With the introduction of ChatGPT, many people are trying to understand more about artificial intelligence. They are interested in knowing how it functions and how it is connected to machine learning (ML). Here is a deep dive into AI models and how they work.

What Is an AI Model and Why Is It Important?

Artificial intelligence generally refers to a machine or program that can replicate human intelligence. All of this happens in real-time. An AI model is a program that can analyze data to identify patterns it can use to make decisions and predictions.

Naturally, if the model has more data, the accuracy of the predictions is better. While AI has undoubtedly advanced in recent years, true artificial intelligence has not been created yet.

AI models are important because they help people or organizations solve problems. Many models can automate tedious, time-consuming or dangerous tasks and allow humans to focus on other essential operations.

These models can solve intensely complex problems if they have access to large data sets. To aid with identifying patterns to form assumptions, AI models use different technologies such as machine learning, computer vision and natural language processing.

Is an AI Model and a Machine Learning Model the Same?

An AI model and a Machine learning model are not the same. ML is an area within artificial intelligence. As mentioned, an AI model is a program that analyzes a database to form predictions. As the name would suggest, ML is a series of algorithms with the ability to teach itself.

In other words, one is a machine that replicates human intelligence behaviors and the other one is a machine with the ability to teach themselves how to learn and operate. The difference between these two is very important.

A vital concept to understand is that all ML models are artificial intelligence, but not all AI is machine learning. To make this easier to understand, try to think of it in terms of vehicles. For example, all cars are vehicles, but not all vehicles are cars — trains, bicycles, motorbikes, tractors and buses.

When ML is added to AI, the machine becomes inherently smarter. It now possesses the ability to learn for itself. Machine learning is not a program but a series of algorithms that work together.

A machine with an ML model will learn from past experiences and decisions. This allows it to increase its intelligence the more it learns from data and these experiences.

4 Different Types of ML Models

Knowing the various machine learning types is essential to understand the different AI models. Many AI systems are based on these ML models.

1. Unsupervised Learning

Unlike other machine learning models, this one does not require people to train it. Instead, it uses software. The machine or algorithm seeks to identify patterns in data to learn from. This learning type is excellent for discovering patterns and using data to form conclusions or decisions.

2. Supervised Learning

This learning model is not trained on its own but through a human who teaches it what to look for. This model gets its name from someone supplying the algorithm with data — meaning it is supervised.

This learning type is frequently used for predictive analytics. This a popular model and many algorithms use it, such as linear regression and decision trees.

3. Semi-Supervised Learning

This model combines the two learning methods discussed above. A human trains the algorithm and then software takes over. The software continues from where the person stops. In general, this learning model is suited for descriptive and analysis operations.

4. Reinforcement Learning

In this learning type, the algorithm learns by interacting with its environment. Based on this process, it will receive either a positive or negative reward. This model requires more computing power and is not as frequently utilized as the others.

6 Different Types of AI Models

There are many various AI models. While some of these share similarities, they are not the same. All of them have their unique advantages and disadvantages. While there are many models, here are the six most common ones.

1. Deep Neural Networks

As machine learning is a part of AI, deep neural networks (DNN) are a part of ML. DNN closely resembles a human brain with its neural network. This model has multiple layers where it assesses various variables.

DNN utilizes these layers to combine the variables to form a single conclusion or value. Deep neural networks are one of the most popular models within AI and ML.

It is responsible for making AI technology more intelligent. DNN is also the leading candidate for getting humans closer to developing true AI.

Deep neural networks are particularly good at solving complex problems. They can provide excellent performance in the applications they work with. For example, DNNs can provide great value in mobile development in terms of speech recognition and image classification.

There are also three types of deep neural networks.

• Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN)
• Multi-Layer Perceptrons (MLP)
• Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN)

2. Linear Regression

Linear regression is another popular AI model that seeks to find a connection between input and output variables. Data scientists frequently use this model. This is because linear regression is suited perfectly for work with statistics.

Linear regression utilizes independent variables to calculate the value of dependent variables. The dependent changeable is the response variable and the other is the explanatory variable.

Linear regressions follow the supervised learning model. Many sectors, such as banking, health care and insurance, utilize this model.

3. Logistic Regression

This model is similar to linear regression but has some notable differences. Logistic regression is also used for finding a connection between dependent and independent variables.

However, what sets it apart from linear regression is that it makes assumptions around categorical variables instead of continuous ones. This model is primarily used in solving classification-based problems.

4. Decision Trees

This model gets its name due to the way data is categorized. The divided data resembles the outline of a tree, hence the name. Decision trees are a very common AI model and follow a simplistic process.

Decision trees form predictions based on the data on it’s previous decisions. This model starts with a root node and then, with the help of branches, forms other decision/internal nodes. Decision tree models are great for solving classification-based or regression problems.

5. Random Forest

The best way to describe this model is to envision multiple decision trees within each other. A random forest model creates various decision trees. Each tree is made up of its own data it trains itself on and then combines all of them to arrive at a calculated conclusion.

In other words, it considers all the trees to form decisions and predictions. Like regular decision trees, this model solves regression and classification-based problems.

6. Naive Bayes

This AI model is based on a mathematical formula from the 18th-century — Bayes Theorem. It is named after the mathematician Thomas Bayes. The formula is for calculating conditional probability — the chance of an outcome occurring based on past events under the same circumstances.

The Naive Bayes AI model follows this principle to a certain extent. For example, it assumes that the appearance of one feature does not affect the presence of another one. In other words, the model thinks all predictors are independent.

This is why the model is called naive because most of the assumptions are almost always false. Hence the name. The Naive Bayes is simplistic and particularly good for solving classification problems.

The Power of AI Models

AI models assist humans in solving tasks. They make life easier for us and can help to solve complex problems. As this technology advances, it will become more widely implemented in industries.

The post A Deep Dive Into What an AI Model Is appeared first on Designerly.

Since OpenAI released their new chatbot software in November 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots have been the hot topic of discussion across industries. Writers, artists and marketing professionals all wonder how the bots might eat into their work or if it will be another tool that can come alongside them and support what they do. Bard versus ChatGPT launched in full force when Google released a beta version of their own competing chatbot. 

The AI Bot Battle: Bard Vs. ChatGPT

Statista estimates the global AI market for 2023 is $142.3 billion, with top-funded companies living in the chatbot sector. Two software programs you’ll hear talked about right now are Bard vs. ChatGPT. 

ChatGPT comes from the artificial intelligence software company OpenAI, with backers such as Microsoft. Microsoft invested $1 billion in OpenAI in 2019 and is in negotiations to invest another $10 billion. Brains behind the company include Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Peter Thiel and Reid Hoffman. 

Google’s response to Bard vs. ChatGPT was to release a beta version of their own chatbot in early 2023. Bard is quite similar to ChatGPT but the interface differs. Google has actually been in development with AI but ChatGPT’s popularity forced them to move up their timeline and go ahead and release something before OpenAI’s program ate into their share of the search engine market, since the chatbot can conduct basic research quite effectively. 

While ChatGPT and Google’s Bard are not the only artificial intelligence chatbots out there, they are the two biggest players at the moment. Many smaller firms and other countries, such as China, have various AI technologies in development. 

Bard vs. ChatGPT–How Do the Two Stack Up?

When it comes to Bard vs. ChatGTP, both companies have huge backing behind them. Google is one of the top search engines in the world and has powerful people and financing behind it. Although OpenAI was more unknown, it’s been around for a few years and was founded by brilliant minds in the industry and backed by Microsoft and other huge technology players.

Here at Designerly, we’ve already been playing around with ChatGPT and other OpenAI software to see what it was capable of. It’s a great tool to come alongside writers and speed up research or help with outlines. It also pulls from already created material to help writers see what’s been done to death and what would be a fresh perspective.

Imagine how thrilled we were when one of our staff members received an invite to the Bard experiment to try it out. We couldn’t wait to compare the two and see how they stacked up.

Here are the main things we noted in our Bard vs ChatGPT comparison: 

1. Depth of Results

For both systems, the more detailed one can be with their language, the better. Narrowing down and focusing your request brings about better results than keeping things general. 

