $2.2 billion in sales. China faces challenges in developing sophisticated technologies like extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines necessary for creating advanced chips, with the U.S. restricting access to such tools. They will need to reduce dependence on foreign technologies and circumvent export controls imposed by the U.S. government — which the government will be watching for.

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The U.S.-China tech rivalry intensified this week after the Biden administration updated its regulations on AI chip exports. Washington’s latest move could significantly impact Chinese tech behemoths, potentially hindering their rapid advancements in AI.

On Tuesday, the U.S. commerce department expanded the stringent export controls introduced in October 2022. The move aims to keep pace with technological progress and close any loopholes companies might exploit. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo emphasized that the update seeks to limit China’s access to advanced chips crucial for its military and AI breakthroughs, as per the Financial Times. This development precedes a potential summit between President Biden and President Xi, further straining U.S.-China relations.

Impact on the tech industry

Nvidia, AMD, and Intel — the three key players in the AI chip market — are feeling the heat. The high-end chips the produce are vital for training expansive AI models, leading to a surge in demand. The new regulations, however, will compel Nvidia to cease shipments to China of two processors specifically designed to adhere to the prior export controls.

Last year, in response to the initial rules, Nvidia crafted new performance-limited versions of its H100 and A100 GPUs, specifically for Chinese clientele. The U.S. is now restricting exports of these modified H800 and A800 GPUs to China under the updated regulations. Intel’s Gaudi2 chip is also included in the updated controls.

With Nvidia deriving nearly a quarter of its data center chip revenue from China, the company’s shares dipped by 6% following the announcement. Both AMD and Intel also experienced a decline.

What tightened export controls means for AI development in China

Due to these restrictions, Chinese tech groups will likely be forced to use older AI chipsets, according to the Financial Times, such as Nvidia’s V100 from 2017, to train and operate generative AI models. This poses a significant challenge, especially considering the advancements in chip technology since then, which have enabled innovations like ChatGPT.

While major Chinese tech companies have stockpiled AI chips, the long-term impact of these controls could make AI model training in China more costly and time-consuming compared to the U.S., The FT reports. Chinese tech firms such as Alibaba, Baidu, ByteDance, and Tencent had placed $5 billion-worth of orders for Nvidia chips. However, delivery delays and the new regulations might disrupt these orders.

Many believe China will still acquire some banned chips through unofficial channels, though likely not enough to meet demand.

The broader implications

The 2022 controls already had Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang concerned about the company’s constrained ability to sell its top-tier chips to China. Further restrictions could jeopardize U.S. chipmakers’ investment capabilities. Nevertheless, Huang remained optimistic, telling The FT that global demand for their products will likely offset any short-term financial impacts.

Yet, Nvidia’s near-term financial risks aren’t the only challenge, as major U.S. firms are making strategic moves into semiconductor technology. Notably, Microsoft and Google have signaled pivots to AI chip development, a long-term plan to lessening their reliance on Nvidia. Meanwhile, Intel is expanding its foundry services, though significant client announcements remain pending.

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In a landmark decision, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today unanimously approved proposals to expand unlicensed 6GHz spectrum access for technology companies while also moving forward with efforts to restore net neutrality rules.

The new 6GHz rules, proposed by FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel on September 27th, will authorize very low power operations in about 850MHz of the 6GHz band. This will allow companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Meta to develop new wireless devices and services utilizing the spectrum, including innovations in areas like wireless augmented reality and next-generation Wi-Fi.

This kind of frequency is essential for wireless VR thanks to its low latency and high throughput. VR requires extremely high framerates and low latencies — among other things — to avoid inducing nausea. Hardware developers are racing to higher and higher resolutions to make things like reading text in those devices practical.

The vote comes after years of lobbying by tech giants, who petitioned the FCC for 6GHz access in 2019. Industry leaders have praised the FCC’s willingness to work closely with private companies to shape forward-looking policy.

“This is a shining example of a government regulator working with industry early to build for the future,” said Meta VP of North American policy Kevin Martin in a statement.

In a separate 3-2 vote along party lines, the FCC also moved forward with restoring net neutrality protections that were overturned in 2017. The new rules aim to prevent internet service providers from blocking or throttling traffic or offering paid fast lanes.

FCC Chair Rosenworcel has championed both the 6GHz and net neutrality initiatives as part of her agenda to promote innovation and fair access. However, the net neutrality vote will likely face legal challenges from ISPs.

Today’s votes demonstrate the FCC’s willingness under Rosenworcel to take ambitious regulatory action impacting both the tech and telecom spheres. With Republicans set to take control of the House in 2023, Rosenworcel’s proposals could face additional opposition in Congress going forward.

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A 50-year-old Swedish woman who lost her hand in a farming accident has been fitted with a revolutionary bionic prosthesis that has profoundly improved her quality of life. The artificial hand, developed by Prensilia and a team of international researchers, connects directly to the user’s bones, muscles and nerves, enabling precise finger movements and even a limited sense of touch.

According to an Oct. 18 Science Alert report, Karin — whose full name is undisclosed — lost her right hand over 20 years ago. Since receiving the bionic hand three years ago, she has regained the ability to perform 80% of her daily tasks, like preparing food, picking up objects, and opening bags and doors. Crucially, the prosthesis has also significantly reduced her chronic phantom limb pain.

