Can AI Tools Like ChatGPT Experience Feelings And Capture Memories? This New Survey Has The Answer

A new survey is shedding light on AI tools like ChatGPT and what people’s opinions about them might be.

The survey questioned people about their thoughts on the leading AI tools and if they felt large language models actually had feelings or featured the capabilities of preserving memories. Surprisingly, a lot of the respondents said yes and we’re talking about two-thirds of the majority.

Thanks to the research carried out by the University of Waterloo, many felt AI does engage in some form of conscious behavior and therefore can give rise to subjective experiences like making memories or having emotions.

LLMs do frequently display conversational styles when rolling out content and such human capabilities give rise to human debates on whether AI really displays consciousness.

As per the experts, when people hold such strong sentiments about AI tools, it ultimately impacts how they work with them and interact with them. Moreover, this gives rise to strong social bonds and builds more trust.

Meanwhile, too much trust is also not a good thing as it means strong emotional dependence and limited human interactions, not to mention being overly dependent on AI to make pivotal decisions.

Many AI experts have denied time and time again how AI might be conscious but as per this new study, the opinions of the general public prove otherwise.

It’s a reality that many people believe in and that is why the authors embarked on a survey to prove just that. The results are right in front of us and with close to 300 individuals from the US taking part and most of them agreeing about ChatGPT being conscious, we might need to consider that for the future of AI.

Respondents were asked to comment on the tools’ mental state and their capability to produce plans, reasonings, and emotions, not to mention how frequently they engaged with the tool.

Furthermore, the study revealed that more the people make use of ChatGPT, the greater they contribute as having feelings which is significant considering how frequently AI is being used in our lives each day.

The authors also explained how the results delineated how powerful language is as a simple chat alone could lead many to assume that agents appearing and working differently from them might also have a mind of their own.

Other than emotions, being conscious has to do with intelligence that is linked to moral responsibilities. This is the ability to produce plans and act in a certain way, not to mention having more self-control over ethical ordeals and legal matters.

So this opens up the future for more scientific experiments and studies to better understand AI models in detail and how people perceive over time around the globe. After all, social bonding with LLM and AI tools is not something that has ever been discussed in the past.

Read next: Study Finds that AI is Capable of Working at Healthcare as It Gives Better Answers than Most of Physicians
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Creative Community Criticizes Apple Intelligence For Lack Of Transparency

It looks like some of Apple’s most loyal customers aren’t too happy with its policy regarding generative AI.

This year has marked a major milestone for the leading Cupertino firm that opted to unveil its collaboration with the makers of ChatGPT, not to mention the rollout of Apple Intelligence. And yes, the iPhone maker has officially entered the much-heated AI race after taking a backstep for months.

The company confirmed how this year will see devices running on Apple Intelligence which is the name reserved for the tech giant’s version of generative AI. Amongst the many exciting features is the ability to produce pictures using text prompts.

While the news might excite many Apple users, it’s leaving a bad taste for creative community members who are surprised at how much lackluster surrounds the policy regarding AI models. Amongst their many concerns is zero transparency about how the models were trained and which data was used.

Many feel this is a fundamental right that every Apple user deserves to know and not seeing that is disappointing for many arising from the community of creative artists whose livelihood depends on personalized content creation.

For years, these members of society have looked up to Apple as a pioneer in the world of tech as well as liberal arts. Now, these same people are expressing frustration about how silent Apple has become in terms of how it attains data for use in AI models.

Generative AI’s success truly depends on what kind of information or training data was used to bring it up to the point of launch. So many firms continue to ingest data available online, refusing to take consent or provide compensation to the original creators.

The fact that Apple may have done what the others did is sad for some people to see, especially those having blind faith in the iPhone maker for decades.

To help give you a better understanding of what we mean, close to six billion pictures were used to train AI models such as LAION-5B. And all of those were stolen from the web and no one is calling the firm out for such acts.

This is why the creative community featuring music artists and authors, as well as those who deal with art daily, have united to take a stand against anyone consuming their efforts for free and keep generating more profits out of it.

We saw top music labels such as Sony and Universal sue AI music startup firms for breaking copyright claims. Today, we’re seeing tech giants strike deals through licensing with those producing content online like news publishers to stay safe from legal matters.

Seeing Apple do the same is something bothering the community who expected so much more from the Cupertino company while others speak about giving the iPhone maker the benefit of the doubt when they shouldn’t have.

There is no training source revealed for Apple Intelligence so far nor did Apple agree to doing so. Its company blog post says it used the same means that others in the industry do which is to scrape public data online through AppleBot. Are you shocked?

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: Threads Celebrates First Anniversary With Milestone 175 Million Monthly Active Users
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Threads Celebrates First Anniversary With Milestone 175 Million Monthly Active Users

Meta’s Threads just turned one and the app is celebrating the news by sharing another milestone of its journey in the world of social media.

