The Killing IT Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

The episode delves into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for businesses, particularly in the IT sector. The hosts discuss the current state of AI, emphasizing the need for IT professionals to understand and implement AI solutions effectively. They highlight the importance of training staff on AI technologies and suggest that businesses should focus on automation rather than merely labeling their services as AI-driven. The conversation underscores the necessity of engaging with clients to identify their specific needs and how AI can be leveraged to address those challenges.

The hosts also touch on the recent developments in the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) and its efforts to redefine its mission and community engagement. They reflect on their experiences at the GTIA's ChannelCon event, noting a positive atmosphere and a renewed focus on connecting IT professionals across various sectors. Despite the enthusiasm, they express concerns about the relatively low membership numbers and the need for the organization to demonstrate its value to attract a broader audience.

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the geopolitical implications of AI technology, particularly regarding the sale of AI chips by companies like Nvidia and AMD to China. The hosts explore the complexities of international trade and security, questioning the motivations behind China's demand for assurances against backdoors in these chips. They highlight the irony of China, a country with its own history of security breaches, insisting on such guarantees, and discuss the broader implications for global technology collaboration.

Finally, the episode emphasizes the critical need for security to be integrated into technology from the ground up. The hosts argue that manufacturers should not be allowed to sell products that lack inherent security features. They advocate for a shift in the industry mindset, where security is a fundamental aspect of product design rather than an afterthought. This conversation leads to a broader reflection on the responsibility of IT professionals to educate clients about security and the importance of proactive measures in an increasingly interconnected world.

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Welcome to Episode 212

At 212 degrees fahrenheit, water becomes steam. At 211 it’s hot. At 212 you can move a locomotive or make electricity. We are happy to bring you episode 212 of the Killing IT Podcast!

Please share this podcast on Apple, iHeart, or wherever you listen.

Sponsored by… The Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. The best deal in online communities for IT business owners is the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. Memberships start at just $799 per year, and that includes a five-week course at IT Service Provider University. Grab all the details at https://www.smallbizthoughts.org. 

Topics:

Topic 1: CISA update

If the US government is not going to be helping small businesses with security alerts, who will step in to provide this service? Is there anything we can do to get CISA to help, or will this be another function we simply defer to Europe to provide the leadership?

Doing nothing is not an option? What are you doing to stay tuned to security alerts for your clients?

Topic 2: Taxes for IT consultants. Maryland and Washington announce new taxes. Who's next?

Not to say we told you so, but …

Whether we like it or not, taxes are coming to online services and tech support. Maryland's tax appeared very quickly, and then narrowed down to only SMALL IT consultants. 

Dave mentioned this in his Business of Tech podcast, and the National Society of IT Service Providers addressed this on their blog at https://nsitsp.org/those-who-do-not-organize-get-taxed-lessons-from-marylands-3-tech-tax/.

Now is a great time to decide where we as an industry stand on this.

Topic 3: Under what circumstances should we rely on generative AI?

There's a growing disillusionment with generative AI. There continue to be problems with hallucinations and outright falsehoods. And there are continuing examples of just plain laziness - without any meaningful accountability. 

We discuss a really great, Boolean decision tree. See the graphic at https://guides.lib.usf.edu/c.php?g=1315087&p=9678779. That graphic also provides a very short, very straight-forward description of the answer.

Does it matter if the output is true, accurate, or helpful? Do you have the knowledge and ability to determine whether the output is accurate?

Feedback always welcome!

:-)

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Topic 1: The Arms Race is Here...AI is Definitely Moving Fast, but Will It Break Things?

ChatGPT is now integrated in Bing as “Prometheus.” That sounds ominous. But Bard is also coming. And now Ernie. And Claude. Soon there will be AI bots generating “conversations” and disrupting the search industry on all sides of the globe. Is that a good thing?

https://www.reuters.com/technology/chinas-baidu-finish-testing-chatgpt-style-project-ernie-bot-march-2023-02-07/

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/08/chinese-tech-giant-alibaba-working-on-a-chatgpt-rival-shares-jump.html

Sample alternative tools -  https://bing.com

https://hyperwriteai.com/

https://easy-peasy.ai/ 

...And also, apparently writing software is about to become a less-lucrative career path.

https://www.semafor.com/article/01/27/2023/openai-has-hired-an-army-of-contractors-to-make-basic-coding-obsolete

---

Topic 2: Revisiting the Cabana...

