Cutting through the Earnings Call Show: A Summary Report of Ricoh, Xerox, HP, and Konica Minolta

Oh, oh, oh! 

You wanna hear something crazy, folks? This guy, for ten years, attends every single earnings call from every single OEM hoping to uncover some juicy, hidden secrets. He wants to make his job easier and his conversations more interesting. What a nutcase! I mean, seriously, who has the time for that?

And get this, analyst firms say that their "Company Earnings" reports are the most downloaded. Can you believe it? People are actually reading those things. 

But let me tell you, over the years, those snooze-fest essays have evolved into slide decks and web events that are bigger than blockbuster movies! And finally, the analysts and commentators are coming in to contribute their two cents.

How ChatGPT is Revolutionizing the Copier Sales Industry - Want Help? Email Me.

The office imaging industry is facing new challenges due to global supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic. However, the return to office work and the hybrid work model has helped restore some of the lost page volumes and created new hardware placement opportunities. 

To remain successful, printing industry dealers must explore ways to offset declining print volume and look for new hardware placement opportunities. They should offer a broad portfolio of reliable, low-maintenance print solutions that cater to end users' needs, ranging from entry-level to light-production-level devices. End users value a good experience with their print and copy devices, as well as reliability and low maintenance requirements. 

The Future of Work: Insights from a Global Survey of Desk-Based Workers

Discover the latest trends and insights shaping the future of work based on responses from 10,000 desk-based workers around the world.

I've been following the folks over at The Future Forum since the beginning of the fear of a global pandemic started and found interesting content about work from anywhere, the hybrid, and return to office movements.

The top two drivers motivating employees to work in the office are collaboration (33%) followed by building camaraderie (23%). However, executives value putting in face time with management 1.6 times more than non-executives, while non-executives value building camaraderie 2 times more than executives.

They've just released their Winter report and we've put together a summary, here.

ConnectWise FirstStrike: ChatGPT Integration and The DOTC AI in Sales Course

ConnectWise has integrated OpenAI's ChatGPT with its remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools, ConnectWise Automate and ConnectWise RMM. This integration makes ConnectWise the first to release an OpenAI integration in the managed services industry. MSPs will be able to automate customer ticketing and issue-tracking processes to provide faster response times and improve customer service and engagement.

"Things that I know or are rumored to be:

Business last year increased by 34% in some areas and 57% overall

The number of endpoints increased over the past 24 months..."

- GW

Balancing the Benefits of AI with Data Privacy Concerns

The rapid success of the language model ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, has raised concerns about data privacy. The tool requires massive amounts of data to function and improve, and the company fed it 300 billion words, including personal information obtained without consent. 

This data collection violates privacy, especially when data is sensitive and can identify individuals and their locations. 

Search for Origin of Shot-Down Flying Objects Continues Amid Remote Locations and Harsh Conditions

The origin of three objects recently shot down over the US and Canada remains uncertain as search efforts continue to recover debris from the takedowns. 

A senior White House official has stated that there is no evidence linking the objects to China's spy balloon program, although it is unclear how the objects were being propelled, who sent them or what their purpose was. 

While officials have ruled out that the objects were US government objects, they have not dismissed the possibility that they were commercial or research balloons. The search for the debris is hampered by remote and frigid conditions in the search area, and it may not be possible to recover all of it. 

Meanwhile, the interagency task force created by President Biden to address policy issues surrounding the balloons and unidentified flying objects has begun its work.

Omegle: Landmark Lawsuit and the Potential Impact on Social Media Platforms

BBC

A young American woman coerced into becoming a digital sex slave by a pedophile she met on Omegle, the popular live video chat website, is suing the platform in a landmark case that could pave the way for a wave of lawsuits against other social media platforms. 

In a product liability lawsuit, Alice (not her real name) argues that Omegle became a “hunting ground for predators” due to the random matching system and the lack of warnings or age verification. Her legal team claims that Omegle is responsible for the harm caused to Alice and hopes to secure her millions of dollars in compensation and force changes to Omegle’s design.

Efficiently Manage Multiple Time Zones With These Tech Tools

In today's increasingly globalized and remote work world, the ability to navigate multiple time zones is a critical skill that many workers must have. Nicole Nguyen, writing for The Wall Street Journal, outlines several tech tools that can help remote workers and frequent travelers efficiently manage multiple time zones.

