Latest news with #Chat
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Opinion: Wanna help save the planet? Stop asking AI dumb questions
It takes huge amounts of energy to power artificial intelligence – so much energy that it's looking less and less likely that the US will meet its goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (If we still have any such goals under President Donald Trump.) What's less known is that AI also consumes copious amounts of water needed to cool all that IT equipment. To generate a 100-word email, a chatbot using GPT-4 requires 519 millilitres of water – roughly equivalent to an 18-ounce bottle of water. That doesn't sound like much, but when you multiply that by the number of users, it's significant. Also, it requires far more than 100 words for AI to respond to our most pressing questions, such as: – What are three excuses for skipping dinner at my (fill in the blank's) house tonight? – Can you rewrite this email to make me sound smarter? – How do you make a mojito? – Does this outfit look good on me? If you are wondering about that last query, yes, there are folks who rely on ChatGPT for wardrobe advice. Some check in with Chat on a daily basis by uploading a photo of themselves before they leave the house, just to make sure they look presentable. These superusers often spring for a US$20-per-month (RM84) subscription to ChatGPT Plus, which provides priority access, among other perks. Chat can also help you write a dating profile, plan a trip to Mexico City, manage your finances, give you relationship advice, tell you what shampoo to use and what color to paint your living room. Another plus: ChatGPT never talks down to you. Even the most outlandish queries get a polite, ego-boosting response like this: 'That's a thoughtful and important question. Here's a grounded response.' Google vs ChatGPT But again, it's hard to get around the fact that AI is hard on the planet. Example: The New York Times reports that Amazon is building an enormous AI data centre in Indiana that will use 2.2 gigawatts of electricity, which is enough to power a million homes. And according to a report from Goldman Sachs, 'a ChatGPT query needs nearly 10 times as much electricity to process as a Google search.' So we could save energy by opting for Google search, except Google is getting in to the AI business, too. Have you noticed those 'AI overviews' at the top of search results? Those come at an environmental cost. 'Embedding generative AI in such a widely used application is likely to deepen the tech sector's hunger for fossil fuels and water,' writes Scientific American staffer Allison Parshall. The good news is there is a way to block those pesky AI overviews; YouTube has tutorials like this one that will walk you through it. In further good news, there are smart people looking for ways to make AI more environmentally friendly, but that could take a while. in the meantime, should we conserve water and energy by letting AI focus on important tasks like diagnosing breast cancer, predicting floods and tracking icebergs? Maybe stop running to ChatGPT every time we have a personal problem? Should I feel guilty, for example, if I ask Chat how to stop my cats from scratching the couch? Not according to Chat. 'No, guilt isn't productive unless it's leading you to positive action,' Chat told me. 'Instead, awareness is more productive.' But if you do worry about the planet, Chat recommends using AI 'with purpose' rather than as entertainment. No need to swear it off entirely. 'The focus should be on conscious consumption rather than abstinence,' Chat says. Lower 'brain engagement' That sounds reasonable, except a recent MIT study offers evidence that the longer we use AI, the less conscious we become. Using an EEG to measure brain activity of 54 subjects, researchers found that those who used ChatGPT to write SAT essays had lower 'brain engagement' than two other groups – one was allowed to use Google search and the other relied solely on brain power to complete the essays. 'Over the course of several months, ChatGPT users got lazier with each subsequent essay, often resorting to copy-and-paste by the end of the study,' Time magazine reported. Granted, this is only one small study. But to be on the safe side, I'm going to lay off Chat for a while. Maybe I'll hit Google with that cat question. There is, however, one thing Google can't tell me: Does that dress I ordered online look OK on me or should I send it back? Tell me what you think, Chat. And please, be brutally honest. – The Sacramento Bee/Tribune News Service
Business Insider
17-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
'Copilot' this, 'Copilot' that. A watchdog wants Microsoft to change its confusing AI advertising.
