When it comes to the companies leading the way in AI development, Salesforce might not be the first name that springs to mind. The veteran CRM provider launched its flagship ‘Einstein’ AI in 2016, which relied on traditional machine learning methods to improve customer experience, but hasn’t sought to go head-to-head with major AI developers. With several years of generative AI hype at its back, the company is trying to carve a out a place for itself as the purveyor of trusted AI tools that live...
Oct 04, 2024•20 min
How much do you know about open banking? The practice allows companies to share choice information with third parties for the benefit of businesses, but it has yet to be taken up by every bank on the market. NatWest is a frontrunner in this regard. Its Payit service allows businesses to process customer payments quickly and easily, all alongside the ability to securely share customer data with added data insights But how does Payit work? And what are its standout benefits? In this special editio...
Oct 02, 2024•21 min
Energy usage in data centers is an increasingly Hot Topic, particularly with AI applications becoming more popular and widely used. While some organizations have talked up their commitment to renewables, such as solar or hydro, others have this month started to discuss a different, perhaps more controversial low carbon path. Elsewhere, a new rebellion against home working is beginning – and this time it's not CEOs or ministers leading the charge. In this episode, Jane is once again joined by Ros...
Sep 27, 2024•20 min
When people talk about the environmental impacts of data centers, normally the discussion focuses on energy usage. It’s something we’ve talked about at several points this year already, with reference to growing efforts to house AI workloads in green data centers that run on renewable energy to reduce their carbon impact. But while we can generate nearly limitless amounts of green energy, there is a decidedly finite amount of water in the world – and unfortunately, most data centers need vast am...
Sep 20, 2024•25 min
What’s the biggest cybersecurity threat your business faces right now? Hopefully, an answer springs to mind, along with a list of the solutions you have in place to keep attackers at bay. But ask yourself this: do your employees know? And if the worst did happen, how confident are you that your workforce would know exactly how to respond? Cybersecurity education and training is one of the cornerstones of any enterprise security strategy, keeping companies looped in on the latest attack methods a...
Sep 17, 2024•21 min
Cybersecurity teams face a constant battle of ensuring their company is shored up in the right places. Facing down increasingly sophisticated and persistent threat actors, there’s every reason to focus on one’s perimeter to shield oneself against external threats. But insider threats – attacks carried out from within an organization’s environment – must also be part of any business’s security strategy. When the call is coming from inside the house, either via a hacker who’s secretly gained acces...
Sep 13, 2024•24 min
Quantum computing is an exciting field of research that promises to revolutionize computing as we know it. Relying on quantum mechanics to process calculations much faster than conventional physics would allow a normal computer to, quantum computers could drive rapid breakthroughs in fields such as medicine or machine learning. But what are the specific ways in which quantum computing can help businesses and the world? And how long will it take for quantum computers to become widely used? In thi...
Sep 06, 2024•31 min
For many, August has been all about getting away on holiday – stepping back from your desk, and putting on your email out of office. But others have spent the past month focused on how to ensure workers work longer hours and physically turn up to do their 9-5 on company soil. Eric Schmidt, former CEO at Google, has got into hot water over his claims that companies should ditch remote work schedules if they want to succeed. Schmidt even suggested that his former company was lagging in the generat...
Aug 30, 2024•27 min
We're on summer break for the next two weeks, but we'll be back at the end of the month for the rundown and back at full speed throughout September and beyond. Thanks for listening!
Aug 16, 2024•10 sec
Almost any business these days needs its own network to function – whether it’s for internal comms, interaction with the internet, or for controlling complex environments such as smart factory floors, business networks keep the wheels spinning at an enterprise level. But promises and delivery haven’t always lined up in the networking space, with the likes of 5G and gigabit broadband coming in later than planned and developments such as widespread, real-time edge computing emerging as more import...
Aug 09, 2024•27 min
The IT outage that left passengers stranded, self checkouts non-functional, and IT professionals worldwide with an enormous headache dominated the news in July. The cost for those affected and the companies involved – CrowdStrike and Microsoft – is still being counted. In this episode of the ITPro Podcast, Jane is joined by ITPro’s news editor Ross Kelly to discuss what happened on 19 July, as well as news of Google’s attempt to buy cloud security outfit Wiz falling through and Japan finally win...
