< Previous40 edge_october 2023 tech tips S ince its debut in early 2023, Google’s ChatGPT rival, Bard, has undergone gradual evolution. Bard, a language model chatbot developed by Google AI, possesses the ability to generate text, facilitate language translations, compose diverse forms of creative content, and address various inquiries. Powered by the innovative LaMDA sentient (Language Model for Dialogue Applications) transformer model, Google’s Bard AI chatbot exhibits a natural conversational flow and the capacity for multi-responses. Consequently, Bard AI chatbot’s responses are more human-like, and it adeptly handles follow-up prompts. Most recently, Google introduced a number of updates that can help organisations boost their productivity by assisting users in crafting travel itineraries and enhancing the quality of emails and documents they compose. To make the most of Bard’s extensive features, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of its capabilities. Here are five practical ways you can use Google Bard to enhance your productivity and efficiency: 1. Brainstorming ideas If you find yourself facing challenges in generating ideas on your own, using an AI tool like Google Bard can prove highly beneficial. Consider, for instance, that you want several ideas for running a social media campaign about your participation at an event. Google Bard can suggest a number of approaches or ideas that can serve as a foundation for refining your campaign plan. When utilising AI tools for brainstorming, it is important to note that you need to provide precise prompts. This not only furnishes Bard with more context but also ensures a clearer comprehension of the desired response. Additionally, do not hesitate to rephrase your prompts in various ways to elicit more targeted and specific suggestions. This strategic approach will help maximise the utility of AI-powered idea generation. 2. Content creation AI tools such as Bard have capabilities that can aid in aspects such as basic editing and proofreading, where they detect and rectify spelling and grammar errors. Beyond this, they can also be instrumental in breaking through creative blocks by helping users refine their copy or craft engaging, catchy taglines. One of the unique features of Bard is its ability to maintain a consistent tone throughout your content. This dual functionality not only saves time but also elevates content quality, making Bard an indispensable tool for writers and students alike. 3. Analysing data AI tools have completely changed how we analyse data. Before AI, it took a lot of human work to understand big sets of data. But now, AI tools are really good at quickly and effectively processing data. Google Bard can swiftly generate visualisations of various data sets, find patterns, edge_october 2023 41 tech tips suggestions and enhancing your emails swiftly, enabling you to send out impactful messages without wasting too much time on the task. Alternatively, Bard can also be prompted to craft an email from scratch and refine it before hitting send. This proves invaluable for organising events and running marketing campaigns. 5. Improving SEO:Bard offers a significant advantage when it comes to SEO analysis. It simplifies keyword research and ranking insights, making it easier than ever to boost your website’s position. Bard also offers both on-site and off-site SEO strategies. What’s even better is that it continuously scans the entire web in real-time, providing you with the essential insights to optimise your website’s performance. What you need to remember AI tools like Google Bard are constantly evolving, which may significantly enhance their applications and efficiency in the coming years. Since the effectiveness of AI tools can vary based on specific user needs, it’s crucial to experiment with various platforms, comparing their strengths and limitations to determine which tools best suit your needs and objectives. and detect anomalies. It can also generate reports with what it finds, making it easy to share with others. Plus, when you input your data into Google Bard, it can answer questions about the data, making it even more useful. 4. Generating and enhancing emails When your daily work involves composing numerous emails, it can be tedious and time- consuming. Thankfully, Bard can offer a variety of ways to improve this task, including providing TIPS FOR USING BARD 1. Be specific: When using Google Bard, be as specific as possible in your requests and instructions. The more information you provide, the better Bard can assist you. 2. Converse naturally: Communicate with Bard in a natural, conversational manner. Despite being an advanced AI, Bard is designed to understand and respond to human language, making interactions smoother and more efficient. 3. Encourage dialogue: Don’t settle for incomplete or unsatisfactory responses. Keep the conversation going by asking follow-up questions and seeking further elaboration to ensure you extract the most value from Bard. 4. Don’t be afraid to try new things: Push the boundaries of Bard’s capabilities by exploring a variety of prompts, questions, and scenarios. Experimentation allows you to uncover innovative solutions and responses that can be valuable for your tasks and projects.42 edge_october 2023 opinion M uch attention has been drawn to the crypto winter, but a strong case can now be made for an imminent summer as transaction volumes steadily grow. While counter- commentators may speak of crypto prices in terms of speculation and question the currencies’ ability to be stores of value, the reality is that the outlook for cryptocurrencies is positive, especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In Chainalysis’ 4th annual Geography of Cryptocurrency Report, the MENA region had an estimated $389.8 billion in on-chain value, received between July 2022 and June 2023, and a significant amount of crypto activity in key countries in the region was conducted on decentralised exchanges (DEX), a testament to maturing attitudes. The MENA is home to a relatively young demographic that has