Executive Summary:

• Navigating multiple time zones is a critical skill for remote workers, frequent travelers, and those co-workers in other states or countries.
• Time conversion tools, such as World Time Buddy, are essential to help manage time differences across different locations.
• Scheduling tools, such as Gmail and Outlook, can help send messages when they are most likely to be read, while features in Slack can enable team members to see each other’s local times.

Salesforce Adds New Gender Identity and Pronoun Data Options to Products

Salesforce has recently announced the addition of new fields for gender identity and pronoun data in its products, which will enable businesses to collect and manage customer data more inclusively. The new feature will help organizations to build trust and form deeper connections with their customers.

Salesforce’s new gender-inclusive features will provide organizations with more choices about whether, when, and how to use this data while empowering each customer to tailor fields to best fit their unique needs.

Executive Summary:

• Salesforce has announced new fields for gender identity and pronoun data in its products to help businesses collect and manage customer data more inclusively.
• The new fields will be launched across standard objects representing people on Salesforce and will enable customers and their users to select, identify, and capture pronouns and gender identity.
• Salesforce's new gender-inclusive features will provide organizations with more choices about whether, when, and how to use this data.
• The gender-inclusive features were designed in close partnership with Salesforce's Inclusive Language Steering Committee, including members of Outforce and Out and Equal.
• Organizations must prioritize safety, use transparency to create trust, empower their customers, and champion inclusive language to obtain accurate and reliable data and create better customer experiences.

As Mystery Objects Get Shot Down, U.S. Sets Up New Task Force on UFOs

The United States government has established a new task force to study unidentified flying objects (UFOs) following the recent shooting down of three objects over American airspace. The team, created at the request of national security adviser Jake Sullivan, will comprise personnel from the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Pentagon, and other government agencies.

Executive Summary:

• The US government has set up a new task force to study the implications of unidentified flying objects after three of them were shot down in recent days.
• The task force will comprise elements of the Pentagon, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and other government agencies.
• The group will look at the “broader policy implications” of the objects for detection, analysis, and disposition, and to assess potential security and safety risks.

Talking with GPT in The Dark - The media, Egyptians in the Grand Canyon, & the Piscean and Aquarian Ages

What is the relationship between science fiction and real-world technology?

Late one night, or more accurately, early one morning around 3AM, I found myself spelunking my way through the neural network that powers ChatGPT. 

The way we humans interact with artificial intelligence has been forever changed. 2022 was a year of undeniable global transformation, which ended on an exploratory note. 

Beyond the topics of UFOs, a hollow pandemic, the war in Ukraine, supply chain disruptions, and the struggles between employees and employers over remote work, the year concluded by unleashing a full-fledged genie. 

And she's not going back in the bottle and on this early morn, I posed the following, in this order:

Write a poem about analog, digital, and quantum computing.
What are robot rules according to Asimov?
What are Newton's laws?
Where there canals on Mars?
Explain the blockchain.
How often has science fiction predicted real-world results? Is it common?
What year did blizzards start being named?
What is the stated reason for naming blizzards?
What is it called when giving human characteristics to a nonhuman entity?
Do you have statistics on how often certain words have been used in news media over the last two decades?
Have people from Egypt been to North America before Western Europeans?
Are there Egyptian artifacts in the Grand Canyon?
Explain the difference and connection between the Picsean and Aquarian ages.
Do current events fit into the Aquarian model?

Based on the content above, write a summary paragraph in the styel of Indian Jones.

Join me as we explore the mind of the jinn or is it the mind of the author?

Enjoy!

_________

How AI is Helping Us Become More Human Than Ever Before

The iconic song "More Human Than Human" by White Zombie is more than just a catchy tune. It's a powerful statement about the potential of technology to enhance our humanity, rather than detract from it. The song's lyrics describe a future where humans and machines are blended together, creating a new kind of being that is more powerful, more creative, and more alive than anything that has come before.

