This video tutorial explains in depth how to identify your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, via ChatGPT.

[Note – To Watch This Video without glitches/interruptions, It’s best to download it first]

The Preview Pane in File Explorer lets you preview documents, images, and PDFs without opening them, saving time when reviewing multiple files in a folder. Here’s how it works:

Enable Preview Pane

– Open File Explorer by pressing Win + E.

– Click on the View tab and then click Preview Pane.

Preview Files

– Click on any file (document, image, PDF) in File Explorer, and it will be previewed in the right pane without opening the full application.

In a first-of-its-kind case, a US musician has been charged with fraud for allegedly using thousands of automated bot accounts to stream AI-generated tracks from which he made more than $10m in royalty payments.

Which Tracks? 

The music tracks that 52-year-old Michael Smith from North Carolina in the US allegedly used came from a co-conspirator, a music promoter, and the CEO of an AI music company, who (from 2018) supplied him with hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs – songs described as “instant music” by the alleged co-conspirator.

Uploaded To Music Streaming Platforms 

Smith then allegedly uploaded these tracks to music streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. Typically, when songs are uploaded to music streaming platforms, the artists earn royalties based on the number of streams their songs receive.

Then Used Automated Bots To Inflate The Number of Streams 

In the case of Mr Smith, the allegation is that he then used “bots” (automated programs) to stream the AI-generated songs billions of times. The indictment says that, at the height of his alleged fraudulent scheme, Mr Smith “used over a thousand bot accounts simultaneously to artificially boost streams of his music across the Streaming Platforms”. It’s alleged that by manipulating the streaming data in this way, Smith was able to fraudulently obtain “more than $10 million in royalty payments to which he was not entitled”.

How Royalties Work Via Music Streaming Platforms

Royalties paid to songwriters, composers, lyricists, and music publishers (“Songwriters”) are funded by streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. These platforms allocate a percentage of their revenue (called the “Revenue Pool”) to performance rights organisations (PROs) and the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC). PROs manage performance royalties, while the MLC handles digital mechanical royalties for reproducing and distributing songs. The streaming platforms send both streaming data and revenue to these organisations, which then distribute royalties proportionally to the Songwriters based on the number of streams their songs received.

Similarly, performing artists and record companies (“Artists”) receive royalties from a separate pool, also funded by a percentage of streaming platform revenues. These funds are allocated based on the total number of streams each artist’s recordings receive, and the royalties are typically paid to Artists through record labels and distribution companies.

Why Fraud? 

Streaming fraud, using bots to inflate stream numbers, diverts royalties from legitimate creators to those engaging in fraudulent activity. In this case, the allegation is that Michael Smith committed fraud by making false and misleading statements to streaming platforms, the above-mentioned performance rights organisations (PROs), and music distribution companies. It’s been alleged that his intent was to conceal a massive streaming manipulation scheme, where he used bots to inflate the number of streams for AI-generated songs. By doing so, prosecutors say that Smith used deceptive practices, to fraudulently divert royalties meant for legitimate creators who earned their revenue through real consumer engagement / real listeners (not automated bots).

Technology Improved Over Time 

Emails obtained from Smith and other participants in the scheme, also appear to show how the technology used to create the tracks improved over time, thereby making his scheme more difficult for the streaming platforms to detect. For example, an email from February shows Mr Smith claiming that his “existing music has generated at this point over 4 billion streams and $12 million in royalties since 2019.”

Not The Only Case Of This Kind 

Although prosecutors in this case have described it as the first criminal case of its kind, it’s not the only music platform streaming fraud case of recent years. For example:

– The Danish executive case (2024) where a Danish executive got an 18-month prison sentence after using bots from 2013 to 2019 to inflate streams on platforms like Spotify and Tidal, earning around $635,000 in fraudulent royalties.

– The Boomy AI fraud incident (2023) where Boomy, an AI music startup, had millions of its tracks blocked by Spotify due to suspected bot-driven streaming fraud, leading to increased scrutiny of AI-generated music on platforms.