shown a propensity to not only try new things but to look out for them, or even demand them. The truth is that while there are exceptions — crypto assets that thrive on the hype of a handful of influencers — crypto markets now largely align with their more traditional counterparts. The By Nicola Buonanno VP South EMEA, Chainalysis How crypto is giving fiat a run for its money The maturation of crypto, reflected in its convergence with traditional markets, positions it as a genuine store of value and a suitable foundation for various essential applications CRYPTO crypto winter can even be shown to be in lockstep with the decline in stock markets’ performance. So, while media columns and social pages may broadcast fears around cryptocurrencies being devalued by the glut of new coins that seemingly anyone can create, the on-ground reality is indeed far removed. Money myths In the case of “devaluation by glut”, we can look at the thousands of cryptocurrencies launched since Bitcoin’s 2009 debut and we see that Bitcoin has broadly continued to trend upwards, with none of its fluctuations occurring in proximity to the emergence of a new cryptocurrency. The same can be said of the newcomers. Some have gained acceptance and gone on to become legends; others have not. The litmus test appears to hinge more on fulfilling a market need than on the presence or arrival of other cryptocurrencies. What Chainalysis has found is consistently recurring evidence that cryptocurrency does indeed serve the function of a store of value, which is a basic requirement for any currency, edge_october 2023 43 opinion whether fiat, commodity-linked, or crypto. We can see this in action if we look to economies where hyperinflation has eroded the value of fiat systems, and hence devalued peoples’ life savings. For example, Turkey saw inflation of around 80 percent in Q3 of 2022. Around the same time, Egypt experienced a rate of about 13 percent. Cryptocurrency prices, meanwhile, proved more stable, meaning those who moved quickly and presciently could preserve their savings. Between July 2021 and June 2022 - in the run-up to this period of instability for the Lira and the Pound - crypto transaction volume in Egypt tripled compared to the preceding year. And Turkey remained the largest cryptocurrency market in the region, with citizens receiving $192 billion in the same period to June 2022. Crypto may have proved itself to the crypto watcher, who is now convinced of its value, but others remain wary of any claims of real-world benefits. The perception is that crypto communities regard virtual coins as get-rich-quick schemes. To be fair, this might have been what drew early adopters, and there is no reason to question crypto’s ongoing role as an investment vehicle. But setting aside the counter argument that even fiat currencies are used for speculation, we may simply point to the variation in modern crypto use cases as evidence of maturity. Crypto – key to consumer conveniences An important one for the expat-heavy MENA region is remittances. Foreign workers from dozens of countries send money home almost exclusively through this method. A 2022 survey showed two thirds of UAE expats sent more money to their loved ones that year than previously, and 51 percent said their recipients would have struggled without the funds. But traditional methods carry hefty fees and tend to be slow. Some 54 percent of the UAE respondents ranked 24-hour delivery as their top priority. Speed and cost-efficiency are two major selling points of cryptocurrencies. Another mature use case is retail transactions. Here we encounter another myth: that volatility makes it impossible to set prices in crypto. One solution to this is stablecoins but they are not the only option. Chainalysis customer BitPay, for example, allows merchants to cater to crypto users even if they are using more obscure currencies like Dogecoin or Shiba Inu. But BitPay goes a step further by protecting consumers and merchants from volatility. The payment processor does this by converting the crypto funds into fiat currency as soon as the transaction is complete. Merchants can then set stable prices in the fiat currency of their choice, while the payments processes handle the conversion in real-time. The maturity of modern crypto use cases is also evidenced in the growing interest in central bank crypto currencies (CBDCs). While the centralised nature of CBDCs is at odds with the decentralisation of cryptocurrencies, which was what made them attractive to early adopters, there is no escaping the fact that central banks now see the underlying blockchain technology of crypto as viable and beneficial. The UAE government has publicised its strategy for the Digital Dirham with the aim of driving a number of benefits for businesses and individuals - enhancing financial inclusion, accelerating the move towards a cashless society, and streamlining both domestic and cross- border payments. Future, now If central banks no longer see crypto as a fringe rival to fiat currencies, used mainly by tech-savvy consumers and malicious actors, then consumers and businesses too must surely now consider cryptocurrencies as mainstream. Institutions are finally on board, exploring the incorporation of crypto into their businesses and portfolios. Forward-focused governments like the UAE are nurturing crypto businesses and regulating them for future acceptance. Crypto really is a future-now technology with an impressive list of benefits that speak for themselves. “There is no escaping the fact that central banks now see the underlying blockchain technology of crypto as viable and beneficial”44 edge_october 2023 opinion N owadays, customers communicate with businesses in a multitude of ways. The social media boom has opened many new outlets that enable customers to reach out to all the different brands. This, of course, comes with the expectation that this open communication would be respected on the brand’s end, communicating back to the customers how they want to be communicated. The increase in the number of communication channels can