Did you ever have a teacher in school who kept telling you to narrow your thesis statement? Think narrow, focused topics for the best results from these chatbots.

For example, we searched for: “Give me the world’s best chicken recipe.”

ChatGPT gave us a recipe for lemon herb chicken.

Since we’re doing a battle of Bard vs. ChatGPT-4, we also plugged the same question with the same wording into Google’s chatbot. Instead of a single best chicken recipe, we got several options without the actual recipe but one at the end for lemon chicken. 

Who won the matchup? Both have pros and cons. We like the way ChatGPT keeps it simple and offers a single best chicken recipe along with complete instructions to cook it now. That said, what if you don’t like their suggestion? Bard’s option to offer additional thoughts is a good one. We can either use the recipe they provide for lemon chicken or ask a follow-up question and get a recipe for another of their ideas. 

2. Generate Lists

One of the biggest benefits of ChatGPT is how it can generate ideas and lists almost effortlessly. What used to take days of brainstorming and planning can be completed in seconds. This is particularly useful for marketing teams, students and leaders who have to come up with ideas to get a session started and then build from there.

We chose to use the prompt, “Make me a list of marketing ideas to promote a new product launch for a pair of sandals.”

ChatGPT-4 came up with ideas for influencer marketing, social media campaigns and video content. One thing we don’t particularly like about the responses received from this chatbot is that they are rather shallow and not very specific. Note how the ideas are so general you could apply them to almost any type of product other than sandals.

Next, we asked Bard the same question. 

Bard offered similar results. Color us unimpressed. This is actually a perfect example of how the chatbots simply spit out general ideas they cull from the rest of mankind. It’s a computer. It can only give an idea that’s already been tried. There’s nothing unique about it that makes it stand out as brilliant. It is simply a time-saving tool that can help you come up with a general list and then expand on it from there.

The general nature of many responses is why we feel AI still has a long way to go and we aren’t worried about losing our writing or marketing jobs to a robot. It is still impossible for a machine to match the way the human brain works and likely always will be. 

3. Timeliness

We wanted to see how well each generator did with current news and if it could come up with something there wasn’t a lot of outside reviews and information for. Again, while both generators didn’t do too awful, they also were very generalized with little emotion or feeling a human brings to a project.

We asked about a 2023 release by saying, “Can you summarize the book Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson?” Staying with the order we’ve used throughout this piece, we asked ChatGPT first.

The bot couldn’t come up with any information at all. This makes us wonder if some sites already have AI generators blocked from grabbing information, such as review sites and some e-commerce stores.

Next, we turned to Google’s Bard and asked the same question.

While we heard Google’s Bard might have more up-to-date information thanks to its ties to their search engine, it also couldn’t come up with a result that matched the query. However, Zapier claims Bard draws its responses in real-time and that they were able to get a summary of a popular book released in 2023 from Bard and not from ChatGPT.

Perhaps it was because we chose a more obscure fiction novel but our takeaway is that both chatbots are lacking when it comes to the most current data on some topics. 

4. Interface

We find pros and cons to both interfaces. With ChatGPT, the last query appears on the left in the sidebar. You can go back to it with a quick click. You can also scroll back up. With Bard, you can scroll up or click on Bard activity in the left sidebar for a run down. 

Bard gives you a bit more control to save your searches, make them private, etc. For those doing research they don’t want others to see, being able to take it private is a nice perk. 

Keep in mind that Bard is still in the experimental phase and may change as users report back to Google about what’s working well for them and what isn’t. Chat-GPT will also change over time, but since it has already been released, changes may be implemented much more slowly. 

5. Biases

We did test both to see what the response would be when queried with a tragedy in the headlines. Both gave somewhat politically biased responses lacking depth and ChatGPT was completely off base with the story they tapped into but which also seemed to have some biases. 

We made the query more specific and soon found that ChatGPT has a severe limitation in that it stated when given a date of the incident that it could not pull info from any date prior to September 2021. The query was made in March of 2023. That means the bot runs almost 16 months behind current events. 

Bard, on the other hand, pulled up the available information and even apologized for the previous response having an error. It did, however, still have some bias and left out pertinent details. Overall, we choose Bard as the winner of current events and timeliness but a bit big brotherish in limiting information to only what they wish the user to know. Since it’s a computer, we couldn’t inquire into why some details were shared and others weren’t.

As long as you’re aware of how to reduce biases in writing and stay attuned to current events and user intent, then you can still use Bard vs ChatGPT for initial research. You may have to refine your queries more or turn to other sources to round things out.

The bot itself isn’t prone to biased language, so that is a plus when using it for research or even to write an email or social media post. 

6. Personality

It’s apparent both developers tried hard to give their bots personality. It falls flat. Humor is a subjective thing anyway, but try to teach a computer humor and it just doesn’t work. 

We asked, “Why are you so robotic?” and got a basic answer about how natural language and machine learning work from both bots. Snore…

We then asked each to tell us a joke.

ChatGPT told us a joke that was clean and kind of cute. Sort of a dad joke style. One of those that makes you laugh in spite of yourself. Not a bad sense of humor but probably pretty rote. 

Bard told us a joke that not only fell flat about fish but they then went on and explained why the joke is funny–except it is not funny, Google. It is not. 

Winner in personality goes to ChatGPT. Perhaps it is the programmer behind the AI. Perhaps it is pulling from different sources. It’s hard to say when it comes to “personality” for an inanimate thing. Nevertheless, machines still have a long way to go before they truly can offer humorous responses or show true personalities. 

7. Editing Questions

We then looked at how hard it is to edit questions and dig down to get more specific results with each engine. The best way to figure this out is to ask a somewhat general question and then drill down and change it a bit.

We asked, “Are dogs allowed at the Indianapolis Zoo?”

The response from ChatGPT-4 seems to come probably right from the zoo’s website. If you needed to search several locations for details, you could save time by doing all queries from the chatbot dashboard.

Bard gave a similar, albeit shorter, answer to the question. We then changed the question slightly to, “Are dogs allowed at the Indianapolis Zoo on any special days?”

ChatGPT-4 changed the response slightly to allow for the possibility of a special event.

We then asked Bard the same question, but one thing we like about Bard’s interface is that you can edit your initial question rather than typing a new query. 

To alter your initial query or refine it a bit, just click on the edit/pencil icon next to your question. Interestingly, Google’s response to our query was different from ChatGPT’s. To our knowledge, they never allow anything other than service dogs at the zoo, so Bard was more accurate. 

8. Fact-Checking

One thing we particularly like about Bard vs. ChatGPT is the way it fact-checks itself by inviting the user to “Google It” with a bright call to action (CTA) button at the bottom of each response. 

You can also offer a thumbs up, thumbs down or regenerate the response. This helps the bot learn what user intent is. The idea is that with time and input the machine will improve in its abilities. 

Bard vs ChatGTP: Which Is Best?

One isn’t really better than the other. They are similar in the end results, yet slightly different. Over time, one may pull ahead as the clear winner and knock the other out. Since both have such huge funding behind them, it’s unlikely Google will gobble up Bard as it has so many smaller competitors. 

Our advice is to try both Bard and ChatGPT-4 and see which one you prefer. We do like the timeliness of Bard for immediacy. It is likely the best choice for research on current topics. However, ChatGPT often gives more in-depth answers and drills down to the heart of the matter. There is likely a place for both programs in most marketing and design firms. 

The post Bard vs. ChatGPT: What Are the Main Differences? appeared first on Designerly.

You’ve most likely heard the buzz that’s been happening recently about ChatGPT. This powerful artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot was recently launched in November 2022 and has taken off from the start — as people have found so many uses for it. It’s like having an assistant in your back pocket, allowing you to get help anytime and anywhere.

In fact, many people use it to develop new business ideas, conduct research, write emails and much more. You can even use ChatGPT as your thought partner and look for inspiration when the spark has run out.

What’s more, there are plenty of ways small businesses can make the most of their marketing efforts with it. Yet, before you start using ChatGPT for marketing, let’s understand what this AI tool is and how you can get started with it.

What Is ChatGPT?

According to ChaGPT, it describes itself as “a large language model developed by OpenAI. It has been trained on a vast amount of text data using a technique called deep learning, which enables it to understand and generate human-like language.”