Launched in July of last year, the app had people running in flocks to get a subscription as the platform seemed like the next best thing after Instagram. It was less images and more text and many went as far as to reveal how the launch could give serious competition to archrival X, formerly known as Twitter.

As time passed, the app had its ups and downs but it’s certainly come a long way, facing plenty of hurdles. Today, it’s got a massive monthly userbase featuring over 175 million users and that’s a great point worth celebrating.

Mark Zuckerberg posted through his Threads account how the milestone achieved was just the boost that the app needed. Changes might be coming slowly but the fact that it was bare bones at the start with fierce competition from rivals is certainly something to be proud of.

In the beginning, we saw Meta’s Instagram spin-off platform be rolled out across both iOS and Android devices. Soon after that, the desktop version popped up. We do see it evolving to include more images than before but it wouldn’t be wrong to mention that 63% of all posts published on the app entail only text.

The app has confirmed that more than 50 million Tags were made using the app and amongst those, the most popular ones included BookThreads, PhotographyThreads, and those linked to the Gym.

No matter how much Facebook’s parent firm can deny the fact that it was initially supposed to serve great competition for Twitter, now X, the facts can no longer be ignored. X might have a massive user base and be doing great on its own terms under Elon Musk’s leadership, the competition is there and who knows what the future holds.

Do you recall the faceoff X had with Threads after its launch? The former accused the company of hiring former employees from X to run Threads and therefore trade secrets were getting shared. X felt threatened by the growing presence of Threads and a lawsuit came into being.

Musk continues to boast about X's success and how the user base features more than 600 million active users each month. And while Threads is nowhere near half that mark, it’s more keen on its own personal gains at this moment.

Read next: Meta’s Threads Platform Just Turned One But How Far Has The Instagram Spin-Off Come?
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

How to Implement Cloud Threat Hunting in Your Organization

Businesses are now going paperless and digital, storing their valuable data in the cloud. However, whereas cloud storage allows everyone in the company to access the data at any time, it also brings certain cybersecurity challenges.

Source: Unsplash / Adi Goldstein

While cloud environments are scalable, flexible, and efficient, traditional security approaches often fall short, creating a need for advanced cybersecurity measures designed specifically for the cloud. One important technique in this regard is cloud threat hunting – a systematic and continuous search of malicious activity on the cloud and its subsequent elimination.

Cyber attackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, employing advanced techniques including AI, zero-day exploits, and advanced persistent threats (APTs). Insider threats caused by employees with access to sensitive data also pose a challenge. Cloud threat hunting can help identify anomalies early on and reduce the dwell time of any malware. Here’s how you can do cloud threat hunting:

1. Developing a Strategy

To implement an effective cloud threat hunting strategy, you must have a well-structured approach that includes creating a robust threat-hunting framework and establishing meaningful metrics to measure success.

Two strategies are commonly used here: hypothesis-driven methodology and data-driven methodology. In the former, you start with a specific hypothesis about potential threats or vulnerabilities, while in the latter, you start with large volumes of data and use advanced analytics to identify anomalies and potential threats.

In hypothesis-driven methodology, you need a limited set of data relevant to the hypothesis, while in the latter, you need large amounts of raw data.

During the planning phase, you must also set up your KPIs. One KPI can be detection time, or the average time taken to detect a threat after it has entered the environment. Another KPI can be response time, or the average time taken to respond to and mitigate a threat after it is detected.

2. Leveraging Tools and Technologies

You can use tools provided by cloud service providers or third-party tools. For example, AWS equips your storage with AWS GuardDuty which continuously monitors for unwanted and unauthorized activity to protect accounts. It uses anomaly detection, machine learning, and integrated threat intelligence to pinpoint hazards. Similarly, Google Cloud has a Security Command Center (SCC) for cloud threat-hunting purposes.

Third-party tools include RED and SIEM. EDR, or Endpoint Detection and Response tools, monitor endpoint activities and provide detailed visibility into potential threats. On the other hand, Security Information and Event Management or SIEM tools aggregate and analyze log data from various sources to provide real-time event monitoring, threat detection, and incident response.

3. Conducting Threat Hunts

Regular threat hunts are essential for maintaining a strong security posture in cloud environments. This process involves developing hypotheses based on threat intelligence and historical data, performing active hunts for indicators of compromise (IOCs), and analyzing and correlating data.

When conducting hunts, you look for IOCs which are evidence of a potential security breach. They include unusual traffic or suspicious files. Similarly, you look for anomalous behavior such as unexpected data transfers, particularly to malicious domains, irregular login times, or unusual patterns of resource usage.

Endnote

As cloud solutions become more common in the digital scape, the number of cyber attacks also grows. Cloud threat hunting is a cloud cybersecurity approach in which you systemically and continuously scan your storage for any threat. You can use either a hypothesis-based or a data-driven methodology, and leverage either native or specialist third-party tools. Through constant cloud threat hunting, you can ensure safety for your cloud storage.

by Web Desk via Digital Information World

AI Fraud: How Deep Fakes Cost Companies Billions!

