Most Popular AI Tools in 2024

Business Tech News: The Most Popular AI Tools of 2024

Here are five business technology news stories from this week and how they impact your business. Were you lonely?

Business Tech News #1 – The Most Popular AI Tools of 2024 (And What It Means).

ZDNet’s David Gewirtz reported on the most popular AI tools in 2024. Highlighting data collected in August, the most used AI tools by market share are: publishing tool Canva (14.92%); translation platform DeepL (5.38 percent); Google Gemini (4.75%); and Character.AI (3.90 percent). Gewirtz said it’s difficult to gauge the popularity of each because some tools are standalone and others are built into products. Metrics from platforms such as Semrush and Samelweb were used to estimate traffic volumes. Claude, Perplexity AI, and Microsoft Copilot were also on the list. (Source: ZDNet)

Why this is important for your business:

Everything is lively and fun. But this is like when the iPhone came out and then the AppStore came out and all the apps came out. Good companies either became unicorns or were swallowed up by big tech companies. List above? I’m sure it will look completely different in a few years. In 2024, AI was overrated, unreliable, and not ready for serious use by every company. But of course, these applications can become better, smarter and replaced by more advanced products.

Business Tech News #2 – Big changes coming to AI in 2025: Microsoft.

Big changes are coming to AI in 2025, Microsoft executives say. Ashley Llorens, Microsoft’s corporate vice president and managing director, said AI can be expected to handle “a more sophisticated set of tasks.” Companies will release more powerful and energy-efficient AI models. AI agents will become more prominent, performing specific tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously (for example, extracting specific information from expense reports or analyzing which processes in a company are most efficient). or simulate a conversation to Efforts to bring AI capabilities to more consumers will continue to intensify. Microsoft is developing an AI agent that connects employees and facilitates tasks like scheduling “coffee chats” with colleagues. (Source: Yahoo Finance)

Why this is important for your business:

I wrote about agents here. And I wrote here about how some industries, especially financial services, are already replacing humans with AI applications. All of this will be rolled out in 2025. But before you get too excited, remember the oldest law in technology: Never purchase the first version of a software application, especially from Microsoft. It will take a year or two for agents to work out the bugs and become more pervasive in business applications. You need that time to fully understand what they are capable of and how you can best leverage them for your business.

Business Tech News #3 – LegalZoom and 1-800Accountant partner to provide full-service tax and bookkeeping solutions for small business owners.

LegalZoom and 1-800Accountant have entered into a multi-year strategic partnership to provide full-service tax and bookkeeping solutions for small business owners. According to a press release, LegalZoom customers will have year-round access to expert-led bookkeeping and tax services provided by 1-800Accountant. A recent survey revealed that tax management, liability protection and legitimacy are key motivators for small business owners, making advisory services extremely important. The partnership is designed to strengthen LegalZoom’s ecosystem of products, partnerships and services that support the legal, compliance and business management needs of small business owners. The new product is expected to be available in January 2025. (Source: GlobeNewswire)

Why this is important for your business:

For businesses using one service, it’s a good idea to leverage the other. We hope this partnership will provide more cost-effective solutions. However, this is for very small businesses, perhaps those with fewer than 10 employees. As companies grow larger and more complex, their tax procedures are performed by CPAs and other knowledgeable professionals who are familiar with their clients’ activities, rather than just an accounting service staffed by “800 people.” There is a need.

Business Tech News #4 – This is how HR will change in 2025.

HR expert Cheryl Swarnow has outlined key predictions for how HR will transform by 2025. Swarnow predicts that HR will move from a support role to a central figure in corporate leadership, with more than 55% of CEOs involving HR leaders in strategic decision-making. HR will no longer be seen as the sole solution to retention and cultural challenges, and companies will adopt a more collaborative and cross-functional approach. Investment in HR tech is expected to increase significantly as companies without advanced HR technology will find it difficult to remain competitive. Additionally, employee health, an issue that workers have become more vocal about during the pandemic, will become a core priority for businesses. “HR is more than just a side player; it is a game-changer for business success,” says Swarnow. (Source: Fast Company)

Why this is important for your business:

For CEOs to involve HR leaders in strategic decisions is not a technology issue, it’s a critical business issue, and we should all do it. Decisions about HR technology must be made in collaboration with HR, IT, and other leaders within the organization.

5 – Wix releases AI capabilities for businesses to engage with customers online.

Wix’s new AI feature, AI Site-Chat, is designed to help businesses engage with customers online. AI Site-Chat acts as a virtual agent, answering customer questions and providing relevant information 24 hours a day, even when business owners are not present. Integrates with your site’s internal systems to capture live data to ensure accurate and up-to-date responses. This is an important feature for capturing leads. The chat feature is fully customizable to reflect your brand’s voice and can be configured based on specific guidelines. “Businesses can seamlessly use this feature to provide real-time, conversational customer service, sales, and support in one place,” said Yaniv Ben Simon, Head of AI Site Chat Product at Wix. . (Source: Martech Cube)

Why this is important for your business:

While this is great, businesses should also look at similar AI services offered by CRM (customer relationship management) providers. Most of the good mainstream CRM platforms have this type of functionality that can be easily integrated into your website and used for subsequent service and marketing activities.

Every Sunday I summarize five business technology news stories and give my thoughts on why they matter to your business.