Walk into almost any IT department right now, and you’ll hear the same conversation at least once a week: “Have you tried that new AI tool yet? I heard it’s a game-changer.”

The truth is that the market is buzzing with promise and noise. A recent McKinsey survey shows that 78% of companies now use AI in some form, and that number is climbing. 

Plenty of software promises to slash workloads, automate everything, and make teams ‘future-proof.’ Some deliver on that promise. Others feel rushed to market just to ride the hype. For IT businesses, knowing the difference is essential to staying relevant.

Why AI Feels Different This Time

AI, of course, isn’t new. However, something has shifted over the last two years. Models have become better at understanding context, generating original content, and even juggling multiple formats at once.

Under the hood, the big three technologies driving this shift are:

• Machine Learning (ML): These are the systems that improve with every dataset they touch. It’s what makes recommendation engines get eerily accurate over time.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP): The bit that lets a machine understand your request when you type, “Can you pull the latest metrics from that report?” and not just spit out a keyword search.
• Generative AI: The creative side of AI that builds something from scratch: a paragraph, a code snippet, an image, or even a full video.

The “multimodal” wave, where one tool can manage text, images, audio, and video without switching modes, is what’s pulling this technology out of niche use cases and into daily operations. It’s also why even cautious IT managers are starting to experiment.

The Tool Categories Worth Knowing

If you try to track every AI launch, you’ll burn out. Instead, it helps to think in broad categories and pick a few to watch.

1. Chatbots & Virtual Assistants

Not the clunky, one-question-at-a-time bots we remember from a few years ago.

• ChatGPT now handles images, audio, and real-time conversation, and it remembers your preferences over time.
• Google Gemini slots directly into Gmail, Sheets, and Docs. It is handy if you already live in Google Workspace.
• Grok AI leans toward problem-solving and data-heavy reasoning, pulling in live info when needed.

2. Content Creation

For marketing, documentation, or client proposals, the tools below can shave hours off a job.

• Jasper AI: Aimed squarely at marketers, with built-in SEO and formatting help.
• Anyword: Used to tweak tone for specific audiences.
• Writer: Used to keep enterprise-level brand voice consistent.

3. Image & Design

From mockups to campaign graphics, AI visuals are no longer a novelty.

• Midjourney is the favorite for striking, artistic visuals.
• Stable Diffusion gives you full creative control if you’ve got the technical chops.
• DALL·E 3 is simple to use inside ChatGPT for quick edits and iterations.
• Google Imagen 3 is precise and can handle prompts in multiple languages.
• Adobe Firefly keeps everything legally safe for commercial projects and feeds straight into Photoshop.

4. Video & Storytelling

Not just for marketing teams anymore. Training, onboarding, and even client walkthroughs benefit here.

• Runway ML combines AI image generation with video editing.
• Descript and Filmora handle editing, transcription, and polishing without requiring a pro studio.

5. Search & Research

Finding the right information can matter more than creating something new.

• Perplexity AI blends live search with AI summaries so you’re not guessing about accuracy.
• Arc Search speeds up web research with on-the-fly summaries.

6. Productivity & Collaboration

These are the quiet workhorses. They include: 

• Notion AI and Mem: Used to surface the right knowledge at the right time.
• Asana, Any.do, and BeeDone: Project tools used to schedule and keep track of tasks.
• Fireflies and Avoma: These meeting assistants can take notes so your team can actually talk.
• Reclaim and Clockwise: These calendar managers make meetings less of a Tetris game.
• Shortwave and Gemini: Email helpers for Gmail to keep inboxes sane.

Where IT Businesses Can Actually Win

The real advantage isn’t “using AI.” It’s using it to make something easier, faster, or better for either your team or your clients. That might be automating repetitive monitoring tasks, generating clearer client reports, or cutting turnaround time for proposal writing.

It’s not without its challenges:

• Integration: The coolest new tool is useless if it can’t connect to your stack.
• Data accuracy: AI still makes mistakes; fact-checking is non-negotiable.
• Security: If a tool sends your client data outside your environment, you need to know exactly how it’s stored and processed.
• Adoption curve: Even great tools flop if nobody takes the time to learn them.

