BIT Services Aiken

In honor of #EarthDay tomorrow, here is a deep dive into AI energy usage, the response from tech companies, and a rabbit hole just perfect for a Monday morning. In a recent study, the International Energy Agency shared that OpenAI's ChatGPT uses almost 10 times the electricity of a single Google search. They even forecast that "by 2026, the AI industry is expected to have grown exponentially to consume at least ten times [the] demand [from] 2023." With such a large increase in energy usage, some organizations are already "developing techniques to help data centers reel in energy use." Read more about this straight from MIT: https://lnkd.in/gSNsds2d For an even deeper dive, check out the full IEA Electricity Analysis and Forecast here: https://lnkd.in/eVaKjeye

While this may be the case, your computer equipment doesn't need to suffer to prove the point... If you're ready to help your business have working technology, with no smoke signals needed, give us a call! #FunnyFriday #ManagedServices #BITServices

With tax season just ending, it seems appropriate to have a #ThrowbackThursday moment to mention the time that Microsoft was sued and therefore blocked from purchasing Intuit in 1995! Imagine if Microsoft now owned QuickBooks, TurboTax, etc. Would they have any competitors? The Department of Justice actually sued to block the purchase on the "grounds it would likely lead to higher prices and lessened innovation in that market." You can read the full statement they released in April 1995 here: https://lnkd.in/etMafD7x https://lnkd.in/expKK7Aq

Have you been wondering how your business can use AI effectively? Here, in our recent blog post, we discuss how we have used (or experimented) with AI recommendations, and even how AI recommends using it to benefit your business. From developing your marketing strategy to creating your internal training documentation, AI can be a useful tool if wielded wisely. Stay tuned for our next post where we'll discuss "things business owners need to consider as they use any generative AI engine." #ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessTools https://lnkd.in/eHRNDbEc

As a business owner, it can be challenging to find balance: you want to be available and involved in your company, but you don't want to be asked the same questions on repeat when you have a capable team. Luckily, there are tools to help! One such tool is Microsoft Teams - in Teams, you can have ongoing chats with your departments, create separate channels to store training documentation, FAQs, and more. You can also customize loads of options: from things like what notifications come through to how documents open for you. If you need help navigating this or another software tool, let us know! #MicrosoftTeams #TechTipTuesday https://lnkd.in/e6wkRYJj

Are you familiar with the terms "Web 2.0" and "Web 3.0?" What about "The Static Web" vs. "The Social Web?" Here is a snapshot of how we once interacted and how we now (and may soon) interact with the world wide web. We're most familiar with "Web 2.0" - "far more than simply a content delivery network, Web 2.0 emphasizes user-generated content, social networking, and digital collaboration." Currently, anyone with a computer or smart device can create and share content. We use social platforms, we market our businesses, we create, and we experience all of this dynamically - we're no longer clicking on static hyperlinks. With an envisioned Web 3.0, users will see more AI and machine learning incorporated and a focus on user-data ownership and privacy. You can see hints of this change in startups, like Vana - a once MIT class project turned company. (Learn more about that here: https://lnkd.in/d5zVA52B) With these changes, users will need to adapt to new technologies. Do you have questions on how to make the most of your current technology? What about how to shape emerging tech to fit your business? Give us a call! #WorldWideWeb https://lnkd.in/envR_5SX

Even if your schedule is full of virtual meetings today, you can sort of be on beach time... Here's a few steps to upgrade your Zoom background - we can't promise smooth sailing through those meetings, but we can promise increased tech skills! #FunnyFriday #Zoom https://lnkd.in/gZqFn5tn

Hearing stories straight from their source is typically best, but we don't always get the opportunity - the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA has a solution...at least for computer knowledge! CHM has recorded more than 300 oral histories! Browse their archive, and hear from some of the biggest names in tech, like "Pixar president Ed Catmull, C++ inventor Bjarne Stroustrup, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore," and more! #ThrowbackThursday #ComputerHistoryMuseum https://lnkd.in/eu8AYjqJ

"Aiken businesses—small and large—are being targeted by increasingly sophisticated cyber scams." Our recent blog post explores three common scams you're bound to come across - and how you can keep your business data protected and secure. (P.S. We help with all sorts of cybersecurity measures - from employee training and email security, to advanced threat detection!) #BITServices #ManagedServices #Cybersecurity https://lnkd.in/erufpqki

If your Microsoft Excel skills need some sharpening, tune in! Excel Exercises has an online dashboard that walks you through many different lessons in Excel - you can choose the one you need to freshen up on, or do them all and get a certificate on completion of all lessons! #TechTipTuesday #MicrosoftExcel https://lnkd.in/es9-A7_y