AnyDesk, the remote desktop application company has reported that it recently suffered a cyberattack where hackers gained access to its production servers.

It has been reported that source code and private code signing keys were stolen.

AnyDesk said in a statement that on discovering the breach it activated a (successful) remediation and response plan involving cyber security experts CrowdStrike. AnyDesk says: “To date, we have no evidence that any end-user devices have been affected. We can confirm that the situation is under control, and it is safe to use AnyDesk.”

If you’ve got a desktop Word document that you need to share externally, and you want a fast way to check for (and remove) personal information, comments, or other hidden data that you might not want to distribute, Document Inspector can help. Here’s how to use it:

– Click on the ‘File’ tab.

– Click ‘Info,’ then click ‘Check for Issues,’ and select ‘Inspect Document.’

– In the Document Inspector dialog box, select the types of content you want to inspect.

– Click ‘Inspect.’ Review the results and click ‘Remove All’ for any types of hidden content you want to remove.

With newly expanded Google and Yahoo guidelines for high-volume emailers coming into force from the 1st of February, we look at what needs to be done to comply.

Why?

As Google says about the reason for the new guidelines: “we’ll require bulk senders to authenticate their emails, allow for easy unsubscription and stay under a reported spam threshold.” Yahoo echoes this, saying: “Sending properly authenticated messages helps us to better identify and block billions of malicious messages and declutter our users’ inboxes.” 

What Is A Bulk Sender? 

Google categorises a “bulk sender” as those who send more than 5,000 messages to Gmail addresses in one day.

Bulk Sender Authentication – Leverage Industry Standards 

It’s clear from Google and Yahoo’s new guidelines that validation is to be a focus and reputable messaging is to be prioritised, i.e. making users feel more confident about an email’s source. For this reason, Google and Yahoo will require bulk senders to implement stronger email authentication and to leverage industry standards such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC. One of the key benefits of doing so, as outlined by Google, will be that it “will close loopholes exploited by attackers that threaten everyone who uses email.”

Easy To Unsubscribe – One Click and Within Two Days 

One of the issues that leads to email inbox clutter is not just the number of regular subscribed emails that users receive but also how easy it is to unsubscribe. As Yahoo says: “Users should be able to unsubscribe from unwanted emails without any hassle. It should just take one click.” 

Yahoo also says that it has tried to promote solutions to this issue for some time but adoption of these “common-sense standards” has been low among bulk senders. This means that Yahoo and Google’s updated guidelines will require senders to not just “support one-click unsubscribe” but to honour users’ unsubscribe requests “within two days.” 

Spam Threshold To Be Enforced 

One other major bulk, commercial email issue that Google and Yahoo are to tackle with the new guidelines is by making sure that companies only send emails that users actually want to receive, i.e. not irrelevant / spam emails. After measuring user-reported spam rates for some time, Yahoo and Google’s solution to this problem, and an industry first, will be to start enforcing a clear spam rate threshold that senders must stay underneath if they want to reach Google and Yahoo users’ inboxes.

Agreement 

Yahoo says the updated guidelines will apply to all the domains and consumer email brands that Yahoo Mail hosts, and has been clear that Google is in complete agreement. For example, Yahoo’s blog even features a quote on the issue from Google’s Neil Kumaran, Group Product Manager, Gmail Security & Trust, who says: “We firmly believe that users worldwide deserve a more secure email environment, with fewer unwanted messages for an improved overall experience. We look forward to working with peers across the industry to boost the adoption of these email standards that benefit everyone.” 

What’s In It For Google And Yahoo? 

The introduction of the new guidelines is expected to significantly benefit both Google and Yahoo in terms of streamlining the email ecosystem, making it easier and cheaper for Google and Yahoo to manage and monitor email traffic effectively. The changes may also enhance the overall image of the security and trustworthiness of their email services which could, of course, lead to greater user satisfaction, which in turn may translate to customer retention and attracting more new customers.

What About The Bulk Senders? 

For legitimate bulk senders, the guidelines provide a clear framework for compliance. By adhering to these guidelines, legitimate bulk senders can ensure their emails reach their intended recipients without being marked as spam, thereby protecting their reputation, brand, and potential profits. That said, the guidelines will mean that legitimate businesses will now have to take the time to rigorously audit and upgrade their email authentication protocols, ensuring compliance with minimum DMARC requirements and proper configuration of SPF and DKIM to maintain the integrity of their sent emails. This could involve meticulous management of subscription and unsubscribe processes to ensure smooth and prompt opt-out mechanisms and having to diligently monitor and maintain spam complaint rates well below the stringent thresholds set.

