22 Suggestions To Save Your #ManagedPrintServices Practice 2017 - REMASTERED

Original content, here, from DOTC, 2017.

I took my original story, back in 2017, and had it 'remastered' by AI.  

What do you think?  I like them all, even the dated suggestions number five is significant - and the song choice is subtle and nuanced.

"Integrate MPS into Managed IT services: MPS infrastructure should be integrated into Managed IT services to create a more comprehensive approach to technology management."

Enjoy.

MPS Haiku:

Innovate to thrive,

MPS providers must adapt,

Stay ahead to succeed.

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Google's Bard Joins the Chatbot Revolution: Will It Be a Tragedy or a Comedy?

Bard: the chatbot friend you never knew you needed

I don't trust Google.

There. I said it. But the devil you know is the devil you defeat. 

The company that once wanted to digest every document ever produced, like many before it, has become what it railed against in its infancy.  

Big Brother, SkyNet, Colossus, the Modern Prometheus; all of our nightmares, every Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, and X-Files episode home to roost.

Regardless, there are more important things to worry about, like Atmospheric Rivers, Seaweed Blobs, and Chinese Spy Balloons.  

Googles, "writers of satire and eulogies" will flounder as the filters, 'guardrails', and ethics seep into each prompt's response.*  

For now, in March of 2023, the range is free, the west wild.  Enjoy the bliss.

Inspiration, "Google Launches Bard AI Chatbot to Counter ChatGPT", by By Miles Kruppa at the Wall Street Journal. (paywall)

Greg says, "...rewrite the article in a funny, whimsical style to both entertain and inform..."

ChatGPT says, 

The BlackBerry Trailer: Rise Of The Keyboard Phone

Everyone types with their thumbs - like it has always been the way, but it hasn't.

If you didn't have a Blackberry, what did you have? 

There is a new movie coming out that outlines the history of one of the pivotal communication devices in history and we should all take a few minutes to remember it as we plunge into the next level, the next turn, and Next Generation.

From ChatGPT -

"The movie is based on "Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry" by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff. Published in 2015, this book provides a detailed account of the rise and fall of BlackBerry.

Lightning Strikes: How AI is Revolutionizing the Future of Work

Say goodbye to the old ways and embrace the power of AI in the future of work.

Three bullet point summary:

1. AI is transforming the way we work, from cold calling to decision-making.
2. Companies that embrace AI will have a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining top talent.
3. The gamer culture has skills critical for success in today's fast-paced business environment.

_________

One never knows when lightning strikes, or where inspiration springs and so it happened to me this morning.  Each Wednesday, I click into a web session hosted by West and Ed (Level Up)on a plethora of different subjects and guests.  This week  Bob Johanson, who just wrote his 13th book, "Office Shock" was on to talk about the great changes we've been experiencing and the changes we are and will experience.  I can't recommend this 29-minute session enough - so good to hear somebody else on the same page.

After The Fire - what people want now.

The fear of Covid initiated many different movements; social, and political, especially in redefining how we view the importance of work and what environments we work in.  Bob talked about what the new work ethic involves, from the employee's vantage:

• Purpose in work
• Flexibility in how and where you work from and for
• Gamer Culture is how we learn, communicate and grow

Here's a closer look at the three points,

Greg's Way of The End of the War in Ukraine: Dissolve NATO.

Fostering Global Collaboration: Rethinking Alliances for a Safer, United Future.

In WWII, the Russians lost around 26 million citizens. This includes both military and civilian deaths.

Of the 26 million deaths, around 8.7 million were military deaths, including both those who died in battle and those who died from other causes while serving in the armed forces.

The Soviets fought the Nazis with everything they had in the devastatingly famous Russian winter.  They spent soldiers like bullets - often sending them to fight with one or two bullets, and no gun instructed to "pick up the gun after the soldier in front of you dies."

CEO of TikTok Argues Sale Won't Solve National Security Concerns

Looks like TikTok's got 99 problems, but a glitch ain't one

Dancing to a beat,

TikTok takes us on a ride,

Brief moments of joy.

This is arguably the most transparent power move of the decade.  