– The Tidal fake streams investigation (2019), where Norwegian authorities investigated Tidal (a global music streaming platform) for allegedly inflating streams for artists like Beyoncé and Kanye West by hundreds of millions, resulting in massive royalty payouts and one of the largest streaming fraud cases to date.

Other AI-Related Music Incidents of Note 

It’s not just using bots to inflate streams on platforms that have caused AI-driven problems in the music world. For example:

– In 2023, a song titled “Heart on My Sleeve” featuring AI-generated voices that mimicked ‘Drake and The Weeknd’ (a Canadian singer/songwriter) went viral on platforms like TikTok and Spotify. Created by a user named Ghostwriter977, the track accumulated millions of streams before being pulled from streaming services following a complaint from Universal Music Group (UMG). UMG argued that the AI technology used to clone the artists’ voices breached copyright law and harmed the rights of real artists. Despite its removal, the incident highlighted growing concerns over the use of AI in the music industry and its potential legal implications.

– In April this year, over 200 prominent artists including Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Elvis Costello, and Aerosmith, signed an open letter calling for an end to the “predatory” use of AI in the music industry. This letter, coordinated by the Artist Rights Alliance, highlighted concerns that AI technology is being used irresponsibly to mimic artists’ work without permission, undermining creativity, and devaluing musicians’ rights. The artists warned that AI models are being trained on their copyrighted work without consent, with the potential to replace human artistry and dilute the royalties that artists depend on. They called for developers and platforms to commit to avoiding AI usage which infringes on artists’ rights or denies them fair compensation.

Can Tech Firms Steal Your Voice? 

In an interesting AI-related case of a notable class action lawsuit filed in 2024, voice actors Paul Skye Lehrman and Linnea Sage accused AI startup Lovo of illegally cloning and selling their voices without consent. The pair were originally contacted via Fiverr in 2019 and 2020, where they were asked to record voiceover samples for what they were told were “academic research” or radio test scripts. Lehrman was paid $1,200, and Sage $400, with both assured that their recordings wouldn’t be used for anything beyond these stated purposes. However, they later discovered their voices had been cloned using AI and used in commercial content without permission.

However, much to Lehrman’s surprise and shock, he heard his voice on a YouTube video about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, discussing topics he had never recorded. The irony of his situation deepened when he heard his voice again on the podcast “Deadline Strike Talk,” where his AI-generated voice was used to discuss the impact of AI on Hollywood and the ongoing strikes, i.e. issues central to the lawsuit itself! Sage similarly discovered her voice in promotional materials for Lovo. The lawsuit claims that Lovo misappropriated their voices to market AI-generated versions under pseudonyms, “Kyle Snow” and “Sally Coleman,” which damaged their careers by reducing job opportunities and potentially replacing their work entirely with AI.

This lawsuit highlights a growing concern in the entertainment industry about AI’s unchecked use to clone voices and likenesses without authorisation, raising issues of intellectual property, consent, and fair compensation.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The rise of AI in the music and entertainment industry introduces both exciting opportunities and serious risks for music streaming platforms, artists, and individuals whose voices or music may be used without consent. For streaming platforms, cases like Michael Smith’s alleged fraudulent streaming manipulation expose real vulnerabilities in royalty systems, which requires platforms to implement more robust detection methods. As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, distinguishing between real and artificial streams will be crucial to prevent fraudulent activity that undermines royalty distribution and trust.

For artists, AI’s ability to clone voices, styles, and entire songs presents an existential challenge to creativity and ownership. The growing number of cases, including the Heart on My Sleeve incident and the lawsuit against Lovo, highlight how AI can be used to replicate an artist’s voice or music without permission. This threatens not only their revenue but also their creative integrity. This illustrates why prominent artists, as seen in the open letter signed by Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and others, are calling for clearer protections and industry standards i.e., to prevent AI from being used in ways that exploit human artistry without proper compensation.