Microsoft has a long history of being criticized for coming up with clunky product names, and for changing them so often it's hard for customers to keep up. The company's own employees once joked in a viral video that the iPod would have been called the "Microsoft I-pod Pro 2005 XP Human Ear Professional Edition with Subscription" had it been created by Microsoft. The latest gripe among some employees and customers: The company's tendency to slap " Copilot" on everything AI. "There is a delusion on our marketing side where literally everything has been renamed to have Copilot it in," one employee told Business Insider late last year. "Everything is Copilot. Nothing else matters. They want a Copilot tie-in for everything." Now, an advertising watchdog is weighing in. The Better Business Bureau's National Advertising Division reviewed Microsoft's advertising for its Copilot AI tools. NAD called out Microsoft's "universal use of the product description as 'Copilot'" and said that "consumers would not necessarily understand the difference," according to a recent report from the watchdog. "Microsoft is using 'Copilot' across all Microsoft Office applications and Business Chat, despite differences in functionality and the manual steps that are required for Business Chat to produce the same results as Copilot in a specific Microsoft Office app," NAD further explained in an email to BI. NAD did not mention any specific recommendations on product names. But it did say that Microsoft should modify claims that Copilot works "seamlessly across all your data" because all of the company's tools with the Copilot moniker don't work together continuously in a way consumers might expect. "For Copilot in Business Chat to achieve the same functionality as Copilot in Word or PowerPoint, the text-based responses from Business Chat would have to be manually copied and pasted into the relevant application," NAD stated. The watchdog also recommended that Microsoft discontinue or modify its advertising to disclose a clear basis for the claim that "Over the course of 6, 10, and more than 10 weeks, 67%, 70%, and 75% of users say they are more productive" because that survey doesn't necessarily account for actual productivity gains, just perceived gains. "We take seriously our responsibility to provide clear, transparent, and accurate information to our customers," Jared Spataro, Microsoft's AI at Work chief marketing officer, said in a statement. "Companies choose Microsoft 365 Copilot because it delivers measurable value, securely and at scale." Spataro also said a "record number of customers" returned to purchase additional Microsoft 365 Copilot seats last quarter, and that the company's deal sizes continue to grow. "From Barclays rolling out Copilot to 100,000 employees, to Dow identifying millions in potential savings—the data speaks for itself," Spataro said. A Microsoft spokesperson added that the company disagrees with NAD's conclusions about the phrasing of its advertising and whether it implied certain claims, but will follow NAD's recommendations. Recently, the company developed a new plan to simplify its many AI offerings by streamlining how the products are pitched to customers, according to internal slides from a recent presentation.
Hospitality Net
11-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Unifocus Launches Staff Collaboration Suite to Power a Human-First, Frictionless Hospitality Workforce
Dallas, TX — Unifocus, the hospitality industry's most complete labor and operations platform, today announced the launch of its Staff Collaboration Suite— the latest in a suite of dynamic solutions designed to eliminate the operational disconnects that slow teams down, integrating chat, mobile training, and AI-powered knowledge into a single, integrated experience. SCS is a foundational release within the company's newly established Communications pillar. 'Hospitality is built on human connection—but the tools we've given teams have too often gotten in the way,' said Karie Kelly, CPTO at Unifocus. 'This launch marks a turning point. It's the start of a platform experience that removes friction, reinforces people, and keeps the focus where it belongs: on service.' The Staff Collaboration Suite Includes: Chat – Real-time messaging for hotel teams, embedded into the same system they use to manage schedules, tasks, and service. Chat replaces radios and third-party apps with something better: integrated communication that's role-aware, property-specific, and secure. AskAI – A customizable, AI-powered assistant, AskAI delivers instant answers to SOP, policy, and operational questions. Teams get what they need in the moment—no paperwork, no guesswork. Training (LMS) – Structured onboarding and continuous learning, assigned by role and accessible without emails or classroom sessions. Training is designed around real hotel workflows—so staff learn what they need, when they need it. Optional Add-On: UAT Environment – For enterprise-scale testing and validation. The End of Patchwork Systems For decades, hotels have relied on a mix of radios, clipboards, emails, and apps—each solving one problem while creating others. The result? Friction. Between teams. Between systems. Between people and their work. The Staff Collaboration Suite is Unifocus' answer to that problem. It's not just new features—it's connective tissue. And it's built to work across the platform, layered directly over the company's Workforce Management and Hotel Operations pillars. 'Communication isn't just a function,' said Corey McCarthy, CMO at Unifocus. 'It's the space between people, between tasks, and between systems. When we get it right, everything flows. And when everything flows, hoteliers do their work better, more efficiently – and more profitably.' Shaping the Future of Hotel Technology The launch follows the introduction of XiQ (ExperienceIQ), Unifocus' newly rebuilt feedback engine. Together, XiQ and Staff Collaboration form the foundation of the Communications pillar—a long-term strategy to unify the signals, conversations, and workflows that define hospitality. Where other vendors offer standalone apps, Unifocus is designing something more: a fully connected platform where insights flow to the right place, people stay aligned in real time, and technology never distracts from the moment—it supports it. About Unifocus Unifocus is the hospitality industry's most complete labor and operations platform, purpose-built to help hotel teams run leaner, act faster, and improve every shift. With core pillars in Workforce Management, Hotel Operations, and Communications, Unifocus connects planning, execution, and feedback in one seamless system. Learn more at View source