Ironically, many Americans rely on TikTok with direct ties to a communist government for their news.  This says more about how much WE DON'T TRUST our own media than the cleverness of the Chinese government. This speaks volumes about the lack of trust in our own media, rather than the ingenuity of the Chinese government.

First, the US congress is full of "Olds" who can barely use email, let alone spell "A I" - there is no way they understand the social impact or technical workings of the "interwebs".  And that crusty old-geezer yells at everyone, even the mailman, I mean mailperson, to "Get off my lawn!" just before tumbling off the porch - he doesn't know sh8t about technology.

Second, ban it and they will come.  Let me ask a technical question, "is there a way to ban the use of a software internet app?"  The day TikTok gets 'banned' is the day the number of users doubles.

Third, Microsoft, Google, Meta, and any other social network aren't coming to defend TikTok's right to exist - no other app comes close to the number of users and popularity.  They are losing to TikTok - so why not call in Uncle Sam?  If you can't beat em, legislate them out of existence, it's the American way.

The best way to kill TikTok is to mandate everyone born before 1960 download and start using TikTok.  Instantly the app is uncool.

I've prompted into existence the following tale. ChPt3.5, inspired by, the WSJ.

Enjoy.

Summary:

1. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew argues that selling the app to an American owner won't address national security concerns.

Lessons Learned from the Nord Stream Pipeline Attack

GPT3.5

Inspiration, here.

Understanding the Implications for Critical Infrastructure and Business Operations

The Nord Stream gas pipeline was attacked on September 26, 2022. The attackers used underwater explosions to damage the pipeline, causing an interruption in the supply of natural gas from Russia to Germany. The incident caused confusion among investigators, who initially suspected Russian involvement. However, their focus has since shifted to the Andromeda, a yacht that was rented by a Polish-registered company. Six people were onboard the vessel, some with Ukrainian connections and Bulgarian passports believed to be fake.

Unlocking the Power of the Socratic Method for ChatGPT

New stuff

Have you ever sat in a class or discussion and felt like your mind was just going through the motions? You're not alone. Many of us have experienced feeling like we're just going through the motions when it comes to learning and understanding new information. But what if there was a way to actively engage our minds and truly understand the material? 

I bring this to your attention in light of the great popularity of artificial intelligence - a source of all the things that have ever happened.  When presented with such a huge collection of data, it isn't a matter of limited resources, the database is monstrous and constantly growing almost endlessly.  Extracting relevant answers is less dependent on search routines and more on succinct and penetration queries.

Getting the best answers is in the hands of the beholder. 

Enter the Socratic Method.

The Rise of Digital Twins: Transforming Efficiency in Industries and Cities

How virtual replicas are helping companies reduce costs, conserve resources, and create more efficient cities.

Digital Twin is a cutting-edge technology that creates a real-time virtual replica of a physical asset, which is continuously updated with data from sensors and connected devices to improve efficiency and streamline operations.

Digital twins revolutionize the way we manage and consolidate assets in the office technology industry? 

I first heard of the 'digital twin' concept years ago when working with a water district and ESRI.  We were tying together data from ESRI, an output device-based data collection agent, and a simple network asset probe.  The project resulted in a virtual twin of assets via digital data collected from everything from water pumps, service vans, and Canon copiers. 

Quite the project.

Fast forward a decade or so, and the Digital Twin idea is mainstream.  For the Office Technology Realm, this is not foreign; we've been here since the day copiers moved from analog to digital.  Now, we help our clients evolve into more efficient and streamlined businesses by managing and consolidating assets.  We support users in the office, on the road, or in their kitchens at home.  And we view their world digitally.

The next step is to present their world in 3D.  Cool stuff.

I've digested the content and asked ChatGPT to put together an essay based on a bit of research.  Enjoy.