For legitimate bulk senders, it’s essentially a matter of having little choice regarding the extra work, costs, and changes involved. However, it shouldn’t be solely about finding new ways to avoid the spam folder.

The hope is also that the regulations will make life much more difficult for the bulk spammers. These new guidelines should mean that spammers will find it increasingly challenging to penetrate these defence mechanisms which could force them into a position where they must align their practices with the guidelines to preserve any kind of reasonable email deliverability and subscriber-reach.

Challenges

Although the idea of ‘forcing spammers out’ is a laudable one, legitimate bulk senders might face several challenges while trying to comply with the new guidelines. For example, they may need to upgrade their systems to ensure robust email authentication with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. This would require a degree of skill and resources to implement. Also, implementing a seamless one-click unsubscribe feature that adheres to the guidelines while ensuring that legitimate users are not inadvertently removed may potentially be an issue for some people.

There may also be the need for some significant effort in content-management and user-engagement analysis to make sure email content and communications are desired and relevant.

That said, Yahoo says help for bulk senders will be on hand via information provided on its Sender Hub (coming soon), and senders can email Yahoo their questions on the subject.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

For businesses, the new guidelines from Google and Yahoo signify a crucial (and many would say necessary and not-before-time) pivot towards more stringent email authentication and streamlined subscription management for the bulk senders that fill up our inboxes. If the guidelines work as intended and spam and malicious emails are curtailed, users may place greater trust in the emails which they do receive, potentially increasing engagement rates for compliant senders. Bulk sender businesses that adapt swiftly and adhere to the regulations may also benefit from improved sender reputation and deliverability. On the flip side, these regulations will hopefully pose a significant challenge to spammers, helping cleanse the email ecosystem of unwanted clutter. This may not only enhance user-experiences but also level the playing field for businesses committed to ethical email marketing practices.

In summary then, while compliance may initially be demanding, these guidelines at least offer a clearer path to enhanced email deliverability and reputation for legitimate bulk senders. Those businesses who are proactive in adapting will benefit from the decluttered inbox landscape, ensuring their communications are both seen and trusted by recipients.

Perhaps a pragmatic stance to take is that this shift isn’t just about having to adhere to certain annoying rules to enable communications to get into mailboxes, it’s more about embracing a culture of transparency and respect within digital communications that all businesses could benefit from going forward.

Following Microsoft’s recent announcement that it is expanding its Copilot product line-up to appeal to a larger range of businesses, we take a look at what this means and some of the stand-out pros and cons.

Copilot 

In November last year, Microsoft, a major investor in AI through its partnership with OpenAI (ChatGPT’s creators) announced that its long-awaited Copilot AI “companion” was generally available to enterprises. Copilot is essentially Microsoft’s own GenAI chatbot that’s been designed to integrate with the suite of popular apps in Microsoft 365 and uses a variant of the GPT-4 model, specifically tailored and optimised for integration with Microsoft‘s apps.  Microsoft says Copilot: “combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with your data in the Microsoft Graph (API), the Microsoft 365 apps, and the web to turn your words into the most powerful productivity tool on the planet”.

Open AI’s ChatGPT, however, was launched a whole year earlier and started charging for its ChatGPT Plus version in February 2023. At the same time, another major AI player, Google, launched its ‘Bard’ in an effort to integrate advanced AI and language model capabilities into Google’s suite of products and services (like Copilot integrates with Microsoft’s 365 suite of products).

With the major tech companies quickly introducing, monetising and competing with their AI products, what’s Microsoft’s latest move with Copilot?

Expansion 

Microsoft recently announced that it is expanding Copilot for Microsoft 365 “to businesses of all sizes” by adding new ‘Copilot Pro’ subscription for individuals, expanding Copilot for Microsoft 365 availability to SME-sized businesses, and announcing a no-seat minimum for commercial plans. To summarise these developments:

Just as individuals can buy ChatGPT Plus subscription, individuals can now also buy a Copilot Pro subscription for the same amount ($20 per month). Like ChatGPT, Microsoft says Copilot Pro gives access to the latest GPT-4 model at peak times and an AI image tool – in this case ‘Designer’ (formerly Bing Image Creator). Other positives highlighted by Microsoft include commercial-grade data security protection and Copilot embedded in Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Users can also build their own Copilot GPT (just as ChatGPT users can build their own tailored chatbots – known as GPTs).