Given the increasing popularity of AI, deep fake incidents are on the rise. The biggest threat of deep fake technology is to the banking and financial sector. In 2023, $12.3 billion loss was reported because of deep fake while the losses are expected to grow to $40 billion by the end of 2027, i.e. according to Deloitte. There are many AI apps and websites available now which provide attackers platforms to fake their voices, impersonate someone’s voice and create fake documents.

Image: Deloitte

According to Pindrop’s Voice Intelligence and Security Report 2024, deep fraud that is aimed at contact centers amounts to $5 billion losses annually. Bloomberg also recently reported that there is a dark web network that sells scamming software to attackers for $20 to thousands of dollars. If you want to see how quickly AI fraud is growing all over the world, Sumsub’s Identity Fraud Report 2023 covers all of that.

Image: Statista

Adversarial AI has also created a new wave of deep fake attacks which create fake identities to attack different people. Many of the enterprises do not have any strategies to keep themselves safe from adversarial AI deep fakes where the attackers create deep fakes of key executives. According to the 2024 State of Cybersecurity Report by Ivanti, 74% of enterprises are already experiencing AI driven attacks. 89% of the enterprises say that AI attacks have already started while 60% of the enterprises are not prepared to defend against AI attacks. Because of generative AI, the AI attacks which will get more dangerous will be phishing (45%), software vulnerabilities (38%), ransomware attacks (37%), API-related vulnerabilities (34%) and DDoS attacks (31%).

Many CEOs of software cybersecurity enterprises have admitted that these AI attacks have gotten more real and legitimate looking. George Kurtz, CEO of CrowdStrike says that as AI is getting more advanced, attackers are also taking full advantage of it. CrowdStrike is well-known for its expertise in AI and machine learning. George Kurtz says that the deep fake technology is getting so good. The company also has started investigating AI deep fakes and the impact they can cause in the coming years.

Read next:

• Meta, Amazon, Apple Most Impersonated in Phishing Scams: Study

• How to Create Strong Passwords and Keep Hackers at Bay
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Google’s New Environmental Report Shows Alarming 50% Spike In Greenhouse Gas Emissions Due To AI

Google is in the spotlight after its latest environmental report showcased a record-breaking high of greenhouse gas emissions.

As per the report, the emissions witnessed a 50% spike, which is the greatest seen in the past five years. This is all thanks to data centers consuming large amounts of energy and giving out emissions, the company added.

Owing it to the spike in AI, Google says the data centers were fueling the demand for this trend and it’s certainly alarming, not to mention a significant hindrance to the company’s path of achieving carbon neutrality.

Every year, the search engine giant rolls out the report to display how much progress it has made in this attempt to go green but from what this year’s stats reveal, it’s nothing to be proud of and far from the environmentally friendly goals that Google wishes to attain by the year 2030.

The company rolled out close to 14.3 million metric tons of CO2 in 2023 alone and that was 49% higher than the year 2019 and nearly 13% greater than 2022.

Google very proudly announced how the rise in data centers used for fueling the rise in AI trends was to blame and as more AI gets incorporated into a wide array of its products, the consumption would similarly increase.

The challenge is one that the company has been dealing with for a long time and Google says things are only going to get more difficult as it makes more investments in its respective technical infrastructure.

The report similarly highlighted how the environment is forced to suffer through the explosive AI trend on Earth. Several tech giants including Google, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon are keen on making billion-dollar investments related to AI but also spending a fortune to train their models.

This does not come easy, not to mention the huge amounts of energy resources needed to fuel it all. Meanwhile, reports have also spoken about how AI features make use of a lot of energy as well. Last year, researchers from an AI startup and the University of Carnegie Mellon proved how producing one picture through AI could use the same amount of energy needed to charge mobile phone devices.

In the same way, some tech analysts feel AI will soon double the electricity demand of users in the country and the overall consumption could end up diminishing the current electric supply for just two years.

It’s all very alarming and that’s probably why many tech giants including the likes of Microsoft are opening their eyes toward their attempts to go carbon-negative soon.

Meanwhile, this report by Google mentioned how its own data centers were making use of more water supplies than in the past so that they could maintain cooling due to increased AI workloads. A lot of those entail the likes of Google Search’s AI Overviews which has already been the spectacle of massive debate after asking users to consume rocks or use glue to stick toppings across a pizza.

When we look at figures from the previous year, the Android maker’s data center used 17% more water supplies than the year before that. That’s close to 6.1 billion liters which could irrigate approximately 41 whole golf courses each year in the southwest of the US.

The fact that Google is working on bettering the environment and not just focusing on profits gained through the launch of AI across its products is certainly music to environmental activists’ ears but at the same time, a lot of work needs to be done in this domain if the firm wishes to stay on track with its goals for the end of this decade. Do you agree?

