Articles by Jack M. Germain

A new CRM tool enhances lead management and accelerates response times to increase conversion rates CallRail released its latest expansion of AI-powered features to its lead intelligence platform on July 17. The new products combine generative and conversational AI for lead conversion solutions for SMBs....

The growing use of artificial intelligence in the workplace is fueling a rapid increase in data consumption, challenging the corporate ability to safeguard sensitive data A report released in May from data security firm Cyberhaven, titled “The Cubicle Culprits,” sheds light on AI adoption trends and their correlation to heightened risk. Cyberha...

Artificial intelligence innovation is revolutionizing search's role in providing better-connected customer experiences (CX) on CRM platforms The latest research on consumer behavior shows that one of computing's most basic functions for users -- the search window -- paired with generative AI is becoming a new tool for creating more connected CX dur...

One of the most important technology trends in higher education is the growing use of 4K visual displays, which transform an ordinary classroom, student center, or e-sports arena into a fully immersive student experience According to a 2023 survey by WGU Labs and the College Innovation Network, two-thirds of higher education instructors anticipate ...

Wolfi, from fortified software delivery firm Chainguard, is a young Linux "un-distro," that is improving the cloud’s software supply chain. Can its innovative design launch a new solution for fortifying desktop distros, too? In September 2022, developers announced Wolfi, the first community Linux un-distro designed for minimalism, rapid updates, ...

A key pain point for e-commerce merchants expanding their sales to cross-border markets is dealing with international customer returns However, handling unwanted products from foreign customers does not have to be a deal breaker for expanding sales. E-commerce marketing platforms can help retailers solve fulfillment and manage returned products....

Chatbots and virtual assistants with advanced natural language processing (NLP) are transforming customer care and how businesses engage with their customers NLP enables marketers and advertisers to process and understand text strings, applying sentiment scores. This data is derived from various sources, including chat and voice logs, as well as au...

The upgraded Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is one of the largest screen laptops with the latest AI-included features available in the ChromeOS lineup Released in May, this unit replaces the first-gen Acer Chromebook 516 GE. I had my eye on that earlier model -- primarily because of its 16-inch viewing field. But I held off buying the non-Plus predece...

ChatGPT and the rapid adoption of generative AI have pushed chief information security officers (CISOs) to the limit, with employees testing these tools in the workplace A survey released earlier this year found that few businesses view this threat vector seriously enough to already have a third-party security cyber risk management solution in plac...

Restoring personal data and operating systems when disaster strikes can be filled with gray areas and worries that the backup tool does not miss any critical files The process can be daunting for Linux users because of the vast number of backup tools for different Linux families, such as Debian, Arch, Red Hat, and Suse....

Online sellers on the Amazon Marketplace can gain valuable tips from Onramp Funds’ Prime Day Playbook as they prepare for the upcoming annual sales extravaganza Taking place annually in July, Amazon Prime Day is a massive sales event exclusive to Amazon Prime members, boasting deals across various product categories. Prime Day consistently breaks...

Artificial intelligence is behind a significant surge in sophisticated bad bot traffic, which went from bad to worse in the first quarter of this year. Instead of human net surfers, these bad bots generated nearly half of all web traffic AI-driven super bots comprised 33% of observed activity and employed advanced evasion techniques to bypass tradi...

The retail industry is undergoing a significant transformation driven by the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence. A recent Metrigy study found that 34% of retailers believe this year will be a turning point in the acceptance of AI for the customer experience (CX) The study also confirmed a growing acknowledgment among retailers that not ...

A former "sneaker botter" from Australia who for years programmed bots to take advantage of e-commerce platforms now uses his experience to combat bot attacks to raid merchants' websites and prevent Account Takeover (ATO) attacks as a data scientist and cyberthreat analyst at Arkose Labs The term sneaker botter originated with the practice of using...

A new approach to cybersecurity education may help produce qualified cyber experts with real-life training Colleges and universities are starting to offer specialized undergraduate courses in cybersecurity as part of their computer science degrees. However, these programs often lack hands-on training in mitigating cyberattacks....

Debuting in 1982, the Bloomberg Terminal has been the most powerful, flexible tool for financial professionals to access real-time data, news, and analytics provided by the financial data vendor Bloomberg LP. The system also delivers news, price quotes, and messaging across its proprietary secure network, revolutionizing financial markets More than...

The beta 4.0 release of Dynebolic Linux announced innovations for creatives looking for a self-contained production and publishing tool. If you are unfamiliar with distributions built on the KDE desktop and others, you could easily be misled about its innovations The latest beta release includes little to make Dynebolic stand out as a unique operat...

Better collaboration between public and private sectors to advance open-source security is a major unresolved technology concern, especially as open-source software gains global dominance alongside artificial intelligence technology Organizations like The Linux Foundation and Open Source Initiative have made significant efforts to advance the open-...

The evolving landscape of retail payments significantly shapes consumer behavior. As retail rapidly transforms, payment preferences are crucial to shopping decisions From biometric payment cards to digital wallets and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options, consumers are increasingly drawn to retailers that provide their preferred payment methods. Resea...

CRM deployments heavily doused with artificial intelligence how-to features may be bucking a continuing consumer preference for human support over AI-powered solutions Despite the growing emphasis on using AI in the workplace, a U.K.- and U.S.-based Workbooks survey reveals that human support remains the preferred choice for businesses implementing...