For Businesses 

Most relevant to the focus of this article, however, is what businesses can now get, and how much it’s going to cost.

For example, SMEs can now buy a $30 (£24.70) per person, per month subscription (which may sound a little steep if you’re a small business) for Copilot for Microsoft 365. It’s available to Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium licence customers. Being targeted at smaller businesses means it has a no-seat minimum and, in line with the idea that all businesses (“individuals, enterprises, and everyone in between”) can use Copilot, up to 300 seats can be purchased. Again, if your business needs a couple of hundred seats worth, and with apparently no free trial or volume discounts, the $30 per user per/month price may be a little daunting.

That said, many businesses are still relatively new to Copilot, may not have leveraged most of its features and, as such, may not have a clear idea of its value to compare to the price. Microsoft is (of course) confident that SMEs “stand to gain the most from this era of generative AI—and Copilot is uniquely suited to meet their needs.” 

Up Front? 

Whereas Microsoft’s subscription services usually offer a choice between monthly or annual payment plans, with the annual plan often providing a saving compared to monthly, there have been reports that the $30 per month is for an annual commitment with payment required upfront. As more information makes it online about user experiences it may soon become clearer if this is the only option for some users.

What You Get 

A Copilot for Microsoft 365 subscription offers users the same as Pro, only with Enterprise-grade security, plus Copilot in Teams (which may be very useful for reviewing the main points, action items, and providing summaries), and Microsoft Graph Grounding. Essentially, it enables work content and context to be added to Microsoft Copilot’s chat capabilities.

Also, customisation through Copilot Studio is possible. This tool enables users to customise and extend the capabilities of their Copilot and to create, customise, and share “skills” or specific tasks that Copilot can perform. In short, the benefit of Copilot Studio is that it enables businesses to tailor the AI’s functionalities to their unique workflows and needs.

What Else? 

Other key points from Microsoft’s announcement include:

– Microsoft is removing the Microsoft 365 prerequisite for Copilot—so now, Office 365 E3 and E5 customers are eligible to purchase.

– The Semantic Index for Copilot to Office 365 users with a paid Copilot license is being extended. Semantic Index works with the Copilot System and the Microsoft Graph to create a map of all the data and content in your organisation, thereby enabling 365 Copilot to deliver “personalised, relevant, and actionable responses”.  

The Word Online 

With this being still the beginning of a generative AI revolution and with much attention being focused on comparisons between leading products such as ChatGPT, there are many opinions online about how Copilot may compare. For example, some commentators point out that Copilot has the benefit of being trained on the huge resources of GitHub, while others say ChatGPT can produce outputs showing it too has been trained on GitHub. Also, some emphasise the value of Copilot being able to get the hang of your codebase, learn your style conventions, and adapt to your suggestions, whereas ChatGPT may be better for inspiration and occasional queries. At the moment, more people have used ChatGPT than have used Copilot for any length of time, so opinions vary.

A Possible Fly In The Ointment? 

Although Microsoft is forging ahead with the expansion, segmentation, and monetisation of Copilot, one possible fly in the ointment may be the outcome of the current antitrust investigation into Microsoft’s close relationship with OpenAI.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Microsoft has invested heavily in AI, mainly through its relationship with OpenAI, and its much-heralded Copilot, its answer to ChatGPT, is now being made generally available to businesses as Copilot for Microsoft 365. This will of course allow it to compete with OpenAI and Google’s AI products and generate some revenue for Microsoft after years of investment.

Microsoft is aiming fairly wide with its “individuals, enterprises, and everyone in between” market to maximise reach, accessibility, and revenue opportunities. However, many of the SMEs that Microsoft says Copilot for 365 will be perfect for may be thinking that the price (and perhaps the requirement to pay a year upfront) is a little daunting, given that many have not yet had any/much experience of Copilot and may be unaware of how much value it may add. That said, Microsoft designed Copilot with the integration into (and leveraging of) its suite of apps in mind, which is where it has the edge over standalone AI offerings. Also, Microsoft and OpenAI’s close (possibly too close) relationship has meant that Microsoft’s AI products are on the cutting edge.