Digital Twins, 2023.  A summary:

1. Digital twin technology is a three-dimensional virtual replica of a physical asset that is continuously updated with data gathered from embedded sensors or other connected devices throughout the asset.
2. The technology is being used by various industries to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and conserve resources. For example, San Francisco International Airport uses it to manage service requests and renovation projects.
3. Digital twins can combine all building and asset information in one place, making it easier for maintenance teams to locate and service specific areas. The technology also has the potential to predict when preventive maintenance will need to be done or suggest more efficient ways to direct passengers through the airport.
4. The technology is being used in various industries, including retail, construction, and hydropower plants, and has the potential to stitch together to gain a better view of interconnected systems such as complex supply chains.
5. However, technological updates, such as more data collection, and questions about equity need to be addressed to ensure that the technology is effective for all.

Inspiration, WSJ.  ChatGPT3.5.

_________

Shamrocks and Revelry: A St. Paddy's Day Celebration

Hey, ChatGPT4, what's the history of St. Patricks Day in the US?

"St. Patrick's Day, celebrated on March 17th, is a holiday that honors St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. While the day originally began as a religious feast day in Ireland, it has grown into a global celebration of Irish culture, with festivities taking place all around the world, including the United States.

FlexAppeal: How Flexible Work Policies Keep Us Connected and Energized

Bend it like a pro: Staying flexible keeps burnout at bay and teams in sync

The latest report from Future Forum is out, Future Forum Pulse.  This winter snapshot of the state of the workplace talks about employee burnout, how investing in technology impacts employee relationships, and much more.

The report is available, here and focuses on flexibility as a driver for employee satisfaction and burnout.  Technology is obviously a determiner as is geography.

I've summarized some of the content, with the assistance of GPT4, here for you, dear reader.

The study supports ideas we've known to be true for three years and beyond; happy employees make for good employees and more productivity resulting in a deeper corporate culture and growing profits.

Enjoy.

__________

In recent years, the landscape of work has evolved dramatically, with flexible work arrangements becoming increasingly crucial for employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity. A notable trend, first observed in August 2022, has persisted, showing that flexible workers—those able to adjust their work locations—are more likely or equally likely to feel connected to their immediate teams compared to their fully in-office counterparts. Moreover, these workers experience a stronger connection to their direct managers and their company's values.

__________

The New Era of Trust: Embracing Change, AI, and Authentic Leadership

Official Government Report Claims There May Be "Alien Mothership" Inside Solar System

Bridging Trust and Tech: Laughing Our Way into the Future of Work.

This had to be written.

UFOs are real and masks work.

UFOs are real and the laptop wasn't.

UFOs are real and the press is freedom.

UFOs are real and the FBI is not politically motivated.

UFOs are real and a cubicle is the best place to be creative, instill culture, and build teams.

Yeah, right..." UFOs are real, and there is a mother ship is in our solar system, tinkering with one of our space probes." the report says.

For those of us with perspective; the luxury of time, we look at this and scratch our heads.  We grew up in a time when UFOs were weather balloons or mass hysteria and The X-Files was a science FICTION series.

But then 2020 hit.  

That was Quick: chatGPT is Loose. Quick get the Pitchforks.

A tool for the Unleashed; A prison for the non-critical thinkers

March 5, 2023. 60 Minutes.  "is their audience THIS DUMB?"

Last night, I watched the 60 Minutes episode and I was left with some strong impressions. 

1. I've used ChatGPT more frequently than Brad Smith has. 
2. Lesley Stahl's writers portray her as naive and uninformed while spreading misinformation and offending a more knowledgeable audience. 
3. Native AI (which is NOT ChatGPT) threatens traditional media outlets and other institutions that rely heavily on public opinion(politics) and product placement(corporations).

The Modern Prometheus is released, under the control of a maniacal status quo and ravaging the village.  

Its current moniker is ChatGPT, and it must be destroyed.

Embracing Data-Driven Buyer Experiences in B2B E-commerce

Unlocking the Power of Data and Analytics for Exceptional B2B Customer Experiences

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, businesses must harness data and analytics to deliver exceptional buyer experiences. 

The Imaging Channel explores the importance of data-driven insights and how they contribute to success in the $1.6 trillion B2B e-commerce industry. 

Key takeaways from the article include:

First DOTC ChatGPT 4.0 Creation: "15 Minute Cities"

Here we go, here we go, here we go...