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next:

• WhatsApp Is Working On New AI-Generated Image Feature Of Users

• Windows 11 Sees Positive Comeback With Growth In Market Share For The First Time Since Late 2023 Slump
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

WhatsApp Is Working On New AI-Generated Image Feature Of Users

Messaging giant WhatsApp is currently working on a new and exciting feature for users that makes use of Meta AI.

The feature will be optional and give users the chance to generate AI-based pictures of themselves through Meta’s AI Llama model.

We saw in the last update how the company was giving users the chance to select which AI-based Llama model they were keen on using to carry out AI interactions. Those who wished for a quick and simple approach could use the default variant while those in search of advanced models for complex queries were free to use the newer 3-405B variant.

Right now, it seems like the platform is more committed to practicing refinement on the user end through the likes of Meta AI. The goal appears to be linked to better personalization. And thanks to the newest update, that could be possible with this latest optional offering to produce pictures of themselves through Meta AI.

As can be witnessed through a new screenshot attached, the app wishes to explore more with images generated through the AI of users. They hope to schedule the feature in the next upcoming update for the platform.

This would ensure users can take a set of pictures which the Meta AI software would use to produce AI pictures. It’s up to the user which images they would like to set up for analysis to produce such images, making sure the ones made using AI best represent what they appear like.

The company confirmed how the user would have full control of the feature and can remove the setup photo at any point in time through the app’s AI settings.

After they take the setup images, users could ask Meta AI to produce AI pictures of themselves by typing Imagine Me through the conversation. Additionally, users can use such features in other conversations by using the @Meta AI imagine me option.

Since such commands undergo separate processing, Meta AI could not read other texts and the image produced as a result of this will get shared through automated means in the chat by the platform. Hence, all of the privacy of users would always remain intact at all times.

The offering is totally optional so users need to opt in to use it. Anyone who agrees would need to opt in through manual means for enabling it through settings and hence can take respective setup images first.

For now, we’ll just wait and watch for when it’s released and we’ll update you soon here when it happens.

Image: Wabetainfo

Read next: Median Salary of Magnificent Seven Companies Revealed
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

YouTube Gives Users The Chance To Report AI Content That Resembles Them Without Taking Consent

Video-sharing giant YouTube is taking stricter measures to combat the misuse of AI.

The company just mentioned how it was giving users the chance to report any AI-based content that resembled them in appearance or sound. As it is, the company forces creators to mention if the material was made using AI tools.

Now, it’s giving them the chance to report how AI-based material might be misrepresenting them online without obtaining consent or them being aware of it.

The news comes in the form of a change rolled out in the app’s support page where the platform explains how various factors would be considered when the admin acts upon their complaints.

Several factors would be evaluated including whether the material was altered or not, if it was portrayed to the masses as being altered or not, if the person included could be identified, and if the material is real to begin with.

Other than that, the content would be judged upon whether or not it entails a parody, have public interests attached to it, or if it entails some kind of value. Similarly, any video featuring famous identities or a public face must be mentioned if they are involved in any kind of sensitive-themed acts like violence or criminal behavior.

The app says you can begin the process of Privacy Complaint to inform the platform when or if someone is making use of AI to produce content that resembles them. But at the same time, the app reiterated how filing complaints does not necessarily mean that an individual would be kicked off the app altogether.

Only if the content does qualify for deletion from the platform would be be removed like those depicting real versions of people.

At the same time, YouTube wants users to make sure they can be identified uniquely through the content in question before any complaint is filed. So that’s like making sure enough data is available to confirm that others can recognize you in the content.

• Also read: ChatGPT’s Fake URLs Highlight Ongoing AI Hallucination Issues, Nieman Lab Reports

After such complaints are filed, the app will provide uploaders with 48 hours to act on the matter. The entire process of reviewing the private data would begin if the material isn’t edited out or deleted.

However, it must be remembered that the platform needs claims from first parties but there are a few exceptions to keep in mind. This includes minors, those vulnerable, and anyone having zero access to online content.

It was mentioned in the previous year how bad actors made use of AI content to spread malware via the app. Now, it’s a part of the process and it accounts for creators on the app that still exist and are continuously being targeted to attain bigger audiences and ensure uploads remain legitimate at all times.

Image: DIW-AIgen

Read next: Google Rolls Out New Disclosure Policy For Digitally Altered Ads To Combat Election Disinformation
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Google Rolls Out New Disclosure Policy For Digitally Altered Ads To Combat Election Disinformation

Election season is in full swing and search engine giant Google is pulling out all the stops to ensure disinformation is limited.

The company just updated its Political Content Policy which entails content that is digitally manipulated like pictures, videos, and audio. The new policy came into effect starting yesterday and the company feels it’s about time viewers were aware of what they were seeing.

If any information portrayed had been altered through digital means, viewers would now be informed as would the case be when synthetic content is up for grabs. But what exactly are the criteria for such a policy to be implemented in the first place?

