There have been interesting developments in the tech space in the past week that could potentially impact small businesses and their customers. Here is a rundown of some of these developments and what they entail.
Microsoft introduces AI agents
Microsoft has unveiled its autonomous artificial intelligence agents, or virtual employees, that can perform various tasks related to sales, service, finance, and supply chain operations.
Under Microsoft’s Copilot Studio, customers can now build their own AI agents, as well as deploy 10 “off-the-shelf” bots. These agents can carry out a range of tasks such as handling client queries, identifying sales leads, and managing supply chains, among others.
Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said that the tool would reduce “drudgery” and raise productivity by freeing up time to carry out more valuable tasks.
Asked about fears of AI’s impact on employment, Charles Lamanna, corporate vice president of Microsoft, says that these AI agents would serve more as “enablers” and “empowerment tools” rather than potential replacements for human employees.
Canva’s “dream” now a reality
Canva has launched a new AI-powered feature after acquiring Sydney start-up Leonardo.ai. Canva acquired the AI image generator in July as part of its efforts to broaden the scope of its AI tools.
Canva’s “Dream Lab” is an AI image generation tool that Canva claims can generate up to 15 different types of graphics, including 3D renders and illustrations, as well as generate multi-subject images and photorealistic portraits.
Canva says that it hopes to make “Dream Lab” available to all users very soon.
Meta turns to facial recognition to fight fraud
Meta is set to roll out a facial recognition feature on Facebook and Instagram amid its ongoing struggles to combat fraudulent activity on those platforms.
At the moment, it has rolled out the feature to 50,000 users worldwide who have been identified as public figures and, as such, have been historically impacted by scammers who impersonate celebrities to promote products or services, some of them of dubious reputation. The security feature will require users to upload a “video selfie” that will be compared against profile pictures on the account they’re trying to access.
Amid privacy concerns that have hounded Meta over the years, the company has assured that the data to be used for this feature will adhere to strict privacy laws and regulations.
Social media enhancements introduced
Beyond AI, some social media platforms showed off some new capabilities that their users can take advantage of.
After a two-month testing period, Instagram is readying a broader launch for its profile cards feature, which are digitally flippable panels with a QR code for immediate connection on one side and a profile overview and summary on the other. Instagram says that the feature will provide a simple way for people to connect to the user’s Instagram presence.
Meanwhile, Threads has launched analytics on mobile, which will make it easier for users to keep tabs on their performance in the platform, offering data on post views, shares, likes, and replies.
Finally, TikTok has announced that it is partnering with location data company InMarket on a new measurement solution that will help businesses measure the actual impact of their TikTok ads on in-store visits through InMarket’s conversion tracking process.
As tech continues to evolve, small businesses have more tools at their disposal to streamline operations, engage customers, and stay competitive.
This article was first published on Inside Small Business.