Getting Started Without Wasting Time

If you’re evaluating AI for your IT business, here’s a simple starting path:

1. Pick one problem that’s slowing you down. Maybe your project documentation is always late, or client Q&A eats up hours.
2. Test two or three tools aimed at solving that problem. Use the free or trial tiers; run them against real scenarios.
3. See how they play with your systems. Integration is often the make-or-break factor.
4. Roll out slowly. One team, one workflow, one clear measure of success. If it works, expand.

It’s tempting to load up a dozen tools and hope they magically boost productivity. More often, that leads to confusion, redundant features, and frustrated staff.

A Final Thought (and a Bit of Caution)

AI isn’t going away, and ignoring it won’t make the competitive pressure disappear. The current lineup of tools can be incredibly powerful, but they’re not magic. Think of them like a new hire: They can do great work, but they need guidance, guardrails, and a clear role.

Start with the jobs that nobody loves doing, the ones that are repetitive but still important. Let AI take the first draft, the first pass, or the heavy lifting. Keep the oversight with your team. That’s where it stops being hype and starts being useful.

If you’re not sure where to begin, try one experiment this quarter. Small steps now will make bigger moves easier later.

Contact us if you want help figuring out which AI tools actually make sense for your IT business and which ones you can safely skip.

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This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.

In the past, teams relied on sticky notes and endless email threads to manage tasks. But with today’s hybrid work environments and fast-moving deadlines, that approach just doesn’t cut it anymore. Effective project management is now essential to stay on track and ahead.

According to McKinsey, the average worker spends 28% of their week managing email and nearly 20% just hunting for information or colleagues to help.

This article introduces Microsoft Planner, a versatile tool that’s just as effective for simple task management as it is for complex enterprise projects. It’s easy to get started with, yet powerful enough to keep multiple projects organized and on track. With a bit of guidance from an IT partner experienced in supporting small teams, Planner can transform the way you organize, collaborate, and deliver results.

Teams Wasting Time on Endless Emails and Missed Tasks

When tasks are not properly organized, it’s hard to monitor your team’s progress:

• Team members cannot keep up with deadlines
  
• Essential details are missed through conversations.
• Projects stall over small miscommunications
  
• Managers struggle to get a complete overview. 

These things get in the way of productivity and make it harder for your team to stay motivated and move forward.

A Simple Way to Manage Tasks

Microsoft Planner brings everything together in one place, making it simple and intuitive for small teams to jump in and start using right away. Here’s how Planner helps you stay productive:

1. Organized Task Boards 

Think of Planner like a shared to-do board where your whole team can carry out the following:

• Create tasks quickly
  
• Assign responsibilities
  
• Add due dates, checklists, files, and notes
  
• Move tasks through stages like To Do > In Progress > Done

This organized view allows everyone to stay on track without the need for long email threads or disappearing messages.

2. Flexible Views for Better Oversight

Planner offers multiple ways to help you track your work, including:

• Board View: Tasks are displayed as cards grouped in columns (buckets). You can drag and drop tasks to update their status or move them between buckets. Great for visual task management.
  
• Grid View: A list-style layout showing tasks with details like due dates, assignees, and progress. Useful for quick scanning and editing.
  
• Schedule View: Displays tasks on a calendar by week or month. You can drag tasks onto the calendar or view unscheduled tasks separately.
  
• People View: Displays workload distribution across team members.
  
• Timeline View: A Gantt-style chart that shows how tasks connect, and which ones are key to keeping the project on track.
  
• Assignments View: Gives you detailed control over how much effort tasks take and when they’re scheduled.

These views help teams at every stage, from daily task completion to big-picture planning.

3. Task Details That Keep Teams on Track

Every task in Planner comes with all the details you need. Just click on a task to:

• Set start and end dates
  
• Assign priorities and include checklists
  
• Attach files and assign responsibility
  
• Set dependencies to ensure tasks are completed in the correct order
  
• Link to relevant Teams channels for context and collaboration
  

This makes sure nothing important falls through the cracks and keeps conversations right where they belong.

4. Templates Save You Time

Why start from scratch when you don’t have to? Planner offers ready-made templates, some are available in the free version, while more are available in paid plans. Just pick a template, customize it, and you’re ready to go. It’s a quick way to launch projects without reinventing the wheel.