According to the Android maker, all content that has been manipulated and incorrectly details real people or events would be a part of the change. This includes those displaying a person taking part in a conversation or action that never happened in reality. Similarly, any footage altered to gain attention toward a real event and also material that displays a realistic depiction of events that never happened in the first place would be included.

We saw Facebook’s parent firm roll out something similar for content made through AI means that was politically themed in February of this year and it makes sense why companies are pulling out all the stops to ensure viewers remain informed.

Google’s latest policy is said to explain how advertisers can give rise to a campaign only after they tick off a list of boxes explaining what sort of content is being generated and if it’s altered or produced through synthetic means.

Google hopes to set this as the new standard for all ad disclosures involving politically themed content online. Whether it’s operating on mobile devices, televisions, computers, or social media platforms across the board.

If any other sort of format is being used, advertisers could select the synthetic content option and then provide personalized prominent disclosures that are clearer in nature and put in a location that’s not noticed by others.

In situations where the policy is violated, a warning would be generated a week before serious action is taken like account suspension by Google. Similarly, the company also provides some clear-cut examples of terminology being used such as how audio was generated through technology, how images didn’t portray real events, and how the video was made through synthetic programs.

• Also read: Survey Reveals the Cost of Website Development in 2024

It’s about time Google took matters into its own hands and curbed the alarming rate of election misinformation taking center stage. The fact that it’s all happening during a time when AI is giving rise to misleading content and carries the potential to sabotage the whole elections by swaying voters in the wrong direction meant it was much needed.

We’ve already heard about advanced forms of technology from Russia and China taking part in this manipulative behavior to impact elections so it’s a global issue and that’s why plenty of tech giants are scrambling to curb the matter before it gets out of control.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next:

• EU Regulators Accuse Meta Of Failing To Comply With Antitrust Rules Over New Ad-Supported Subscription

• Median Salary of Magnificent Seven Companies Revealed
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

EU Regulators Accuse Meta Of Failing To Comply With Antitrust Rules Over New Ad-Supported Subscription

Tech giant Meta is being accused of failing to comply with the EU’s landmark anti-trust laws.

On Monday, regulators from the region slammed the company for its newly introduced subscription that’s supported by ads.

The EC mentioned how such an option traps users into the cleverly designed pay or consent design which means users must either spend a lot of funds to withdraw or allow the company to track them down for targeted advertising.

This initiative was first rolled out by the organization last year through Meta’s Facebook and Instagram apps. Hence, an investigation has found that the model forces users to provide consent so Meta can use their personal information.

Meanwhile, the company’s spokesperson explained through a new statement how the model that comes supported with ads follows the high court’s executive decision and hence is in line with the Digital Markets Act.

They further explained how they were looking forward to a meeting with the EC where they hope to sit down and explain their side of the matter so that the investigation can come to an end soon.

Meta further revealed how the latest model in question is in reply to a decision from the EU court which stated clearly how a firm could offer a new version of the service that doesn’t put reliance on data collection for advertisements.

In the past, we’ve seen Meta mention how such a ruling is a top-of-the-line reason for rolling out such subscription offers.

The European Commission disagreed and explained that launching such models by Meta is a smart method that doesn’t give users a way out in terms of data collection of less personal information. Secondly, it’s equal to the method of making use of a personalized advertising service. So in both methods, it’s flourishing.

Regulators strongly feel that users need to be entitled to access in a way that uses less personal data, especially when it’s clear that this would be for ad purposes.

The other big reason why such a model is being shunned by the EU is that it fails to give users the right to use their freedom to consent for personal information used by Meta so that it can attain its relevant gains through online ads.

If Meta is indeed found guilty here, it would be forced to pay a hefty fine. Remember, the DMA has already come into play since March of 2024. So the law is aiming to crack down against any tech giant taking part in anti-competitive behavior while ensuring they open up options for archrivals in the industry.

As announced recently, fines could go up to 10% of the firm’s yearly revenue and repeated breaches may result in double that figure.

As far as Meta is concerned, if it indeed breached the DMA, it might be hit with a fine that surpasses the $13.4 billion mark, all depending on the firm’s earning figures each year.

Now that Facebook’s parent firm has received the investigation’s preliminary findings, the company would be given the chance to offer a defense in writing of what it feels in this regard.

The investigation by the EU was first rolled out in March, which is the same time that we saw two other similar investigations get launched against market-leading tech firms like Apple and Alphabet. So the investigation is expected to conclude within 12 months from the start of its proceedings.

Image: DIW-Aigen 

Read next:

• Median Salary of Magnificent Seven Companies Revealed

• Survey Reveals the Cost of Website Development in 2024
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Survey Reveals the Cost of Website Development in 2024

A recent survey by Goodfirms reveals the cost of web development in 2024. By including more than 100 best web development companies in its survey, it has listed the estimated rates of developing different types of websites, ranging from $1,000 to $50,000.