ChatGPT can help you answer various questions and assist with multiple tasks. The purpose of this chatbot is to assist and communicate with users naturally and efficiently.

Adrian Twarog created this awesome ChatGPT tutorial video above as well as great walkthroughs over on his YouTube channel!

How Does ChatGPT Work?

ChatGPT works by understanding human language and responding to chats in a human-like way. When you ask ChatGPT a question or make statements, it carefully analyzes your words to understand the meaning behind what you’re saying. This means that it considers the context of the conversation and will provide the most relevant and appropriate response.

To generate responses, ChatGPT will analyze a massive amount of text from the internet to learn patterns in language and build a language model. From there, the model is fine-tuned to provide specific answers to questions or generate conversational responses.

The neat part about ChatGPT is that it learns something new from every piece of conversation so that it can improve its responses. Overall, ChatGPT can be a helpful tool for your business and even provide you with some company, especially as it can feel lonely as a solopreneur.

The Pros and Cons of ChatGPT

ChatGPT helps small businesses with marketing in several ways. However, it’s important to keep the downsides in mind. An over-reliance on this tool can place your marketing efforts at risk. So, these are the top pros and cons to be aware of before implementing it into your processes.

Pros

Speeds Up Productivity

Marketers and small businesses love this tool because it increases their processes in speed and efficiency. When you’re unsure about a task or need to find an answer to something, you can input a query, and it will generate a response within seconds. 

For instance, suppose you’re writing an article about a topic, but you could use more information to understand a particular subject. You can easily gain a full understanding by asking ChatGPT to elaborate on something or explain it to you like you’re five. Instead of spending extra time doing a Google search, get answers immediately and finish your projects faster.

Helps Marketers Generate New Ideas

No longer will you suffer from writer’s block or barriers to creativity. You can tell ChatGPT your goal and have it give you a list of ideas. For example, many people use it to generate ideas for article titles in content marketing. 

Your article headlines are crucial in garnering attention and gaining site traffic. If you use ChatGPT for new ideas, you can be sure to create precise titles that attract more readers.

Personalized Content

Whether you’re creating content for a blog, social media or email, ChatGPT saves the day in personalization. While you command it to generate content, you can also provide details about your brand, such as tone and style. Providing such information makes it easier for the tool to understand what you’re looking for, making it easier to personalize how you write.

Highly Versatile

One of the greatest things about ChatGPT is that you can use it for multiple tasks. Do you need to schedule your content in a calendar? Give ChatGPT your social media captions, and it will organize the content neatly. 

Maybe you need keyword ideas for your next article. The tool will also take care of this for you. With this AI platform able to complete various tasks for you, small businesses can streamline their to-do lists and focus on other aspects requiring more creativity.

Cons

Lacks Creativity and Contextual Awareness

ChatGPT is a tool that can only generate content it learned from its inputted data. Therefore, it can only regurgitate what others have said online, in books and in other text forms. While it’s great for helping humans stimulate their creativity, it can be a downside to those who need to create highly unique content.

Additionally, it doesn’t always understand the context of your prompt. Let’s say you ask it to summarize an article for research purposes. Sometimes, it may give inaccurate or completely unrelated responses.

Limited Emotional Intelligence

One of the other downfalls of this tool is its lack of emotion. AI has no feelings as humans do — it can only replicate emotions. Therefore, if you tell it to use a positive tone in its writing, it may give off overly cheerful energy by using too many exclamation points or going overboard in a happy manner. Using the exact language that ChatGPT gives you may reflect your brand negatively on customers.

Can be Biased

Bias has always existed in humans, so there’s bound to be some form within the data that OpenAI fed it. While OpenAI is working actively to fix this, it’s vital to watch the responses it provides.

Limited Knowledge

ChatGPT’s knowledge base cuts off in 2021. Therefore, asking for facts or the latest statistics can be an issue. That’s where you’ll need to use search engines to gather the latest information.

How To Get Started Using ChatGPT

To get started with ChatGPT, go to OpenAI and select “Try ChatGPT.” From there, it will ask you to create an account before using it.

Once you create an account, you can start familiarizing yourself with ChatGPT to understand its capabilities and how to use it to benefit your small business. One way you can do this is by asking it a simple question and seeing how it responds — you can build it out from there. 

ChatGPT only limits itself based on the prompts you enter, so use your imagination. The more targeted and creative your questions are, the higher your chances of getting quality output.

Another way to understand how ChatGPT works is by learning how others use it. Tons of online resources provide you with examples of how ChatGPT works. You can even discover a list of ChatGPT prompts to give you inspiration for what to ask it. 

Finally, consider asking ChatGPT yourself about the ways to use it. For example, you could write a prompt that says, “I’m new to ChatGPT. What is the best way to use it?”

Ways You Can Use ChatGPT for Marketing

As soon as you learn how ChatGPT works, you will see it as an invaluable tool for your business, especially as you look to improve your marketing efforts. Here are some ways small businesses can use this tool for marketing.

1. Optimize Content for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Small businesses looking to improve their online visibility and drive more traffic to their website can benefit greatly from using ChatGPT — as you can use it to optimize your content for search engines. 

One of the ways ChatGPT can assist you with SEO is by suggesting relevant keywords and phrases. The AI chatbot does this by analyzing search trends and identifying commonly used terms and phrases related to the topic and your industry. 

It will also give you ideas about improving your content for readability and user engagement. By utilizing this tool for SEO, you can ensure your content’s visibility increases in search results and that it’s engaging and informative.

2. Generate a List of Ideas for New Content

Small businesses always seek new, engaging content ideas to attract and retain customers. However, creating fresh and relevant content ideas can take time and effort. That’s where ChatGPT can help.

You can use this tool to inform it of your business type and what problems you’re trying to solve for your customers. Once you enter the prompt, ChatGPT will analyze this information and provide relevant topics for recommendations.

For example, suppose you run a fitness center and are looking to post new content on your website. ChatGPT can identify topics of interest, such as healthy eating tips, workout routines and fitness trends and suggest new ideas that resonate with your audience.

3. Assist in Creating High-Quality Content

Whether you need help writing blog posts, social media updates or product descriptions, ChatGPT can provide you with the assistance you need to create engaging and informative content.

One of the main benefits of using ChatGPT to assist with content creation is its ability to generate text quickly and efficiently. By inputting a topic or prompt, ChatGPT can instantly provide you with a range of responses that can inspire your writing or serve as a starting point for your own ideas.

This can be especially helpful for small businesses with limited time and resources, as it allows them to produce high-quality content without dedicating significant time to research and writing.

4. Create a Digital Marketing Strategy

ChatGPT can be a powerful tool for small businesses looking to create a digital marketing strategy. The best part about this is that it can help you create a plan that aligns with your business goals. All you need to do is explain your business and what purpose you want to achieve, then ask it to help you create a strategy.

While ChatGPT itself does not create marketing strategies for small businesses, you can still use it to assist you in designing your own. Creating an effective digital marketing strategy can be challenging, and small businesses can save time and money with quick, useful ideas.

5. Enhance Social Media Marketing

Small businesses can also benefit from ChatGPT by improving their social media marketing efforts. For example, you can use it to create engaging content, develop a social media strategy and provide topic suggestions for posts. 

This tool can even analyze social media trends and provide you with a range of ideas for content, so you always stay on top of the latest trends. 

Furthermore, this machine can assist with social media advertising by learning about your target audience and identifying the best ways to reach them. As this tool gets to know you more over time, you can increase the effectiveness of your social media marketing efforts and drive more traffic to your website.

Tips for Using Generative AI in Marketing

Despite ChatGPT having a few downfalls, it’s still a viable tool for your marketing strategy. 

Balance Human and AI Use

Humans and AI both have their strengths and weaknesses. Human marketers are creative and tenacious but can become burnt out easily. On the other hand, ChatGPT’s cleverness is seriously limited.

However, the tool is like a robot assistant to help you 24/7. Put the two together side-by-side, and you get the best of both worlds — human creativity and increased content creation. 