Chat GPT4 has been out for hours and I am just now getting to the app to create content.

I first heard of "15 Minute Cities" a week ago and attended an online presentation about 15 Minute Cities this morning, about three hours ago - the idea is new, and I figured testing GPT with a prescient concept would be nifty.

My Primary Prompt: 

"Please explain the 15 Minute City and its impact on Office Technology sales"

Straightforward, open, and vague - a 'softball'.

My Secondary Prompt

"Write a title, funny tagline, keyword list, intro paragraph for a LinkedIn post, image prompt, song recommendation that matches the concept of the article, and Tweet."

My Tertiaray Prompt

"Please write a 3 bullet executive summary."

Enclosed is the result of both prompts without any human manipulation.  There has been no more direction than the three prompts.

Enjoy.

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Wired's Ground Rules for Using Generative AI Tools in Journalism

Wired's Ground Rules for Using Generative AI Tools in Journalism

With all the hullabaloo around ethical AI, AI-generated term papers, news articles, content, and the fear of bias and misinformation, I found the evil desire to have AI write an article about the article, irresistible, irony.

ChatGPT Enhanced content.

Generative AI tools have become popular among journalists in recent times, with some publications trying to use them to generate news stories. Wired magazine, however, has established strict ground rules for its use of generative AI tools to ensure ethical and appropriate circumspection.

How the Adult Film Industry Helped Shape Technology as We Know It

Sex sells, but it also inspires: How the adult film industry shaped the tech landscape we know and love.

_________

Ok - here we go... a walk down memory lane and talk about the good old days of VHS and dial-up internet and porn. 

The adult film industry played a significant role in shaping the technology we use today. From the format wars to online streaming, porn was at the forefront of innovation. 

Today, as we enter the age of AI-based personal assistants, I'm left wondering: how will porn drive the evolution and standards? How'd porn impact tech in the past, and what it could mean for the future of AI.

First, we've been here before.  No matter how evolved one might think the human race is, base desires still drive progress in all things.  There's a coined phrase, "erotic technology impulse".  

John Tierney, a fellow at Columbia University studied the cultural impact of technology, traced the “erotic technological impulse” back at least 27,000 years—among the first clay-fired figures uncovered from that time were women with enhanced body parts. 

“Sometimes the erotic has been a force driving technological innovation,” Tierney wrote in The New York Times in 1994, “virtually always, from Stone Age sculpture to computer bulletin boards, it has been one of the first uses for a new medium.”

Fascinating.

AI-Powered Einstein is Revolutionizing Salesforce: Is This the End of CRMs?

Say goodbye to pushy salespeople and hello to AI.

From the articles, Salesforce not ready to unleash generative AI on its customers, Salesforce hits the hyper-space button on AI with Einstein GPT, Salesforce to add ChatGPT to Slack as part of OpenAI partnership, Salesforce’s Einstein GPT soldiers up in the AI arms race, Salesforce Announces Einstein GPT, the World’s First Generative AI for CRM

Executive Summary:

1. Salesforce's new Einstein GPT AI tool aims to reduce the amount of time required to sell and provide more personalized content for customers.
2. AI is changing the sales landscape by liberating buyers from pushy salespeople and allowing them to make informed decisions.
3. The integration of AI in sales will revolutionize the industry and lead to more efficient and satisfying experiences for both buyers and sellers.

My Impressions: CRM platforms such as Salesforce are being eliminated; So too, are selling professionals.

#Microsoft, #Meta, #Alphabet, #Salesforce, and more are gazing into the Last Event Horizon and they are scared.

Think about it: Artificial Intelligence manipulates data through processes applying algorithms, presenting information based on the processes and calculations. (An overly simplistic description)

• Everything we do in sales is a process.
• Everything we do in purchasing is a process.
• AI optimizes our processes by comparing them to every other similar process that has ever happened in history.

We have slipped the event horizon. Quicking a secular metamorphosis of the sales industry by leveraging data and analytics to provide customers with personalized recommendations and insights, while also optimizing providers' workflows and processes. This eliminates the non-productive and emotionally influential forces in the selling process, replacing the need for traditional salespeople with a direct communication channel between the prospect's AI system and the provider's AI system. (See Ecosystem)

AI is not just a tool or software solution anymore; it's eating all other forms of software and solutions.