The following are the key points:

1) The Cost of Different Types of Websites and Their Development Time and Maintenance

The Cost of different websites varies a lot, with business websites costing from $1,000 to $50,000; personal websites costing from $500 to $3,000; ecommerce websites costing from $5,000 to $50,000; web application websites costing from $10,000 to $100,000; and web portal development websites costing from $10,000 to $60,000.

Due to their difference in complexity, they also require different time periods for development: business websites almost take 2 to 12 weeks; personal websites take 1 to 4 weeks; ecommerce websites take 4 to 16 weeks; web application websites take 16 to 30 weeks; and web portal development websites take 8 to 30 weeks for development.

Their maintenance also cost a few bucks. Personal websites require around $50 to $250 yearly; small business websites take $250 to $1,000; ecommerce websites take around $1,000 to $5,000; web portal websites take almost $1,000 to $5,000; and custom web application websites take $2,000 to $20,000+ for maintenance.

2) What Makes A Website Development Costlier?

Many factors contribute to the cost of web development. A large-scale website is costlier than a short-scale one; going for a tailored design for your website is going to cost you more; and employing advanced integration and custom API development also raises the cost. If you are using animation and WebGl features on your websites, they will lead to more expense.

Moreover, hiring professionals for content writing, copywriting and website designing is an additional expense.

Website maintenance and SEO optimization, which are indispensable, also call for spending.

Location also plays a role in increasing and reducing the cost. Websites development in countries, like the United States and Canada, is costlier than in developing countries, like Pakistan and India.

3) Different Types of Websites Demand Varying Amount Money and Require Varying Time Periods, To Be Developed

Business Website

Based on the data provided by the survey comprising over 100 best development companies, a business website requires around $1,000 to $50,000 on average to develop it. A simple business website with only a simple interface can cost around $1,000 to $15,000; a mid-range business website, having custom design and over 15 pages, can cost from $15,000 to $30,000; a complex business website with custom features, security features, advanced ecommerce functionalities and advanced design, can take around $30,000 to $50,000 on average.

• Also read: Hidden Web World: Only 18% of 1.1 Billion Sites Active

60% of the companies charge around $1,000 to $7,000, and 36% of the remaining cost around $7,000 to $15,000.

A small business website can cost $1,000 to $5,000 for its design and development, $10 to $15 for domain name and hosting and $50 to $100 for an SSL certificate.

A small business website can be developed in 1 to 12 weeks by 97.6% of the companies. But if more complex features, such as A.I. powered customization and blockchain-based systems, are added, it can prolong the time period required.

Around 88.3% of the companies confess developing a business website in 2-12 weeks, and the remaining 11.7% state that they can take 12 to 24 weeks, mostly complex websites.

MVP Website

A simple MVP website can cost around $5,000 to $10,000, and the cost of a more complex MVP site can range from $20,000 to $35,000. Its design and development can cost $500 to $10,000, domain name can take $10 to $15, web hosting can take $5 to $20 and an SSL certificate can take $50 to $100.

Most companies, around 93%, state that they can make an MVP website in 3 to 12 weeks. A complex MVP site might require more time than this.

Personal Website

A personal website can cost $500 the least, and a more advanced version of it can cost as much as $3,000+. A multi-page personal website, having CV integration, blog categories and a search bar, can cost between $500 and $1,500. Professional websites with advanced features, such as SEO optimization, multilingual support and high quality images and videos, can take between $1,500 and $3,000.

Its design and development can cost $500 to $5,000, domain name can take $10 to $15, web hosting can take $5 to $50 and an SSL certificate can take $50 to $100.

71% of the companies state that a simple personal website can be set up within 1 to 4 weeks. More complex personal websites with advanced optimization can prolong this time period.

Ecommerce website

An ecommerce website cost ranges from $5,000 to $50,000. If it is a growing store with a custom design and marketing, the website costs between $5,000 and $15,000. On the other hand, an enterprise store with advanced features and customization can cost more than $15,000. The more custom animations are part of a website, the more it would raise the cost.

• Related: Report by Adobe Shows New Trends in Fonts, Colors and Other Elements on Websites in 2024

Custom design and development could cost from $5,000 to $50, 000. Hosted platforms, like Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix etc., charge $29 to $300+ monthly and offer basic features, payment processing and security. The inclusion of advanced features, such as CRM integration, wish lists etc., also incur more expense. Similarly, domain name and web hosting cost around $10 to $15 yearly and $5 to $250 monthly, respectively.

Almost 71.4% of the companies claim to make a simple to mid-range ecommerce website in 4 to 16 weeks. The remaining could take 16 to 26 weeks. Also, more advanced ecommerce sites require more time.

Custom Web Application

A simple web application can be developed with a budget of $10,000 to $25,000. The one with complex apps could raise the cost from $25,000 to $50,000, and the most advanced can incur the expense of $50,000 to $100,000.

A custom web application is expensive due to its design and development expense, which can cost from $10,000 to $100,000 if it is a customized version. Then its testing and quality assurance, hosting and maintenance can also cost 10% to 20% of annual development costs.