According to lead researcher Max Ortiz Catalán of the Chalmers University of Technology, this is the first robotic hand with internal electrodes to demonstrate long-term viability for below-elbow amputees. The prosthesis contains sensors embedded inside the hand rather than on the surface, allowing more direct and consistent neural stimulation. This novel human-machine interface integrates biology and electronics, dramatically improving grip precision and motor control.

Fusing the titanium implants attached to Karin’s ulna and radius bones directly with her living bone tissue

The key innovation enabling seamless integration is called “osseointegration” — fusing the titanium implants attached to Karin’s ulna and radius bones directly with her living bone tissue. This creates a permanent, sturdy connection for attaching the robotic arm.

In addition, muscle grafts from Karin’s leg were connected to the implants, giving severed arm nerves and muscles a point of reattachment. The muscle grafts contain electrodes to amplify signals to the prosthetic interface.

Because the hand attaches straight to the skeleton rather than using conventional removable ball-and-socket fittings — patients can wear their prosthesis comfortably for extended periods. The direct skeletal attachment also enables precise sensory feedback. Karin’s grip precision improved nearly 400% compared to traditional prostheses. After years of chronic “meat grinder” phantom limb pain, she now requires far less medication.

The bionic hand, named Mia Hand, was developed by Prensilia and funded by the European Commission. Ortiz Catalán calls it a promising step toward next-generation bionic limbs. He is currently working in Ukraine to assist amputees injured in the war.

This device represents a major advance in prosthetics, liberating amputees from the limitations of previous technologies. Direct bone anchoring and embedded sensors may soon make more natural-feeling bionic limbs available to millions worldwide.

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The aging population is one of the most rapidly growing demographics in the world. By 2050, the number of people aged 60 and over is projected to reach 2.1 billion, according to the WHO. However, this increase in the aging population comes with several challenges, including a higher incidence of chronic diseases, declining cognitive function, and frailty.

IoT is increasingly important in providing healthcare to the aging population. Here are ten ways that IoT will advance healthcare for aging populations.

Improving Communication

One of the main challenges in providing healthcare to the aging population is the communication gap between patients and caregivers. IoT can help bridge this gap by providing a way for patients to communicate their needs more efficiently.

For example, wearable devices can be used to track the health of elderly patients and send alerts to their caregivers if there are any changes. This can help to ensure that patients receive the care they need promptly.

Managing Chronic Conditions

Chronic conditions are one of the leading health concerns for the aging population, which is expected to increase in the coming years.

IoT can help to manage chronic conditions by providing data that can be used to improve treatment and care plans. Specifically, IoT-enabled devices can be used to track patients’ health and collect data to identify trends and patterns. This information can then tailor treatment plans and improve patients’ overall care.

Reducing Falls

Falls are a common problem among the elderly and can often lead to severe injuries. Through IoT, falls can be prevented by installing devices monitoring the environment and providing alerts when a fall is detected. These devices can help detect potential hazards and prevent falls before they occur.

Improving Mobility

Speaking of falls, many older adults have difficulty with mobility, making it difficult to get around. This can lead to a decline in physical activity, worsening their health.

IoT can help improve the mobility of older adults by providing devices that assist with movement. For example, wearable devices vibrate when the user is about to lose their balance. In addition, some devices can be installed in the home that automatically opens doors and turns on lights when someone approaches.

Ensuring Medication Adherence

Medication adherence is a significant concern for the elderly. Non-adherence can lead to a decline in health and an increased risk of hospitalization. John Gardner, Co-Founder & CEO of Kickoff (trainwithkickoff dot com), says, “IoT is a great tool for helping seniors stay on track with their medication and will help save lives.”

IoT can help to ensure that patients take their medications as prescribed. For example, some devices dispense medication and track when it is taken. Some apps remind patients when it is time to take their medication. Others provide data to caregivers to see if patients are taking their medication as prescribed.

Monitoring Mental Health

Mental health is a significant concern for the elderly, as many older adults suffer from depression and anxiety. These conditions can often lead to a decline in physical health and an increased risk of suicide.

By using IoT, mental health can be monitored in real-time. For example, some wearable devices track the user’s heart rate and sleep patterns. This information can be used to identify changes in mood and behavior. Additionally, some devices can provide cognitive stimulation and social interaction through games and other activities.

Improving Nutrition

Proper nutrition is essential for the elderly, yet many older adults do not get the nutrients they need due to a variety of factors, such as:

• Difficulty preparing meals
• Poor appetite
• Difficulty shopping for groceries

However, IoT can help to improve nutrition for the elderly by providing devices and services that make it easier to obtain and prepare nutritious meals. For example, meal delivery services provide healthy meals that can be easily prepared. In addition, some devices track the nutrient intake of the user and provide suggestions for improvement.

Connecting Caregivers and Loved Ones

Caregivers often have difficulty keeping track of their elderly loved ones, especially if they live far away, often leading to a decline in the quality of care that the older adult receives.

IoT can help to connect caregivers and loved ones by providing devices that allow for remote monitoring. For example, some devices allow caregivers to track the location of the older adult.

Others provide data on the person’s health, such as heart rate and blood pressure. Additionally, some devices offer two-way communication, so caregivers and loved ones can stay connected even when apart.

Stephan Baldwin, Founder of Assisted Living (assistedlivingcenter dot com), reminds caregivers that “IoT can be a great way to keep track of elderly loved ones, but it’s important to use the technology responsibly. Choose easy-to-use devices that will provide the information you need.”

Reducing Hospitalizations

One of the main goals of healthcare for the elderly is to reduce hospitalizations. However, hospitalizations can be costly and often lead to a decline in the patient’s health.