Four years ago, we set out to change the way our industry discussed IT. 

We covered the scary, the quirky, and the fun of IT--all in hopes we could help others (and ourselves) understand this wild world just a little more.  

Thank you for helping us do that.

This is not goodbye. We WILL see you later.

Until then, we thank you for tuning in to the Killing IT Podcast. 

Contact us:

Karl https://smallbizthoughts.com/

https://smbonlineconference.com/

Dave https://www.businessof.tech/

Ryan rmorris@morrismp.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmorris303

---

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Topic 1: Google Replaces Bert with MUM

At I/O 2021, Google introduced MUM — Multitask United Model. According to Google, this new language model is 1000 times more powerful than BERT, the search engine they released in 2019. MUM is coming to Google products sometime in the future.

Note: BERT = Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers.

Did BERT change your life two years ago? Will you actually notice the move to MUM?

https://yoast.com/google-mum/ 

https://yoast.com/google-bert/ 

https://www.data.gov 

Topic 2: Drones as first response to 911 calls.

The Chula Vista police drones can now cover 100% Of of the City For Emergency Calls. And they are deploying drones at "first response" to emergency calls. Of course the drones have video recording and two-way communications.

Channel note: Go get some of this money!

https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/mar/19/chula-vista-police-drones-100-city-emergency-calls/ 

Topic 3: Forum topic - Ethical vs Contractual obligation

Warning: Tough discussion of ethics in business. What do you and your clients owe each other? Can you limit your client relationships to transactions?

And in the area of security, can you actually inform clients enough that they can make good decisions to operate at a lower level of security? How do we begin to talk about standards around these conversations? It's fine to say "Buyer beware" - but only if the buyer has some chance of understanding what that really means.

-- -- --

Sponsor Memo:

Are you still using on-prem file servers and VPNs to share files with remote workers? Egnyte is a business class cloud sharing solution that works more like your on-prem server than other solutions. With a security first approach to file sharing and collaboration, Egnyte offers multiple options for sharing files and collecting files from outside sources. And do it all addressing data governance and compliance. Want to learn more? Check out https://Egnyte.com/msp. And when you do, tell them we sent you.

:-)

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Topic 1: Score 1 for the Good Guys in the Cyber Wars

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-login-0f2b3e6a-1272-4510-8fd2-c1aa9128b8db.html

In a significant development in the fight against ransomware, the FBI announces that they have shut down a notorious cyber gang after infiltrating their system months ago and secretly giving decryption keys to ransomware victims.

Topic 2: Ummmm … This is Some Seriously Scary Big Brother Stuff

https://www.vice.com/en/article/y3p7xj/scientists-are-getting-eerily-good-at-using-wifi-to-see-people-through-walls-in-detail

Scientists have announced that they are able to see people through walls using WiFi technology. And not just the “heat blob” from Hollywood movies … but detailed movements and positions. On a scientific note, this is cool. On a security / privacy note, this is super eerie. 

Topic 3: No One Is Surprised: The First Victim in the AI Wars Will Be … Ethics

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-login-77eb3638-5655-4156-b6dc-abb7129dde34.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

Sure, generative AI is fun. We have had our laughs and we’re starting to grind the gears to find legitimate uses for services like ChatGPT … and the possibilities are incredible. But never forget that this isn’t just about technology, it’s about business. And the incumbents aren’t going to just let the upstart take over the industry. And once the race for market domination begins, the commitment to ethics and fair treatment are likely to be the first casualties.

https://www.nist.gov/trustworthy-and-responsible-ai 

Princeton computer science professor says don't panic over 'bullshit generator' ChatGPT

https://www.businessinsider.com/princeton-prof-chatgpt-bullshit-generator-impact-workers-not-ai-revolution-2023-1

"It is trying to be persuasive, and it has no way to know for sure whether the statements it makes are true or not," he said. 

Also … this one is incredibly funny:

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-login-77eb3638-5655-4156-b6dc-abb7129dde34.html

:-) 

The Onion weighs in with the most accurate take on ChatGPT yet.

Sponsor Memo: OITVOIP

Let’s cut the FUD; don’t let anyone scare you from selling VoIP because “compliance is hard”. 

