Kozminski Techblog

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, is a technology that, like AI and Machine Learning, automates work. RPA is the use of software to simplify business procedures such as program interpretation, transaction management, data handling, and even email response. RPA automates routine activities that were formerly performed by humans.

While Forrester Research reports that RPA automation would endanger the livelihoods of 230 million or more information employees or roughly 9% of the global workforce. RPA is also generating new jobs and changing existing ones. According to McKinsey, fewer than 5% of jobs can be fully automated, but about 60% can be partly automated.

RPA has many job options for you as an IT expert looking to the future and attempting to consider emerging technological developments, including developer, project manager, market analyst, solution architect, and consultant.

Edge Computing

Edge computing, at the most fundamental level, puts processing and data storage closer to the computers that collect it. Rather than focusing on a central location that could be thousands of miles apart, it brings the data closer to where it is needed. This is done to ensure that data, especially real-time data, does not suffer from latency problems that can degrade scalability. Furthermore, by doing the processing handled locally, businesses can save resources by reducing the volume of data that has to be stored in a consolidated or cloud-based area.

Edge computing evolved as a result of the rapid development of Internet of Things (IoT) gadgets that link to the cloud to either receive information from the cloud or send data back to the cloud. In addition, multiple IoT devices produce massive volumes of data throughout their activities.

Quantum Computing

A quantum machine uses some of quantum mechanics’ almost magical phenomena to produce massive jumps in computing power. Quantum machines have the potential to outperform the most powerful supercomputers of yesterday and today.

One of the really exciting uses of quantum computers is the simulation of matter’s behavior at the molecular level. The computers are also ideal for dynamic systems because they can rapidly sift through a large number of possible solutions. Airbus, for example, employs them to assist in calculating the most fuel-efficient takeoff and descent paths for aircraft. In addition, Volkswagen has launched a program that determines the best routes for buses and taxis in cities in order to reduce traffic. Many experts believe computers could also be used to speed up artificial intelligence.

The year 2020 was extremely difficult for individuals, businesses, and governments all around the world. Artificial intelligence (AI) applications played a critical role in saving lives and cultivating economic sustainability as the Covid-19 spread.

This article examines four important developments that have contributed to managing the Covid-19 crisis as well as changing the trajectory of our economies and culture.

Vaccine development and AI

A new vaccine usually takes years, if not decades, to produce. However, just three months after the initial few cases were confirmed, the testing for the vaccine had already begun in countries like China. The record-breaking pace of vaccine production was made possible in part by AI models that assisted researchers in analyzing massive quantities of coronavirus data.

Machine learning algorithms will sift through this deluge of information and determine which subcomponents are the most immunogenic—that is, capable of eliciting an immune response—and thereby help researchers design targeted vaccines. The application of AI in vaccine research has the potential to change the way all vaccines are developed in the future.

Full automation of vehicles and robotaxis

In 2020, the industry’s leading firms began to pilot driverless vehicles and open up robotaxi services to the public in numerous areas. Baidu also demonstrated its fully automatic driving capabilities at Baidu World 2020, its annual technology meeting, in which the AI system drives autonomously without the assistance of an in-vehicle safety driver. Baidu created the 5G Remote Driving Service to enable fully autonomous driving, a safety mechanism in which remote human controllers would take control of a car in case of emergencies.

Every year, almost 1.25 million people are killed on the roads, with the majority of these fatalities caused by human driver error. The widespread introduction of self-driving cars would significantly reduce this figure. Aside from these safety incentives, self-driving vehicles can have many other benefits to the environment and society.

Automated authentic language processing

Natural language systems became considerably more advanced in 2020 at interpreting facets of human language such as emotion and purpose. It has also become capable of developing language that aligns with human speech and writing habits and also visual comprehension. These natural language models power more precise search results as well as more advanced chatbots and virtual assistants, resulting in improved customer interfaces and added value for companies.

Quantum computing with AI

In 2020, quantum computing made major inroads, with the Jiuzhang machine achieving quantum dominance. This is significant for AI, because quantum computation has the ability to significantly boost AI implementations as opposed to binary-based classical computers. For example, quantum computing may be used to run a generative machine learning algorithm over a greater dataset than a traditional computer would handle, improving the model’s accuracy and utility in real-world environments. Deep learning algorithms, for example, are now playing an increasingly important role in the advancement of quantum computing technology.

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence has impressed many with countless breakthroughs over the years, and this year was no exception. Throughout the year, we saw incredible advances in reinforcement learning, neural networks, and other fields. Tech giants from around the world made numerous advances in artificial intelligence to dispel any remaining concerns about achieving real AI.

Neuralink

Neuralink, an innovative company created four years ago, is about to present a commercial version of the software. According to Elon Musk, the N1 chip, which will be inserted directly into the human brain, will enable humans to communicate with machines and also monitor them.

The chip will restore vision, boost voice and walking abilities for paralyzed persons, restore memory, and so on. Furthermore, it would enable scientists to better understand the function of the brain and aid in the treatment of a variety of diseases such as epilepsy. Maintaining such technologies would require the acquisition of new skills by developers. It is essential to rapidly assimilate new knowledge, develop expertise, and closely track new instances to extend the use of these chips in different sectors.