IoT can help reduce hospitalizations by providing remote patient health monitoring devices. For example, some devices track the heart rate and blood pressure. Medical professionals can use this information to identify potential problems early on so that the patient can be treated before their condition worsens.

Assisting in Financial Security

While not often considered a health concern, financial security is essential to healthcare for the elderly. Unfortunately, many older adults live on a fixed income, making it difficult to afford healthcare costs.

IoT can help to reduce the financial burden of healthcare for the elderly by providing devices and services that are low-cost or free. For example, many apps provide free health tracking. Additionally, some insurance companies offer discounts for customers who use IoT devices to track their health.

According to Anthony Martin, Founder and CEO of Choice Mutual, “IoT can be a great way to save money on healthcare costs. Using devices to track your health, you can stay healthy and avoid costly hospitalizations.”

Conclusion

As the population ages, healthcare becomes an increasingly important concern. The elderly are often more vulnerable to health problems due to a decline in physical and mental health. Additionally, the elderly often have difficulty affording healthcare costs.

No matter the difficulty faced by seniors, IoT can help. IoT-connected devices and services can be used to improve nutrition, monitor mental health, connect caregivers and loved ones, reduce hospitalizations, and provide financial security. By using IoT, we can improve the health and well-being of the aging population.

Featured Image Credit: Karolina Grabowska; Pexels; Thank you!

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Amid an outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas in recent days, social media giant Meta Platforms has implemented temporary measures on Facebook to limit potentially inflammatory comments on posts related to the conflict.

The fighting between Israel and Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that controls Gaza, escalated this week after Israeli forces arrested a senior Hamas official in the occupied West Bank. Hamas responded by firing rockets into Israel, which retaliated with airstrikes on Gaza. At least 32 Palestinians have been killed, including six children.

With tensions high, Meta wrote on Wednesday it would change the default settings for new public posts by users in the region, allowing comments only from friends and followers. The company did not define the exact geographic boundaries for this change. Users can opt-out and open posts to wider audiences if they choose.

Meta also said it would temporarily hide the ability for users to view the first few comments on posts while scrolling through their feed. The company said these moves are intended to curb “unwelcome or unwanted comments” about the conflict. Meta designates Hamas as a dangerous organization and prohibits content praising the militant group under its policies.

Some Palestinian users and activists have accused Meta of suppressing pro-Palestinian content and accounts during the recent violence. Mondoweiss, a news site covering Palestinian human rights issues, said Instagram twice suspended the account of one of its video journalists in recent days.

In response, Meta said a technical bug had affected its Instagram platform globally, inadvertently impacting the distribution of some re-posted content. The company denied its actions deliberately targeted any side in the ongoing tensions.

The policy changes come as Meta continues to face scrutiny over how it monitors violent, hateful or misleading content across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Critics say the company does not do enough to curb extremist and authoritarian groups and leaders.

As an influential organization in Gaza, Hamas wields significant influence. Its social media prowess has presented challenges for Meta and other platforms seeking to balance principles of free speech and open communication with restrictions on potentially dangerous militant activity.

Featured Image Credit: Cottonbro Studio; Pexels; Thank you!

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From the Monday morning work meeting and that new assignment to a child’s soccer game and a friend’s upcoming birthday party, life is busy. Finding the perfect balance between work and personal activities can seem impossible.

You may feel overwhelmed by the demands of your career, personal commitments, and the never-ending stream of notifications and information. But with the right tools and strategies, you can regain control of your time and your life.

Surprisingly, one of the most powerful tools you can use to regain and maintain a structured work-life balance is your calendar. Read on to learn about the art of calendar planning and how it can help you achieve a harmonious work-life balance.

Enter Events as Soon as Possible. Whenever You Make Plans

Effective calendar planning begins with entering events as soon as possible when making plans. Whether it’s a work meeting, doctor’s appointment, family gathering, or deadline, the sooner you add it to your calendar, the better. By doing so, you have a record of your activities and can also see your commitments at a glance. Calendars make it easy to see where you have time available or if you’re already busy.

If your plans change or are canceled, update your calendar as soon as possible. This keeps you organized and helps you avoid double-booking or missing important events. You may choose to use a paper calendar since they have ones with just about any design, from cute kittens to famous locomotives. However, remember that digital calendars, like those on your computer or smartphone, allow for real-time syncing across devices, so you’re always up-to-date.

Set Daily Reminders to Avoid Forgetting

Adding events to your schedule is the foundation of calendar planning, but setting reminders is equally important. Reminders are the little nudges you need to keep on track and help you avoid forgetting or being late for commitments.

Make it a habit to set reminders when you schedule an event. The reminder may be a day in advance, a few hours before, or even just 15 minutes before the event starts. Find whatever works for you, and set it for each particular appointment.

The beauty of digital calendars is that they allow you to customize your reminders. It could be a simple notification ping, an email, or a pop-up on your phone. These nudges will effectively remind you of your appointment, keeping you organized and punctual.

Use Your Calendar to Manage Your Goals

Using your calendar for goal setting lets you list primary goals and minor steps along the way. You can see when your goal is approaching and work toward it, whether it’s a work project or a personal interest.

When using your calendar to manage work and personal goals, consider using a single calendar to monitor your progress for both areas of your life. A common mistake many people make is keeping different calendars for work and personal life. While you may think it’s best to keep your professional and personal lives separate, it’s actually more beneficial to have one calendar. You’ll be able to see your entire schedule at a glance, allowing you to recognize any conflicts.