5. Smooth Integration with Microsoft 365

Planner isn’t a standalone app; it’s designed to work seamlessly with the tools you already use. Here’s what it integrates with:

• Teams: Create and assign tasks right from chat or channels.
  
• Outlook: Turn flagged emails into actionable tasks.
  
• SharePoint and Loop: Embed Planner tabs in project sites for seamless updates.
  
• Power Platform: Automate repetitive workflows with Power Automate.
  
• Excel and Power BI: Export data to analyze tasks, timelines, and workloads.
  
• Viva Goals: Align tasks with company-wide objectives.

With everything linked together, you gain clarity, reduce friction, and create real momentum.

6. Built-In AI to Supercharge Efficiency

In July of 2024, Microsoft added Copilot to Planner, which helps you with the following:

• Summarize tasks and plans.
  
• Create tasks or subtasks using natural language.
  
• Get progress updates and reminders automatically.

Microsoft’s new Project Management Agent goes further, analyzing goals, breaking work into tasks, and even suggesting who should handle them. These helpers free your team to focus on creative work, not mundane task management.

How to Get Started with Planner

Step 1: Open Planner in Teams or the web app.
Step 2: Choose “New Plan” and pick a template.
Step 3: Build your board. Add buckets and tasks and assign people.
Step 4: Customize each task with dates, checklists, attachments, and links.
Step 5: Explore views to track daily work and overall progress.
Step 6: Automate reminders or notifications.
Step 7: Invite your team and walk them through the basics.

It’s an easy, step-by-step setup that helps your team start collaborating quickly and smoothly.

What You’ll Gain 

With Microsoft Planner small businesses gain many benefits including reducing email overload and meeting grind, keeping everyone accountable and aligned, and being able to visualize project progress easily. You’ll also be able to launch new initiatives faster, use AI to save time and reduce manual effort, and connect tasks with the tools your team already uses.

This keeps your projects moving and gives you more time to focus on your customers.

What Happens If You Don’t Act?

When tasks are scattered and tools don’t connect, problems are bound to happen. You’ll be more apt to miss deadlines, employees will be confused about who’s responsible for what, and team members will feel overloaded and overworked. 

Wasted time in meetings and poor visibility on project status will slow your business down and waste money.

Make Planning a Habit, Not a Hassle

Planner is more than just a tool, it keeps your team organized, on track, and connected, without the hassle of scattered tasks or missed updates.

We’re here to help you every step of the way. From setup to confident use, we’ll tailor Microsoft Planner to fit your team’s unique needs. Let’s simplify project management together, schedule your consultation today.

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This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.

Running a small business means wearing a lot of hats. These hats run from managing operations, handling customer inquiries to keeping everything running smoothly. There’s a solution that can lighten the load, AI-powered automation. Thanks to technological advancements, these tools have become more accessible and cost-effective than ever, allowing small business owners to automate tasks they previously had to handle manually.

No need to break the bank or hire a large team. AI can handle much of your busy work, freeing you up to focus on more important aspects of your business. Whether you’re a solopreneur or managing a small team, AI can step in as your virtual assistant, improving efficiency and streamlining operations.

If you’re looking to dive deeper into how AI can transform your business, this blog post discusses how you can automate daily tasks and free up your time. We will show you how to leverage affordable AI tools to save time, cut down on repetitive tasks, and boost your business efficiency.

Why Does AI-Powered Automation Matter for Small Businesses?

Small businesses often lack the resources for large teams or expensive enterprise-level software. That’s where AI comes in. With the right tools, small businesses can automate repetitive tasks and processes. This allows them to reduce manual workload, cut down on errors, and increase overall productivity.

AI-powered automation enables small businesses to scale up operations without hiring additional staff. It doesn’t replace your team but enhances their capabilities, giving them more time to focus on strategic tasks that drive growth. Whether it’s customer service, scheduling, or marketing, there’s an AI solution that can help.

Smart Ways to Automate Daily Tasks and Free Up Your Time (Without a Huge Budget)

There are many ways you can use AI for efficiency in your daily tasks and get back more time in your day, without blowing your budget. Whether it’s using simple AI tools or automating repetitive administrative work, small changes can make a big difference. Here are a few smart ways to get started.

