Today in Tech

Recent unemployment data in the technology jobs market indicates a growing number of unemployed tech workers. Is generative AI the cause of some companies holding back on entry-level IT positions? Keith discusses the latest data with Computerworld’s Lucas Mearian to see whether this is a small blip or the beginning of a new trend in tech job hiring.

OpenAI integrates current search engine data with ChatGPT to make answers more “new”; Amazon expands its use of robotics and artificial intelligence to make deliveries even faster; and we see the return of the ‘Glasshole’ as Meta Quest headsets begin being used in public situations, irking lots of normal people. Keith and Chris catch up on the latest technology news in this episode.

Cory Hymel, VP of Product and Research at Gigster, discusses the impact of generative AI in software development, including coding, summarizing documentation, and generating code based on prompts. They explore the challenges of training employees and implementing new tools, as well as the potential trough of disillusionment with AI and comparisons to blockchain. The advantages of using generative AI in software development, such as time-saving and improved documentation, are also highlighted.

We are now witnessing the new realities of how news is being delivered (and whether it’s true or misinformation) through social media platforms in the wake of the Hamas attack in Israel and the ensuing war. Europe calls for big platforms such as Meta and X to take down illegal content, and X faces fallout for changes that erode trust in the platform. Keith and Chris discuss the latest developments, along with news about TikTok, AI voice cloning, and whether we’re basically living in a virtual simulation somewhere.

Training employees to spot phishing attempts and raise security awareness is a multi-billion-dollar business, but does it really work? Recent high-profile cyberattacks have shown that it is still relatively easy for attackers to get employees to provide access to computer systems and networks. Keith chats with Kelly Reeves, a cybersecurity expert and researcher, about how companies can improve their security awareness training.

Most tech organizations have a disaster recovery plan in place for traditional events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, etc. But what happens when the event itself is unexpected (and immediate)? Keith talks with Tamecka McKay, CIO for the city of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., about how her team responded during a historic rainfall that dropped 25-plus inches of rain in a five-hour period, flooding many buildings and taking out power, email and other tech systems.

As businesses look to improve their sustainability footprints, the power-hungry data center takes front-and-center stage. Keith chats with Sara Martin, an associate principal at architecture firm HED, about what companies should consider in making a greener data center around areas such as building materials, location, and new designs.

As new generative AI tools come out almost weekly, we are on the cusp of having a generation of humans that will grow up with artificial intelligence, similar to how millennials and ‘GenZ’ kids grew up with mobile phones and social media. What steps will businesses and schools need to take to train Generation AI? Keith talks with Gaurav Rao, executive vice president and general manager for machine learning and AI at AtScale, about the structural changes we’ll see.

What started innocently as a way to ‘personalize’ content has now become extremely divisive in cases. Internet algorithms now control what types of news people consume, what content they can (and can’t) see on social media, and what products they might want to buy. With artificial intelligence now powering more algorithms, could this mean even more problems down the road? Keith chats with Michael Wilkowski, a security and communications expert and CTO of Silent Eight, about the problem and whether there’s any home for humanity.

Despite some recent high-profile missteps, many companies are developing augmented and virtual reality technologies, including Meta and Apple (which calls it spatial computing). With new hardware on the way, are we on the verge of a generational switch that changes how we work, relax and communicate in the future? Keith chats with Zac Duff, co-founder of Jigspace and an industry leader in the AR/VR space, about the prospects for kickstarting this technology.