By managing your work and personal goals in the same calendar, you can allocate your time between the two, creating a better work-life balance. This approach allows you to prioritize what really matters to you. You’ll also be able to give both your professional and personal goals the attention they deserve.

Block Time for Family and Friends

Spending time with family and friends should be a priority in your life. To ensure you spend quality time with the people you care about, block time for them on your calendar. Many people don’t think including family and friends in their calendar planning is necessary, but they may overlook nurturing these special relationships.

Adding personal events to your calendar can help maintain a solid work-life balance. Whether it’s a monthly outing with friends or a date night with your significant other, scheduling these events shows that these relationships are important to you. This proactive approach ensures that you don’t overcommit to work-related tasks and helps you maintain balance in your life.

Block Time for Self-Care and Relaxation

Another area that people tend to overlook when planning their calendar is personal time. Self-care often takes a back seat in the hustle and bustle of daily life. However, neglecting self-care can lead to burnout and decreased overall well-being. To prevent this, make it a habit to block personal time for self-care and relaxation on your calendar.

Self-care and relaxation time could be meditation, exercise, reading, or simply unwinding with your favorite hobby. By scheduling these moments, you acknowledge their importance and ensure you take time for rejuvenation and reflection. Remember that taking care of yourself is not selfish; it’s essential to maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Share Your Calendar With Co-Workers

Effective communication is key to achieving a work-life balance, especially when it comes to your professional life. Sharing your calendar with co-workers can be a game-changer in this regard. It helps them know when you’re available for meetings and collaboration and, more importantly, when you’re not.

Setting clear boundaries through your calendar establishes expectations and reduces the likelihood of work encroaching on your personal time. This proactive approach benefits you and promotes a culture of respect for boundaries within your organization.

Manage Your Calendar Regularly

For your calendar to be effective, you need to maintain it regularly. To ensure its effectiveness, you should manage your calendar daily, weekly, and monthly.

Daily, you should consult your calendar in the morning to effectively plan your day. Look over your commitments, set aside time for each task, and make sure that you have a clear understanding of expectations.

Each week, fine-tune your calendar by confirming appointments, meetings, and deadlines for the upcoming week. This allows you to prepare for the week ahead and make any necessary changes.

On a monthly basis, review your calendar to evaluate your long-term commitments and goals. Are there any upcoming events that need more preparation? Are there any conflicts that need resolution? By taking an overall view of the month ahead, you can adjust your schedule to maintain balance with your objectives.

Use Your Calendar to Avoid Over-Committing

One of the pitfalls of modern life is the tendency to over-commit. Many people say “yes” to too many obligations, leaving them with little time for themselves or the things that truly matter. Your calendar can serve as a reliable ally in preventing over-commitment.

Before agreeing to new commitments, consult your calendar to assess your existing obligations and availability. A calendar is a visual representation of your schedule. It can help you decide whether you have the time or energy to take on new obligations. Remember that declining or postponing commitments when necessary is okay to protect your work-life balance.

Creating Work-Life Balance Through Calendar Planning

If creating an ideal work-life balance is important to you, consider utilizing a calendar in your daily life. Following the eight tips above, you can regain control of your life and find harmony in the chaos.

Remember that achieving work-life stability is ongoing, and your calendar is a valuable tool to help you along the way. Embrace the power of effective calendar planning, and you’ll discover that balance is not an unattainable dream but a tangible reality within your reach.

Published First on Calendar. Read Here.

Featured Image Credit: PNW Production; Pexels; Thank you!

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Here’s a question for you. What Is Cloud Cost Management?

Cloud cost management is the process of controlling and optimizing the costs associated with cloud computing. It’s about understanding your cloud spend, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing strategies to reduce unnecessary expenditure. This process requires a keen understanding of the cloud environment, its pricing models, and the ability to monitor usage and costs continually.

The first step in cloud cost management is gaining visibility into your cloud usage and spend. This involves collecting data on all your cloud resources, understanding your spending on each, and scrutinizing any anomalies or unexpected costs (see scitechdaily dot com slash using artificial intelligence to find anomalies). This visibility is crucial for identifying inefficiencies and areas where costs can be reduced.

The second step is optimization. This involves analyzing the data collected in the first step, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing strategies to address them. Optimization might involve rightsizing (adjusting your resource use to match your actual needs), identifying and eliminating idle resources, or other techniques.

Cloud cost management is a continuous process (see spot dot io, 9 free cloud cost management tools)  that should be part of your regular operations and can result in substantial cost savings and operational efficiencies. Read on to understand the significance of cloud computing in modern businesses and get five tips that can help you improve cost management in a cloud environment.

The Growing Importance of Cloud Computing in Modern Businesses

Cloud computing has become ubiquitous in modern businesses, revolutionizing how we store, process, and share data. The benefits are numerous: scalability, flexibility, and the ability to access resources from anywhere, just to name a few.

Several factors have driven the adoption of cloud computing in businesses. First, the flexibility and scalability offered by the cloud allow businesses to scale their IT resources up or down as needed, making it an ideal solution for businesses with fluctuating demand.

Secondly, the cloud has opened up new possibilities for remote work. With cloud-based applications and data storage, employees can access the resources they need from anywhere, enabling businesses to tap into a global talent pool and allowing employees to work from wherever suits them best.

However, alongside these benefits, the rise of cloud computing has brought new challenges. One of the most significant is managing the costs associated with cloud computing. This is where effective cloud cost management comes in.