Aug 02, 2024•23 min
While the private sector makes a lucrative target for threat actors, the public sector is also under constant threat of cyber attacks. In October 2023, the British Library was hit by a major ransomware attack and the founder and CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Ciaran Martin told the BBC that recent attacks on the UK’s National Health Service were not surprising given its outdated systems and cyber policies. But what might these updates look like? And on a national level, what ca...
Jul 26, 2024•29 min
When it comes to some of the tech world’s most impressive offerings, high performance computing, also known as supercomputing, often rises to the top of the list. Referring to powerful systems used to crunch the most complex calculations or run incredibly demanding workloads, it’s a rapidly expanding field backed by significant investment. But what is high-performance computing really for? Where does exascale computing fit into the mix? And where might it be headed?
Jul 19, 2024•29 min
Every business will, at some point, be impacted by cyber attacks. Companies task security teams to prepare the first line of defense against cyber attacks, and most have plans in place for the damage they leave behind – be it data loss, encryption by ransomware operators, or large-scale service disruptions. But something that often goes unremarked upon in the wake of cyber attacks is the psychological, human effects of cyber attacks. When the dust settles, staff can be left with feelings of fear...
Jul 12, 2024•28 min
This classic episode of the ITPro Podcast was first published on 14 July 2023. When you consider the roles that hold influence over business decisions and operations, which come to mind? Doubtless, the CEO and CFO, as well as the COO if you have one. The CMO may also be there – but what about the CIO or CTO? The advent of cloud computing, bring your own device (BYOD), and increasing cyber security threats were all supposed to coincide with CIOs finally having their seat at the table. ITPro has p...
Jul 05, 2024•28 min
June has been a month filled with tech conferences. ITPro has covered events including HPE Discover, Splunk .conf24, Snowflake Data Summit, Cisco Live, Pegasystems Inspire, and Pure Accelerate, all held in Las Vegas, amid a busy season for the industry. But throughout the many hours of these events, with tens of thousands of attendees and swathes of product announcements, what have been some of the standout moments and recurring themes? In this episode, Jane and Rory welcome back Ross Kelly, ITP...
Jun 28, 2024•39 min
With the generative AI gold rush continuing at speed in enterprise IT. Ranging from chatbots to AI training services, every provider is looking for that killer use case that makes it indispensable for AI. At HPE Discover 2024, the story has been no different. In collaboration with Nvidia, the company believes it has something unique to offer its enterprise customers. In this episode, recorded live at HPE Discover 2024 in Las Vegas, Jane speaks to Mohan Rajagopalan, general manager for Ezmeral So...
Jun 21, 2024•16 min
When Cisco announced it would be buying Splunk, doubts were raised over the company's future within its new home. Splunk .conf24, the company's annual conference, was a proving ground to see if these fears were well founded. According to ITPro's intrepid features editor, however, Splunk's brand is as strong as it ever was, with both Cisco's CEO and Splunk's GM offering reassurances that neither company's customers or partners will suffer in the wake of the acquisition. In this episode of the ITP...
Jun 14, 2024•20 min•Ep. 228
One of the most unexpected things to happen in May was a sudden outage at the Australian pension fund UniSuper. After days of confusion and concern that the fund may have been hit by a cyber attack among its customer base, it emerged that Google Cloud had accidentally deleted UniSuper’s entire cloud subscription. We dive into what lessons businesses can learn from this freak event. Also in May, OpenAI trumpeted its goal to unlock so-called artificial general intelligence (AGI) through new advanc...
Jun 07, 2024•24 min
As the tech sector creates data at greater rates than ever before, using more cloud and on premise workloads, it’s more important than ever that firms consider their sustainability strategy and carbon footprint. Until the world has achieved net zero energy, every watt that goes into powering hardware and software adds to overall global emissions, with data center growth accounting for more and more global energy demand. Renewable energy and greater efficiency help with this but are not silver bu...