Human Augmentation

Human Augmentation, also described as Human 2.0, is a set of inventions and methods that can be used to replicate, supplement, and inspire individuals in order to significantly change their lives. It is about implants built into the human body and external tools, such as an exoskeleton, that enable a person to go beyond his or her normal limits. Technologies are now being developed and applied to restore some of the sensory inputs, such as sight and sound. It is expected that these experts will be in high demand by employers in the coming years.

Cross-Platform Development Tools

The proliferation of cross-platform programming platforms is one of the upcoming software innovation developments. Previously, developers had to select one of the major systems or build different applications for each operating system while creating an application. However, they can now create apps that are compatible with the major platforms. It saves money and effort, shortens the time to market, and makes for faster profitability by targeting a larger customer base.

It is expected that increased demand for cross-platform development would result in faster development and an increase in the number of appropriate resources.

CI / CD

In the coming years, one of the tech trends will be seamless integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD). It is regarded as one of the best practices because it enables software development firms to simplify programming processes and increase end-product consistency. The CI/CD strategy enables teams to release software even more quickly.

Reading Time: 2 minutesAfter the reveal of Cybertruck – Tesla’s latest vehicle, a wave of skepticism towards the product crushed on comment sections of numerous websites. Weird design, the fact that supposedly “bulletproof” windows didn’t even stand a hit of a metal ball and many other things inspired doubts in the consumers’ heads. But one obvious thing united all of them – the sheer size of the vehicle. It is really hard to imagine driving the truck down the street. But even more so – it’s really hard to see it fit into your garage.

Size comparison between Model 3 and Cyber Truck. Source: Reddit

Conveniently enough, Lars Buro – R&D and design company decided to address this issue and create a perfect accessory for your Cybertruck – Cybunker

Cybertruck next to Cybunker. Source: LARS BURO

Cybertruck inside of a Cybunker. Source: LARS BURO

As per the company’s website:

Cybunker is a modular architecture that can be deployed as a hi-tech depot, an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit), or an off-grid residence.

Let’s go over some features on Cybunker:

• Has a steel structure and aerodynamic shape
• Is able to withstand the toughest environmental conditions
• Has a 600 square-foot garage
• It has 1,800 square feet of living space, which can be customized according to the customer’s needs.
• It Offers panoramic views, through the armored glass

The company claims that this is not just a bunch of fancy renders but an actual project that they’re planning to implement. However, it seems to me that this project has more crazy features than the Cybertruck itself. So I’m highly skeptical of this “garage” actually become an actual product

What do you think about Cybunker?

I encourage you to do your own reading, form your own opinion and to let us know what you think down in the comments

Please check out the references down below, as well as contextual hyperlinks in the article itself.

Peace ✌?

Sources:

https://larsburo.com/cybunker/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Cybertruck

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/tesla-cybertruck-garage-cybunker-order-cost/

Reading Time: 2 minutes

As reported by Reuters, France’s antitrust regulatory body has fined Google 150 million euros. The investigation opened 4 years ago when the French media company called Gibmedia filed a lawsuit against Google for discontinuing its Google Ads account without warnings.

According to Google, its main goal was to protect consumers. Gibmedia’s account was halted because it was managing advertisements for websites that offered services with shady billing terms.

As per Google’s statement:

“We do not want these kinds of ads on our systems, so we suspended Gibmedia and gave up advertising revenue to protect consumers from harm”

So why impose a fine then? What prompted the authorities to make such a decision if the main motivation was to protect consumers?

In its complaint, Gibmedia stated that Google unfairly imposes its rules and the rules themselves are difficult to understand. During the investigation, authorities have uncovered other cases where Google allowed ads similar to those run by Gibmedia while suspending other Google Ads accounts without a proper explanation. Authorities have also said that Google’s advertising platform rules are inconsistent are applied selectively. Here’s a quote from Isabelle de Silva, the head of the French Competition Authority

“The way the rules are applied give Google a power of life or death over some small businesses that live only on this kind of service”

It is also worth noting that such fines are now happening more often, both in America and Europe. Major tech companies are constantly under pressure by governments and it seems like the main goal is to demystify the complicated operations and inner working of these large tech businesses.

What do you make of that? I encourage you to do your own reading, form your own opinion and to let us know what you think down in the comments

Please check out the references down below, as well as contextual hyperlinks in the article itself.

Peace ✌?

Sources:

Reuters

MSN

Reading Time: 3 minutesThis year, Apple’s traditional September event saw the launch of 3 new iPhones: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Criticized by some and praised by others, this year’s lineup undeniably packs some innovative and some long-expected features that are worth the attention. The triple camera module, bigger battery life, machine-learning-powered processor and many other cool features, including a new U1 chip. Hold on a second, a new U1 chip? What even is that? Never heard of it before? Don’t blame yourself for that – you’re not the only one. For some reason, the new U1 chip got very little attention in this year’s keynote. Let’s fix that and explore what the new U1 chip brings to the table.