1. Automate Customer Support Without Losing the Personal Touch

Customer support is a critical part of any business, but it can also be incredibly time-consuming. By using AI, you can maintain excellent service while saving time and energy. The goal here is to automate common tasks without compromising customer satisfaction.

Use AI Chatbots for First-Line Support

AI-powered chatbots, like Tidio or Chatfuel, can handle frequently asked questions, schedule appointments, and collect customer information automatically. These chatbots can respond instantly, offering around-the-clock service without requiring additional staff.

The Benefit: AI chatbots save you time by addressing customer inquiries immediately. They’re available 24/7, ensuring that your customers never have to wait for a response.

Smart Email Assistants

AI tools like Zendesk AI or Freshdesk can read incoming emails, categorize them, and even suggest replies. Some platforms go a step further and can automate responses to common questions. It allows you to focus on more complex customer issues.

The Benefit: These tools help you manage your inbox efficiently, reducing the manual work of sorting and responding to every single email.

AI-Enhanced Customer Feedback

AI tools like Survicate or Qualaroo can analyze customer feedback in real-time, spotting trends and highlighting areas for improvement automatically. This gives you the ability to act on customer insights faster and more effectively.

The Benefit: You can make data-driven decisions to enhance your customer service, ensuring a better customer experience while minimizing the time spent analyzing feedback.

2. Streamline Scheduling and Calendar Management

Scheduling meetings, appointments, and events can quickly become a logistical nightmare. AI tools designed for scheduling and calendar management can save you countless hours and headaches. Here is how you can streamline scheduling and calendar management:

Let AI Handle Your Calendar

AI-powered tools like Calendly and Reclaim.ai can automatically suggest meeting times, taking into account everyone’s availability, time zones, and preferences. They can even buffer in break times and avoid double bookings.

The Benefit: You spend less time on back-and-forth emails trying to figure out when everyone is available. Your calendar stays organized and optimized without you lifting a finger.

AI-Powered Appointment Booking

If you offer services or consultations, tools like Acuity Scheduling let clients book appointments directly from your calendar. These tools also sync with other platforms like Zoom or Google Meet, making it easy for your clients to schedule time with you.

The Benefit: Customers can easily schedule meetings or services without the need for human intervention, streamlining the process for both you and your clients.

Optimized Time Allocation

AI tools like TimeHero or Trello use data and patterns from your calendar to suggest the most efficient way to allocate your time for various tasks. This can help you stay on track, focusing on high-priority work while automating less critical scheduling.

The Benefit: You can optimize your workday based on intelligent time management suggestions, ensuring you make the most of your working hours.

3. Supercharge Your Marketing – Without Hiring an Agency

Marketing is essential for business growth, but it can be time-consuming and expensive. AI tools can help you manage and enhance your marketing efforts without the need for a full marketing department or agency. You can use AI in the following ways to supercharge your marketing:

Create Content with AI Writing Tools

AI writing tools like Jasper AI, Copy.ai, and ChatGPT can generate blog posts, social media content, and email campaigns quickly and efficiently. These tools allow you to focus on strategy and creative direction while letting AI handle the bulk of content creation.

The Benefit: AI can write drafts for you, which you can then fine-tune. This saves time, especially when you need to create content frequently.

Automate Social Media Posts

Social media management platforms like Buffer or Later use AI to suggest the best times for posting, automatically queue content, and even generate hashtags. This makes it easier to maintain a consistent social media presence without spending too much time on it.

The Benefit: AI ensures your social media posts go out at optimal times, driving more engagement and keeping your brand active online without the hassle.

AI-Driven Analytics for Better Decision-Making

AI tools like Google Analytics and HubSpot can analyze the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns in real-time, providing insights into what’s working and what’s not. These tools help you make data-backed decisions to improve your marketing strategies.

The Benefit: You can optimize your campaigns by understanding what drives engagement and ROI. This allows you to invest in the right areas for growth.

4. Financial Tasks Made Easier

AI tools can take the guesswork and manual effort out of financial management. These help small businesses stay on top of their accounting, invoicing, and payment reminders.

Use AI Accounting Tools

AI-powered accounting tools like QuickBooks Online and Xero automate tasks such as categorizing expenses, reconciling bank accounts, and generating financial reports. These tools learn from your data and can even predict future cash flow.

