Research Shows AI is Helping Employees a Lot in their Workplaces and Employers are Happy With This Change

DIW complied data to find out how AI is being perceived by businesses worldwide and what are the employers’ thoughts about their employees using AI for work. A recent Microsoft survey found that 75% of employees are using AI in their work in 2024 while 80% of the business leaders are adopting AI as they think it is really important in order to stay in competition. Only a few workers said that they do not use AI in their work at all.

Another study found out which industries are majorly using AI. The industry which has adopted AI the most is the advertising and marketing industry. The consulting and technology industry is also adopting AI more than any other industries. Educators are not using AI that much in their classrooms. Even though AI is being implemented in major companies, the workers aren’t totally relying on it. Only 4% of the respondents of the survey said that they rely on AI while 7% admitted to using it a lot. 21% of the workers said that they use AI moderately. 34% said that they do not use AI at all.

The AI which is being used the most by industries and companies all around the world is ChatGPT (65%), followed by Google’s Gemini. Microsoft’s Co-Pilot and Claude are the least used AI models by companies. The reason why ChatGPT is being used the most is because it is great at writing and performing many other tasks. Respondents in the survey said that they use AI to respond to emails, make presentations and write reports. AI is also being used for data entry, cyber security and quality control.

AI is said to improve productivity in workplaces and AI is majorly helping employees in coding too. Most of the programmers are using AI to increase their productivity and the survey found that the productivity of programmers have increased 126% due to AI. Some workers are also concerned about their privacy if they are using AI and some are also worried if AI is going to take away their jobs. AI can increase jobs in labor and healthcare, but it also destroys many sales and customer support jobs. But AIPRM suggests that AI is going to give more jobs to people than taking them away.

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• How to Access Blocked Sites Without a VPN
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Accessing the Blocked Websites: Follow the Guide to Access Them Without a VPN

Many websites are blocked on the internet due to one reason or another, but the act of blocking some websites even for a temporary period becomes precarious to many due to their businesses or information provided by those platforms. So discontent users try to reach those platforms via discreet and Indirect means. The most notorious method is to use a VPN, which changes your IP address and allows you to enter websites in this disguise.

A few technical ways have become available to enable users to access blocked websites without a VPN app. They are more convenient, and do the same function without the need to download any software, making VPNs redundant. As a result, there is a lesser chance of getting any malware into your device.

Follow the guide to access websites via means other than VPN software:

Using a Proxy Website

Numerous proxy websites are available on the internet that enable users to disguise themselves as foreigners to get a free ticket to the website. One of such websites is Plainproxies.com.

Plainproxies – and the similar websites – have a user-friendly interface, allowing users to access blocked websites quickly in a few steps.

Follow the guide to unblock websites using Plainproxies:

1) Search Plainproxies on Google and open the website.

2) Type the URL of the blocked website that you intend to unblock.

3) The proxy will launch itself and lead you to the website with a different IP address.

You can now use the website. However, the loading speed of the pages would be slower.

Using an IP Address

If your restricted website is blocked by its domain name only, you can still access the website using its IP address. All you need is the IP address of that website.

Follow the steps to retrieve the IP address of a website:

1) Use the Ping command on desktops and laptops or download the app on mobiles to retrieve the IP address.

2) On the app, type the name of the website under the heading of Ping.

3) Click on Ping to get the IP address, which will appear below in the form of digits in the statements.

Do remember that it will function only if the website is blocked by its domain name only. If the IP address is blocked too, the retrieval of the IP address is of no use then.

Taking Help from Extensions

Google Chrome as well as Firefox offers various extensions to perform specific functions using the browser. These extensions also include Proxmate and Hola VPN. They offer the same service provided by the download VPNs.

Just go to Google Chrome's extension store to add one of the extensions to your browser and activate it to have access to restricted websites. Their use is no different from the other Chrome's extensions.

An important point to note that Chrome browser extensions can pose risks, as they may carry malware or request excessive permissions. Always review extensions and their developers before installation. Enable Chrome's Enhanced Protection mode for added safety against phishing, malware, and harmful extensions.

Use a Secure Browser

Changing your conventional browser for a more secure one is also helpful in unblocking a blocked website. Secure browsers, like Avast Secure Browser or Opera have a built-in VPN, which disguises users’ identification with a different IP address to give them access to a blocked website.

Just download and install Avast Secure Browser or Opera to access any blocked website.

Getting Help from Tor Browser

Highly controversial browser due to its link to the dark web, Tor browser offers complete anonymity to users by masking their IP addresses and allowing access to every corner of the internet. But you can use it to unblock restricted websites in your area, with the best cover of privacy.

However, Tor browser, being used for illegal activities, is not a safe and recommended option. Users should only resort to it as the last option.