From copiers to 7th-generation jet fighters, whatever requirement, including variables from pricing to retirement, the right solution is presented through this streamlined and efficient process. 

In this new landscape, the role of salespeople will be eliminated because 'my AI talks with your AI' and good things happen.

________

New York City's Decline: Work From Anywhere, Enjoy The Pot

The only green New York City needs is in its parks, not in its pipes.

Executive Brief:

• The smell of marijuana is ubiquitous in New York City, and Mayor Eric Adams' support for the burgeoning marijuana industry is a mistake, according to Jason De Sena Trennert.
• Encouraging behavior that is antithetical to family and capital formation is not the way to save cities.
• Ignoring quality-of-life issues could drive people out of the city and cause economic disaster.

"Given that New York City’s economy depends on four million commuters and remote work is increasingly feasible, ignoring quality-of-life issues could cause economic disaster by driving people out of the city. That would be unfortunate for a town that prides itself on being the center of global finance."

Look to Detroit and see your future, without the "Devil's Lettuce"

New York considers itself the center of the financial world - but in a world scrambling away from the center of everything - office center, shopping center, data center - what is left to attract people to 'Bite the Big Apple, Don't Mind the Maggots"?  Apparently, Tumble Weed.

I'm not saying that the aroma of good bud is keeping workers away from the office - I'm just observing another dimension in the work from anywhere world.  Lots of people in New York City are sampling the Emerald Triangle instead of Starbucks on their way into the cube farms of "Metropolis".

Jus sayin...

Technology and enlightenment have magnified all that is best and everything that is repugnant in business, city living, all levels of politics, and relationships.

Is the advent of more liberal laws simply one more reason to flee or is it a result of the work-from-anywhere movement and evacuated urban areas?  

New York City will always be 'something'. Just not sure what. 

AI Kills Everything - March 2023

My List of what AI and the Illumination of Working from Anywhere Will
Kill -

How Your Personality Determines If You Can Work Remotely

Matching personality traits to hybrid work arrangements can optimize employee performance, resulting in a win-win for all involved.

Article in Psychology Today, How Your Personality Determines If You Can Work Remotely

Summary:

1. Many employees excel in hybrid or fully remote work settings, while others struggle to work effectively outside the office, even with the same home office arrangements.
2. Personality differences are an important driver of performance differences in remote work settings, frustrating managers who end up developing mistrust of employee productivity.
3. Matching hybrid work arrangements to relevant personality traits can optimize employee performance, resulting in a win-win for everyone involved.

Impressions:

The first thoughts through my mind were, "Great.  Another psyco-bable, piece from the lofty, high faluting, intelligentia.

I was mostly correct. The article is one of many attempting to explain how the corporate world continues on the status quo, central command, and control model:

1. Separate and Isolate
2. Frighten
3. Provide refuge

This article clearly falls in the "Separate and Isolate" category.  Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is through music:

"...secret destroyers hold you out to the flames..."

Enjoy this GPT-Assisted piece:

_________

Salesforce Goes on a Diet: Slimming Down Teams for a Fitter, More Profitable Future

Who knew software companies could have beach bodies too?

Quick:

Salesforce, the pioneer of cloud-based business software, is shifting its focus to increasing profitability. The company is taking steps to reduce costs and improve efficiency by streamlining sales teams, integrating acquired companies, and relying more on self-serve tools to bring in new customers. 

Translation, layoffs, and reduced expense accounts.

The shift towards greater efficiency and profitability represents a significant departure from Salesforce's previous focus on big marketing spending and a flood-the-zone approach to interacting with customers. 

What Color is Your Loofa? - The Seven Colors of Asking (Prompting) Intelligently

Swimming in AI

A plethora of pleasures

Journey to the edge

Bing, ChatGPT, Watson...whatever. Like the days of Beta v VHS, there will be a standard, one day.  For now, it's time to swim within all the options, the lake of AI - feeding on what each has to offer.  