For many small businesses who are already familiar with (and committed to) Microsoft’s products, it’s likely to be a case of looking at the numbers and seeking a little more information, perhaps from their Managed Service Provider, before taking the plunge.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have reported making a two-legged “biohybrid robot” after combining an artificial skeleton with biological muscle, which can walk and pivot underwater.

Biohybrid 

Whereas ‘typical’ biohybrid robots can only move in straight lines or perform large turns (making them unsuitable for use in areas with many obstacles), the Tokyo University biohybrid robot can pivot on one foot, enabling it to turn within a small circle. This is thought likely to increase its potential value for future applications.

Only Underwater, For Now 

At the moment the new biohybrid robot can only work underwater because its lab-grown muscle would dry out quickly when exposed to air. However, the researchers believe that a future version could be made to walk on land, by using thicker muscles with their own nutrient supplies and by covering the feet in artificial skin (to stop them from drying out or being damaged).

How Was It Made? 

The University of Tokyo biohybrid robot was made by combining lab-grown skeletal muscle tissue with flexible artificial legs and 3D-printed feet. The muscle was grown in moulds to create strips and the lightweight skeleton was made from floating styrene board. The skeleton was then covered by a flexible silicone-based body, and the acrylic resin legs (with brass wire weights) and the 3D-printed feet were added. The two lab-grown muscle tissue strips were then used to attach the body to the feet of the robot, thereby completing the “shuffling” legs.

Electric Signals 

The muscles in the legs were made to contract to create a “walk” by delivering an electric charge to them via hand-held gold electrodes. The researchers stimulated each leg at five-second intervals, thereby enabling the robot to achieve a walking speed of 5.4 millimetres per minute.

Why? 

Head of the research team, Professor Shoji Takeuchi, explained the purpose and the value of the research saying: “By incorporating living tissues as part of a robot, we can make use of the superior functions of living organisms.” He went on to say that: “Our findings offer valuable insights for the advancement of soft flexible robots powered by muscle tissue and have the potential to contribute to a deeper understanding of biological locomotion mechanisms, further enabling us to mimic the intricacies of human walking in robots.”

What Could Biohybrid Robots Be Used For In The Future? 

Biohybrid robots (i.e. merging biological and artificial elements) promise transformative advancements across sectors. In medicine, for example, they could revolutionise drug delivery, surgery, and tissue regeneration. Environmental applications could include pollution monitoring and bioremediation, while industrial uses could span manufacturing and precision agriculture. Also, in defence, they offer potential within surveillance and handling hazardous materials and exploration could be redefined by using biohybrids in space and deep-sea missions. In everyday life, biohybrid robots could even be used to enhance elderly care and home automation.

Ethical Considerations 

One aspect of the research not covered in the researchers’ online reporting about the robot is the ethical side of biohybrid robot research. For many people, the thought of trying to make ‘cyborg-style robots raises questions about the sanctity of life, autonomy, and privacy. For example, the integration of biological components with artificial systems seems to blur the line between living and non-living entities, raising questions about the moral status and rights of these ‘beings’. It may also raise concerns about autonomy regarding the potential for manipulation or control of biological components, especially if they possess consciousness or ‘sentience.’ Also, using biohybrid robots in surveillance and data collection could pose serious privacy threats, as their capabilities could be used to monitor individuals without consent. Just as there are existential fears about the potential threat posed by AI, some may also see the prospect of self-replicating or evolving biohybrid systems as being dystopian and highlighting the need for ethical guidelines and oversight in the development and deployment of these advanced technologies.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Although the biohybrid robot created by the researchers can only operate in water at very slow speeds and perform limited actions, it’s still a significant (albeit small) step that will have provided valuable learning in the journey towards bigger and better versions.

For example, the researchers have highlighted how its creation has given them ideas for how they may create a bigger, better, land-based walking version. The research is valuable given that there are so many possible potentially beneficial uses of biohybrid robots in many different fields and sectors, and the thought of combining biohybrid robots with advanced AI may highlight valuable future opportunities. That said, the concept of cyborg-style robots, as depicted in films like Robocop, underscores the ethical concerns and the need for proper oversight and regulation.