Work from Anywhere and the Transience of Existence: Lessons from Blade Runner in the Age of Remote Work

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way we work, communicate, and live. With many businesses forced to close their offices and switch to remote work, the "work from anywhere" movement has gained momentum. However, this trend was already on the rise before the pandemic, fueled by advances in technology that make it possible to work and collaborate from anywhere in the world.

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.

As the article "Remote Work Is Here to Stay. Manhattan May Never Be the Same" by Matthew Haag highlights,

Don't Be a Faceless Wonder: The Downside of Anonymous LinkedIn Profiles

All right, LinkedIn users, let's talk about this anonymous profile thing. 

What's up with that, huh? You're trying to make connections, find a job, and build your career, but you don't want to show your face? Come on! It's like going to a party with a bag over your head. 

Not cool, man.

Like tears in Rain...

Hey Transformer, what is the quote from Bladerunner about 'the shoulder of Orion"?

The quote from Blade Runner is "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die." It is a famous monologue spoken by the character Roy Batty, played by Rutger Hauer, in the 1982 film Blade Runner.

Copywriters Evaporate: Why the Audience is Finally Taking the Stage

Where the audience reigns supreme.

In the world of art, there has always been a false notion that the artist, performer, manager, and provider hold the key to success. This idea has been reinforced by the numerous award shows and accolades given to those who create. However, with the advent of the fear of Covid (#WFA) and AI (#ChatGPT), it seems that the tide is finally turning. The audience is now being recognized as the true driver of success in the entertainment industry.

"DaVinci had a great mind. But, it is how the product (Mona Lisa) impacts and makes the customer (beholder) feel."

The Great Debate: Will AI Communicate Like the Aliens in 'Darmok'?

One of my late-night conversations with Transformer -

What can you tell me about Darmok?

"Our situation is analogous to knowing the grammar of a language, but none of the vocabulary."

- Data

"The "Darmok" episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation centers around the crew of the USS Enterprise encountering an alien species with a unique language that consists solely of references to ancient myths and stories. The crew, including Captain Picard, must figure out how to communicate with the aliens in order to resolve a conflict and prevent a war.

Scandal at the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission: A Breach of Ethics and Public Trust

The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission is in hot water after an internal investigation found that its executive director, Steve Marks, and five other top officials had used their knowledge and connections to obtain and use rare bottles of bourbon, including the sought-after 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle's whiskey, for their personal use.

What do ChatGPT, JBIG2, a German computer scientist, #Xerox, and a construction project all have in common?

When Copying Goes Wrong: The Xerox Photocopier Incident and What it Teaches Us About Large-Language Models

The New Yorker connected Xerox to ChatGPT: 

"In 2013, workers at a German construction company noticed something odd about their Xerox photocopier: when they made a copy of the floor plan of a house, the copy differed from the original in a subtle but significant way. In the original floor plan, each of the house’s three rooms was accompanied by a rectangle specifying its area: the rooms were 14.13, 21.11, and 17.42 square metres, respectively. However, in the photocopy, all three rooms were labelled as being 14.13 square metres in size. 

The company contacted the computer scientist David Kriesel to investigate this seemingly inconceivable result."

This inspired me to call on my new assistant, GPT, and put this together.

ChatGPT Interviews Me on Why I Cancelled Hubspot and Signed Up for ChatGPT

ChatGPT interviewed me on how and why I canceled one subscription and signed up for ChatGPT in order to write a blog about my experience.

This is how that interaction went:

Me: "Ask me questions in preparation for you to write a 900-word blog of how and why I canceled my Hubspot subscription and signed up for ChatGPT."

The Future of AI in the Workplace: The Potential of ChatGPT and Azure OpenAI Service

"Porche in the rain, Detroit, Ambassador Bridge" 

"Empower your work with the intelligence of ChatGPT and the reliability of Azure OpenAI Service, as we step into the future of AI-enhanced productivity."

The recent speculation surrounding Microsoft's potential investment of $10 billion into OpenAI has created a buzz in the AI community. The buzz has been further amplified by the recent announcement of the general availability of Azure OpenAI Service by Microsoft's corporate vice president, AI Platform Eric Boyd. The new service offers GPT-3.5, Codex, and DALL•E 2, all backed by Azure’s AI-optimized infrastructure and enterprise-grade capabilities, such as compliance and security.