One Day there will be only one or two standard AI offerings, indeed, soon we'll have the option of employing our individual, unique, and personalized AI - like a Toy.  But for now, let's enjoy the plethora of pleasures through discovery.

The first step is learning how to ask; which is just as important as 'what' to ask. We interface with AI with more than questions, we use 'prompts'. 

In AI, a prompt is an input given to a language model to generate text, providing context and direction for the output, and its use has become a topic of ethical concern.

The World According to Greg. AI: You Need to Act Now

I'm not sure my colleagues or contemporaries understand the gravity of what has happened and what is happening right now - not in three, 10, or 20 years from now. This very second.

AI eliminates spreadsheets, SEO, Websites, A/R clerks, CFOs, and middlemen - and dealers are middlemen.

In the last TWO WEEKS, I have noticed the number of ChatGPT connectors growing from a dozen to HUNDREDS.  

San Fransisco, that poop-on-the-sidewalk nirvana is even reporting an increase in VC events, growth in the number of residents, and more bootstrap companies - all in AI.

Seriously - whatever you thought you knew about AI in the copier industry forget.  That's not AI, that was rote, spreadsheet mechanics.

And forget about worrying over OEMs, their new machines, huge ink buckets,  or the annual numbers - they don't get it either.

Pay attention to the first OEM to tell you they've engaged AI to handle customer service calls.  DIRECTLY WITH THE CUSTOMER.  

AI eliminates spreadsheets, SEO, Websites, A/R clerks, CFOs, and middlemen - and dealers are middlemen.

If you think your future does not include AI, you are wrong.  

What should you do?

Learn ChatGPT.  Get a team together and figure out what it is, and how it can be used to increase sales, reduce costs and grow profits - for you, your clients, and your prospects.

Not today.  Yesterday.

The Risks of Using Chat-Based AI Systems: A Cautionary Tale

"...by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open..." - M. Shelly

There are always challenges with new technology; it's been this way since the loom and since WordPerfect eliminated the typewriter.  So cautionary stories about ChatGPT and AI, in general, are bound to happen for three basic reasons:

• Mystery - knowing about AI is far from knowing AI and the public barely knows AI.
• Motion - this movement is traversing quicker than any other tech advance, ever.
• Pre-programmed - we've been watching robots taking over the world since Mary Shelly unleashed the monster.  Fear of AI is almost at the DNA level.

__________

The Singularity of Remote Work: The End Of Generation Gaps

When boomers and zoomers unite over Zoom, you know the Singularity is here.

The fear of Covid, remote work, and artificial intelligence is destroying the Generation Gap.  

We are the Last Generation.   Hear me out.

1. The fear of Covid affected the Globe, regardless of age.
2. Remote work helped us realize what's important, regardless of age.
3. ChatGPT(AI) is a linguistic program that is changing the way everything gets done, regardless of age.

I do not like defining individuals as a 'generation'.  The new work environment promotes more deliverables, and less judgment on the adherence to a process - regardless of color, age, or gender.  Interesting, right?

Amazon Implements In-Person Work Policy for Corporate Employees

New Policy Prioritizes In-Person Collaboration

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the trend of remote work, and many companies have embraced it as a permanent option. 

However, Amazon's recent announcement that its corporate staff must come back to the office at least three days per week starting May 1 marks a significant shift in remote work policies. 

The Land of Artificial Intelligence: Where SEO Goes to Die

Welcome to the future of search - where ChatGPT leads the way and SEO is a thing of the past.

Welcome to the Future.

This is why Google is freaking out and the behemoth, Microsoft, dropped ten billion dollars in the lap of OpenAI - Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we work, access information and Live and the adoption curve is a straight line up.

"There is blood in the water."

Artificial Intelligence, or Augmented Intelligence, is transforming the way we access information and work, rendering traditional search engines and websites obsolete. The impact of AI adoption is causing giants like Google and Microsoft to invest heavily in the technology, with OpenAI receiving a ten-billion-dollar investment from Microsoft.

The future of the PC is often attributed to  

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."

Thomas J. Watson, Jr., the former CEO of IBM, 1971

Supposedly.