With our newest Managed Compliance service, OITVOIP removes compliance headaches from the picture while you retain control of your client relationships. 

Get started selling faster than ever! Visit HTTPS://oit.co/ mspradio to learn more today! 

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Topic 1: Sorry: Let’s talk jobs.

December: Total new jobs UP 235,000. That is despite the fact the enterprise companies (500 employees+) reduced jobs by 151,000

https://adpemploymentreport.com/ ← Great summary stats

Spotify  600 (6% of workforce) Twitter  3,700 (50% of those who lasted this long) Salesforce 7,000 (10% of workforce) Microsoft 10,000 (5% of workforce) Tesla  10,000 (10% of workforce) Google  12,000 (6% of workforce) Amazon 18,000 (1% of workforce)

Oh, and . . .

Apple  0 (0% of workforce) - Minor adjustments at retail locations

See also the big Layoff-Tracker Service at TrueUp -  https://www.trueup.io/layoffs 

NOTE - TrueUp also lists about 180,000 tech job openings right now.

Topic 2: The FBI crime data is not good!

We have a crime data dilemma. 

The recent mass shooting in Monterey Park, CA will NOT be included in the FBI's nationwide crime statistics.

It turns out, the county as well as 33% of other law enforcement agencies, have not be using the the justice department's crime reporting system. 

Does this data disconnet present new opportunities? 

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-whats-next-add26afa-8dd9-45d6-9e98-19120c707fe6.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

Topic 3: First Personal Drone to be Produced by India

No, Wally, you don’t get a flying car. But you might get a personal drone. Currently going into production for the Indian Navy. But keep your eyes open for a civilian version.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/indias-first-passenger-drone-will-be-showcased-by-navys-tableau-on-republic-day/articleshow/97292778.cms

Maybe you do get a flying car:

https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/01/09/flying-cars-virginia-jetson

The maker of the Jetson One — a single-passenger aircraft whose manufacturer says it can take off and land from a driveway — says one of its first customers is in Charlottesville, with a delivery scheduled for later this year, per the company's website.

Sponsor Memo: NSITSP 

Hey MSPs: People are talking about you - behind your back.

They're regulators and legislators. They're CISA and the states of Texas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana. And more.

Every state now has at least one committee in their state legislature that focuses on cybersecurity. That means regulation is coming. You can count on it.

The National Society of IT Service Providers was created to give you a seat at the table when someone's talking about you. That includes regulator, legislators, and even the media.

Find out more and join today at https://www.nsitsp.org

We're working on your behalf to turn the industry into a profession.

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Topic 1: Small companies are “labor hoarding” while large companies are laying off.

https://www.utahbusiness.com/labor-hoarding-tech/ 

https://www.teambonding.com/labor-hoarding/ 

Keeping employees at any cost!

Topic 2: Understanding the Dynamics of the Tech Workforce in 2023

Data Point 1: Tech Layoffs are Happening … But Not Because Tech is Suddenly Less Valuable

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-login-e28dd906-601f-480d-8c1a-656851613556.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

Data Point 2: Tech Jobs are Less Attractive to Young Professionals https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2023/01/09/tech-jobs-less-desireable-2023

Data Point 3: Shifting Preference for Generalists vs. Specialists … Plus a Mainstream Rise of “Business IT” Contributors

https://www.ciodive.com/news/technology-workforce-trends-2023/639543/

Amazon layoffs delivered by email. ← Low class or just modern times?

Topic 3: Cal Newport on the Digital Workplace: We got it wrong

Too much distraction. In fact, ALL distraction, all the time.

Primary thesis = We rarely get things right the first time. But we treat technology as if we do.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/01/23/magazine/cal-newport-interview.html

See also https://www.calnewport.com/books/deep-work/

Sponsor Memo: Linode

The days of limiting yourself to the big players is coming to an end. Modernize your cloud offerings by partnering with Linode and Akamai.

The cloud landscape is growing with alternative cloud providers like Linode offering better price to performance and better support at the fraction of the cost.

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Find out more at https://linode.com/mspradio

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Topic 1: Algorithms Need Management Training, Too!

From Wired Magazine.

Human beings excel at avoiding responsibility for difficult decisions. Management and personnel decisions are often difficult. Therefore, they are great candidates for turning decision-making over to the bots.