The Benefit: AI helps you manage your finances efficiently, reducing the risk of errors and ensuring that your accounts are always up-to-date.

Automate Invoice Generation and Payment Reminders

Tools like Wave and Zoho Books let you generate invoices automatically and send payment reminders when bills are due. AI can track overdue invoices and send follow-up emails. It helps save you the time and stress of chasing payments.

The Benefit: Automated invoicing and reminders help you maintain cash flow and reduce the chances of late payments.

Financial Forecasting with AI Insights

AI tools can predict future financial trends based on past data. With tools like Fathom or Float, you can forecast revenue, track expenses, and make data-driven financial decisions to ensure your business remains profitable.

The Benefit: You gain a better understanding of your business’s financial future. It allows you to plan for growth and prepare for any potential financial challenges.

5. Internal Team Collaboration & Workflow Automation

Teams often rely on multiple software tools to collaborate, but that can lead to a disjointed workflow. AI tools that integrate with existing systems can automate the handoffs between apps and ensure everyone stays on the same page. Here is how you AI tools can enhance team collaboration and workflow automation:

Automate Repetitive Team Tasks

Platforms like Zapier and Make.com connect your apps and automate workflows. For example, when a new customer signs up, their information can automatically be added to your CRM, sent to your email list, and assigned to the right team member for follow-up.

The Benefit: By automating repetitive tasks, your team can focus on more important work, improving overall efficiency.

AI Note-Taking & Meeting Summaries

AI-powered tools like Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai can transcribe meetings and generate summaries automatically. This ensures that everyone has access to meeting notes without relying on manual note-taking.

The Benefit: Save time on post-meeting follow-ups, and ensure no vital details are missed or forgotten.

Streamlined Project Management

AI-enhanced project management tools like Asana or Monday.com can help you assign tasks, track deadlines, and monitor project progress. These tools integrate with your other business apps, providing a cohesive, real-time overview of your team’s workload.

The Benefit: AI keeps your projects on track by proactively identifying potential bottlenecks and suggesting adjustments to ensure projects are completed on time.

Ready to integrate AI into your business?

If you’re overwhelmed by daily tasks, it’s time to consider AI-powered automation. You don’t need a massive tech budget to take advantage of these tools. Start small by automating a couple of tasks, measure the time saved, and then expand from there. These AI tools are affordable, scalable, and designed to help small businesses streamline operations without sacrificing quality. 

Contact us today to find the right solutions for your needs. It’s time to work smarter, not harder.

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This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.

Technology is fast, and in no time, our gadgets get outdated. According to data from Statista, consumers replace their devices about every 2-3 years. Still, it can be tricky to determine when an upgrade is needed. 

Upgrading your device isn’t just about having the latest gadget. An up-to-date device is safer and more efficient. This article will help you in spotting the signs that your gadget needs replacement. We will talk about seven signs that it is time to get a new one.

7 Signs It’s Time for a Device Upgrade 

It can be hard to tell when you need a new device, especially if you feel the current one is working fine. There are a few ways to tell your device is outdated, from slow loading times to lack of storage. Here are 7 signs it’s time for a device upgrade: 

1. Is Your Device Slow and Laggy?

Slow performance is a major indicator. If your device takes an eternity to boot up, that might be a sign to get an upgrade. Apps that take too long to open can be really frustrating. Slow internet access could mean your gadget is getting older. 

Most of us use our phones, computers, and tablets for day-to-day activities. A slow device makes texting, sending emails, managing calendars, and doing work more difficult. If you can save time in your day with work and personal tasks, the cost of an upgrade may be worth it. 

2. Frequent Freezing and Crashing

Does your device freeze often? Crashes are another bad sign. If you see the spinning wheel a lot, your device might be struggling. These issues mean your device can’t keep up with today’s demands.

Freezing and crashing can impact your productivity. Imagine working on a document on your computer and losing everything when it crashes, or taking 20 minutes to type a simple email. This is why it’s important to have an up-to-date device. 

3. How’s Your Battery Life?

Battery problems are a clear upgrade sign. If your device dies quickly, it’s a red flag. Needing to charge multiple times a day is not normal. A healthy device should last most of the day on one charge.