Around 53.7% of the companies state to take 16 to 30 weeks for simple and mid-range custom web application. 24.4% of them assert it will take 30 to 52 weeks for a little complex version of a custom web application. About 7.3% say that the most intricate version of a custom web application, like AI-powered apps, could take more than a year.

Web Portal

Simple web portals could cost between $10,000 and $30,000. Complex portals, such as ecommerce sites, enterprise etc., can take $60,000 to $100,000. Customized portals paired with bespoke solutions are even more expensive, costing over $100,000.

• You might like: Must-Have Digital Competitor Insights Tools for Marketers

Its development is the main expense, costing between $50,000 to $250,000. Web portal design could also cost $5,000 to $20,000, depending on its complexity. If it is integrated with an existing system, an additional cost of $10,000 to $50,000 would have to be added. Moreover, its testing and quality assurance, hosting and maintenance incur additional cost.

Different types of portals incur different amounts of cost. Internal employee portal, a public-facing portal and enterprise portal cost $50,000 to $75,000, $75,000 to $150,000 and $150,000 to $500,000 respectively.

According to 64.3% of the web development companies, they take 8 to 30 weeks to develop a web portal, like an ecommerce website. For more intricate portals, 35.7% of them require 30 to 52 weeks.

SaaS Website

22% of the companies agree to develop a SaaS website at the cost of $15,000 to $30,000. 19.5% of them would charge around $30,000 to $60,000. And 34.1% are ready to charge customers between $60,000 and $120,000. The difference in pricing is subject to the complexities of a SaaS website, with the features like AI powered functionalities costing more.

A SaaS website design and development charges may range from $5,000 to $20,000 and $15,000 to $120,000 respectively. Marketing and user acquisition, hosting, maintenance and payment gateway integration would add more expense to the budget if employed.

61% of the developers require 12 to 48 weeks to set up a SaaS website, and 39% would need around 24 to 72 weeks to do the same. If AI platforms with advanced analytics are used, this would prolong the time.

4) Indispensable Features and Their Cost

Some features are a part of all websites, and they are charged differently by the companies. The following are their rates offered by the majority:

Domain Name

Most of the companies, 70%, would cost $10 to $60 yearly for a domain name. The advantage of taking help from the companies regarding a domain name is that they provide a SEO-friendly and user-oriented domain name.

SSL Certificate

About 46.2% of the developers offer an SSL certificate for free with basic hosting. Around 20.5% of them provide it for $10 to $70 yearly; 28.2% would cost $70 to $150 yearly; and 5.1% would charge over $150 yearly.

There are also different types of SSL certificates, costing various amounts. A DV certificate is the cheapest, costing $2 to $10 and is best for low traffic websites; An OV certificate could cost from $2 to $100, is better than a DV certificate and is best for ecommerce sites. An EV certificate is the most expensive, costing over $100 and is best for financial institutions.

Web Hosting

About 32% of the developers cost $50 to $200 yearly VPS hosting; 35% of the companies would charge $200 to $600 for dedicated hosting; 23% of them offer a shared hosting for under $50 yearly; and around 10% can charge over $600 yearly for premium services.

• Also read: 20+ Alternatives for WordPress that You Can Try in 2024

Web hosting makes sure you have a presence online. The companies, after judging your requirements, web traffic and budget, offer you the best type of hosting for your website.

Web Platform

30% of the companies claim to provide open-source platforms for free; around 37.5% would charge $100 to $300 for managed platform services; 20% charge $300 to $1,000 for advanced features; and about 12.5% take over $1,000 for enterprise solutions.

Add-ons

Basic themes and plugins could be free or might cost up to $50, as per 23.7% of the companies; 34.2% would charge $50 to 100 for premium themes and plugins; 23.7% of them could take $100 to $200 for advanced features; and 18.4% can charge over $200 for the same features.

In Bloggers, most of the themes and plugins are for free. Most complex themes and plugins are the requirement of ecommerce websites.

Integrated Payment Options

About 15.4% of the companies charge under $100 for basic solutions; 11.5% of them charge from $100 to $500 for enhanced features; 38.5% can take $500 to $1,500 for advanced systems; and 29.9% could take more than $1,500 for custom solutions.

There are different types of payment gateways: hosted payment gateways, API-hosted payment gateways, self-hosted payment gateways and local bank integration gateways. API-hosted gateways and self-hosted gateways are the best option for hefty transactions. Local bank integration is best for when there are set limits to a region. And hosted payment gateways could be acquired for free if the transaction volume is low.

Content Management System

20% of the companies claim to offer free CMS for open-source solutions; managed CMS platforms could cost $200 to $1,000, as per 15% of the developers; and the majority of them, 65%, would cost $1,000 to $5,000 for custom CMS development.

CMS makes creating, editing and publishing of content easier. There are various CMS available to choose from: website content management systems, enterprise content management systems and document management systems. The developers are helpful in choosing the best one for your website.