Try a Different Network

Some websites are just not accessible using Wifi, but there is no hindrance in opening them using mobile data. So if any website is not responding on broadband or fiber, try using mobile data. It might solve the problem.

These methods are the most reliable options available to have access to restricted content in your country or area, without the need of VPNs. You may choose the one that suits your needs the best.

Using the Wayback Machine

If you’re trying to access a news blog or website or maybe a social media post/page, the Wayback Machine can help. This digital archive allows you to view past versions of websites. To use it, visit Archive.org, enter the URL of the blocked site, and select a date to access the archived version. Fun fact: It has archived over 866 billion webpages so far!

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by Ehtasham Ahmad via Digital Information World

Musk’s X Corp Saved From EU’s Digital Markets Act After New Probe Says It’s Too Small To Impact Businesses

Elon Musk will be celebrating very soon after a new probe in the EU has brought glad tidings for his X platform.

The company was outlined as being too small in scale to impact businesses. Therefore, the Digital Markets Act would not be applicable here, the executive arm ruled as per sources familiar with the matter.

This means X will be dodging a huge bullet which comes in the form of stringent regulations that big tech must pay if they wish to continue with operations in the region. Moreover, a list of Dos and Don’ts has also been published on this matter to give a better idea of what new rules companies must face.

Now the findings of this probe will be published next month and that’s when X will be confirmed as not falling under the DMA because right now, these are speculations coming from sources who are familiar with the matter.

The Digital Markets Act is currently applicable to all big tech companies like Apple, Alphabet, Google, and Meta. The goal is to determine which companies are violating the rules and hindering competition for their gains. After the warnings are generated, they would be penalized financially with figures that go beyond the 10% global revenue and can reach 20% in situations where there are numerous breaches.

This particular law affects those with yearly sales that go beyond the $8.3 billion figure. Similarly, any platform services with more than $45M monthly users and 10k active users yearly would be penalized.

For now, the commission is refusing to speak on the matter. They hope to sidestep the crackdown regarding competition but X still faces so much scrutiny as the goal is to overcome dangerous content. It seems to be lacking big time in that department.

In July, regulators in the EU sent out warnings about X deceiving the masses. It was rolling out dangerous content where fines would go up to 6% of the company’s revenue. This is the case when the company fails to impress regulators with a justification for the behavior.

The crackdown against the firm’s content has sparked a lot of negative attention. Musk has used his app to gather support from former President Trump and even gone against woke ideology and mindsets.

He even went as far as to call out the government of Australia as fascists who are rolling out new laws to work against growing digital misinformation. This has to do mostly with social media pages.

Last month, Musk came head to head with the EU’s internal market head Thierry Breton about how the Frenchman warned in a new letter to better comply with the Digital Services Act. We’ve also seen the tech billionaire fight with the judge from Brazil’s Supreme Court and today, X is banned in the country for not tackling disinformation.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: WhatsApp Beta Tests Meta AI Voice Feature with UK and US Accent Options
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

WhatsApp Beta Tests Meta AI Voice Feature with UK and US Accent Options

WhatsApp Beta for Android version 2.24.19.32 is here and there are some exciting features in the latest update. WhatsApp is currently working on a new feature with Meta AI voice which will allow users to choose different voices for Meta AI. This feature will surely make user interactions with Meta AI more personalized and fun.

The Meta AI voice feature is still under development but WhatsApp developers are working hard to make the feature perfect before its official release. WhatsApp Beta for Android version 2.24.19.32 is available on Google Play Store and that's where we came to know about Meta AI voice update.

WhatsApp is exploring different voices for its AI, including voices from the UK and USA. There will be three UK voices and two US voices. The voices will be in different pitches and tones and users will be able to choose from them. Users will be able to choose the voice which resonates the most with them to make their AI experience personalized. If you prefer a British accent, choose from UK voices and if you prefer an American one, choose a US voice.

WhatsApp is also working on giving AI voices that will be modeled after celebrities or public figures. This feature is still under development and it will take some time for it to get released, probably after the release of Meta AI voice. WhatsApp will also add more Meta AI languages and voices soon.

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A New Survey Shows the Biggest Challenges Marketers Are Facing In Adoption of AI

by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

What Factors are Important for a Link to Get Featured on Google's AI Overviews?

If website owners and SEOs want to establish the visibility for their content, they need to know how Google AI Overviews work. If they get to know how to identify links in AI Overviews with existing search results, websites can work on SEO. When you search something on Google, small AI generated responses appear at the top of the page and their sources appear at the right side along with the links. According to a survey, 21.1% of queries on Google trigger an AI Overview response out of 11,163 responses which have been analyzed. Each AI Overview summary had 8.9 links on average.

The link domains which saw the most AI Overviews youtube.com (3.88%), m.youtube.com (2.59%) and Wikipedia (3.76%). The report also found out that 46.3% of AI Overviews included links from top search results in the same query. 60.4% links in AI Overviews were also from related queries or had direct matches.