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Info-Tech Research Group Names Laserfiche a Leader in Enterprise Content Management
LONG BEACH, Calif., June 10, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Laserfiche has been named a Champion for the enterprise category in the Enterprise Content Management Emotional Footprint 2025 Report by Info-Tech Research Group. Laserfiche — the leading enterprise platform that helps organizations manage their most critical content and workflows — was recognized based on reviews provided by end users. Laserfiche was named a Champion for having great customer relationships and a product that delivers a strong return on investment. "We are excited to be recognized as a 2025 Emotional Footprint Champion," said Thomas Phelps, CIO and SVP of corporate strategy at Laserfiche. "Out of 416 customers who completed Info-Tech surveys this year, 99% shared they plan to renew. "Our customers have recognized us not only for delivering innovative, high-impact solutions, but for building trust and providing an exceptional customer experience." Info-Tech Research Group's Emotional Footprint report quantifies the end-user experience and value provided by a specific product and the relationship end users have with the provider. Laserfiche received a Net Emotional Footprint of 94 and a CX score of 9.3. It was the highest scoring vendor in the categories of Integrity, Fairness, Security and Unique Features. The Emotional Footprint reports from Info-Tech Research Group are based on authentic user-review data. Laserfiche reviews include the following: "You will be amazed to discover how Laserfiche is one of the best products in its category and supported by real professionals." – C-Level in Construction "Laserfiche offers excellent ways to onboard new clients and access to company documents." – C-Level in Finance "My favorite aspect of Laserfiche is its seamless integration of document management with workflow automation, allowing for greater efficiency and collaboration across teams. The ability to automate processes while maintaining compliance and security is particularly impressive." – IT Manager in Finance "You won't regret buying this product. The business value it has given our business has enabled us to automate a lot of processes internally and the clients love how things are streamlined. Do your homework on what this solution can enable in your business and the more you can think outside the box, the more you will see that Laserfiche can do almost anything that you want it to do." – IT Manager in Education Laserfiche empowers organizations to automate processes, enhance collaboration and support compliance. The company recently announced new AI features to further boost productivity and unlock business value. These included Smart Fields for intelligent data capture and Smart Chat for instant insights from documents using natural language. "Our organizational mission is to provide science-based stewardship for the health and prosperity of all North Carolinians," said Miriam Patrocinio, chief data officer at the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. "Laserfiche's ease of use, robust forms and workflow automation, and leading AI-driven features enable us to achieve that mission by enhancing the efficiency and scalability of our work, allowing us to stay focused on serving citizens." To learn more: Read more Laserfiche reviews Visit the Laserfiche website About Info-Tech Research Group Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT and HR professionals. The company produces unbiased, highly relevant research and provides advisory services to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations. To learn more about Info-Tech's divisions, visit SoftwareReviews for software buying insights or McLean & Company for HR research and advisory services. About Laserfiche Laserfiche is a leading enterprise platform that helps organizations digitally transform operations and manage their content with AI-powered solutions. Through scalable workflows, customizable forms, no-code templates and AI-enabled capabilities, the Laserfiche® document management platform accelerates how business gets done. Trusted by organizations of all sizes — from startups to Fortune 500 enterprises — Laserfiche empowers teams to boost productivity, foster collaboration, and deliver a superior customer experience at scale. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Laserfiche operates globally, with offices across North America, Europe, and Asia. Connect with Laserfiche: Laserfiche Blog | X | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube View source version on Contacts Media Contact:Linda Domingo Communications Director, Laserfiche 562-988-1688 ext. 234 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
National Advertising Division Finds Certain Microsoft Copilot Claims Supported; Recommends Others be Modified or Discontinued