Order-Tracking Functionalities

17.5% of the surveyed companies charge under $100 for basic order tracking solutions; 10% of them would charge between $100 and $500 for enhanced order tracking features; around 37.5% of them could take $500 to $1,500 for advanced order tracking features; and 32.5% would take over $1,500 for enterprise order tracking features.

Some platforms, like Shopify and Woocommerce, have built-in order tracking features.

Basic Database Support

Almost 17.5% of the developers could charge under $100 for basic cloud database services; 25% would charge between $100 and $500 monthly for managed database services; 40% of the companies would take between $500 and $1,500 monthly for advanced database solutions; and only 10% of them would take over $1,500 monthly for enterprise solutions.

Database support systems have become indispensable, for they offer helpful insights about market trends and user behavior, and help in making better decisions.

There are six database services in vogue: cloud database services, managed database services, advanced database services, enterprise database solutions, database as a service and specialized database services.

Chatbots

The companies offer basic chatbots for free as a part of the development package. But customized chatbots would cost from $100 to $1,500.

Chatbots have also become important for their role in customer support and in enhancing customer experience.

SEO and Marketing

All websites need marketing to enhance and broaden the range of their business. On average, around 10% to 20% of the web development budget is spent on SEO and marketing yearly.

• Related: Top SEO Investment Trends for 2024: Where Companies Are Focusing Their Budgets

DIY Website

A simple DIY website would cost around $50 to $500 yearly while using Wix or Squarespace; a customized version of it, an ecommerce store, would raise the cost to $1,000-$5,000; A DIY website with more advanced features would incur the cost over $5,000. The expensive nature of it due to the fact that you would need a professional developer to do the job.

Its domain name costs around $10 to $15 yearly, web hosting can take $5 to $50 monthly, custom development could incur $50 to $200 hourly, a website developer could charge around $50 monthly and SEO and marketing could incur $500 to $5,000 monthly.

Region-wise Rates at Hourly Basis

Developed countries, like USA, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and Germany, have higher charging rates, costing $80 to $250, $70 to $150, $70 to $180, $60 to $120 and $50 to $100 respectively.

In mid-cost counties, such as Poland, Brazil and Thailand, rates are cheaper.

The cheapest rates are being offered in the developing countries, such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, costing $10 to $30, $8 to $25 and $5 to $15 respectively.

In Pakistan, a basic website can cost around PKR 30,000; a standard website with 10 pages could incur PKR 100,000; a custom website could cost PKR 200,000; and an ecommerce site could incur the cost of PKR 300,000.

The difference in the rates is because a developer from a developing country would charge the least.

Which Pricing Model to Choose?

Around 70% of the companies preferred hourly and fixed pricing models. The hourly model is better for those who do not want to pay a large sum in advance. Paying on an hourly basis is safe and easier for them. On the other hand, for those who have a long term project and are running a big platform, the fixed pricing model is preferable not to encounter the paying issue over and over.

Another model, although not as popular as the other two, is the retainer model, which is designed for long term projects and clients requiring continuous maintenance.

Conclusion

The aforementioned data explains at length the cost incurring for developing different types of websites in 2024. The main expense of developing a website goes to professional developers and designers. The more advanced features, like SSL certificates, API integrations, 3d animations etc., add to the cost of developing a website. To cut off the cost of the developing, websites need to be simpler, having fewer pages, with basic features only.

Read next: 2024's Indispensable Digital Marketing Tools: What You Need to Succeed

by Ehtasham Ahmad via Digital Information World

Median Salary of Magnificent Seven Companies Revealed

The Wall Street Journal and MyLogIQ conducted an analysis to find out the median pay of seven leading companies in the world in 2023. These seven companies include Apple, Meta, Nvidia, Microsoft, Tesla, Amazon, and Alphabet. In May 2024, these companies alone added $1.4 trillion to the global market. Nvidia was responsible for contributing more than half of this increase. The analysis delves into the average pay these tech giants offer.

Meta ranks the highest in terms of median pay, which was $379,050 in 2023. The pay of the CEO of Meta is $24.4 million. Meta has six times higher median pay than the national median salary. Between 2022 and 2023, the median salary increased by 28%, making Meta the company with the highest median pay. Following Meta is Alphabet with a median pay of $315,531 and a CEO salary of $8.8 million. The company offers employees the option to work remotely and requires them to be in the office only three times a week.

Nvidia has a median pay of $266,939. Its CEO’s total pay in 2023 is $34.2 million. The company also offers a vacation package to its employees, including 22 weeks of paid parental leave. Tesla gives its employees a median salary of $45,811, while Amazon has a median pay of $36,274. Apple has the highest CEO total pay, which is $63.2 million, while its median employee pay is $94,118.

Read next:

• Study Finds that AI is Capable of Working at Healthcare as It Gives Better Answers than Most of Physicians

• In-App Subscription Revenue Expected to Hit $120B in 2024
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World