Voice actors and other professionals who rely on their vocal talents are particularly vulnerable to AI voice cloning. Lehrman and Sage’s experience with Lovo illustrates how voice recordings can be misappropriated and used commercially under false pretenses, damaging careers and reducing future opportunities. This case highlights the need for businesses, especially those in the tech and entertainment sectors, to perhaps develop transparent and ethical policies around AI-generated content, thereby ensuring that creators are properly informed, compensated, and protected.

Beyond the entertainment industry, AI misuse poses a potential risk for the rest of us, especially when it comes to the unauthorised use of voices or faces. AI technology, like voice cloning and deepfakes, can be used to imitate individuals without their consent, creating the potential for serious ethical and legal challenges. For businesses, this means increased vulnerability to fraud, such as the possibility of AI-generated voices being used to impersonate employees or executives in phishing scams. Without proper safeguards, AI can become weaponised to deceive customers or commit fraud against organisations by replicating voices or faces in ways that can bypass security measures, leading to financial and reputational damage.

In response to these growing concerns, industry experts and creators are calling for stronger regulations and protections. Clear consent processes, the development of intellectual property rights linked to a person’s voice and likeness, and technological solutions for detecting fraudulent AI usage now appear to be essential. Ideally, companies and platforms now need to collaborate with policymakers and rights organisations to try and ensure that AI is used ethically, protecting the creative economy and the rights of individuals.

Following a new ESET study which highlighted how workers using company-provided laptops for personal activities could be putting work hardware at risk, we’ll explore the issues surrounding this practice and the potential consequences for businesses and employees, in two parts.

90% Using Work Laptops For Home Usage … But What About Risky Behaviour? 

The recent study by cybersecurity company ESET revealed that employees are regularly engaging in risky activities on their work laptops. For example, the study shows that nine out of ten surveyed admitted to using their work devices for personal activities, including illegal streaming, gambling, and viewing adult content! Alarmingly, 20 per cent of respondents who view adult content say they do so daily, while the same proportion engages in online gambling daily using their work devices.

Work From Anywhere and Employee Mobility 

The shift towards remote and hybrid work environments is one reason employees may be blurring the lines between professional and personal use of their work laptops. With the flexibility to work from anywhere, such as a home-office or while travelling, these devices often become a primary computing tool for both work and personal activities. While this convenience enhances productivity and work-life balance, it also introduces significant risks to businesses.

Accessing the Dark Web with Their Work Laptop! 

The ESET study also highlighted some very concerning behaviour, with 17 per cent of respondents admitting to accessing the dark web using their work laptops, with some doing so daily.

Accessing the dark web exposes businesses to severe risks, including malware or ransomware attacks, data breaches, legal consequences, and reputational damage.

Consequences of Risky Behaviour 

The consequences of employees engaging in risky online behaviour using work devices can be severe for both the business and the individual. Businesses may face data breaches, financial losses, and regulatory penalties, while employees could be subject to disciplinary action, legal ramifications, or even job termination if their actions cause significant harm to the organisation. The ESET study revealed that 18 per cent of respondents felt their job would be at risk if their risky behaviour were discovered.

Employee Awareness Important 

In the report of the study, Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor at ESET, stresses the importance of employee awareness, saying: “We often hear ’employees are the weakest security link,’ and endpoint security may not be the first thought on people’s minds. Businesses need to ensure that employees understand cybersecurity risks and their role in mitigating them, which includes avoiding risky behaviour or accessing illegal websites on their work laptops.” 

Many Have No Cybersecurity On Work Laptop 

Despite the clear risks, the study also revealed a worrying lack of security measures, with one in five (18 per cent) of respondents saying they had no cybersecurity software installed on their work laptop. A further 7 per cent were unsure if their devices were adequately protected, highlighting a critical gap in corporate security management.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The findings of the ESET study highlight the critical need for businesses to take a proactive role in ensuring the security of work laptops and corporate devices. With so many employees engaging in what appears to be some extremely risky online behaviour (e.g. going on the dark web daily), the potential for significant data breaches and financial loss is high. The key for businesses is really to ensure that robust security measures are implemented across all work devices, particularly in hybrid work settings where employees use these devices both for work and personal tasks.