come at the cost of providing personalised customer service. This is especially dangerous to these businesses as according to the Genesys report “The State of Customer Experience”, two things consumers globally value most in a service interaction are a fast response and a first-contact resolution. By Amr AlMasri Regional Director, Genesys, Middle East Why it’s time to get more personal In order to offer customers this personalised approach, organisations must listen carefully and gain a complete understanding of their customers’ expectations and requirements SOFTWARE To be able to provide customers with this personalised approach, organisations would need to listen and fully understand their customers’ expectations and needs. This understanding would then empower organisations to personalise their customer service interactions with relevant answers, information, and recommendations. Customer service is personal According to the Genesys report, personalisation enables firms to boost customer value in the short and long term, as well as grow revenue and reach. According to the analysis, 81 percent of the 5,517 consumers polled would buy more things if they were assured a tailored experience every time they bought from a specific company. While 79 percent of respondents said they would edge_october 2023 45 opinion recommend the company to a friend or colleague. Despite the obvious value of personalisation, only 35 percent of the 646 “CX Leaders” polled claim their organisation now provides a highly tailored customer experience. Disconnected technology and data are typical issues in many firms, limiting their capacity to adapt to customer preferences – particularly in real-time. According to the survey, most customers want to receive the services they require at any time through their preferred channel (62 percent), rather than personalised marketing offers or loyalty programs (16 percent). This, combined with the fact that “being connected straightaway with the right person to help me” is also among the top preferences, demonstrates that the most important kinds of personalisation occur during customer service interactions. Leveraging the power of AI for customer service Offering services to customers at any time and through their preferred channel requires well- designed journeys and the technology to eliminate any bottlenecks. This entails listening and understanding projected intent using data and artificial intelligence (AI). Then you can serve up the most relevant resource, whether it’s a bot, a FAQ page, or a human connection. Predictive routing is the most effective way to utilise contact centre resources, ensuring that your most important resource — your people — devotes the majority of their time to high- value encounters. Personalising voice interactions necessitates staff having a thorough view of the consumer. This allows them to not only close the conversation fast, but also focus on customer education, proactive communication, and addressing difficult issues. Empowering staff to offer that individualised experience is at the top of the CX Leaders’ strategic agenda for the next two years. According to the poll, their top objective is improving employee experience with new technology – and by linking existing technology. Other key goals include “Enhancing analytics for real-time insights, analytics, and reporting” and “Using data and AI for customer understanding and personalisation.” Personalisation is a top CX goal for increasing customer loyalty and generating new income. The case for the cloud From a technological standpoint, this is causing enterprises to reconsider their IT stack, particularly with regard to all-in-one platforms. Over the next two years, 71 percent of the surveyed CX Leaders plan to create a CX platform that connects systems such as CRM, ERP, and communications platforms to support their strategic aims. Cloud-based technology is crucial for the long-term effectiveness of these tactics – for data visibility and the agility to develop. The survey revealed the two most important benefits of the cloud are improved access to data across channels and speedier addition of capabilities, features, and channels. It is critical for overall competitiveness to be able to swiftly remove friction while also innovating at the speed of the customer. Personalising experiences at scale necessitates the orchestration capabilities of cloud-based automation and AI. In addition to intent mining and predictive features, these solutions close the loop with real-time data, allowing you to learn and adapt. As a result, there is a virtuous circle of relevance and personalisation in customer service that fosters loyalty and encourages long-term business success. “Disconnected technology and data are typical issues in many firms, limiting their capacity to adapt to customer preferences – particularly in real-time” Priorities Offering individualised experiences is at the top of the CX strategic agenda46 edge_october 2023 C limate change is a topic that no one, including IT teams, can afford to ignore these days. The large-scale digital transformation we have seen in recent years has led to more intensive use of network infrastructure and a greater emphasis on network sustainability. A recent report by PwC suggests that companies are driven by climate risk awareness to adopt or have adopted ESG strategies, further indicating the growing importance of sustainability and accountability across industries. Juniper Networks partnered with Vanson Bourne to conduct a survey of 650 IT decision makers (ITDMs) and 1,200 office workers across EMEA By Fayez Eweidat Senior Sales Director - Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Juniper Networks AI and ML Emerging technologies play a key role in shaping a green future The future with green network infrastructure Organisations must cultivate a comprehensive grasp of sustainability, extending their focus beyond the cost-saving potential of network infrastructure SUSTAINABILITY to gauge confidence in sustainable networking transformation within business. Juniper’s “Future of