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Here are five things in business technology news that happened this week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
This week in Tech Business News
Business Tech News #1 – OpenAI’s secret bot designs revealed.
OpenAI is in the process of refocusing its efforts to develop robotics technology. The company has revealed its renewed interest in creating humanoid robots designed for it perform automated tasks in warehouses and assist with household chores among other “all-round” functions. According to the company, their new robotics team will focus on “unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world environments.” OpenAI’s previous robotics department was suspended in 2021, but they have maintained an active interest by investing in companies such as Figure AI Inc. and 1X, which are already developing humanoid robots. More details about the team can be found here. (Source: The AI REPORT)
Why this is important for your business:
Does this come as a surprise? Not for me. OpenAI won’t just stop at generating AI chatbots. Its technology can be applied to many use cases from office automation to autonomous vehicles and yes… robots. My prediction is that within the next decade, many products will be powered by OpenAI technology without us even knowing it – or caring, as long as they work.
Business Tech News #2 – The 10 Best Laptops of CES 2025
Tech journalist Matthew Smith reported on the laptops that were on display at this year’s CES 2025 – the premier event showcasing the latest gadgets and innovations from tech companies around the globe. Some of the laptops on PCWorld’s top 10 list include – Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable which features a rollable OLED display that stretches from 14 inches to 16.7 inches. Razer Blade 16 – a powerful gaming notebook with bold design changes. Asus Zenbook A14 – the world’s lightest Copilot+ computer, weighing just under 2.2 pounds, and Smith’s “overall pick.” Visit the link to see the rest. (Source: PC World)
Why this is important for your business:
I bookmarked this article as I continue my search for a new laptop. But keep in mind that these are the latest and greatest technologies. Which means most are expensive and some are not yet available. But it’s all a good indication of what’s to come. The “rollable” functionality from Lenovo received the most attention from both the crowd and critics, and any opportunity to reduce the cost of hardware (fewer monitors needed) should be of interest to businesses.
Business Tech News #3 – Why a tech journalist uses both ChatGPT Plus and Perplexity Pro.
Danny Maiorca of MakeUseOf makes the case for using ChatGPT Plus and Perplexity Pro since users usually choose one or the other. His overall assessment is that ChatGPT has a wider range of capabilities while Perplexity Pro excels in “special areas”. Maiorca uses ChatGPT Plus for things like organizing abstract ideas, planning projects, and chatting. Perplexity Pro is used for its in-depth search as the tool is very efficient with finding resources based on broad queries. It also uses large datasets and offers citation support, making it ideal for academic research. “I think the best approach is to use both… My subscriptions pay for themselves every month,” Maiorca concludes. (Source: MakeUseOf)
Why this is important for your business:
I do the same! Perplexity is my go-to research tool when writing articles. ChatGPT is my everyday tool for answering questions and helping me with business and personal decisions. I have subscriptions to both, as both have become important tools in helping me run my business and my life. I’m starting to think that no chatbot tool can do it all, and that there will be a number of them that specialize in certain topics or functions.
Business Tech News #4 – An AI search expert predicts what the future of search will look like.
AJ Ghergich – AI search expert and Global VP at Botify – shared in an interview the emerging trends he foresees with search tools in 2025. Search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity are changing the way we search for information, making it more conversational than keyword-based. Ghergich predicts that ads will soon be integrated into AI search engines, as they are the main source of revenue for free services. AI systems will become highly personalized, making ads feel less intrusive and more relevant to users. AI agents will increasingly interact with each other on the web, reducing the need for human intervention in searches. “In the future, most searchers will be AI, not humans. We will cross this threshold and the way we communicate will have to change,” said Gherich. (Source: TechRadar)
Why this is important for your business:
I agree with Ghergich’s predictions. SEO will be – and already is – significantly disrupted in the coming years. For a long time Google had a monopoly on advertising. But new AI chatbot platforms are providing answers – not just links to answers – and will use the best content available so that their answers are as accurate as possible. How will advertising fit into this new and better content delivery? Ghergich’s ideas seem to make sense.
Business Tech News #5 – Microsoft Teams wants to use Copilot to hold your meetings, whether you like it or not.
Copilot is taking a more autonomous role in Microsoft Teams meetings. UA will soon suggest follow-up questions in meetings. When users respond to a request, Copilot will also prompt team members to “continue the conversation” whether that’s the intended choice or not. This feature was revealed in a post titled “Copilot in Meetings will suggest follow-up questions to ask.” According to reports, Microsoft plans to roll out this feature in March. (Source: TechRadar)
Why this is important for your business:
This feature seems like it would be annoying and mostly ignored. Don’t people want to keep meetings and conversations shorter, not longer? Hey, what do I know? Regardless, I’ll check it out once it’s available and report back.
Every Sunday I summarize five business technology news and offer thoughts on why they will affect your company.
