Introduction to AI in the Workplace

In a survey of 1,000 knowledge workers, 67% of respondents said that their companies use AI, with 56% of companies encouraging AI usage. Owl Labs created the survey, and they found that Gen Z employees are more likely to report being “heavily reliant” on AI, with 70% of the youngest generation leaning in on the tech for a multitude of tasks. That lines up with the observations of OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, who recently shared that Gen Z workers view ChatGPT as a “life adviser". Embracing technology is a good idea, but is Gen Z squeezing LLMs too tightly? What do these current and future workforce leaders need to know, about what AI can (and can’t) do?

Tell Me How You Use ChatGPT and I’ll Guess Your Age

“Older people,” Altman told an audience at Sequoia Capital’s AI Ascent Event, “use ChatGPT as a Google replacement. People in college use it as an operating system.” Tech Crunch reports that younger adults have fairly complex prompts memorized, which also means saved in the notes on their phone, and they rapidly and frequently pepper the program with problems and queries. Altman goes on to say that, "they [Gen Z and Gen Alpha] don’t really make life decisions without asking ChatGPT what they should do. It has the full context on every person in their life and what they’ve talked about."

AI expert Amanda Caswell, a writer for Tom’s Guide, says, “Personally, I’ve used ChatGPT to tackle everything from project summaries to panic attacks, and have found it to be a great sounding board when facing tough choices. While it’s no substitute for human guidance or a therapist, ChatGPT can be a great assistant in a pinch.”

The Upside and Downside of Using AI

There’s definitely an upside to having a second opinion on various aspects of your life and work – especially when that perspective has access to trillions of data points, the works of Freud, Jung, and James, as well as most of recorded history. But there are risks that can come with using AI, and leaning in too heavily on the platform. Experts say that it’s essential to be careful how much you share with AI – and how you use the tool at work. The rewards are many, but so are the risks – and using LLMs wisely is good counsel for every generation.

What to Watch Out For With AI: Experts Weigh In

“AI has no world model,” according to process scientist, Sam Drauschak. Questions that require real-world context can be a challenge for ChatGPT and other AI platforms. “When you ask it to read this picture of a clock, it’s strictly pattern prediction.”

Louis Rosenberg, Stanford professor, inventor, AI scientist and author of Our Next Reality, says that sometimes AI is dyslexic. And, as someone who is dyslexic, Rosenberg’s perspective gives an interesting read on why AI struggles to tell time. “When I recall things in my mind (objects, environments, images, or text), I don’t visualize them from a fixed first-person perspective. I think about them from all directions at once, more as a vague cloud of perspectives than a single, grounded orientation,” he explains – articulating the AI point of view. That’s how large language models see things – and it often means that vector orientations (such as “clockwise”) are elusive to AI platforms. “When you ask AI to interpret a tissue sample," he says, using an application from healthcare that is becoming more and more common, “accuracy is not impacted by orientation.”

But innovative problem-solving and creative thinking is. While AI can generate novel combinations for text and produce creative works in art and music, its capacity for truly original thought and breakthrough innovation remains limited. But the speed of the platform can be astonishing. So, should we treat AI like just another voice in the room, or the voice of God? “Think about it more like an intern,” Drauschak advises.

“AI doesn’t do anything new. It can synthesize things from lots of different domains. And the labor of synthesizing things can seem to generate insight. Like a brilliant intern – with the ability to process billions of data points at once – it’s going to come up with good ideas and contribute. But it’s a really good idea to check on the work,” he explains. While you may not be asking AI to read a clock, perspective always matters – especially when it comes to work product, context and point of view.

Room for Error with AI

AI doesn’t possess emotions or empathy, Draushak explains. “It doesn’t have a conversation where it acknowledges any sort of room for error or humility or, you know, ‘I only feel 80% about this’". Drauschak likens it to the consultant’s mantra: “I may be incorrect, but I’m never unsure of myself.” Hallucinations and facts are presented with the same level of confidence.