As part of its routine marketplace monitoring program, BBB National Programs' National Advertising Division found that Microsoft Corporation supported certain express functionality claims for Microsoft 365 Copilot but recommended that certain productivity claims and certain claims related to Business Chat be modified or discontinued. New York, NY, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its routine marketplace monitoring program, BBB National Programs' National Advertising Division found that Microsoft Corporation supported certain express functionality claims for Microsoft 365 Copilot but recommended that certain productivity claims and certain claims related to Business Chat be modified or discontinued. The National Advertising Division (NAD) reviewed express and implied claims made by Microsoft on its website for its Microsoft 365 Copilot AI-powered digital assistant product. Launched for its enterprise customers in November 2023, the Copilot name is used across all Microsoft 365 suite applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and Business Chat. Generating, Summarizing, and Rewriting from Files NAD examined several claims made throughout Microsoft's website about Copilot's capabilities to generate, summarize, and rewrite from files, including its capacity to 'synthesize and summarize large amounts of data,' to brainstorm and draft content in Business Chat, and to draft outlines for PowerPoint presentations. In the context in which these claims are made, NAD determined that these claims convey the message that Copilot works seamlessly with all user files and can generate content, rewrite documents, generate summaries, or create PowerPoint presentations from a user's files with no material limitations on file type, size, length, or the number of files to which a user can refer and link. NAD found that Microsoft provided reasonable support for the express claims about how Copilot can summarize and draft new content sufficient to demonstrate that they are substantiated. Although limitations on Copilot's functionality were not disclosed directly in the claims, NAD determined the limitations did not impact how consumers use Copilot. Use Across Apps and Business Chat NAD reviewed Microsoft's claims that Copilot can assist users with '[g]et[ting] up to speed in less time' by 'working seamlessly across all your data' and that Business Chat 'helps you ground your prompts in work and web data in the flow of work.' NAD determined that one message reasonably conveyed by the use of the terms 'seamlessly' and 'in the flow of work' was that actions across apps are uninterrupted or continuous, with less manual steps required. NAD examined whether consumers understood the differences in functionality, specifically as it relates to Business Chat. NAD concluded, based on the context of the claims and universal use of the product description as 'Copilot,' that consumers would not necessarily understand the differences. Microsoft provided evidence demonstrating that Copilot helps users 'get up to speed in less time,' 'carry out specific goals and tasks' in Word and other apps, and 'ground… prompts in work and web data.' However, Business Chat cannot generate a document in other applications as manual steps are required for Business Chat to produce the same results as Copilot in a specific Microsoft 365 app. NAD recommended that Microsoft modify its advertising to clearly and conspicuously disclose any material limitations related to how Business Chat assists users. Productivity and ROI NAD reviewed Microsoft's claims about Copilot's productivity and ROI benefits, including that '67%, 70%, and 75% of users say they are more productive' after 6, 10, and over 10 weeks based on the Copilot Usage in the Workplace Study showing perceived productivity gains over time. NAD found that although the study demonstrates a perception of productivity, it does not provide a good fit for the objective claim at issue. As a result, NAD recommended the claim be discontinued or modified to disclose the basis for the claim. During the inquiry, Microsoft informed NAD that in the ordinary course of business it had permanently discontinued certain productivity claims. Therefore, NAD did not review the claims on their merits and will treat the discontinued claims, for compliance purposes, as though NAD recommended they be discontinued. In its advertiser's statement, Microsoft stated that 'although we disagree with NAD's conclusions' about certain elements of the decision, Microsoft 'appreciates the opportunity to participate in this proceeding and will follow NAD's recommendations for clarifying its claims.' All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive. Per NAD/NARB Procedures, this release may not be used for promotional purposes. About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs, a non-profit organization, is the home of U.S. independent industry self-regulation, currently operating more than 20 globally recognized programs that have been helping enhance consumer trust in business for more than 50 years. These programs provide third-party accountability and dispute resolution services that address existing and emerging industry issues, create fair competition for businesses, and a better experience for consumers. BBB National Programs continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-and-teen-directed marketing, data privacy, dispute resolution, automobile warranty, technology, and emerging areas. To learn more, visit About the National Advertising Division: The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD reviews national advertising in all media and its decisions set consistent standards for advertising truth and accuracy, delivering meaningful protection to consumers and create fair competition for business. CONTACT: Name: Jennie Rosenberg Email: jrosenberg@ Job Title: Media RelationsError in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