As with AI, it also raises concerns about the dangers of biohybrid technology advancing too far and fast before effective monitoring and regulation have had time to catch up. Nevertheless, this is an exciting field which may deliver many beneficial opportunities and solutions in future and take us further towards the kind of co-existence with robot ‘servants’ depicted in so many science fiction programmes and films.

Included in a recent major update to Google’s Gmail on Android (for now), a new feature can help users to declutter and remove annoying spam from their inbox.

Select All Option

The new feature (currently being rolled out) enables users to use a “Select all” tick box that appears above (top left) in the inbox (on the Gmail for Android app) when the user long holds on an email. Selecting the tick box then means all 50 emails displayed on the page are be selected at once and then deleted with one tap or organised as required.

Easy Unsubscribe 

Also, Gmail for Android now includes a straightforward way to unsubscribe. Users can now click on an email from a company whose mailing list they have subscribed to and a clear ‘Unsubscribe’ link is now shown top right in the email, rather than having to scroll to the bottom. This could help speed up and simplify the process of decluttering the Gmail inbox.

It should be noted, however, that on trying this out on an (Android) Gmail inbox, it didn’t appear to display the unsubscribe link at the top of certain emails. Google has said that Google Pixel phones are first in line for the changes, and more Android devices will follow.

For those users who don’t see the unsubscribe link at the top of emails, it may also be the case that they don’t have the latest version of the Gmail app.

What’s So Bad About Email Inbox Clutter? 

As highlighted by a Zipwhip study (2020), email box clutter is common with 39 per cent of individuals having over 100 unread emails, and 20 per cent having over 1,000 unread emails. Mailbird’s Email Overload Survey, helps explain how the problem can build up, with the majority of workers receiving between 61 to 100 emails daily, but with only a minor fraction of these relevant to their actual work.

This is an important subject, particularly for businesses, because some of main problems and issues that email inbox clutter can cause include:

– Feeling overwhelmed by too many unread emails has been shown to reduce enthusiasm and create a sense of frustration.

– A loss of productivity and wasted time (and money) can result from having to sift through irrelevant emails, distracting from meaningful and value-adding work.

– The increased stress that can result from a relentless flow of emails and the effort to manage them can heighten anxiety.

– Disrupted focus from constant email notifications can lead to frequent context switching and hinder job efficiency.

– The potential to miss crucial messages that can get lost in the clutter.

New Spam-Reducing Guidelines From February

One way that spam and email box clutter is to be tackled from the other direction is through newly expanded Google and Yahoo guidelines for high-volume emailers, which come into force from 1 February. The Guidelines will essentially force all bulk emailers (5,000 or more email a-day senders) using Yahoo and Google to adhere to strict new rules. The hope is that this could hit some spammers hard, perhaps reducing the amount of spam in our inboxes.

What Else Can Be Done? 

In addition to the decluttering features introduced by email providers such as Google or Microsoft, general good practice that can minimise email inbox clutter includes:

– Getting into the habit of regularly cleaning out old or irrelevant emails (and unsubscribing) and checking emails at designated times to avoid constant interruptions.

– Using folders or labels to categorise emails and prioritise important ones.

– Keeping work and personal emails in separate accounts to manage them more effectively.

– Adjusting email notification settings to reduce distractions and maintain focus on current tasks.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

With email still being a critical communications centre for businesses, finding effective, fast, free / low-cost ways to declutter and escape from spam can bring many benefits (as outlined above). In the case of Gmail, users have long wanted better decluttering tools, so these new features are likely to be welcomed and used.

As expected (being Google), it is Android Gmail app users who benefit first and the hope is that the features are extended to Apple’s iOS soon. It’s likely to be the case that for most users, Gmail is not their main business email, and this is likely to be a contributor to the build-up of clutter. That said, various Gmail accounts may be used by many SMEs at various points in their value chains so anything that helps save time, enable them to cut through clutter, and quickly spot the most valuable communications and opportunities is likely to be welcome. Microsoft, for example, introduced several business-focused features in an update in November such as advanced email handling rules, which included multi-layered rules for filtering and managing emails. It’s no surprise, therefore, that Google is now upping its (email) game and is likely to continue doing so, hopefully making our lives easier in the process.