Implementing effective cybersecurity policies is essential. Employees should really be educated about the dangers of risky online behaviour, and must be helped to clearly understand their responsibilities in safeguarding corporate assets. Training and awareness programmes that help employees recognise the threats of malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks should ideally be mandatory, particularly as personal, and professional device use becomes more intertwined. Also, companies should ensure that all devices have up-to-date cybersecurity software, such as endpoint protection, that can detect and block potential threats in real-time.

As highlighted in the ESET study, for businesses to effectively manage employee behaviour without invading privacy, IT departments should try to adopt tools and solutions that focus on detecting risk patterns rather than overseeing every detail of employees’ digital activity. Striking this balance could help maintain trust within the organisation while ensuring that cybersecurity remains a priority.

Next week, in Part 2 of this series, we will delve into the legal and compliance implications of risky employee behaviour on work laptops, explore real-world case studies of high-profile breaches, and provide further insights into how businesses can mitigate these risks effectively.

Popular online graphic design platform Canva is facing a backlash from customers following a price hike of up to 300% for its Teams subscription.

What Is Canva Teams? 

The subscription-based Canva Teams feature within the Canva platform (an alternative to image editing platforms like Adobe), allows multiple users to collaborate on designs, share projects, and manage permissions in one space. Canva Teams includes tools for managing permissions, setting brand guidelines, and streamlining workflows. It also includes premium features, depending on the subscription level chosen by the team.

Price Hike 

Canva has just (significantly) increased its Teams subscription prices, with some users seeing a rise of over 300 per cent! For example, the price for a five-user plan jumped from $120 to $500 annually (from AUD $39.99 per month to around AUD $2,430 in Australia).  Also, as well as in the US and Australia, the price hike has affected users in Canada, the UK, and Europe.

Although Canva Teams prices have been increased, it’s understood that Canva’s solo Pro prices will remain unchanged.

Discount 

It appears Canva has tried to cushion the blow a little by saying it will apply a 40 per cent discount for the first 12 months. However, even with the discount applied, users will still be paying significantly more than before, i.e. if the original annual price was $120, users will pay at least 150 per cent more in the first year than their previous subscription fee.

Why? 

Canva has attributed the price rises to reflect an expanded product experience / the added value gained from the addition of advanced AI tools such as Visual Suite, Magic Studio, and Brand Tools. Canva has also highlighted the fact that its Teams subscription prices have remained the same for the last four years.

Backlash 

Not surprisingly, with many users choosing Canva as a lower priced alternative to Adobe, the significant price increase has prompted anger and, judging by customer comments, may have lowered the barriers to exit. Some examples of customer arguments against and comments about the price rise include:

– Many users say they didn’t ask for the new AI tools and are unlikely to use them and, therefore, don’t want to pay the higher prices for them.

– Some users suggesting that it may be better to keep the regular subscription (and price) and offer an addition premium plan that includes all the AI with the higher price (i.e. give users the option and the choice).

– Angry X/Twitter users making comments like, “Your AI features are not worth triple the price. We can use AI tools anywhere. I’ll be cancelling our company contract when it expires”, and “nobody wants to pay 3x the price for a crappy AI app that nobody asked for”. 

– Users actively looking for alternatives, e.g., one Reddit user asks, “As someone that cancelled their subscription after hearing this, any recommendations for other easy to use graphic design software that works on Mac please?” 

– Another Reddit user comments “Canva wasn’t even worth the price before the AI and 300% increase.” 

What Are The Alternatives To Canva? 

Adobe is widely considered the market leader in design platforms, particularly with its Adobe Creative Cloud suite so, for many users, it’s a case of trying to find a fast, affordable (and no subscription), easy-to-use alternative. Examples of such alternatives could include Affinity Suite, Pixlr, Kittl, Crello (now VistaCreate), Snappa, Desygner, Easil, and Microsoft Designer (the pricing for which is tied to Microsoft subscriptions).