AI has no world model, so anything that requires real-time context creates progressive levels of failure, according to Drauschak. Long-term planning can be a challenge as well, as AI platforms have limited memory. To be fair, certain programs and prompts can provide reference and context – a context which comes to human beings naturally, as a result of being in the real world.

And reading the room is a challenge for AI. “AI is the future,” Dylan Matthews shares in Vox. “It’ just can’t predict it.” Science Daily echoes that sentiment, in a post that proclaims that humans are better at predicting social interactions than AI. "AI for a self-driving car, for example, would need to recognize the intentions, goals, and actions of human drivers and pedestrians. You would want it to know which way a pedestrian is about to start walking, or whether two people are in conversation versus about to cross the street," said lead author Leyla Isik, an assistant professor of cognitive science at Johns Hopkins University who did an extensive study into the limitations of current LLMs. "Any time you want an AI to interact with humans, you want it to be able to recognize what people are doing. I think this sheds light on the fact that these systems can’t right now." Cathy Garcia, a colleague and contributor to the Johns Hopkins study, says, "Real life isn’t static. We need AI to understand the story that is unfolding in a scene. Understanding the relationships, context, and dynamics of social interactions is the next step, and this research suggests there might be a blind spot in AI model development."

Leading with AI: Understanding Its Limits to Access Its Capabilities

For leaders and aspiring leaders, the message is one of balance. While the capabilities of AI have opened up seemingly limitless possibility, those possibilities actually do have limits. The real question, across every generation in the workforce, is: what do you want to outsource to AI? Tools can accelerate results when used correctly. But turning to AI for every direction in your life seems unwise. Indeed, research already shows a decline in cognitive skills from over-reliance on LLMs. Convenience, speed, ease: these are the advantages of AI. But understanding how best to use an AI platform like ChatGPT is crucial for leaders today.

In side by side tournaments run by Metaculus, human beings have beaten AI at forecasting for the last three quarters running. But that gap is narrowing. Think of how prediction matters in your business: for lawyers, negotiating a settlement requires instincts around agreement based on real-time contexts – and intuition. Producers at Netflix predict what shows will hit. Intuition, innovation, direction: these uniquely human characteristics still matter in decision-making – even when 67% of workers are using ChatGPT and its cousins. AI can help with the predictive journey, but it’s not the whole trip – at least, not yet.

Conclusion

The use of AI in the workplace is on the rise, with 67% of companies using AI and 56% encouraging its use. While AI can be a powerful tool, it’s essential to understand its limitations and use it wisely. Gen Z employees are more likely to rely heavily on AI, but it’s crucial for all generations to be aware of the potential risks and benefits. By understanding what AI can and can’t do, leaders and aspiring leaders can make informed decisions about how to use AI to accelerate results and improve productivity.

FAQs

Q: What percentage of companies use AI?
A: 67% of companies use AI, according to a survey by Owl Labs.
Q: What is the main difference in how older and younger generations use ChatGPT?
A: Older people use ChatGPT as a Google replacement, while younger adults use it as an operating system.
Q: What are some limitations of AI?
A: AI has no world model, limited memory, and struggles with real-time context, innovative problem-solving, and creative thinking.
Q: Can AI predict social interactions?
A: No, humans are better at predicting social interactions than AI, according to research by Johns Hopkins University.
Q: What is the importance of understanding AI’s limitations?
A: Understanding AI’s limitations is crucial for leaders and aspiring leaders to make informed decisions about how to use AI to accelerate results and improve productivity, and to avoid over-reliance on AI.

The ransomware threat is evolving, and attackers are continually seeking new angles and technologies to exploit, to aid with leveraging payments in these modern-day extortion schemes. Some are hard to fathom, like the DOGE-trolling hackers demanding $1 trillion, exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities in Windows, and the increasingly common use of 2FA bypass attacks and access to 19 billion compromised passwords on the dark web. But what if ransomware hackers were using employee monitoring software to see what you are up to during the attack and to steal your credentials as well? Welcome to the sinister world of Qilin and Hunters International ransomware.

