May 29, 2024
A new study by musicMagpie claims to reveal the growing incidence of phone anxiety, particularly among younger people. It highlights a constant barrage of notifications with the average person receiving a 146 notifications daily, translating to one notification every ten minutes. However, so-called Gen Zs and Millennials were found to be significantly more affected than their Gen X counterparts. More →
May 24, 2024
A new study from researchers at Purdue University has found that 52 percent of ChatGPT’s responses to programming queries were ‘riddled’ with misinformation. Even so, people were more likely to trust its answers because they found the application to be so damn polite and well-spoken. It’s the Buster Scruggs of AI. More →
May 22, 2024
One unintended but welcome result of the new fixation with AI is that many of the people who became experts on the workplace in 2020 are now experts on AI. You’ll find them on social media and they’ll have written a book about it by May to sit on the shelf alongside the one about hybrid working and The Great Resignation. So, if you want some certainty about where generative AI taking us, go talk to one of them because people who know about the subject seem to have little or no idea or raise even more questions. More →
May 19, 2024
A landmark report claims to shed light on the double-edged sword of advanced artificial intelligence. Backed by over 30 nations, the International Scientific Report on the Safety of Advanced AI paints a picture of a technology brimming with potential benefits, but also fraught with potential risks if safety isn’t prioritized. This first iteration of the report, launched at the AI Safety Summit, fulfils a key commitment set forth during the historic Bletchley Park discussions and the subsequent Bletchley Declaration. More →
May 17, 2024
Over a third of UK employers are bullish about AI investment despite serious workforce uncertainty. New research shows that 35.3 percent of employers are actively investing in GenAI while 40.4 percent plan to increase their use of the technology, to support the workplace, according to a new poll from SD Worx. The findings suggest there is a surprisingly buoyant business outlook for AI adoption at a time when the UK government begins to craft new legislation to regulate AI. The move on regulation comes as the competition watchdog expresses increased concerns about the industry. However, despite businesses betting big on AI investment, similar enthusiasm isn’t shared by employees, with 30 percent of UK workers fearing their roles will be made redundant as a result of GenAi. More →
May 17, 2024
Manchester is poised to become a major player in the digital government landscape following a significant land deal announced this week. The Government Property Agency (GPA) has exchanged contracts with Manchester City Council (MCC) to acquire five acres of the former Central Retail Park in Ancoats, paving the way for the construction of the Manchester Digital Campus. More →
May 17, 2024
A new report commissioned by Microsoft suggests that the UK economy could see a significant boost of £550 billion by 2035 if the country embraces artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technology. The report, titled Unlocking the UK’s AI Potential, claims to highlight several ways the technology can benefit the UK economy. These include increased productivity, improved public services, and the creation of new jobs. More →
May 14, 2024
Many of the UK’s tech workers are embracing a structured return to spending more time in the office, according to a new report. According to the survey of 2,000 people from Techspace, there has been a ‘notable shift’ towards embracing structured office time, with Monday to Wednesday emerging as the top choices for in-office workdays. The report claims that this preference indicates a growing recognition of the benefits of face-to-face collaboration and a desire for a more traditional office environment. More →
May 13, 2024
Each technological revolution has gotten faster; and the era of Artificial Intelligence is accelerating at an unprecedented rate—an intimidating prospect, given Musk’s recent prediction of AI surpassing human intelligence. Some say the tech will take on “80 percent of the jobs that exist today”, but history has shown that technological advancements have consistently led to the creation of new job roles, elevating the standard of living and improving overall productivity. More →
May 9, 2024
Four years after the start of the pandemic, a new survey from JLL claims that hybrid working is now the most common workstyle globally, with 87 percent of organisations operating with a hybrid program today. JLL’s new 2024 Global Occupancy Planning Benchmarking Report claims to outline how hybrid offices are actively shifting to accommodate a greater variety of work activities and how companies can look at occupancy planning and workplace design more holistically to reflect these changes. By investing in new technologies, leveraging utilisation data and prioritizing individual and private seating, companies can ensure they are effectively reflecting the workplace’s changing needs. More →
May 29, 2024
Not luddite dinosaurs but the sensible voice of caution on AI. And you need to listen
by Stephanie Fitzgerald • AI, Comment, SF, Technology