Competition 

As many users pointed out in comments about the price rise, they can get generative AI tools capable of design elsewhere (often for free) when they need them. Also, Canva is likely facing competitive pressure from all manner of platforms now incorporating advanced AI tools, e.g., Adobe (with Firefly AI), and emerging AI-driven design platforms such as Kittl and Pixlr. These competitors have been investing in AI to streamline design workflows and enhance user capabilities, all of which may have created the competitive pressure that contributed to Canva’s integration of its own AI features (Magic Studio and Visual Suite). Also, Canva’s price rise may also be seen as simply aligning with its strategy to position itself as an AI-driven, premium design tool.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

The recent price hike by Canva is likely to have significant ripple effects across its user base and the broader market for graphic design tools. For users, particularly small businesses and freelancers who chose Canva as a cost-effective alternative to Adobe, the steep increase may prompt reconsideration of their subscription. Many users feel frustrated that they are now paying for advanced AI features they neither asked for nor need. This backlash could see a migration toward other affordable design platforms, especially since competitors offer AI-driven design tools at a lower cost or even for free.

For Canva, the price hike is part of an apparently bold strategy to position itself as a premium, AI-powered design tool. While it allows the company to highlight new features like Magic Studio and Visual Suite, this move also risks alienating its core user base. Canva now appears to be facing a delicate balancing act – justifying its higher pricing through enhanced features while addressing user dissatisfaction. With many users seeking alternatives, Canva’s competitors, such as Affinity, and Pixlr, could see an opportunity to capture market share, especially if they continue offering cost-effective, AI-enhanced tools without significant price jumps.

The design platform market is evolving rapidly, with AI fundamentally reshaping how design tools are developed and used. Canva’s shift toward AI tools reflects this trend, but it also highlights the growing pressure on design platforms to keep up with these technological advances. For businesses, this means staying alert to the changing landscape, where innovation in AI is driving not only new functionalities but also pricing strategies. The near future could see more platforms adopting similar AI-driven models, forcing users to weigh the benefits of advanced tools against rising costs.

Yoast, the company behind the popular SEO plugin for WordPress, has announced the introduction of ‘Yoast AI Optimize’ feature which is designed to simplify SEO tasks by providing AI-powered optimisation suggestions for content at the click of a button.

Helps With Essential SEO Factors 

Specifically, ‘Yoast AI Optimize’, which is only available to Yoast SEO Premium customers, focuses on enhancing ‘Keyphrase in Introduction’, ‘Keyphrase Density’, and ‘Keyphrase Distribution’, which are essential SEO factors.

How It Works 

To use the new feature within the WordPress editor, users open their post or page and go to the Yoast SEO sidebar. For assessments like ‘Keyphrase in Introduction’, ‘Keyphrase Density’, and ‘Keyphrase Distribution’, there’s a sparkly icon next to them in the SEO analysis section. Clicking this icon triggers the AI to generate optimisation suggestions for the selected content. Users can then choose to either apply the AI’s suggestions to the content or dismiss them.

The Benefits 

Whereas the popular (regular) Yoast plugin, which currently has more than 13 million active installations, requires the user (who may not be knowledgeable about SEO) to manually make SEO adjustments, the new feature does it all with just a few clicks, and the changes are made automatically throughout the text. This saves time, streamlines the SEO process, removes complexity, and democratises effective SEO – i.e. making it accessible for all content creators, freelancers, and marketers.

Kimberley Cole, General Manager Europe at Newfold Digital, parent company of Yoast, said of the new feature: “With Yoast AI Optimize, users can save time and energy by tapping into SEO powered by AI and unlocking the full potential of their website, blog, online store and more.” 

In terms of how the new feature may improve Yoast’s market position, Kimberly Cole said: “As AI-infused technology evolves, Yoast, the world’s largest SEO plugin, remains at the forefront by combining our in-house SEO expertise with the technology of today to provide the highest quality SEO tools that simplify and elevate the user experience for all website owners. By improving search rankings, SEO drives targeted traffic, boosts credibility and helps businesses market their products and services more effectively in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.”   

Drawbacks 

With something that sounds this good, there must some drawbacks! Some of these include :

– It is currently only available for texts up to 1000 words, thereby restricting its usability, especially for users with longer content or those using different editors.