How Ransomware Attackers Can Spy On You

While the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have recently issued a security alert about the dangers that unsophisticated threat actors pose to U.S. critical infrastructure services, that doesn’t mean all ransomware hackers are using the kind of basic and elementary intrusion techniques described in the CISA advisory. Take the Qilin and Hunters International ransomware threat, whose affiliates have been observed using a legitimate employee monitoring tool during their attacks.

The Qilin and Hunters International Ransomware Attack

The ransomware attacks in question started with malicious Google Ads deployed by the threat actors. These were designed to display “when people searched for RVTools, a free Windows utility for managing VMware vSphere deployments,” Sergiu Gatlan at Bleeping Computer, said. If the would-be victim clicked through that advert then it started a waterfall of nefarious events leading to the download and installation of something called Kickidler.

Kickidler: A Legitimate Employee Monitoring Tool Turned Malicious

Here’s the thing: Kickidler is not malware. In fact, it’s a perfectly legitimate employee monitoring tool that’s deployed by more than 5,000 organizations across the world. The key point of interest is that it provides a visual monitoring capability. Once installed, the ransomware hackers can literally see what you are doing.

Consequences of the Attack

Varonis threat research investigators have suggested that the ransomware attackers have used the software in order to have undetected access to target systems for weeks at a time, enabling the collection of the credentials required to gain access to critical off-site cloud data backups. It is recommended, therefore, that network defenders ensure the effective and regular auditing of any installed remote monitoring and management software.

Conclusion

The Qilin and Hunters International ransomware attack is a stark reminder of the evolving nature of cyber threats. As attackers become more sophisticated, it’s essential for organizations to stay vigilant and take proactive measures to protect themselves. By understanding the tactics used by these attackers, we can better equip ourselves to prevent such attacks and minimize their impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Qilin and Hunters International ransomware?

A: Qilin and Hunters International is a type of ransomware that uses a legitimate employee monitoring tool to spy on victims and steal their credentials.

Q: How does the attack start?

A: The attack starts with malicious Google Ads that lead to the download and installation of the Kickidler employee monitoring tool.

Q: What is Kickidler?

A: Kickidler is a legitimate employee monitoring tool that provides visual monitoring capability, which can be used by ransomware attackers to spy on victims.

Q: How can organizations protect themselves?

A: Organizations can protect themselves by ensuring the effective and regular auditing of any installed remote monitoring and management software and being cautious when clicking on online ads.

With the rise of remote work, Tools for hybrid and remote work have become essential for businesses to provide exceptional customer support. In this article, we’ll explore the best tools for remote customer service, enabling companies to deliver top-notch support to their customers from anywhere. Effective customer support is crucial for building trust, loyalty, and driving business growth. Let’s dive in and discover the tools that can help you achieve this goal.

Understanding Remote Customer Service

Remote customer service refers to the support provided to customers by a team of representatives who work from remote locations, often using digital tools and technologies to interact with customers. This approach has become increasingly popular due to its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and ability to provide 24/7 support. To deliver exceptional customer support remotely, businesses need to leverage the right tools and technologies.

Benefits of Remote Customer Service

The benefits of remote customer service are numerous, including increased flexibility, reduced costs, and improved customer satisfaction. With remote customer service, businesses can hire the best talent from around the world, rather than being limited to a specific geographic location. Additionally, remote customer service enables companies to provide 24/7 support, which is essential for building trust and loyalty with customers.

Essential Tools for Remote Customer Service

To provide exceptional customer support remotely, businesses need to use a range of tools and technologies. Some of the essential tools include:

Helpdesk Software

Helpdesk software is a critical tool for remote customer service, enabling companies to manage customer inquiries, issues, and feedback in a centralized platform. Popular helpdesk software includes Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Salesforce Service Cloud. These tools provide features such as ticket management, automation, and analytics, making it easier to resolve customer issues efficiently.

Live Chat Software

Live chat software is another essential tool for remote customer service, enabling companies to provide instant support to customers on their website, social media, or mobile app. Popular live chat software includes Intercom, Drift, and Chatbot. These tools provide features such as chatbots, automation, and analytics, making it easier to engage with customers and resolve issues quickly.