What could possibly go wrong?

https://www.wired.com/story/platform-work-labor-economy-ai/ 

Topic 2: Microsoft drops $1 Billion on ChatGPT

I should have bought more Microsoft stock yesterday. :-) 

Looking to the true “next level” of product development. Microsoft was an early investor in ChatGPT 

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-openai-investment-the-smartest-1-billion-ever-spent-2023-1

Topic 3: Apple to drop Broadcom chip and make their own.

Is this just the never-ending story of “control” of supply chain, or is there a strategy for secret development here? (Are there future technologies that are more easily developed in private, when you don’t have to share future features with an outside chip builder?)

https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-drop-key-broadcom-chip-2025-in-house-design-bloomberg-news-2023-01-09/

Sponsor Memo: Acronis 

Every client needs Cyber Protection. But that doesn’t mean service providers have to deploy a jumbled patchwork of solutions to get it done.

Modern protection starts with Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud.

Acronis combines backup, anti-malware, endpoint protection, management and robust ransomware defense all from a single console. That’s why successful MSPs use Acronis to generate more recurring revenue AND reduce churn.

It’s easy to get started at https://Acronis.com

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Topic 1: Generative AI is Fun … Until the “Other” Guys Start Doing It Too

https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/31/how-china-is-building-a-parallel-generative-ai-universe/

China is aggressively building their own versions of generative AI platforms (with some obvious / inevitable filters) that do essentially the same thing as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion. The question is whether they will be able to out-race us to the auto-content future … and whether that is a problem.

Topic 2: LastPass - Lessons for the Channel

Should we be worried? What do we expect from vendors? What’s reasonable and realistic?

https://blog.lastpass.com/2022/12/notice-of-recent-security-incident/ 

Is this worth discussing as a larger topic of always-on monitoring and reporting?

Topic 3: Fast Forward Into the Future: Intelligent Elevators are Coming Soon

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-whats-next-b35b53bd-5aa6-4a83-aae5-a44e904ffa78.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

Everyone who has ever been in an elevator knows what is good and what is bad about the experience. But changes in behavior and city culture brought on by the pandemic are accelerating the evolution of the elevator experience: facial recognition to automatically take you to your floor, provide personalized advertising / entertainment, and even provide solo rides for VIPs. The smart city concept will eventually affect everything … are we ready for elevators that know who we are?

See also: Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything Paperback – January 1, 2000 by James Gleick  (Author)

https://www.amazon.com/Faster-Acceleration-Just-About-Everything/dp/067977548X 

Sponsor Memo: PC Matic 

PC Matic — Endpoint Security built on a zero trust/default deny foundation.

Finally - a light weight, simple to deploy & easy to manage approach to application allowlisting. The perfect compliment to your current security stack. No minimums and no annual contracts.

Find out more about by visiting https://PCMatic.com/MSP today.

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Topic 1: For Sale on eBay: A Military Database of Fingerprints and Iris Scans

Great topic for ITSPs - especially as clients get rid of equipment at the end of year. Old machines of all kinds might have sensitive data. Not this juicy, perhaps, but stories like this are great for you client-facing newsletters.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/27/technology/for-sale-on-ebay-a-military-database-of-fingerprints-and-iris-scans.html

Topic 2: The age of the work-from-home whistleblower

Why are so many remote workers deciding to squeal on their companies?

https://www.businessinsider.com/remote-work-surge-employees-whistleblowing-complaints-companies-fraud-2022-12

Topic 3: Man Simulates Time Travel 

So, what is our weekly update with AI? On the up-less existential-side, we have some fun: Time traveling with the aid of AI. No copyrgiht infringment here. Right? 

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/12/man-simulates-time-travel-thanks-to-stable-diffusion-image-synthesis/

Sponsor Memo: SBTTC 

This podcast is sponsored by the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. Check us out at https://www.SmallBizThoughts.org

Forms, templates, and checklists are just the start. Our Community includes ALL of the best-selling books on managed services in all available formats, plus free training, members-only programs, and the best business training available to managed service providers anywhere.

Plus, we have weekly live members-only Zoom calls. The average member saves more than 200% of their membership cost each year. We are totally dedicated to YOUR success. 

Just because you're in business for yourself doesn't mean you have to go it alone. Join us today at www.SmallBizThoughts.org.

:-)

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