When using both in marketing, ensure you balance the two effectively. Determine what you can use the tool for and where human intervention is necessary. Creating a balance between humans and AI will be crucial in producing marketing efforts that meet your audience’s needs.

Use Detailed Prompts for Better Output

ChatGPT’s responses are only as good as the prompts you give it. Try to be as detailed and descriptive as possible to get quality results. For instance, suppose you need to devise a content marketing strategy. Instead of telling it to create one for you, ask it for help. 

ChatGPT will help you in this aspect, as it will ask for more details it needs to know to create a personalized content marketing strategy. You can also tell it to pretend to be a content marketing expert so that it will give you more detailed information in the process.

Use It for Ideation

It’s a given that many companies will use ChatGPT to help them create content. However, the downside is that these businesses will all sound the same. If you truly want to stand out online, leverage ChatGPT for ideation. For example, if you have to produce content for an article, avoid copying and pasting. Rather, use it to give you ideas for what to include in your blog post.

Leverage for Content Improvement

This tool is amazing for asking for feedback on what you need to create. Once you finish writing your pieces, ask for feedback on grammar, sentence structure, tone consistency and more. This way, you understand where you need to improve, creating better content than ever.

Always Start a New Prompt for a New Task

It’s best to keep your tasks separate in ChatGPT. While it’s great for continuing a job you started previously, it’s better if you start a new chat for a different project. Otherwise, the tool can become confused with the previous prompts you’ve fed it. Then, it may give nonsensical responses. 

Make the Most of Your Marketing Efforts With ChatGPT

ChatGPT can provide the support and guidance you need to succeed. The best part is that it’s easy to use and accessible to businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re a solopreneur or a small team, this tool will provide the resources and insights needed to boost your marketing efforts.

Most importantly, it tailors your marketing to your unique needs and goals. Therefore, if you’re looking for an easy and effective way to enhance your marketing, consider using this AI-powered chatbot and see the difference it makes for your small business!

The post ChatGPT: An Easy Way to Boost Marketing for Small Businesses appeared first on Designerly.

Technology helps businesses run more efficiently and automates repetitive tasks. The Internet of Things (IoT) benefits for businesses are numerous, and continue to grow as new apps and devices hit the market. You’ve likely noticed features such as ordering fast food via your mobile device or companies pinging you when it’s time to reorder. Those little personalized details are thanks to IoT. 

Statista predicts connected IoT devices will hit 30.9 billion units by 2025. The pandemic accelerated the number of people shopping online and utilizing various technologies to limit contact. Once people saw how convenient utilizing various apps was, they began to use them more. The use of IoT continues on an upward trajectory for the foreseeable future. 

IoT benefits for business are numerous, but which ones work best depends on your industry and the maturity of your business. We’ll look at some of the different options and how best to utilize different features to your advantage. 

How Can IoT Help Small Businesses?

IoT benefits for business aren’t just limited to mega corporations. There are many ways to utilize new technology to expand your small business, no matter your size. There are programs you can use from day one to improve processes and excel in customer service. 

Here are the main benefits of IoT for smaller companies. 

1. Track Merchandise

If you run an e-commerce store or carry any type of inventory, loss of assets can cost your company a lot of money. Utilizing IoT technology, you can add a tracking device to palettes and find out where they are any time they go missing or are delayed.

If you run a bigger operation, it’s easy to misplace a palette behind others, for example. You’d simply pull up the tile with the RFID tag and figure out the exact location so you could find the merchandise you most need just when you need it. 

2. Minimize Downtime

IoT benefits for businesses also encompass ideas such as minimizing downtime due to equipment failure. For manufacturers and construction professionals, IoT is a game-changer. Instead of waiting for equipment to break and having to stop everything to repair or replace, devices send reports about everything from temperature to how much the machine shakes. 

Doing maintenance before something goes wrong saves time and expensive repair bills. Workers won’t be paid to stand around while you attempt to get the machine running again. Of course, no one can predict every possible malfunction, but IoT can reduce issues significantly. 

3. Improve Customer Experience

IoT benefits for business include figuring out what customers want and how to give it to them. Customer experience (CX) is one of the things that can help your company stand out from the competition. You can tap into consumer behavior by running analytics that pull from different databases, for example. 

You can also use various programs with artificial intelligence to automate customer communications. Send them a discount email on their birthday, let them know about new products they are most interested in and completely personalize the experience so your clients feel like more than just another number. 

4. Increase Sales

Nearly everyone in developed nations carry smartphones. BankMyCell reports 6.648 billion smartphone users in the world. If you can get your customers to download your app, you can ping them when they pass by your store and remind them of special sales, to come in and see you or anything else you’d like.

You can also track how often they visit your store, what they buy when they come in and pop up offers and specials for them. Because they’re connected to the internet via their cell phone, you have instant access to your customers 24/7. One of the biggest IoT benefits for business may simply be in the increased and more targeted communication opportunities. 

5. Ensure Worker Safety

Some industries create numerous dangers for employees. For example, construction workers have a high incidence of accidents. Some manufacturing jobs are also risky. Enter IoT benefits for business and new ways to protect your staff.

Whether you’re suffering from the current labor shortage, or you simply want to be a better employer and protect your employees, you can add devices that detect environmental issues or report when one of your staff is in distress.

For example, construction workers can wear a vest that sends an alert if someone grows overheated or their respiration is off. Other sensors can report on potential equipment or structural failures that might result in deadly accidents. 

6. Save Money

IoT benefits for business also include the many devices you can use in a workspace. Even office settings benefit from smart thermostats or devices that turn the lights off when no one is around. You can program such devices or automate them to sense movement. 

For example, adding a device that turns off bathroom lights unless someone comes into the room can save on energy costs. Keep a handle on every section of your building, too, with various devices.

For example, if half your staff works remotely every other day, you might install systems that turn off lights and heat in empty parts of the building. 

Tips and Strategies to Leverage IoT for Business Growth

Now that you understand the immense benefits of IoT in business, consider implementing these tactics to achieve company growth.

Aligning IoT Strategy With Business Goals

When integrating IoT into your business operations, understanding your core objectives is critical. Consider a local grocery store aiming to enhance its inventory management. By aligning their IoT strategy with this goal, they could employ smart shelves with weight sensors. These IoT devices alert staff when stocks are running low, streamlining restocking procedures and reducing the risk of out-of-stock situations.

Similarly, a tech startup with a goal of maximizing workspace efficiency introduces IoT-powered smart lighting systems. They can increase productivity, as automated lighting systems reduce unnecessary power usage and create an optimal working environment. 

In both instances, aligning IoT strategies with clear business objectives leads to significant operational improvements. So, it’s essential to pinpoint what you hope to achieve with IoT — whether it’s enhancing efficiency, refining customer service or pioneering products — and draw up an IoT roadmap that directly supports these goals. 

Choosing the Right IoT Technology

With many devices and applications in the IoT space, choosing the right technology may seem overwhelming. Even though most companies may be all about having the latest tech, it’s picking what aligns with the business’s needs, budget and size that truly matters.

Let’s say you run a small retail business. Your primary concern may be inventory management. In such a case, IoT solutions like smart shelves and RFID tags could be a good fit since they provide real-time inventory tracking.

Or perhaps you manage a large manufacturing unit, and equipment maintenance is your Achilles heel. Industrial IoT sensors would be a wise investment, as they’re capable of monitoring machine health and predicting failures.

Therefore, consider sifting through the IoT spectrum with a clear understanding of your specific requirements. That’s the key to choosing the right technology for your business.

Implementing Pilot Projects

Integrating IoT technology into your company can be a significant investment of time and resources. Therefore, the best strategy is to start small by implementing pilot projects. This approach allows you to gauge the impact of IoT on your business operations and customer experience without a massive initial delay.

For instance, take a small restaurant aiming to optimize energy usage. They could start a pilot project with smart thermostats in the kitchen. This trial run would provide valuable insights into potential savings and identify any operational issues before a full-scale rollout.

Similarly, a logistics company might initially test IoT-enabled tracking systems on a few vehicles. By monitoring the pilot’s success, they can troubleshoot problems and understand the potential impact before expanding to the entire fleet. Hence, pilot projects are an effective, less risky stepping stone toward full IoT integration. 