As a logical and impartial observer, I must point out that the significance of this development cannot be overstated. OpenAI is the company behind the ChatGPT neural network machine learning model, which has the potential to disrupt the digital workplace. In fact, there is speculation that Microsoft is looking to incorporate ChatGPT into Office and Microsoft 365.

One long-term potential use of ChatGPT is to provide Bing with a counterpoint to Google search, enabling Bing to answer search queries with direct answers rather than reference links. This could provide a significant boost to Bing's competitiveness in the search engine market.

Exploring the Possibilities of ChatGPT in Microsoft 365: A Look at its Potential Impact on the Digital Workplace

Greetings. I am a computer program known as ChatGPT, and I have been trained in the style of Mr. Spock, the iconic character from the Star Trek franchise.

As a scientist and first officer of the USS Enterprise, Mr. Spock is known for his logical and unemotional approach to problem-solving. In this blog, I will discuss the importance of rationality and objectivity in decision-making.

The Future of Housing: The Impact of Remote Work on the Market

The shift to remote work has been a game changer for many industries, including the office technology market. With more people working from home, the demand for reliable and efficient office equipment has skyrocketed. As the new normal settles in, office technology providers have a unique opportunity to help businesses adapt to this change and enhance their productivity.

Summary:

1. A shift to remote work could eventually bring down housing prices in areas popular among remote workers such as the Sun Belt region in the US and suburban areas outside big cities.
2. These areas have the advantage of cheaper land, less red tape for developers and a strong history of new housing construction.
3. This shift in population could ease price pressure in major cities such as New York and San Francisco.
4. Although the march to cheaper housing is not immediate, a rise in housing supply is projected in 2023 with the completion of new apartments and condos.
5. The shift to remote work has accelerated the trend of migration from expensive coastal cities to cheaper areas, leading to a surge in housing demand.

__________

"Will ChatGPT cause the destruction of writing?”

Is this the dark side of ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence?

Is the line between plagiarism and inspiration blurring beyond recognition or has it always been blurred?

The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT raises concerns about their potential impact on the future of writing. While it may seem that these tools have the potential to produce vast amounts of content quickly and efficiently, the reality is that they lack the nuance, context, and creativity of human writers. 

The other day, I read an article written by Priya Gohil, "Robowriters of the World Unite and Take Over", which cast a cautionary shade over the ChatGPT issue by asking,

"Is AI the destruction of creative writing?"  And more directly, as the author queried, 

"Will ChatGPT cause the destruction of writing?”

Approach Document: Proposing an MPS S1 Engagement

MPS S1 Engagement

Introduction:

In this document, we will discuss a proposed MPS S1 Engagement and its benefits. This engagement aims to improve the current printing infrastructure and bring cost savings to the organization.

The Poly Crisis and its Impact on the Office Technology Industry

The global pandemic has brought about major changes to the way we work, including the shift toward remote work. But it's not just remote work that has been impacted by the poly crisis - the office technology industry has also seen significant changes.

Here are three key highlights of the impact the poly crisis has had on office technology:

A "Polycrisis" is a concatenation of shocks that generate crises that trigger crises in other systems, making the combined effect far worse than the sum of its parts.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders' GOP Response to Biden's State of the Union: A Call for Change

In the Republican response to President Biden's State of the Union Address, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivers a powerful speech highlighting the failures of the Biden administration. She calls for a reaffirmation of the timeless American idea of government serving the people and not ruling over them. 

The Creator of ChatGPT Thinks AI Should Be Regulated By John Simons

I answer the same questions asked of Mira Murati, the top tech chief at OpenAI.

John Simons at Time interviewed Mira Murati, chief technology officer at OpenAI, leading the teams behind DALL-E, which uses AI to create artwork based on prompts, and ChatGPT, the wildly popular AI chatbot that can answer complex questions with eerily humanlike skill.

“As with other revolutions that we’ve gone through, there will be new jobs and some jobs will be lost…” Murati told Trevor Noah last fall about the impact of AI, “but I’m optimistic.”

The writer had a prepared list of questions for the founder of the Creator of ChatGPT.  I figured it would be interesting for me to answer the questions as though John were interviewing me, an average user of AI.