Tag: Applications of artificial intelligence

AI AnalyticsCybersecurity

Shadow AI in UK Workplaces: £208 Billion Productivity Boost vs Critical Security Threats

Shadow AI usage among UK workers is saving billions in productivity while creating unprecedented security risks. New research shows 71% of employees use unauthorized AI tools despite potential data breaches and privacy concerns.

In a dramatic workplace transformation, UK employees are embracing artificial intelligence at unprecedented rates, generating an estimated £208 billion in productivity savings while simultaneously creating critical security vulnerabilities that threaten organizational integrity. This phenomenon, termed “Shadow AI” in a comprehensive Microsoft-commissioned study, represents both a massive economic opportunity and a pressing security crisis unfolding across British businesses.

The Shadow AI Epidemic: Scope and Scale

by Darren Holt
AI AnalyticsEconomy and Trading

‘It was the internet then, it is AI now’: IMF upgrades U.S. growth outlook but sees ‘echoes’ of late ’90s dot-com boom | Fortune

The International Monetary Fund has upgraded its U.S. economic growth forecast while highlighting concerning parallels between today’s AI investment surge and the late 1990s dot-com boom. Despite tariff uncertainties, massive data center investments and computing power are driving economic resilience.

The International Monetary Fund has delivered a cautiously optimistic update to its global economic outlook, raising U.S. growth projections for 2025 while drawing striking parallels between today’s artificial intelligence investment boom and the dot-com era of the late 1990s. The international lending organization now projects the U.S. economy will expand by 2% next year, slightly higher than previous forecasts, as AI-driven investments help offset the dampening effects of trade tensions and tariffs.

Revised Economic Projections Show Modest Improvement

by Darren Holt
AI AnalyticsBusiness Software

Slack Transforms Slackbot Into AI Assistant With Salesforce Integration

Slack has completely rebuilt Slackbot into a sophisticated AI assistant with deep Salesforce integration. The enhanced platform now serves as a centralized hub for agents, data, and automation across enterprise workflows.

Slack has fundamentally transformed its platform from an enterprise communication tool to a comprehensive AI-powered productivity ecosystem. The company’s complete overhaul of Slackbot into an intelligent assistant represents a strategic shift toward creating what executives describe as a “conversational interface for the entire enterprise.”

From Simple Chatbot to Enterprise AI Assistant

by Darren Holt
Assistive TechnologyComputer Hardware

Intel’s Crescent Island GPU: 2026 Customer Testing Signals AI Chip Push

Intel confirms its Crescent Island data center GPU will reach customer testing in late 2026, representing the chipmaker’s strategic shift toward AI inference workloads. This comes amid intense competition and supply constraints in the AI chip market.

Intel has confirmed its upcoming GPU codenamed Crescent Island will enter customer sampling in the second half of 2026, signaling the semiconductor giant’s renewed determination to compete in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence accelerator market. This development comes as Intel seeks to establish a foothold against dominant players Nvidia and AMD, particularly in the data center segment where AI workloads have created unprecedented demand.

Crescent Island GPU: Intel’s Strategic AI Play

by Natalie Brooks