The Importance of Cloud Cost Management

Financial Implications

cloud cost management has significant financial implications for businesses. Without effective management, cloud costs can quickly spiral out of control. This is particularly true in a pay-as-you-go model, where costs are based on usage. Without careful oversight, businesses can find themselves paying for resources they don’t need or aren’t using.

Furthermore, cloud cost management can lead to significant savings. By identifying inefficiencies and reducing unnecessary expenditure, businesses can significantly reduce their cloud spend. These savings can then be reinvested in other business areas, driving further growth and innovation.

Business Agility

Effective cloud cost management also contributes to business agility. By understanding your cloud spend and having a strategy in place to control and optimize it, you can respond more quickly to changes in business demand.

For example, if your business experiences a sudden increase in demand, you need to be able to scale up your cloud resources quickly. But if your cloud costs are already high, this could be a financial strain. Effective cloud cost management helps ensure you have the financial flexibility to respond to these changes quickly.

Avoiding Wastage

Cloud cost management is also crucial for avoiding wastage. In a cloud environment, it’s easy for resources to be left idle or underused, leading to unnecessary expenditure.

For instance, you might be paying for storage space that you’re not using or for computing power that’s far beyond your actual needs. With effective cloud cost management, you can identify these areas of wastage and reduce or eliminate them.

Governance and Compliance

Finally, cloud cost management plays a vital role in governance and compliance. By monitoring your cloud usage and spend, you can ensure you’re complying with any relevant regulations and policies.

For instance, you might need to demonstrate that you’re using your resources efficiently or that you’re not overspending on IT. Cloud cost management gives you the data you need to demonstrate this compliance.

5 Tips for Successful Cloud Cost Management

Here are a few ways your business can manage cloud costs more effectively.

1. Regular Monitoring and Analysis

The first tip for successful cloud cost management is regular monitoring and analysis. This process ensures you have a real-time understanding of your cloud usage and costs, enabling you to make data-driven decisions.

Monitoring and analysis should be an ongoing activity, not something you do only at the end of the billing cycle. Regular monitoring allows you to spot trends, identify issues, and take remedial actions before costs spiral out of control. You can use cloud-native tools like Amazon CloudWatch or third-party tools such as Spot.io for this purpose.

Additionally, analyzing your cloud usage data can provide invaluable insights. For instance, you can identify underutilized resources, detect anomalies that indicate potential security threats, and better understand how your cloud costs are distributed across different services and regions. By making data-driven decisions, you can optimize your cloud spending effectively.

2. Rightsize Cloud Resources

The second tip for successful cloud cost management is to rightsize your cloud resources. Rightsizing involves adjusting your cloud resources to match the demand, ensuring you are not overprovisioning or underprovisioning.

Overprovisioning leads to wasted resources and inflated costs, while underprovisioning can result in poor performance and customer dissatisfaction. Therefore, it’s crucial to strike the right balance. You need to continuously monitor your resource utilization and adjust your resource allocation based on your business needs.

Rightsizing is not a one-time activity. As your business evolves, so do your cloud needs. Therefore, you must periodically review your resource allocation to ensure it aligns with your current requirements. Automation can be a great ally in this task, with tools like AWS Auto Scaling enabling you to adjust your resource allocation dynamically based on real-time demand.

3. Implement Budgets and Spending Alerts

Implementing budgets and spending alerts is the third tip for successful cloud cost management. A budget gives you a clear picture of how much you intend to spend on cloud services while spending alerts notify you when your spending exceeds a predefined threshold.

By implementing budgets, you can control your cloud costs proactively rather than reacting to cost overruns after they occur. It’s also a good practice to allocate budgets for different departments or projects so you can track and control costs at a granular level.

Spending alerts, on the other hand, provide a safety net. They alert you in real-time when your spending exceeds a certain limit, allowing you to take immediate action. You can configure spending alerts for different services, regions, or tags, providing you with detailed visibility into your cloud spending.

4. Optimize Storage and Data Transfer Costs

Optimizing your storage and data transfer costs is the fourth tip for successful cloud cost management. These costs can significantly add up if not managed properly, especially as your cloud usage grows.

You need to choose the right storage class for your data. For instance, if you have infrequently accessed data, you can use a lower-cost storage class like Amazon S3 Glacier. Additionally, you should delete unused or outdated data to free up storage space.

For data transfer, you need to be mindful of the costs associated with transferring data in and out of the cloud. For instance, you can reduce data transfer costs by minimizing the amount of data transferred across regions or out of the cloud. You can also leverage content delivery networks (CDNs) to cache data closer to your users, reducing data transfer costs and improving user experience.

5. Providing Training on Cost-Saving Practices and Tools

The fifth and final tip for successful cloud cost management is to provide training on cost-saving practices and tools. While the previous tips focus on what you as an organization can do, this tip emphasizes the importance of individual actions.

Everyone in your organization who uses the cloud should be aware of the cost implications of their actions. They need to understand how their usage affects the overall cloud costs and what they can do to minimize these costs. This can be achieved through regular training and awareness sessions.

Additionally, they should be familiar with the tools available for cloud cost management. This includes cloud-native and third-party tools that can help them monitor, analyze, control, and optimize cloud costs. By equipping your team with the right knowledge and tools, you can foster a cost-conscious culture in your organization.