Networking” report found that, 54 percent of respondents from Saudi Arabia and 62 percent of those in the UAE thought that sustainable networking is extremely important in terms of making a significant contribution towards ongoing climate change measures. However, 46 percent of respondents from Saudi Arabia and 37 percent of respondents from the UAE also stated that their organisation’s leadership only have a fair understanding of the impact of the technology choices in the context of sustainability. To close this knowledge gap, it is essential that IT leaders learn about the various aspects that contribute to a sustainable network. After all, a sustainable network entails more than solemnly reducing the energy consumption of the network or the use of “green packaging.” What steps can IT managers take to make their network more sustainable and reduce their impact on the environment? Broad view of sustainability From top to bottom, organisations need to have a broad understanding of sustainability. It is important to look beyond just what savings network infrastructure can bring. There are many factors that can reduce the total environmental edge_october 2023 47 opinion impact of a network infrastructure apart from reduced energy consumption, such as the supply chains and equipment vendors, the product life cycle, and total waste. Businesses should ensure that their network supplier works together with their supply chain partners to ensure responsible, fair, and sustainable business throughout the entire supply chain. When looking at waste reduction, organisations should take into account the waste that relates to effectively utilising the energy that is consumed, the time to troubleshoot inefficiencies, hardware waste at the end of life stage and, for example, unused bandwidth. By looking beyond the energy savings that a network can bring and creating a network that, for example, reduces commuting time, automatically minimises energy waste, has a greener supply chain, and requires less maintenance and technician presence, the overall environmental impact will be reduced. A broad view of sustainability is essential to building a greener and more efficient network. Automation is key Lowering the emissions that stem from usage through energy optimisation with AI-enabled automation can, therefore, make an incredible impact. Network automation through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is the process of automating the planning, implementation, operations, and optimisation of network structures. This allows manual tasks and processes at any stage of the network lifecycle to be taken over by software applications that can complete them consistently and reliably. In addition, this software can provide predictive analytics, make recommendations to network operations teams, and act independently, allowing network problems to be fixed automatically. The possibility of human error is reduced, and engineers need to do less repetitive work. All of this contributes to an overall greener infrastructure where less energy is consumed in fixing errors. Moreover, network automation reduces work- related travel because networks can be deployed faster and only a single site visit is required, which reduces travel related emissions. Industry research has shown that IT-teams managing network infrastructures often spend more than 40 percent of their time troubleshooting issues. This time can be significantly reduced when networks are automated. Network engineers will therefore spend less time commuting to sites and fixing issues and can work from one fixed location or even from home more often. In addition to saving through efficiency, automation also leads to smart, direct energy savings through automated energy management. An example of such is having access points automatically shut down at the end of the workday. This ensures that power consumption is minimised when few or no people are at the office. When someone logs back into one of the access points, it will automatically turn back on. The corporate network in the home environment Working from home is still the new normal and is expected to remain so. Working from home not only has advantages for employees themselves, but also reduces CO2 emissions significantly. Research by CE Delft shows that several billion kilometres of commuting can quickly be saved if employees work from home one and a half days more than before. This yields an estimated climate gain of no less than 353,600 tons of CO2. However, a good home office cannot exist without a good internet connection. By extending the company network to the home environment, companies ensure that employees have an outstanding connection when working from home, which effectively reduces commuting and thus contributes to reducing overall CO2 emissions. Also, a good home network boosts the productivity of employees working from their living room. A win-win situation. Proactive rather than reactive management A proactive management approach is a key requirement for a sustainable, functioning network. Automation through AI is a key player in this. Proactive management will lead to fewer IT tickets, increased user satisfaction, and thus a reduction in the number of engineers and technicians having to troubleshoot on-site. For example, one major retailer experienced an 85 percent reduction in site visits for troubleshooting thanks to the deployment of AI technologies. Looking beyond the standard parameters of sustainability, such as power consumption, opens up a plethora of opportunities to make the network more sustainable. As a result, organisations will not only operate greener, but will also become more efficient and user-friendly. “A proactive management approach is a key requirement for a sustainable, functioning network”48 edge_october 2023 P rojections by IDC projects spending on public cloud services in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META) will surpass $10.4 billion this year. This staggering figure indicates that regional organisations are moving workloads to the cloud in droves and while true, it