Video Conferencing Tools

Video conferencing tools are essential for remote customer service, enabling companies to provide face-to-face support to customers remotely. Popular video conferencing tools include Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet. These tools provide features such as screen sharing, recording, and analytics, making it easier to provide personalized support to customers.

Social Media Management Tools

Social media management tools are critical for remote customer service, enabling companies to manage customer inquiries and issues on social media platforms. Popular social media management tools include Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Buffer. These tools provide features such as scheduling, analytics, and engagement, making it easier to respond to customer inquiries and issues on social media.

Best Practices for Remote Customer Service

To provide exceptional customer support remotely, businesses need to follow best practices, including:

Define Clear Processes and Procedures

Defining clear processes and procedures is essential for remote customer service, ensuring that customer inquiries and issues are handled efficiently and effectively. Businesses should establish clear guidelines for responding to customer inquiries, resolving issues, and escalating complex problems.

Invest in Ongoing Training and Development

Investing in ongoing training and development is critical for remote customer service, ensuring that customer support representatives have the skills and knowledge needed to provide exceptional support. Businesses should provide regular training and coaching to customer support representatives, focusing on areas such as communication, problem-solving, and product knowledge.

Use Data and Analytics to Drive Decision-Making

Using data and analytics is essential for remote customer service, enabling businesses to make informed decisions about customer support strategies and processes. Businesses should use data and analytics to track customer support metrics, such as response times, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction, and use this data to identify areas for improvement.

Challenges and Limitations of Remote Customer Service

While remote customer service offers numerous benefits, it also presents several challenges and limitations, including:

Communication Barriers

Communication barriers are a significant challenge for remote customer service, making it difficult for customer support representatives to communicate effectively with customers. Businesses should invest in tools and technologies that enable clear and effective communication, such as video conferencing and live chat software.

Technical Issues

Technical issues are another challenge for remote customer service, making it difficult for customer support representatives to access the tools and technologies needed to provide support. Businesses should invest in reliable and secure infrastructure, ensuring that customer support representatives can access the tools and technologies needed to provide exceptional support.

Security and Data Protection

Security and data protection are critical concerns for remote customer service, ensuring that customer data is protected and secure. Businesses should invest in robust security measures, such as encryption and access controls, to protect customer data and prevent unauthorized access.

Conclusion

In conclusion, providing exceptional customer support remotely requires the right tools, technologies, and strategies. Businesses should invest in essential tools such as helpdesk software, live chat software, video conferencing tools, and social media management tools. Additionally, businesses should follow best practices, such as defining clear processes and procedures, investing in ongoing training and development, and using data and analytics to drive decision-making. By leveraging these tools and strategies, businesses can deliver exceptional customer support remotely, building trust, loyalty, and driving business growth.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the benefits of remote customer service?

The benefits of remote customer service include increased flexibility, reduced costs, and improved customer satisfaction. Remote customer service enables businesses to hire the best talent from around the world, provide 24/7 support, and improve customer engagement.

What are the essential tools for remote customer service?

The essential tools for remote customer service include helpdesk software, live chat software, video conferencing tools, and social media management tools. These tools enable businesses to manage customer inquiries, provide instant support, and engage with customers on social media.

How can businesses ensure effective communication in remote customer service?

Businesses can ensure effective communication in remote customer service by investing in tools and technologies that enable clear and effective communication, such as video conferencing and live chat software. Additionally, businesses should establish clear guidelines for communication, such as response times and communication channels.

What are the challenges and limitations of remote customer service?

The challenges and limitations of remote customer service include communication barriers, technical issues, and security and data protection concerns. Businesses should invest in reliable and secure infrastructure, establish clear guidelines for communication, and invest in robust security measures to protect customer data.

How can businesses measure the success of remote customer service?

Businesses can measure the success of remote customer service by tracking customer support metrics, such as response times, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction. Additionally, businesses should use data and analytics to identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions about customer support strategies and processes.