Cloud cost management can be complex, but it can be done effectively with the right approach and tools. By regularly monitoring and analyzing your cloud usage, rightsizing your resources, implementing budgets and spending alerts, optimizing storage and data transfer costs, and providing training on cost-saving practices and tools, you can gain control over your cloud costs and maximize the value of your cloud investments.

Featured Image Credit: Google; Thank you!

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DNA testing company 23andMe is once again in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. A hacker has leaked millions of 23andMe user records on a cybercrime forum. TechCrunch reporting indicates it is the same hacker, aka Golem, who began selling 23andMe user data earlier this month. Golem claims the new dataset contains information on individuals from Great Britain, emphasizing the presence of data from “the wealthiest people living in the U.S. and Western Europe on this list.”

According to TechCrunch, the recent data dump includes names, email addresses, and other personal details of users. The motive behind Golem’s repeated leaks of 23andMe user data remains unclear, however.

In response to the breach, 23andMe spokesperson Andy Kill told TechCrunch via email, “We were made aware of this new leak today, and we are currently reviewing the data to determine if it is legitimate.”

A pattern of 23andMe data leaks

The attack seems to have roots tracing back several months. On Aug. 11, a hacker on another cybercrime forum, Hydra, advertised a set of 23andMe user data. According to TechCrunch, this set matched some of the user records leaked two weeks ago. The hacker on Hydra claimed possession of a whopping 300 terabytes of 23andMe user data, though no evidence was provided to substantiate this claim.

23andMe states it is actively investigating the situation and has advised its users to change their passwords and enable two-factor authentication as immediate precautionary steps.

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Back in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine — people across the globe were introduced to the term “OSINT.” This acronym stands for open-source intelligence. It means people using photographs that they post to their social media channels, that are images called “free-to-access-satellite-images.

The negative impact of so-called “verified” OSINT (open source intelligence) accounts on X (Twitter) has been emphasized by independent news platform 404 Media, especially regarding the confusion they create in the Israel-Palestine information landscape. Some of these Twitter accounts tend to selectively share information to support their biases, often exacerbating the already tense situation between Israel and Palestine. As a result, they contribute to the spread of misinformation and hinder the efforts of objective journalism aimed at unraveling the complex dynamics at play in the conflict.

What is OSINT and its role in journalism?

OSINT accounts use publicly accessible resources, such as social media images and videos, to verify or disprove claims about happenings in global crises. OSINT, or open source intelligence, has become an increasingly important tool for journalists and researchers to gather real-time information and corroborate facts. By analyzing and cross-referencing this publicly available data, these professionals can provide accurate and unbiased reporting on global events, helping the public better understand complex situations.

However, during the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, these accounts have increasingly disseminated deceptive and poor-quality content motivated by profit and engagement rather than truthfulness. As a result, social media users have been exposed to misleading information, exacerbating tensions and fueling misunderstandings about the complex geopolitical situation. It has become increasingly important for individuals to verify the content’s accuracy to form informed opinions and engage in constructive discussions about the conflict.

Experts consulted by 404 Media have pointed out that verified accounts, which were once dependable sources of information, have led to the “unprecedented” propagation of misinformation. In recent years, many verified accounts have unwittingly become catalysts for the spread of false news and misleading information, causing significant disruptions in social media networks. Consequently, users are left questioning the credibility of these verified sources as trust in reliable information channels continues to deteriorate.

Modifications to Twitter’s verification process and encouragement for spreading false information have exacerbated the problem, transforming the platform into a cluttered and untrustworthy space for precise conflict reporting. As a result, users seeking accurate and reliable news on global conflicts often navigate through a chaotic mix of genuine updates, manipulative propaganda, and outright disinformation.

Users need to be critical and discerning about the content they consume, and for journalists and researchers to continue striving for accurate and unbiased reporting in the face of these challenges.

Featured Image Credit: Photo by Haley Black; Pexels; Thank you!

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OpenAI has expanded access to its AI text-to-image generator, DALL-E 3. ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise users yesterday got access to the DALL-E 3 model within the ChatGPT app. DALL-E 3 allows users to employ ChatGPT for creating extended and more visually descriptive prompts to guide the image generator.

This wider release comes after OpenAI announced DALL-E 3 last month, giving The Verge a demo of its enhanced capabilities.

OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 addresses controversies

Interestingly, before this integration with ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Bing Chat and Bing Image Generator were the first platforms to offer broader public access to DALL-E 3. This collaboration enabled users to generate a variety of images, though not without controversy (see below). Despite Microsoft’s efforts to block certain prompts, users found ways to bypass these restrictions.

Critics have had concerns about text-to-image generators like DALL-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion ever since they were released. Beyond the copyright issues of how AI generates images, there’s what users are generating, such as explicit content or misleading images of public figures.

Responding to these concerns, OpenAI has taken measures to ensure the safety and appropriateness of images generated by DALL-E 3. The company has published a paper detailing the research behind DALL-E 3. Additionally, the company claims it can identify images generated by DALL-E 3 with a 99% accuracy rate using its internal “provenance classifier” tool.

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In the aftermath of a recent Hamas attack on Israel, several media outlets have speculated about the role of cryptocurrencies in funding terrorist activity. However, according to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, the reality may be more nuanced.

In a blog post published on May 19th, Chainalysis argues that while some terrorists use cryptocurrencies, the funds raised are often wildly exaggerated. The post specifically references recent estimates that over $80 million worth of crypto was funneled to Hamas. Chainalysis contends that, in reality, only around $450,000 in crypto funds likely originated from terror-affiliated wallets.