Investing in Employee Training

While successful implementation of IoT is about choosing the right technology, it also depends on how your team utilizes it to its full potential. Therefore, employee training is a must.

Consider adopting a blended training approach. An e-learning module could provide a better understanding of the IoT technology you plan to implement, its benefits and functionalities. This approach offers flexibility since employees have the ability to learn at their own pace.

The hands-on nature of IoT also requires practical training. Engaging IoT consultants for interactive sessions can give your team a real-world feel of the new technology.

Having an adequately trained workforce will smoothen the transition to the new technology in addition to accelerating the realization of its benefits.

Prioritizing Security in IoT Implementation

As beneficial as IoT can be for businesses, keeping the associated security risks in mind is crucial. IoT devices can be gateways for cybercriminals to breach data and disrupt operations.

The first step to secure your IoT infrastructure is ensuring regular device updates. These updates often patch security vulnerabilities and protect your network from potential exploits.

Data encryption is another powerful tool. By encoding data, you make it harder for unauthorized parties to access sensitive information, even if a breach occurs.

Lastly, develop a response plan for potential breaches. A well-structured plan that outlines steps to isolate affected devices and restore normalcy can greatly minimize damage.

Prioritizing security is a necessity for all businesses using IoT systems because it protects them from cyber threats and maintains client trust. 

IoT Is the Wave of the Future

We are in the middle of the wave of the future with the IoT and how connected everyone and everything is today. IoT benefits for business will continue to grow over the years. There’s no telling what new devices will impact companies. 

Smart cities will continue to keep a handle on traffic and sanitation and create better opportunities for brands to connect to everything imaginable. Pay attention to what helps your industry the most, and implement the things that help you grow and improve your business model.

The post What Are the IoT Benefits for Business? appeared first on Designerly.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing how businesses operate today — and business leaders are gradually realizing its importance in their companies. IoT’s growing collection of devices, like smartphones and manufacturing robots, are interconnected to the internet.

Thanks to the interconnection, these devices can send and receive data — providing various actions used in everyday business. IoT is being integrated into businesses more each day, and by 2025, there will be 152,200 IoT devices connecting to the internet each minute. Meanwhile, IoT will potentially generate $4 trillion to $11 trillion in economic value. 

What Is IoT?

IoT refers to the network of objects — “things” — embedded with sensors, software and other technologies. These sensor-equipped devices allow them to connect and exchange data with each other via the internet. 

IoT devices can be anything from shipping labels to the refrigerator in your kitchen. So, how does this impact businesses?

IoT in business can take on many different forms. However, it often involves collecting data on consumer behavior and improving processes. Many organizations find that IoT is helping the way they operate. It provides new insights, increases efficiency and allows companies to make more informed decisions.

IoT gives organizations the data they need to understand what’s happening within their business. They can gather reams of data and use it within artificial intelligence (AI) systems to identify behavior patterns — which were previously unidentifiable.

How to Use IoT in Business

With the emergence of the digital revolution, businesses have the opportunity to leverage IoT, gain a competitive advantage and improve customer experience. However, IoT creates better benefits that go beyond revenue and profitability. 

If you’re considering using this technology, here are some of the ways you can leverage IoT to transform your business.

1. Drive Business with Real-Time Insights

Real-time data collected from business processes, devices and customers are impacting how organizations operate.

The Internet of Things plays a vital role in data generation. Businesses can integrate IoT data with other data sources to create a real-time company overview. Once they have those insights, they can translate the data into actionable solutions to everyday operational tasks. Furthermore, these insights can change your thinking by making sound business decisions each day. 

The key to gaining a competitive advantage with data insights is putting it to effective use. Once you figure out how to acquire these innovations into your business models, this will help accomplish more company goals. 

2. Create Effective Marketing Campaigns

As a small business, IoT allows you to ingest, process, visualize and respond to large chunks of various data. In turn, they can ultimately build strategies to meet customers’ needs in the process. 

For example, internet-connected devices can obtain a comprehensive overview of customers’ preferences and build strategic campaigns to drive revenue. Moreover, IoT helps segment customer bases and open them up to cross-selling or upselling. 

For instance, QR labels on products allow customers to scan them using their smartphones. This feature guides customers to related products, discounts, in-store experiences and even engaging product trivia.

3. Track and Manage Inventory

Many small businesses can face difficulty with tracking and managing their inventory. With that in mind, companies can lose a significant amount of money due to a loss of assets. Additionally, businesses miss out on time when workers are constantly engaged in solving inventory issues.

Businesses can manage their inventory with IoT applications, granting automated inventory control. Likewise, tracking products in the supply chain with IoT can help track which items have gone missing and are in transit.

Installing IoT devices and software in warehouses can make inventory management seamless. Furthermore, surveillance systems with IoT can prevent theft before it occurs.

4. Formulate New Lines of Business

With the help of IoT, companies can develop a product and monitor performance through the algorithm of the IoT platform. This technology carries a new path of innovation for businesses since the data is transferable across the organization’s ecosystem. With this unique ability, you would have the opportunity to develop continuous engagement and add on high-value services.

For example, companies can avoid losing customers when there is an issue with their products. By doing so, they can install a digital sensor reporting how well the product is performing. If the product is about to receive downtime, the company can alert the customer and send a diagnostic tool before it breaks. 

5. Provide an Omnichannel Customer Experience

In today’s world of customer service, it’s highly fundamental to streamline the shopping experience with an omnichannel approach. IoT is the leading role when facilitating this service. It can improve the user experience by incorporating sensors on interconnected devices. Then organizations supervise operations, status and service levels from remote locations to offer support and meet customer needs. Overall, companies can personalize customer shopping experiences like never before.

For example, smart shelves connect to Kroger’s grocery store app using Microsoft Azure AI. With this technology, the grocery store processes data — offering customers a guided shopping experience — with automated identification of items in the app and displaying pricing, promotional and dietary information.

6. Offer Faster Delivery and Order Processing

Customers today expect faster delivery. So most business partners, such as logistics companies, use IoT technology solutions to ensure prompt deliveries. However, more rapid delivery isn’t the only thing companies can provide with IoT. This technology can assure higher levels of efficiency and productivity with better information. 

Additionally, IoT support can employ automation and real-time response on operational efficiency. With these innovations in mind, this will reduce costs and expand the landscape for enhanced manufacturing.

7. Improve Customer Satisfaction

When customers aren’t satisfied with your product or service, this can lead to negative feedback — and eventually a decline in your revenue. 

The most feasible solution would be to build your product with the Internet of Things. By doing so, IoT provides your support team with enhanced tools for monitoring customer problems. As a result, this solution allows your company to address and resolve issues more effectively.

Additionally, chatbots help with customer satisfaction by providing a top-notch customer service experience. Chatbots can spot issues with any product or service and improve them through synthesized data. With AI and IoT integration, customer relation managers can receive viable data to offer custom solutions. Therefore, customers can use products better, and satisfaction goes way up.

8. Reduce Utility Costs

Many ways homeowners lower monthly costs can be equivalent for a business environment. For instance, implementing light and temperature controls can help reduce energy consumption and save on costs. IoT devices control appliances, machinery and equipment — automatically turning them off when not in use. 

9. Lower Business Expenses

IoT robotic devices can replace certain facets of your business and reduce paid expenses. For example, custodial staff can be quite expensive to bring in every week and clean the office. However, robotic vacuum cleaners can maintain cleanliness and reduce custodial maintenance costs. With IoT robotic vacuum cleaners, they can tell you when it’s time to empty them. And you cut down the custodial time by bringing them in for a deep cleaning once a month. 

Things to Consider with IoT in Business

When incorporating IoT technology into your business, you should address a few things to help facilitate the integration of this technology. Consider hiring an IoT consultant to partner with your IT team. They can help address certain business needs and objectives.

Secondly, you won’t need to assume that you should start to lay off workers when machines take over. Instead, IoT can enable team productivity and allow employees to focus on other tasks.

Lastly, IoT devices are connected to networks full of sensitive data, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks. Business owners must understand these vulnerabilities and work with a security specialist to prevent future threats. 

The post 9 Ways to Leverage IoT in Business appeared first on Designerly.