Check to see if your battery is swollen. This is a safety hazard and should be dealt with immediately. If your device often overheats, the battery may be malfunctioning. These are some pretty serious issues that, in most cases, mean it’s time for a new device.

4. Is Your Storage Always Full?

Running out of space all the time? That’s a good indication that an upgrade is due. It is frustrating when you can’t install new apps. Constantly deleting photos and files is a pain. More storage is one great reason to upgrade.

5. Are You Missing Out on New Features?

New devices boast cool new features. If your device can’t get the latest updates, you’re missing out. Newer models often boast better cameras and screens. They also have faster processors and more memory.

Age plays a huge factor in device performance. Most smartphones last around 2-3 years, and laptops, perhaps 3-5 years. If your device is older than this, then it might be time for an upgrade. Older devices struggle with new software and apps.

6. Are Repairs Costing Too Much?

Repairing old devices can be costly. If the repair costs are high, upgrading may be wiser. Sometimes, the repair costs are almost equal to a new device. In such cases, it is often better to buy a new one.

Since older devices usually go for less on the market, repair costs can add up quickly. For example, if you break the screen on your iPhone X, it can cost more than $300 to repair it. An iPhone X can be purchased for around $175. These repair costs are more than the value of the actual device.

If you’ve had it for a while, you may have paid closer to $1,000 at the time of release. When you combine what you spent on your current device with any repair costs, you’ll notice it’s much better to upgrade. 

7. Does Your Device Support the Latest Software?

Older devices often can’t run new software. This may be a security risk and also means you miss new features. Consider upgrading if your device can’t update to the latest OS.

Old software has security holes in it. Your data can easily be compromised by this kind of threat. Most hackers usually attack those gadgets operating on older, obsolete systems. This is why it’s important to keep your devices updated. 

If you keep an old device around, your data becomes vulnerable. You won’t be protected by the latest security patches. A new device running on the latest update is the safest option.

Ready for a Fresh Start?

If you have been noticing these signs, then that is probably the time for an upgrade. The new device will make your digital life easier, more fun, and a bit safer. Think about your needs and budget in choosing a new device.

Don’t wrestle with an older, slower device; upgrade to one that will serve you much better. Your increased security and productivity will thank you in the future. If you need help choosing a new device, contact us today.

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This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.

AI is going to change how we work. It can make some tasks easier. But it can also cause problems. Let’s look at some ways AI can make work tricky.

What is AI and how does it affect work?

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. The computer systems are actually able to do the things that normal and regular human intelligence can do. It can support so many jobs. It can write, analyze data, and can even create art. 

But it is not perfect-it also can go wrong. 

Where can AI go wrong?

Incorrect Information

AI sometimes provides wrong information. It may mix up facts or use data that is too old. This can cause huge problems in the workplace.

Weird outputs

AI can also make strange mistakes. It may write utter nonsense or create odd images. This can be a waste of time and cause confusion.

Can AI be biased?

Yes, AI can be biased. It learns from data given to it by humans. If that data has bias in it, then the AI will too. This can lead to unfair decisions in the workplace.

How does AI affect jobs?

Job loss

Some people fear that AI will steal their jobs. It can perform certain tasks more quickly and for less money than humans. This could result in fewer jobs in some industries.

New skills needed

AI also needs workers to acquire new skills. Workers need to learn to work with AI, which can be challenging for some workers.

Is AI always reliable?

No, AI is not always reliable. It can malfunction or break down. This causes a big problem if the workers are dependent on it and it fails.

How does AI affect teamwork?

AI can alter how teams work. Certain tasks become solo work with AI. This may decrease teamwork and creativity.

What about privacy and AI?

AI requires a lot of data to function properly, which can raise several privacy concerns. Workers may be concerned that AI will view their personal information or work habits.

Yes, AI can create legal issues. There are questions about who owns work created by AI. There are also concerns about AI making biased decisions.

How can we use AI safely at work?

To use AI safely at work:

• Check AI outputs carefully
• Keep humans in charge of big decisions
• Train workers to use AI well
• Have clear rules for AI use
• Stay up-to-date on AI laws

Get Started with AI at Work

AI can be helpful at work, but it’s not perfect. We have to use it with care. If you have questions about using AI at your job, contact us today. We can help you use AI in a smart and safe way.

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This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.