Chainalysis explains that faulty analytics are often to blame for inflated estimates

Some reports have included totals that are already known amounts from all crypto funds sent to certain service providers, even if those funds were unrelated to terrorism. So, while a service provider may have processed $80 million in crypto overall, it most likely did not fund terrorism.

The blockchain analysis firm does acknowledge the role of service providers in enabling terrorism financing. While the raw volume may be small, service providers do facilitate the movement of terror-linked funds. As such, Chainalysis argues that sanctions and law enforcement operations targeting these facilitators are warranted.

While the nuances are complex, Chainalysis states unequivocally that cryptocurrencies account for only a “very small portion” of funds raised by terrorist organizations. Traditional methods like bank transfers and cash remain more common. Nonetheless, the firm concludes that as cryptocurrencies continue to grow, regulators and law enforcement must stay vigilant against their potential abuse by terrorist groups.

Featured Image Credit: From the Chainalysis Website. Thank you!

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The Federal Communications Commission has approved a new category of very low power devices to use the 6GHz band. This move is expected to bring a wave of tech innovations, from wearable gadgets to advanced AR and VR applications.

A boost for next-gen Wi-Fi and IoT

The 6GHz spectrum is pivotal for the future of Wi-Fi. The FCC’s recent expansion of unlicensed use in this band has already facilitated the rise of Wi-Fi 6E and set the stage for the upcoming Wi-Fi 7. This decision also plays a significant role in the growth of the Internet of Things.

The latest rules allow devices to operate at very low power across short distances, providing ultra-fast connection speeds. Such capabilities are perfect for high-data rate applications that promise to enhance user experiences and drive economic growth. However, the FCC has ensured these devices adhere to strict power limits and other technical criteria to coexist seamlessly with existing services in the 6GHz band.

Balancing innovation and regulation

In 2019, leading tech companies, including Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, petitioned the FCC for access to the 6GHz band.

While the decision is a nod to tech innovation, it also emphasizes the importance of regulation. The FCC’s rules permit operations in specific segments of the 6GHz band, ensuring no interference with licensed incumbent operations. Furthermore, the Commission has proposed extending these operations across the entire band, provided they use a geofencing system to prevent interference.

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In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, startups need more than just a good product; they need out-of-the-box marketing strategies. But how can artificial intelligence reshape how startups market themselves, especially tools like ChatGPT?

How can ChatGPT transform your startup’s marketing strategy?

What are the unique marketing advantages offered by AI-driven prompts?

Are you using ChatGPT to its full potential?

The following ChatGPT prompts will provide you with many ideas on utilizing ChatGPT in your marketing campaign.

But first… What I am NOT using ChatGPT for:

• Writing content from scratch (I want my content to rely on my or my team’s unique expertise and experience with the niche and audience I am targeting)
• Keyword research (I use specialized keyword research for that).

With this in mind, let’s see how to use ChatGPT to make your marketing campaign more creative and productive (yes, both).

Train ChatGPT to Fit Your Business Better

ChatGPT follows instructions in your prompt very well, but its responses can be very generic unless you write very long prompts or provide more instructions within the same thread.

There are two ways to train ChatGPT to provide better and more personalized responses that align with your goals, occupation, or business:

1. Provide “Custom Instructions” (Premium Only)

Custom instructions force ChatGPT to align its responses to your goals, business, or backgrounds. Custom instructions are currently only available to paying users.

You can provide your instructions:

• Type information about your business and product. Describe your product selling points and use cases, and mention how it is different from alternative products and how it should be positioned in relevant content. Include your target keyword here.
• Describe the style and tone of responses (professional, academic, casual, neutral, opinionated, etc.). Mention what every article should include, etc.

Once saved, custom instructions will be used by ChatGPT as soon as you create a new thread. Any time you edit your custom instructions, you need to create a new ChatGPT thread for them to work. You don’t need to ask ChatGPT to use your custom instructions. They will be taken into account for every response by default.

2. Create a Dedicated Chat Thread With Your Product or Business Details

If you haven’t upgraded your ChatGPT account, you can still train it by keeping a dedicated chat session with your startup or product details. Note that ChatGPT claims to be unable to reference information between different threads, so keep your conversations within a single thread:

ChatGPT does have the “Chat history” setting, which is claimed to be used to train it. It is set to “On” by default:

You can bookmark that specific chat you use for training your ChatGPT. To get a direct link to any chat,

• Click (or tap) the “Share” option
• Click the green button that says “Copy link”, open a new browser tab using that link, and bookmark it.

Now that ChatGPT knows more about your startup and products, it is time to use it for various marketing tasks.

ChatGPT Prompts for Social Media

1. This is my article “TEXT”. Generate 10 tweets, 1 detailed Facebook post, and one detailed LinkedIn update for me to promote this article on social media. Add relevant hashtags and emojis.
2. This is my article “TEXT”. Create an engaging tweet that would add value to my content, as I’d like to embed this tweet into my content as an introduction.
3. My article is about “ARTICLE TITLE”. I am going to promote it on Instagram. Create an engaging photo caption for my followers to want to go read my article.
4. Create 10 tweets to announce my product launch on Twitter. For each tweet, put my product in a new context each time by describing different features and/or use cases.
5. Generate 10 tweets to thank my customers for positive mentions on Twitter. Make them short but unique.
6. I need to train my social media team to respond to unhappy customers. Generate social media messages that show empathy and move the conversation away from the public feeds.
7. Create a Twitter thread discussing “PROBLEM” and softly suggesting my product as a solution.
8. Generate ideas for Facebook “Happy Holidays” posts that would softly promote my product by putting it in a festive context.
9. This is a case study/testimonial from my customer “CASE STUDY/TESTIMONIAL”. Turn into tweets, Facebook+Linkedin posts, and Instagram captions for me to repurpose it on social media.
10. Create social-media-friendly calls-to-action that would promote my product without sounding too promotional/salesy.