– Users cannot accept just part of a suggestion but must accept ‘all … or none’. This reduces flexibility and customisation options and may force users to accept changes they don’t fully agree with.

– The feature is only available for the Block editor and users can only optimise content in the Paragraph, Heading, List, and Table blocks. Content from other blocks can’t be optimised.

– ‘Yoast AI Optimize’ is currently only available for the following SEO checks: Keyphrase in Introduction, Keyphrase Density, and Keyphrase Distribution. For Keyphrase Density, it can only support the case in which the key phrase is underused. If the key phrase is overused, the ‘Yoast AI Optimize’ feature can’t be provided.

Currently in Beta 

‘Yoast AI Optimize’ is currently in Beta and to access it, (Yoast SEO Premium) customers must have updated to the most recent version, 23.2, and granted consent to use AI.

What About Yoast’s Competitors? 

Yoast faces several strong competitors in the SEO plugin market, many of which have AI-powered features similar to (or even more advanced than) Yoast’s AI offerings. For example:

– Rank Math is a highly recommended alternative with robust automation, allowing users to optimise content for multiple keywords and perform full SEO audits. It integrates AI to assist with schema markups and offers a content analysis tool that automates SEO tasks like generating meta titles and descriptions.

– All in One SEO (AIOSEO), another major competitor, provides AI-powered keyword ranking and content decay analysis, helping users track and optimise older posts. Its AI features also extend to automated link suggestions and meta generation, making it highly efficient for content creators.

– SEOPress includes AI capabilities for generating SEO metadata (like meta descriptions) based on the content. It also offers white-label options, making it popular among agencies. SEOPress provides a clean, user-friendly interface while handling complex tasks like generating sitemaps and managing structured data.

– SEMRush, although broader in scope, includes AI-powered tools like its SEO Writing Assistant that helps optimise content for readability and search engine performance. It offers AI-driven content suggestions and meta generation, making it a comprehensive tool for both SEO and content creation.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The introduction of ‘Yoast AI Optimize’ could prove to become very helpful to businesses aiming to improve their website’s SEO, particularly those that lack technical expertise in this area. With AI taking over many of the manual and time-consuming SEO tasks, businesses can now streamline their optimisation processes. This means that even small businesses and individual content creators may now be able to implement sophisticated SEO practices without having to invest heavily in SEO expertise or tools. This AI feature could enable them to optimise content quickly and more effectively, which could result in better search rankings, increased traffic, and ultimately, higher conversions and sales.

For existing Yoast SEO Premium users, this new feature could enhance the value of their subscription. It simplifies SEO further by automating tasks like keyphrase management, allowing users to focus more on content creation rather than manual optimisation. However, while the feature is currently limited in terms of functionality and word count, its potential is clear. As the AI develops, users can perhaps expect greater flexibility and wider applications, which would only enhance its appeal.

For Yoast, this innovation strengthens its competitive edge in a rapidly evolving market. By incorporating AI, Yoast is hoping to position itself as a forward-thinking leader in SEO, and ensure it adds value and retains users by staying at the forefront of search engine optimisation trends. However, the competition is fierce. Competitors like Rank Math and AIOSEO are also leveraging AI to offer advanced features, and the race to provide the most user-friendly, efficient, and powerful SEO tools is heating up.

More broadly, this is just another example of how AI is transforming the digital landscape. From content generation to SEO optimisation, the integration of AI across digital tools is changing how businesses manage their online presence. The growing influence of AI within SEO can now empower businesses to hopefully achieve better results faster, and it raises the bar for SEO tools in general. That said, ultimately, search engine algorithms (especially Google’s), control how effective SEO efforts are, and if all users started using effective AI-powered SEO tools, this would perhaps require another algorithm change. Therefore, how well Yoast (and other SEO tools) keep up with changes made by search engines (which use AI themselves) will have a bearing on how effective they are.

That said, with AI SEO tools like Yoast offering a good chance to improve ranking, for businesses, this means staying informed about the latest AI-powered tools may now be essential to maintaining a competitive edge in their digital marketing efforts.