belies a subtle caveat – “shifting to the cloud” is a bit of a misnomer. The reality is that cloud migration is not a one-way street. This is because cloud migration is a simplistic term for a complex concept. We know that, yes, companies will constantly be moving data and workloads to the cloud. But they also will move data and workloads back on-prem or from a public cloud to a private cloud. And with hyperscalers such as Microsoft, Google, AWS, Oracle and others constantly growing their infrastructure in the region, we should expect movement from one public cloud to another. For this reason, cloud migration is never done. There is also no one-size-fits-all solution for cloud migration, so you need careful planning and a purposeful approach to how – and what – you move to the cloud. For example, it is critical to understand application dependencies and interoperability, By Sascha Giese Global Technical Evangelist, SolarWinds Cloud migration journeys have no ‘finish line’ Cloud migration requires meticulous planning and a deliberate strategy, as there is no universally applicable solution for every scenario CLOUD determine technical feasibility, assess on-prem vs. cloud performance and cost, consider compliance and regulation, and more. Data, a determining factor When contemplating how to approach cloud migration and deciding what to keep on-prem, what to move to a private cloud, and what to move to a public cloud, an organisation’s data must also be a critical consideration. This is because nearly everything a modern business does from a digital perspective requires data. And thus, databases account for the bulk of any business’s cloud spending. To make sure you get all of the benefits of the cloud, while maximising value, it’s important to ensure your databases are optimised for performance and cost. Database workloads require significant computing power and tend to be memory intensive. For these reasons, it is critical to better understand your databases to make the best decisions about where they should live. But, unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Databases represent the most difficult ecosystems to observe, tune, manage, and scale. Not only edge_october 2023 49 opinion are there different types of databases that serve different purposes, but they are also populated by different types of data, adding to their complexity. The implications of not having visibility into your databases can be anywhere from a costly annoyance to a significant issue that causes business service disruption. For example, most application performance issues, between 70 percent and 88 percent, are rooted in the database. Databases have largely been seen as a black box for most organisations. You know what goes into it. And you know what comes out and how long that took. But the complexities that occur within the black box of the database are harder to discern. This is a significant problem for companies developing their cloud migration strategies. Observability unravels the black box This is where database observability comes into play and serves as an X-ray machine for your databases. To get a look inside the black box and understand the root cause of any issues and optimise your databases before, during, and after migration to the cloud. Database observability can help you get the complete mapping and capture the baseline details of your database environment. Database troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and remediation demand full-stack observability due to the numerous resources engaged by a database, database instance, and/or database server. Using this baseline information can make the cloud migration process smoother, save costs and help better manage resources. With these baseline performance insights in hand, companies can also decide which cloud environment is best suited for a given database workload. Different cloud providers each have their strengths and weaknesses. Database observability provides a necessary understanding of the behaviour of various applications and systems to decide which cloud provider is best suited for any particular database workload. Simplified migration, and much more Database observability also plays a key role in the final step of the cloud migration process: the transfer itself. During this phase of moving data from one environment to another, monitoring and comparing the performance of the databases against the baseline numbers you established in the pre-migration phase is critical. Observability solutions help a company identify any issues or discrepancies that may arise during the transfer and resolve them, minimising disruption and preventing delays. Of course, the need for database optimisation doesn’t end after the migration phase. Observability helps validate performance by comparing it to a baseline. Understanding service levels gives leaders peace of mind that the transition has been successful. Suppose it does identify hiccups in the new environment. In that case, observability makes it easier to identify the root cause of issues so that the problems can be addressed and resolved quickly, or the company can decide whether a different environment is needed. Observability can also aid in deciding whether to scale up or down the new cloud infrastructure based on any new business requirements that may arise. Endless, but efficient and effective “The shift to the cloud” is an important step for any company that wants to keep pace with the rapid digital transformation all industries face. Moving to the cloud successfully requires a deep understanding of and visibility into databases. Database observability provides the necessary view of what’s happening inside their most imperceptible and valuable systems. This ensures that your never ending cloud journey can be navigated successfully. “There is also no one-size-fits-all solution for cloud migration, so you need careful planning and a purposeful approach to how – and what – you move to the cloud” Observability Cloud migration strategies require having a granular view of your data and infrastructure layersNext >