ChatGPT Prompts for Video Marketing

11. My video is about “VIDEO TITLE AND TOPIC.” Generate a video description for me to upload to YouTube. Add relevant CTAs for video viewers to want to go to my site.
12. This is my article “TEXT”. Create a video/podcast script for me to repackage it into a video.
13. Here’s my video script, “SCRIPT.” Please come up with a video title and description for me to upload to YouTube.
14. Generate a series of video episodes targeting “KEYWORD” so that each video could discuss a different angle of the problem and build anticipation for the next episode.
15. I am interviewing an expert on “TOPIC.” Which questions should I ask to make a conversation interesting and engaging?

ChatGPT Prompts for PPC

I suggest using all these prompts within the same thread so you can build up more data and ideas based on your initial keyword list.

11. Group my keywords “KEYWORD LIST” by meaning and search intent so that I can set up multiple PPC campaigns. Use the table format. Keep the search volume for each keyword in a separate column and estimate the minimum monthly budget for each campaign based on the search volume.
12. Add a persona I should target with each PPC campaign in the table above.
13. Using the table above, create an ad copy for each campaign.
14. I am going to extend this campaign to Facebook using its remarketing feature. For each campaign, generate a Facebook ad copy that would effectively re-target people who visited my site.
15. For Campaign #4 above, come up with Facebook targeting settings for me to target this persona using Facebook ads.
16. I am building a landing page targeting Campain #4 in the table above. Use power words, headlines, and CTAs to engage these personas effectively.

ChatGPT Prompts for Content Brainstorming

17. My target keyword is “KEYWORD”. Generate content ideas to target people not searching for that keyword (e.g., they don’t know about this concept yet) but may still be interested in my product. Exclude “KEYWORD” from your idea list.
18. Generate content ideas that would appeal to bloggers and journalists. Which surveys, reports, or whitepapers should I create to generate links from publishers?
19. This is my article “TEXT”. Generate takeaways and key points for me to include in my article to make it more valuable and helpful.
20. This is my article “TEXT”. Generate a better, more engaging title and create better subheadings to encourage more people to read deeper.
21. This is my article “TEXT”. What is it missing? What should I add to make it better?
22. This is my article. Create a FAQ section for me to include at the end of the article. Use FAQ Schema for me to earn FAQPage rich snippets in Google.

Tip: Text Optimizer has a handy AI integration that allows you to generate semantically optimized answers to any questions. This is a great tool if you are working on a standalone Knowledge Base on your site.

You can also use ChatGPT for more effective content repackaging (seosmarty dot com, 25 actionable ideas), so don’t forget to use it when refreshing and recycling your old content to generate more traffic and shares.

ChatGPT Prompts for Conversion Optimization

23. This is a case study/testimonial from my customer “CASE STUDY/TESTIMONIAL.” Generate takeaways that would summarize how my customer benefited from my product.
24. This is my landing page content, “CONTENT.” How can I improve my copy and headings to make it a better-converting page?
25. Help me write a cart abandonment email to generate more sales from those customers who left their shopping carts without completing a purchase. Add a few email subject variants for me to choose from.

ChatGPT Prompts for Branding

26. Generate a short but catchy slogan for my brand to put my product into a memorable context.
27. Generate ideas on who I should seek partnerships with for co-marketing opportunities.
28. Here’s my current “About” page. Make it better by highlighting our experience, achievements, and value proposition.
29. How should I position my product to highlight its unique selling points better and create a strong connection with my brand name?
30. I am setting up a domain name and need some catchy brand name ideas to create strong niche associations. People should be able to guess what my business is doing when looking at my name.

Tip: Namify has an AI integration that helps you find catchy brand names, suggest available domain names, and even check your name for social media availability:

ChatGPT Prompts for Customer Support

31. My keywords are “KEYWORD LIST”. Create customer personas based on this list for my customer support team to be able to relate to them and understand their needs and problems they may be facing.
32. Write an email thanking my customers for a recent purchase and giving them a discount for further purchases.
33. I am training my customer support team. Design difficult situations for me to quiz them (and provide the best way for those situations to be solved).
34. Generate some ideas to re-engage my inactive customers (those that didn’t buy anything in 6 months). For every tactic, where applicable, craft an email, a social media update, or a message that would work.
35. I am setting up the chatbot workflow to train it to help my customers better. Which possible questions should I include in the workflow?

Tip: If you are using more AI-driven customer support solutions like IVR or IVA, you can also use ChatGPT to train those.

Conclusion

The 30 prompts above are just the tip of the iceberg, offering a glimpse into a world where brands and customers communicate seamlessly, bridging gaps in real-time. As you integrate these prompts into your startup’s marketing strategy, remember that the real magic lies in authentic interaction and understanding your audience.

Overall, ChatGPT, with its dynamic capabilities, helps you achieve your marketing goals by prioritizing creative SEO and social media strategies that require unique expertise and creativity. ChatGPT can handle everything else! Embrace the future, and let your startup shine!

Featured Image Credit: Photo by Matheus Bertelli; Pexels; Thank you!

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