The researchers also integrated direct match, related and reformulated queries to search and found that 67.3% of the links in AI Overviews were from organic top search results. If a link has a high SERP position, there is a higher chance that the link will be featured on AI Overviews. If a link is ranked first, it has a 53% chance to be featured while a link which is ranked tenth has a 36.9% chance to be featured in AI Overviews. This trend isn't only for direct query, as it is also seen in related and reformulated queries. Other analysis included trends in unaccounted links which showed that YouTube and Wikipedia had a higher presence in specific AI Overviews domains.

So it is advised that websites should focus on having high SERP positions to get a position in AI Overviews. It is also important that they optimize YouTube content for relevant queries and target related and unformulated queries too.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: Study Shows Privacy Policies on Different Tech Platforms Give a Hard Time to Advertisers to Manage their Ads
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Top AI Companies Commit To The White House’s Initiative Of Curbing Creation And Distribution Of Explicit Images

The White House has recently confirmed that a number of top tech giants are more than eager to curb the issues related to AI misuse. This includes the problem linked to producing and distributing explicit images.

The list includes Adobe, OpenAI, Common Crawl, Anthropic, Microsoft, and Cohere. All those participating in the cause also rolled out the measures they’re taking to stop their platforms from being used for this unlawful act. This includes the generation of nonconsensual pictures of adults and children which are classified as NCII and CSAM.

The issue is nothing new and has been gaining a lot of negative publicity for so long, especially since the trend of generative AI took center stage. The tech giants claimed to be committed more now than ever to safeguarding users from such acts that’s sexual abuse.

All the companies other than Common Crawl also mentioned how they would add feedback loops and stress-testing maneuvers to developmental processes. This is to protect against any AI models rolling out sexual abuse images. It would similarly be deleting nude pictures made through AI datasets when applicable.

The commitment is a serious one and from what we can tell from today’s announcement, it’s not any different from what we’ve heard from the past. All companies have made similar ones but no laws were outlined to action those that don’t stay true to their promises. Still, the fact that they do care and consider the need for change is a great step forward.

Meanwhile, it’s not hard to see that some tech giants were missing from the list including Meta, Apple, Google, and Amazon. These companies have been slammed since day one for not doing enough and not being on the list sends out a loud and clear message.

We’ve seen several big AI and tech firms make efforts for victims in the past that were impacted by non consenual images produced of them in a sexual manner. Their goals were linked to stopping their distribution, other than the usual federal way.

We’ve seen companies like StopNCII collaborate with other leading tech giants for a more impactful approach to deleing such content from databases. Meanwhile, other companies are committed to rolling out new tools that report these kinds of deepfakes and sexual images of users made without consent.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: OpenAI Says Its Latest ‘o1’ Model Excels In Complex Reasoning And Performs Better Than Humans In Math, Science, And Coding
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

OpenAI Says Its Latest ‘o1’ Model Excels In Complex Reasoning And Performs Better Than Humans In Math, Science, And Coding

OpenAI is making some extraordinary claims about its newest language model o1.

The company was seen announcing some breakthrough advancements in human reasoning and also outperforming the average human mind in certain domains. This includes math, coding, and also science.

The biggest advantage spoken about was certainly complex reasoning. This came in the form of a new blog post released by the AI giant who says it’s at the same level of human performance, if not better. This is the first time we’ve seen OpenAI claim such features but the actual benefits are still speculative.

For instance, it was hailed as scoring in the 89th percentile across various programming challenges which are brought out by Codeforces. Similarly, the firm talks about the model performing at the same level that would ensure it was amongst the top 500 students performing at the top of the AIME.

Furthermore, the company mentioned how o1 goes above and beyond the average performer in human subjects including those with PhD on a combination of chemistry, biology, and physics examinations. Wow, that’s certainly a major accomplishment, if that’s really the case.

However, experts are skeptical as testing in real-time is yet to be done. And until and unless that occurs, it’s hard to confirm.

Other than that, reinforced learning was discussed in detail including how o1 can simplify even the most complex equations through a chain of thought mechanism. This is done through a step-by-step maneuver where mistakes are rectified and adjusted before a final reply gets generated.

OpenAI also spoke about how the o1 model developed the best reasoning skills when compared to standard models out there today. But it’s still quite unclear how claimed reasoning might better comprehension of complex questions throughout certain areas like coding, math, science, and beyond.

When you look at things from the SEO perspective, content interpretation is enhanced and the capability to answer queries directly might be useful. It’s so wise to be careful and see testing done through third parties.

Remember, OpenAI needs to go above and beyond the classic benchmark that entails browbeating and rolling out objectives. Remember, the world needs evidence to understand if these claims are true or not. Adding capabilities to the AI model can better display realistic uses. What do you think?

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World