May 31, 2024•26 min
As enterprise AI becomes more widely adopted, businesses are being forced to examine whether their architecture is up to the task. The feverish hype around AI in the public cloud that started in November 2022 has given way to greater investment in open ecosystems for AI and smaller models run at a business’s edge. From chatbots stored on a laptop for offline use to AI handling data produced by sensors in smart manufacturing, there’s a huge range of ways to use AI at the edge. But where is custom...
May 24, 2024•35 min
The LockBit ransomware group recently suffered another major blow at the hands of international law enforcement, as the UK’s NCA revealed the name and face of the group’s long-sought-after leader. Dmitry Khoroshev, known as ‘LockBitSupp’ on the dark web, was unmasked by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) while the US Department of Justice announced a 26-count indictment against him. While this is a significant development in the fight against the group, what does it mean for LockBit in the lon...
May 17, 2024•20 min
Some experts will tell you the first step in adopting AI is making sure your data is in order. But what about your skills? When it comes time to put AI in the hands of their workforce, leaders need to know that they’ll be able to hit the ground running and unlock productivity benefits without delay. Achieving this will involve investing in AI skills – but where should businesses begin and how far-reaching does this AI training need to be? In this episode, Jane and Rory speak to Arun ‘Rak’ Ramcha...
May 10, 2024•26 min
April has been a month of both highs and lows. At the start of the month, AWS was ordered to pay $525 million in damages, after it was found to have infringed US patent law through some of its core cloud offerings. The month has also seen a high-profile cyber incident – a ransomware attack against Change Healthcare in which personal information was stolen. All of this has unfolded against the backdrop of more innovation in the AI space, with the launch of Llama 3 and news from Google Cloud Next ...
May 03, 2024•15 min
As AI initiatives gather steam, the public and private sectors are assessing the level of investment necessary to unlock the value of the new technology. It’s clear that large funds and a strategic approach will be necessary to bring the workforce along with employers. The UK government has announced several billion pounds in collective funding for AI projects and infrastructure deemed necessary for expanding the UK’s AI sector. As governments around the world look to unlock AI success of their ...
Apr 26, 2024•27 min
The EU’s AI Act has been approved, bringing in sweeping requirements, controls, and regulations for the development and use of AI tools throughout the region. But what are the precise measures it brings in, how can businesses prepare for the new rules, and what are the penalties for non-compliance? In this episode, Rory speaks to Nader Henein, VP Analyst at Garner, to explore the implications of the EU AI Act, how companies can prepare for the measures it brings in, and what it means for AI use ...
Apr 19, 2024•32 min
This week has seen Google Cloud’s annual Next conference in full swing, with the hyperscaler having made major announcements on generative AI and the infrastructure necessary to support it. Having spent the past year playing catch-up with Microsoft and OpenAI, Google Cloud is now in a place where it’s ready to press its advantage in AI, years after the company first declared itself “AI first”. But has it succeeded in this mission, and if so – what are the tangible benefits for Google Cloud custo...
Apr 12, 2024•11 min
March has been a month of concern for those in the cyber security community following revelations of extensive hacking campaigns carried out by state-backed groups. In the latter part of the month, it was reported that APT 31, a Chinese state-backed threat group, had accessed information on tens of millions of UK voters in a breach of the Electoral Commission. Threat actors had also targeted US politicians and businesses. What can we learn from the breach and how can organizations protect ...
Apr 05, 2024•22 min
Is your firm missing out on AI? It’s a question that has weighed heavy on the minds of tech leaders for the past 18 months and as new developments are announced leaders are presented with an ever-increasing buffet of AI products. While the pressure to commit to AI adoption can be intense, it’s essential that leaders integrate AI in a strategic fashion. But what does this mean in a practical sense and how can leaders match this need for caution against their fear of missing crucial AI opportuniti...
Mar 29, 2024•33 min
This classic episode of the ITPro Podcast was first published on 9 June 2023. Quantum computing is an inevitable technology, with the private sector and nation-states racing to be the first to unlock its potential. While it can be used for all kinds of good, quantum computing could also be used to unravel critical systems. The UK is one of several nations investing in quantum computing, with its government having announced £900 million for its own exascale quantum computer. Stakes are high as we...
Mar 22, 2024•38 min