New Possibilities granted by the U1 chip

First, let’s take a look at the chip itself:

Source: iFixit. “Apple’s U1 module nestled next to the A13 processor in the iPhone 11 Pro Max”

According to The Verge, the “U” in U1 stands for “Ultra-Wideband”, which is a short-range, high-bandwidth, low-energy radio technology that allows for fast and accurate wireless communication. Similar to Bluetooth, but much better. Especially, in the location tracking and spatial awareness departments.

For starters, Apple is using U1 to improve the existing AirDrop feature. According to Apple, the new chip will allow iPhone 11 to “understand its precise location relative to other nearby U1-equipped Apple devices”. Furthermore, users will be able to simply point the device at a fellow Apple-user and share files via the new AirDrop. Furthermore, Apple explicitly states that AirDrop is just the beginning.

Experts at iFixit speculate that the U1 chip will be later used by the Apple’s long-rumored “Apple Tag”. The Tag is believed to be a completely new line of products soon to be released by Apple. Basically, they are tiny devices for tracking your belongings like wallets and keys. Apple’s less know iBeacon could also benefit from the new U1 chip. As well as Apple’s automotive projects but i’ll leave that up you to explore – read more about iBeacon and other potential U1 use-cases in this article.

Potential issues

So far so good. But as usual – there’s a catch. These days, whenever we hear the word “location” bundled together with words like “tracking” and “accurate” – there’s one thing that will inevitably pop up in your head. And that’s privacy. What about privacy?

And that’s a perfectly valid question. As reported by arstechnica, Brian Krebs posted a story where he claims that the newest iPhones check the user’s location even if the location services are disabled. Now that doesn’t sound good at all. To be fair to Apple, the evidence for this is not concrete and this location issue is still being investigated and discussed. According to Apple’s statement, in this particular case, they use location services only for a small, very specific task and the location data use happens entirely on the device itself. I encourage you to read astechnica’s article and this article by TechCrunch.

Conclusion

Personally, I believe that the U1 chip situation is similar to almost every other new piece of technology. While being disruptive and bringing the potential for great features for us – the user, it also raises certain concerns. So how should one feel about the new U1 chip?

Well, I’ll leave that up to you to decide. Now that I’ve introduced you to this topic, I encourage you to do your own reading and form your own opinion.

Check out the references down below, as well as contextual hyperlinks in the article itself.

As always, check your sources? and…see you around!

Peace ✌?

Sources:

https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/10/20859550/apple-iphone-11-pro-airdrop-u1-locator-chip-tag-tile-bluetooth-tracking

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/12/the-iphone-11s-u1-chip-necessitates-constant-geolocation-pings-apple-says/

https://www.imore.com/iphone-11-teardown-confirms-u1-chip-designed-apple

https://www.ifixit.com/News/inside-the-tech-in-apples-ultra-wideband-u1-chip

https://www.apple.com/iphone-11-pro/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-wideband

https://9to5mac.com/2019/04/17/find-my-iphone-revamp/

https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/05/apple-ultra-wideband-newer-iphones-location/

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Stories have always been in our formation. They help us interpret meaning, connect with people across generations, and articulate really complex stuff in easily absorbable fragments.
An ability to tell a compelling story is now the differentiating factor for the successful digital campaign.

But there is one underestimated component which makes any digital story alive – empathy.
Empathy in storytelling is the most affordable and effective way to cut through the online noise. A customer does not align himself with promotions and offers that they will get from the purchase. Moreover, as a lot of researches on buying behavior claims that purchase decision is much deeper phenomena than the calculation of expedient spent. It’s bounded with central nervous system impulses which occur after something resonates with the customer on a subconscious level. Therefore all stories which are the main body of any content related to your marketing campaign (banners, email sequences, videos, blog post etc.) should be grounded with empathy which will press “pain” or “gain” button in customers’ mind.

However, powerful storytelling isn’t about you are your products. It’s about your potential client. It’s about his life, struggles or high moments through the prism of interaction with the product being promoted. It is necessary to tell the target audience stories about themselves and suggest how the product supplied by the company could help to bring their lives to the next level.

Reading Time: < 1 minute

We all have received those reminders to finish our online purchase after we abandon a virtual shopping cart. That’s what they call trigger marketing one of the most effective weapons of the digital marketer. This tool reactivates your marketing campaign and engages the warm audience with content to make them finish the online journey. Indeed, the only thing most of remarketing campaigns do is constantly intimidating customers with ‘no-reply’ emails and fire-push notifications which they already know by heart. But with convenient automation behavioral triggers are still the key to unlocking personalized marketing messages that lead to higher conversion rates.

These are some tips on how to make them buy, not quit:

• Content must change dynamically as the user journey progresses and grounded by browsing behavior.
• Show them social buying patterns and hot trends instead of asking to check updates.
• Personalize your email sequence in an appropriate way
• Spot your best users and reward them with loyalty triggers.
• Use retention triggers and play on scarcity anchored around some other event.

Source: https://www.cyberclick.es/numericalblogen/what-is-trigger-marketing-and-when-can-we-apply-it