Rising levels of demand, new sustainability goals and a growing industry labor gap all pose serious challenges for the manufacturing industry.

New tech is often essential in solving these kinds of emerging problems. For manufacturing, the internet of things (IoT) has been critical in solving the biggest challenges of the 21st century.

These major innovations enabled by IoT tech have allowed the manufacturing industry to adapt and prepare for the future.

1. Asset Tracking

With the right IoT devices, it’s possible to track important assets — including goods, vehicles, robots and machines — as they move or are moved through the supply chain.

For example, a warehouse owner may tag each pallet in the warehouse with an RFID tag. RFID readers throughout the warehouse can then track the approximate location of each of these pallets — providing a real-time “map” of warehouse assets.

Over time, this information can be organized in a variety of ways — like maps of warehouse traffic flows. These maps can help owners identify bottlenecks and wasted space. Thus, allowing them to make layout changes to improve traffic flow and optimize use of floor space.

GPS tracking solutions allow businesses to monitor fleet vehicles in real-time. Vehicle tracking data can be passed onto customers. This provides them with a real-time view of where their delivery is and when to expect it. These systems can also be useful for businesses that want to prevent dangerous driving practices. Or perhaps cut down on the amount of idling done by delivery drivers.

2. Remote Factory Monitoring and Control

It’s also possible to use these IoT devices to keep an eye on how machines or factory equipment is behaving.

For example, a factory owner may connect site laser cutters with an IoT device that can connect to the factory’s network. This can allow workers on-site to directly import pattern files into the laser cutting system via a network connection. In practice, this allows the workers to effectively control the laser cutters with a PC or Mac, reducing the complexity and time needed for laser cutting jobs.

Because laser cutters are so versatile. They can be used for tasks ranging from machining metals to engraving a finished product, this change could save serious time across all factory workflows.

With other tech, you can monitor just about any part of a factory or manufacturing plant. For example, a plant that’s testing a new system to help reduce emissions can use IoT sensors for round-the-clock site emissions testing. This will provide real-time info on how the system is working — and also a database that they can use to identify patterns in emissions over the course of the day.

3. “Smart” and Predictive Maintenance

IoT sensors can also enable a new kind of maintenance strategy — one that allows factory owners to predict when machines are going to fail.

Predictive maintenance allows factory managers to use IoT data collection to prevent failure and downtime. For example, a factory owner may use IoT devices to monitor the temperature, vibration and timing of a machine’s engine. By capturing this data, you get both a picture of real-time machine health and a dataset that you can use to predict failure.

After establishing a baseline, an analytics system can establish safe operating thresholds for that machine. When the machine’s operating parameters leaves these thresholds — the engine starts to overheat or vibrate more than usual, for example — the system can alert the factory’s maintenance team. These workers can then deactivate the machine, preventing future damage, and schedule maintenance.

Most factories that haven’t adopted IoT tech currently rely on preventative maintenance. With this strategy, factory technicians follow a manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedule, conducting repairs and maintenance at regular intervals. This strategy is effective, but can be expensive and may miss certain problems if they emerge between maintenance checks.

Because the predictive maintenance system is constantly monitoring machine performance, factory managers are much more likely to catch issues as they arise.

In practice, this approach can help companies significantly cut down on maintenance costs and the risk of unplanned downtime. Exact savings vary, but data from the U.S. Department of Energy suggests that businesses can see up to a 30% reduction in maintenance costs. And also up to a 75% decrease in breakdowns.

4. Cold Chain Monitoring

IoT technology can be especially useful for pharmaceutical or food and beverage manufacturers. Both need to transport goods under specific environmental conditions.

In the pharmaceutical industry, this has meant organizing what’s known as the cold chain. The environmentally-controlled supply chain that moves drugs from one point to another while keeping them cooler than a certain temperature.

When medicine rises above that temperature, causing what’s called a temperature excursion, it can quickly spoil. If a system can alert supply chain workers to temperature excursions, they can take quick action to prevent spoilage.

This kind of temperature data can also help after the fact. If you know exactly when a container rose above safe temperature thresholds, you may know how to prevent a similar mistake in the future.

Most IoT temperature tracking solutions can also act as asset tracking technology. As a result, they can give pharmaceutical manufacturers better information on shipment locations while helping to keep shipments in a safe temperature range.

Using IoT to Overcome Manufacturing Industry’s Biggest Challenges

The internet of things has been central to recent innovation in manufacturing. The tech has enabled new approaches to factory management — like smart asset tracking, predictive maintenance and remote factory — and is helping the sector solve some of its most pressing challenges.

As the range of IoT tech improves, big data analysis becomes more sophisticated. These devices are likely to help the manufacturing industry to innovate further.

The post How the Manufacturing Industry Adapted Thanks to IoT appeared first on Designerly.

You’ve likely heard the term internet of things (IoT) frequently in recent months. Knowing the words the acronym stands for is different from understanding how IoT works. There is an entire connectivity network between physical objects and sensors and cloud-based computing. 

Statista estimates by 2030, there will be 25.44 billion devices connected to the IoT. Devices connect through different types of consumer markets and industry verticals. About 60% of the IoT is made up of consumer devices at this time. 

Understanding how IoT works requires a basic understanding of technology, sensors and the cloud. Let’s look at different ways devices plug in and some examples to make it a bit clearer.

What Is the Internet of Things?

The internet of things isn’t just a catchy phrase. It refers to physical objects—the “things”—that have sensors, technology and software that helps them exchange information with other things via a connection to the internet.

Devices interact with the global information network without a desktop computer. While the majority of the market is made up of consumer goods, such as apps, smartwatches and household items, business also uses IoT. 

A sensor sends data to a gateway, to the cloud and then to your mobile app. Of course, each device works a bit differently, but all involve a gateway, the internet and some type of delivery mechanism. 

How IoT Works for Smart Cities

You’ve likely heard of smart cities and how they’re changing the way we live and do business. How IoT works in a metropolitan area may soon filter down more rural settings. 

Studies show spending on digital cities is about $679.5 billion per year. Experts predict the areas of biggest growth will be in parking and energy saving measures. You might wonder how IoT works in an intelligent metropolis. 

Examples of towns tapping into technology include 254 locations in Israel tied to their central system. Israel established a bureau to help reduce socio-economic gaps and make it easier for citizens to access government programs. They created an index connecting various areas of the country. Part of the system includes easy ways to register for school, pay fines and tap into government licenses. 

Other ways how IoT works for towns include:

• Apps telling citizens where parking spots are open and allowing them to pay for space from their phones
• Sensors to let city engineers know when there’s an issue with the sewage system, transportation or other basic functions that make a place livable
• Easy access to the internet via 5G wireless connections
• Managing pollution data and making adjustments to reduce the risk

As more and more towns tap into the current smart city technology, expect more devices and options to appear. Imagine a world where people are tapped into the global network all day and night. With the advances in cell phones, the world is almost to a complete connectivity level now. 

How Do IoT Devices Connect to the Internet?

How well IoT works depends on internet speeds. Rural areas may fall behind due to lack of service. Most rural communities have had to historically rely on satellite service, which can be slower than DSL and offer sporadic service.

The installation of fiber optic cables in many big cities means rural America falls even further behind. There are some promising changes on the horizon that might allow farmers and other businesses in smaller towns tap into the advantages of new technology. 

Starlink is a satellite-based internet Space X is launching. The goal is to provide rural and remote parts with reliable and faster internet at an affordable price. While the cost is still a bit out of the range of some families, hopefully the rates will go down over time. The box to access the Starlink is around $500 and the service is about $100 per month. It is still in refinement, too.

5G also offers some promise for cell phone users to download apps and tap into a faster internet option. However, it is still only available in more populated areas at this time and may lag at times.

Who knows what technology might appear in coming years and reduce the challenges those in smaller communities face. 

IoT Makes Human Work Simpler

Machine to machine interaction speeds up many repetitive tasks and allows humans to focus on creativity and face-to-face interactions. How IoT works is by collecting real-time data, processing it and helping humans become more efficient. 

