Category Archives: Cloud

The AI Revolution, Pros and Cons. Article 2

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AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that deals with the creation of intelligent agents, which are systems that can reason, learn, and act autonomously. AI has the potential to revolutionize many aspects of our lives, from the way we work to the way we interact with the world around us.

There are many potential benefits to the AI revolution. For example, AI could be used to automate tasks that are currently done by humans, freeing up our time for more creative and fulfilling pursuits. AI could also be used to improve healthcare, education, and transportation.

However, there are also some potential risks associated with the AI revolution. For example, AI could be used to create autonomous weapons that could kill without human intervention. AI could also be used to create systems that are able to manipulate and control human behaviour.

It is important to be aware of both the potential benefits and risks of the AI revolution. We need to ensure that AI is used in a way that benefits all of humanity, and that we do not allow AI to become a threat to our existence.

Here are some of the pros and cons of the AI revolution:

Pros:

  • AI can automate tasks that are currently done by humans, freeing up our time for more creative and fulfilling pursuits.
  • AI can improve healthcare, education, and transportation.
  • AI can help us to better understand the world around us.
  • AI can help us to make better decisions.

Cons:

  • AI could be used to create autonomous weapons that could kill without human intervention.
  • AI could be used to create systems that are able to manipulate and control human behaviour.
  • AI could lead to mass unemployment, as machines become capable of doing many of the jobs that are currently done by humans.
  • AI could lead to a widening of the gap between the rich and the poor, as those who own the AI systems will benefit from increased productivity and efficiency, while those who do not will be left behind.

In Conclusion

It is important to weigh the pros and cons of the AI revolution carefully before making any decisions about how to use this technology. We need to ensure that AI is used in a way that benefits all of humanity, and that we do not allow AI to become a threat to our existence.

Should old kit be abandoned?

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laptop update
Old kit gets a new life

The current statistics shown that the sales of various tech is now down and that people aren’t eagerly awaiting to buy the latest thing.

There are various reasons for this and to put your finger in the one would be wrong.

But it begs the question about what we do with old kit? I have been recently taking 7 year old laptops that have still some very good kit on board and upgrading by adding a SSD drive to them.

What do we do with our computers?

We need to look at what we now do with computers: –

  • A few years ago all programmes were on the computer and so was the data until we backed it up
  • The Internet was growing fast and we are getting faster access.
  • So cloud storage became a thing and has grown over the last few years to an amazing level.
    • “According to recent research by Nasuni, there is over 1 Exabyte of data stored in the cloud, or: 1024 Petabytes of data. 1,073,741,824 Gigabytes of data. Quintillion bytes of data” This data was 2013. 6 years ago.
  • These figures don’t even make sense to us. To try and comprehend this amount of data and storage becomes something we can’t relate to.
  • Applications are also becoming more cloud driven and this will only increase over the next few years. SAAS. (Software As A Service). Office 365 is a well-known one. Google utilities, (G-suite), etc. Monthly subscriptions and the latest and greatest always at your fingertips.

So what does this mean?

Well, the strain is being taken off a lot of standalone machines as the storage needs to be less as all data goes to the cloud. (See article on using the cloud, here.)

The machines if they have a large amount of RAM and a fast SSD drive can boot up in anything from 4 seconds to 18 seconds. (The one I worked on recently booted up in 4 seconds)

So old kit can be slightly upgraded and cope very well with what you need it to do. Thus alleviating the direct need to buy the latest kit all the time.

What’s best for you?

Well, that really depends on how you operate and the things you need to achieve. But don’t immediately write off all your current kit. Maybe it is just better connections that you need or you need to think about the way you operate and see if there are ways it can be done better.

What are your thoughts on this?

Comment below.

What scares you about using the cloud?

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The nature of computing over the last few years has gone one way and one way only and that is to drive users on the cloud. The software is now offered as a service and machines locally are less powerful with less storage, as your storage is not local anymore and is on the cloud remotely.

Most people are going with the flow and some others are still thinking the old way and have loads of data stored locally. The machines then become infected and data is lost or compromised.

Some companies have to store data locally due to legal requirements or just their processes in-house require it. However, the way the world is going is to store remotely, which allows so many good benefits.

What are the Benefits?

Let us start by looking at some of the benefits of cloud and remote storage: –

  1. The use and accessibility of files and work become easier. Users can drag and drop files etc. to cloud storage drives ion their machines. You don’t have to be technical. The stored data can then be accessed from anywhere in the world.
  2. How about disaster recovery? A backup plan for data has been something us I.T. guys have shouted about for years. Cloud storage drives create an automatic backup of all data stored, taking away the need for you to do it and the costs involved.
  3. Security is always the main argument against using the cloud. However, the best thing about cloud-stored data is that the server data is distributed across redundant servers and the data that is stored in the cloud is safeguarded against any type of hardware failure. Cloud servers also provide automated backups and snapshots in order to make sure that your data is safe.
  4. There are cost savings in using cloud-based data storage as well. No expensive on-site storage solutions that have running costs as well. All this is saved and the cost of cloud storage against it usually means a cost saving. This depends on your company and setup of course.
  5. Data sharing is another great benefit of cloud storage. Files can be shared in-house with colleagues or with clients externally.
  6. Automation of backups etc. is also a massive benefit. Once set up a daily routine isn’t needed locally and this frees up people for other tasks.
  7. Online cloud storage is also a great way to allow staff and clients to collaborate on documents and projects. From anywhere in the world.
  8. File integrity is also another great plus. When working on a cloud-based file you simply save and close. This means we don’t have various copies on various machines. Then trying to sync most recent of them.
  9. The amount of convenience and peace of mind offered by cloud storage system is amazing! Even if you store data on transportable devices like external hard drives or flash drives, some kind of manual intervention and physical handling is required. The data that is stored in a cloud is backed up online and it can be accessed from anywhere. Information is automatically saved as it streams in. There is no need for you to save, label or track information. The convenience of online cloud storage enables you to completely concentrate on your work without getting stressed about data loss.

Conclusion

Online storage and backup are beneficial for all types of businesses. It is a platform that does not require any huge investment and can be actively used in connecting staff and clients. Collaborating and using data smartly. Not to mention less supervision and online activities. Secure in the knowledge that it is all backed up for you and can be accessed from anywhere.