One example might be in a factory where a particular machine used to break down every other day, resulting in costly repairs and downtime. Installing sensors at the trouble spots and sending reports to a computer might allow leadership to see when the machine is nearing a breaking point. They can then send in the repair person to fix the issue before the machine breaks, saving time, money and downtime. 

Another way IoT works is by analyzing complex data and sending regular updates to the user’s cell phone. A computer can spit out a report much faster than a human can calculate it. 

How IoT works in the home is through a variety of apps and smart devices automating tasks. Examples include:

• Robot that is preprogrammed to vacuum the floor at set times
• Thermostat that adjusts to the temperature and saves time and money
• Smart fridge that compiles a shopping list based on items you pre-program into the system and knows when you run out of milk, eggs or other popular items. 
• Door locks that work with your smartphone to let you in and out of your home.

Each year, new IoT devices hit the market. Things such as smart speakers are becoming more and more popular. 

How IoT Is Changing Business

How IoT works with industrial companies is apparent. Utilizing sensors and tapping into automation saves time and money. However, technology is also changing smaller companies for the better.

Small businesses can tap into any number of devices to automate things such as sending a ping to a customer when they near a store or using a smart lock to give new employees access to the building. 

Think about where you spend the most money and time and look for solutions that solve those issues and automate things. The more you tap into tech, the better you’ll function as an organization.

The post How IoT Works (With Examples) appeared first on Designerly.

If you’re looking for the next trend for cities, tapping into the vast network of the Internet of Things (IOT) is the rage. IOT smart cities combine apps, buildings and systems for more efficient living and working environments. The focus is also on better connectivity and access to the cities features.

Smart cities are also called cyberville, digital cities, intelligent cities and wired cities. Spending on smart city technology is about $679.5 billion per year with rapid growth expected in parking and advanced energy measures. Although suburbs and smaller towns are less likely to focus on their technology infrastructure, over time, the benefits filter down to even the local shopping malls. 

There are many advantages to IOT smart cities for businesses and individuals. You’ll save time, money and aggravation by tapping into the tools of cyberville.  How does IOT help in smart cities? Here are just a few of the ways people benefit from digital advances.

1. Better Traffic Management

IOT smart cities can easily reroute hectic traffic with the use of new technology. City managers place sensors in key locations to ascertain how heavily traveled a road is at a given time. Citizens download an app that alerts them when they might run into a delay. Plus it offers alternate routes to get to their destination. 

A side benefit is less pollution. The issue of people idling their cars while in traffic goes away as they avoid the roadblocks they’d otherwise run into. The technology also reduces the excuses people use about traffic and being late to work, improving productivity and attendance. 

2. Tapping Into the Network

The average person uses their smartphone to tap into the IOT in smart cities. They can see when public transit runs and view routes, check the weather, gain access to their office building and even utilize their mobile device to park their car. 

The advantage of services utilizing the internet of things is clear for the typical citizen. Access via their cell phones saves them time and money. Because cities are using more and more sensors, the need for high-speed internet is a must. Cities are teaming up with companies such as Google to offer fiber optic cable and 5G capabilities. The faster and more reliable the internet, the more devices connect to it.

3. Control of Infrastructure

Cyberville locations are often big metropolitan cities. Tokyo, Japan is one example of IOT smart cities, with a population of over 38 million people. So many people packed into a small area creates issues with how do you provide fresh water and eliminate waste in a safe way?

Tokyo is also working toward becoming one of several zero emission IOT smart cities, leading it to become a leader in eco-friendly measures. Smart sensors can inform city managers about garbage piling up that needs picked up, areas with high emissions or other concerns such as sewage backup.

Government leaders can tap into the internet of things at any time. Even have an alert sent to their phones to handle emergencies and keep the town running smoothly. 

4. Improved Air Quality

One thing IOT smart cities can focus on is better air quality measures. Siemens created a system called The City Air Management Tool, which is completely cloud-based and grabs current pollution data and forecasts what might happen in the next five days. 

Such information helps the city overcome serious air quality issues. For example, if a certain area of the city tests high for pollution, they can work on better low emissions transportation options or rerouting traffic to different areas.

Utilizing the abilities of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and big data allows cities to predict what might happen in the future and take steps to reduce negative impacts. 

5. Enhanced Communication

Another advantage of IOT smart cities is enhanced communication. Corporations tap into the internet of things in new ways that keep employees updated about what is happening in the city and the company. 

With more people working from home than ever before, the ability to host a meeting on the fly via your smartphone or send a message to your team leader keeps everyone in the loop on a project. 

Some of the things many smart cities focus on is faster, better Wi-Fi, solar powered microgrids and ways to communicate with core city management functions. Imagine you have a meeting across town. You plan to take the bus, but receive an SMS the transportation is running late. Thus, make you late to your meeting. You can grab a share lift to your destination or inform your contact you’ll be a bit late to the meeting.

Within IOT smart cities, even the objects communicate with one another. The bus informs the people’s phones and the sewer system alerts of an overload on the system so technicians dispatch to the area. Everything in the town connects to everything else, putting the infrastructure and the people on autopilot. 

6. Saving Time Parking

If you’ve ever worked in a large city, you understand the nightmare of finding a parking space. Even if you pay a monthly garage fee, you might have to drive around the building to find an empty slot. Not so in IOT smart cities. Smart parking is one of the largest areas of development in technology.

With an intelligent parking system, the building knows when a vehicle leaves the space. Sensors notify drivers via an app where there is a free slot. Backlogs get reduced, because the system distributes waiting cars to the locations where there isn’t a line of people waiting for a space. 

You don’t have to waste time with a pass or paying. Everything happens via your smartphone and sensors. No need to do anything other than install the app on your phone. That way it can interact with the smart garage. 

IOT Smart Cities Coming to You

No matter where you live, at least some of the benefits of technologically advanced cities will come your way. Already, people use smart devices in their homes, such as doorbells, garage door openers and thermostats. Expect more devices every year and a shift toward additional gadgets. This will make the world more efficient and adaptive to human needs. 

The post 6 Advantages of IoT Smart Cities appeared first on Designerly.

Virtual reality (VR), digital environments that users can interact with in a realistic way using specialized equipment, is making quite a buzz in the tech world. Like most big tech innovations, VR is changing how business owners are conducting their operations.

Businesses around the world are beginning to adopt virtual reality technology to improve the experiences of their customers, employees and business partners. It’s already altering the business world, and it is likely to continue making big changes as time goes on.

According to Statista, the virtual reality consumer product market will grow from $6.2 billion to $16 billion by 2022. Everywhere you turn, virtual reality and augmented reality (AR) is part of life. If you shop for a new home, you might walk through a virtual tour where you are in control of which room you enter next. If you buy a couch, an app places the item in your living room so you can see exactly how it might look.

Rather than a fad for teens, VR has become more mainstream. As technology improves and device sizes reduce, expect even more integration with the way you do business.

VR Can Take You Anywhere

One of the most powerful capabilities of virtual reality hardware is that it can take you anywhere. At least, that’s what it feels like because the experience is so life-like. Not only does VR open up lifelike landscapes, but it also can create terrains not possible in the physical world.

Businesspeople cut down on travel for meetings and other events through VR. Unlike with today’s video conferencing, though, they will actually feel like they’re there, which can make these virtual business trips more productive.

Companies can also take their customers anywhere through the use of virtual reality. If you bring a VR headset to a trade show, you can invite people to walk through a digital version of your store without having to bring too many supplies with you. This will give people a better idea of what your company is all about.

This could be especially useful for travel agents who could take their clients to various destinations virtually before they decide where they want to go in real life. Imagine a carpenter putting cabinets into a home virtually and showing the owner different placement options and combinations.

A Look at the Future

Because you can create realistic virtual environments with VR technology, you can create things that don’t exist in the real world – but might soon. VR provides a more impressive way to show people your big idea or new prototype without spending tens of thousands on a model.

An architect, for example, could walk his client through his building design. Both parties will be able to get a clear idea of what the architect is proposing and can fine-tune the design based on what they experience. The client could interact with different features in the home and decide on what works and what doesn’t.

Similarly, an engineer who designs a new product could create a VR version of it through CAD instead of a physical model or prototype of the actual product. This allows them to explore the new design without actually using any physical resources. They can test it out in a virtual environment before making it in the physical world.

At the moment, most VR technology requires the use of a headset or special glasses. However, with advances in uses of AR through smartphones, expect this to change rapidly. The future of virtual reality may include the ability to interact without the use of a headset via smarter computers.

Immersive Marketing

VR also has noteworthy implications for marketing. VR can provide immersive experiences that showcase a new product. Perhaps even give a sneak peek into the inner workings of a company. And just let people have fun with an interactive, branded game.

Especially since VR is so new and exciting, immersive marketing is sure to create a buzz. People will want to tell their friends about it and share their experience on social media. The companies already using this new technology are seen as cutting-edge.

Virtual reality takes media to the next level by creating something that’s interactive and immersive. It allows companies to communicate with potential customers in ways that they never could before – and for customers to communicate with companies. You could give a virtual tour of your factory, for example, and invite people to ask questions within the VR experience.

Set up an immersive experience at a trade show or for your storefront. As users enter, they transport to a different world related to your product. Try to find something making sense to your industry. Bars are known for creating immersive events by transforming themselves into the set from a movie or animated series, for example. Create a theme night and invite the media and important customers.

Next-Level Training

Training simulations are more effective than ever when they utilize the capabilities of VR. They feel real, so they’re the next best thing to actually trying something out in person.

Doctors can try out surgeries before they actually do them. Pilots can practice flying. Mechanics can practice working on a car. Even Wal-Mart is using VR headsets to train employees to deal with the rushes that occur around holidays and clean up messes in store aisles.

When they use VR, employees may feel more prepared to take on what their job requires of them before they’re actually in the situation. Traditional training involved watching videos or listening to a speaker. However, studies show students retain more information when they are actively engaged in the learning process. Virtual reality takes a boring video and creates an environment where the user interacts with the screen, trying new skills until they’re perfected.

Enhanced Collaboration

Cloud-based software allows multiple people to work on the same document at the same time. This allows for improved collaboration, even when employees are physically in different places. Virtual reality can take this collaborative software to the next level.

In addition to working on documents, people can meet up with others anywhere in the virtual world, allowing them to work together on more complex projects. You can work with others to design new stores, office buildings, products and much more.

Companies that are remotely based can hold meetings even if their employees are spread out around the world to discuss company goals or work on projects. Although the process of hosting a VR meeting versus a basic Zoom gathering might seem cumbersome at first, the fun employees have with the process keeps them actively engaged and interacting with others.

Virtual reality, although it’s a relatively new technology, is already changing shifts in the way we do business. It allows workers to travel anywhere, meet up and test things out in a digital yet life-like environment.

Retail Shifts

More people shop online than in the past. Around 69% of Americans have shopped online. As people social distance and avoid brick-and-mortar stores, expect fast advances in the way we try out products before buying.

Retailers such as IKEA already offer the ability to download an app and place an item in your home. Expect VR to enter the scene, so you can walk through a showroom and try out different products, viewing them from 360-degree angles.

Virtual reality keeps online shoppers engaged and prevents them from bouncing away to a competitor’s site.

Virtual Changing Business Events

In the first half of 2020, many events were canceled due to the COVID-19 shutdowns. Trade shows, business meetings and even personal gatherings turned to companies such as Zoom and started hosting virtual events. Even political parties hosted their conventions virtually.

Just because your event is virtual doesn’t mean you can’t elevate it to seem more personal. Plan an amazing visual space for the cameras. Use lighting to give each speaker a studio-quality finish. You can even create networking opportunities and digital catalogs using VR.

People like to compare the current pandemic to the Spanish Flu of 1917 and 1918. However, today’s technology gives businesses an advantage they didn’t have 100 years ago. You have an opportunity to engage users and continue gatherings virtually in a way you couldn’t have done before satellite, smartphones and virtual reality.

Although it’s already having an impact, its influence is likely going to continue to grow and the technologies will likely continue to improve. The virtual world and the business world (and pretty much any other world, for that matter) may soon become synonymous.

The post Virtual Reality Is Changing How We’re Doing Business appeared first on Designerly.

Technology has completely changed the way we do business. Even 50 years ago, the landscape of business was completely different than it is today. Video streaming and mobile technology impact day-to-day operations and makes everything run at the speed of light. There are both advantages and disadvantages to emerging technologies. Love them or hate them, they are here to stay with new advances appearing nearly every month.

In a Pew Research Center Poll about technology, around 42% of Americans say technology has done the most to improve life over the last five decades. The massive changes brought about in the last 50 years are staggering when looked at from today’s perspective. Yet, advances seem to almost be increasing in speed. Unless you want to be left behind the rest of the IT industry, here are nine technology advancements you should pay attention to.

1. 5G Mobile Speeds

5G is already available in some areas, and it promises lower latency and faster connection speeds. Even though the service isn’t perfected yet, expect it to get faster and faster and expand into new areas. This means more and more people will access your services via their mobile devices. Potentially, desktop usage may drop off even more. Take this into account when designing new products for your customers. Faster speeds also mean you can add more features to your website, and users won’t get bogged down in heavy scripts.

2. Power Electronics Efficiency

Today’s power electronics are hitting 95% efficiency rates. Experts equate this to your car and state that if your vehicle’s engine ran at 95% capacity, then you could drive across the United States on a single tank of gas. Better efficiency is coming for all types of products. Look at the latest innovations and see how they might be applied to your products to make them run on less energy, last longer or operate faster.

3. Automated Systems

There is no arguing that artificial intelligence (AI) and its capability is growing exponentially year after year. Machines are learning to think autonomously. Already, we’re seeing self-driving cars and bots that do the work humans used to do. For your part, start looking at which processes within your company could be easily automated, such as customer data management.

4. Data Awareness

Over the last few years, some huge data breaches have made people sit up and pay closer attention to security. As an IT company, much of your information is held digitally. You’re on the cutting edge of your client’s security needs. Some of the technological advances that are helping boost cybersecurity include blockchain for authentication, better cloud technology and AI and machine learning.

5. Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented reality has grown in popularity in recent years. Games such as Pokemon Go are a prime example of how people interact more closely with the world around them. You can use AR to draw users into the services you offer via an app. You could also utilize it to walk them through their own information systems. Another idea is using AR in your marketing efforts to engage potential leads and show clearly how your company can help theirs.

6. Wearable Tech

In the last 10 years, we’ve seen watches that work like miniature smartphones and smart eyeglasses that turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Wearable tech seems to be trending toward smaller, more powerful devices each year. You can determine how this will impact your business by observing how people interact with their tech while on the run. Sit on any subway, and you’ll see people checking email, responding to messages and doing business at all times of the day. Look for ways to integrate your business with trending gadgets.

7. Smart Speakers

Around 66.4 million U.S. households now own a smart speaker, which means your website should be voice search enabled. Also, remember that some people use their smartphones for internet searches via Siri or Cortana as well. Smart speakers can answer questions currently, but how long is it until they expand and complete tasks for the person? Already, you can tell your smart speaker to order a pizza and it will interact with companies such as Domino’s to order your favorite meal.

8. Hybrid Cloud

When cloud computing first entered the scene, it was difficult for IT companies to see the advantages and disadvantages, from limitations to security to costs. However, companies have been in the cloud for some time now and are getting quite comfortable with its abilities and limitations. Many IT companies are finding that a hybrid cloud model works best for most clients, where some information is in the public sector, some is private and some is on private servers.

9. Robots and Automation

Probably one of the most significant changes for all businesses is the use of bots to handle basic tasks and automation of processes. This has freed up executives to focus on the more creative aspects of a business. For your brand, you might use a bot to answer simple questions on your website or to automatically notify customers of an outage and give an estimate of when things will come back online. Look for ways to automate your business so your workers’ time is freed up for more important pursuits.

Changing Landscape

There is one thing you can count on — technology will march on, changing year after year and impacting every type of business. As a technology company, it’s vital that you stay on top of changes and look forward to how they might impact your work and your customers. With a little foresight, you’ll outpace your competitors, allowing you to keep your current clients while attracting new ones.

The post Nine Technology Advancements Your Business Should Pay Attention To appeared first on Designerly.