In a sweeping international effort, the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and multiple global law enforcement agencies have exposed “Operation Magnus,” targeting two of the world’s most notorious information-stealing malware networks, RedLine Stealer and META. According to a press release published on Oct. 29, the operation led to the seizure of multiple servers, the unsealing of charges against a RedLine Stealer developer, and the arrest of two suspects in Belgium. RedLine and META information stealers RedLine Stealer and META are two distinct types of malware known as “information stealers,” or “infostealers,” designed to capture sensitive user data. The existence of RedLine Stealer was initially reported in 2020, while META first appeared in 2022. In an interview, a representative of the META malware revealed that its development initially relied on portions of RedLine Stealer’s source code, which had been acquired through a sale. Both malware are capable of stealing sensitive information from infected computers, such as: Usernames and passwords for online services, including e-mail boxes. Financial information such as credit card numbers or banking accounts. Session cookies to impersonate users on online services. Cryptocurrency wallets. SEE: How to Create an Effective Cybersecurity Awareness Program (TechRepublic Premium) Both malware also provide the capability to bypass multi-factor authentication. The stolen information can be used by the controller of the malware but can also be sold as files called “logs” in underground cybercriminal forums or marketplaces. RedLine Stealer and META have infected millions of computers worldwide — and have stolen even more credentials. Specops Software, a company focused on password security, reported that RedLine Stealer captured more than 170 million passwords in only six months, while META stole 38 million passwords during that same period. RedLine Stealer has also been used to conduct intrusions against major corporations, according to the DOJ press release. Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) business model Both malware families are sold through a Malware-as-a-Service business model, where cybercriminals purchase a license to use variants of the malware and then launch their own infecting campaigns. This can be done via infecting emails, malvertising, fraudulent software downloads, malicious software sideloading, and instant messaging. Different cybercriminals have used various social engineering lures and tricks to infect victims, including fake Windows updates. 2023 Statistics Panel for RedLine Stealer. Image: Flare.io Must-read security coverage Several servers, communication channels shut down A warrant issued by the Western District of Texas authorized law enforcement to seize two command and control domains used by RedLine Stealer and META. Both domains now show content about the operation. New page for the RedLine Stealer and META seized C2 servers. Image:TechRepublic Three servers have been shut down in the Netherlands, and several RedLine Stealer and META communication channels have been taken down by Belgian authorities. Additionally, a website about Operation Magnus informs and supports victims. A video shown on the website sends a strong message to cybercriminals who have used RedLine or META, exposing a list of nicknames said to be VIPs — “Very Important to the Police” — and ends with the image of handcuffs and a message: “We are looking forward to seeing you soon!” The website also offers an online scanner for RedLine/META infections from cybersecurity company ESET. The U.S. DOJ has also unsealed charges against Maxim Rudometov, one of the developers and administrators of the RedLine Stealer malware, who regularly accessed and managed the infrastructure. Rudometov is also associated with various cryptocurrency wallets used to receive and launder payments from RedLine customers. Two other individuals were also taken into custody in Belgium, although one was released without further details available to the public. How to protect from information stealers Information stealers can infect computers in myriad ways — which is why all systems and software must be updated and patched to prevent an infection that would leverage a common vulnerability. In addition, companies can protect from cybercriminals by: Implementing Security software and antivirus on all systems. Deploying multi-factor authentication also adds a protective layer of security for services needing authentication. Changing all passwords if a system is compromised. This must be done as soon as the stealer is removed from the system. Further, users should never use the same password for different services. The use of password managers is highly efficient to use a single complex password for every service or tool and should be mandatory in organizations. Disclosure: I work for Trend Micro, but the views expressed in this article are mine. source

“Enterprise Service Management | Going Beyond IT“ Brought to you by TeamDynamix Embrace a unified approach for managing all your organization’s transactional requests with Enterprise Service Management (ESM) software. Originating from IT Service Management (ITSM), ESM extends its capabilities beyond IT, transforming processes across departments such as HR, marketing, facilities, and legal.Discover the evolution and benefits of ESM:-Centralized Platform: Streamline operations by using a single platform across various departments to handle all service requests efficiently.-Advanced ITSM Foundations: Built on decades of ITSM practices, ESM incorporates asset management, change management, and ITIL standards, ensuring best practices and reliability.-Service Request Efficiency: Simplify request management from basic IT tasks like password resets to complex issues such as performance troubleshooting, all managed through an intuitive ticketing system.-Enhanced Self-Service Portals: Empower end-users with a rich service catalog and comprehensive Knowledge Base, promoting self-directed solutions and reducing the burden on support teams.-Integrated Project Portfolio Management (PPM): With solutions like TeamDynamix, monitor all transactional and project work in a single view, enabling efficient resource planning and workload balance. Transition seamlessly from ITSM to ESM and harness the power of this versatile framework across your organization. Download our whitepaper to explore the essential elements for a successful ESM implementation. Download this whitepaper to understand the key building blocks for going from ITSM to ESM. Offered Free by: TeamDynamix See All Resources from: TeamDynamix source

This year’s HLTH conference embraced the theme of “Be Bold.” Speakers committed strongly to tackling some of the toughest challenges in healthcare, such as lack of access, clinician shortages, and frustrating prior authorization (PA) processes. As one speaker put it, paraphrasing Ralph Waldo Emerson, “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” This sentiment resonated throughout the event, highlighting the need for more action over words. Actions That Spoke Loudly Provider and health insurers alike shared the steps they took to tackle key challenges, from administrative burden to prior authorization, and where those actions have yielded more challenges for women’s health: Building capacity using AI to tackle administrative burden. Amazon announced that One Medical providers will be able to use HealthScribe to capture details discussed in real time during patient visits. Clinicians will be able to review, update, and approve the notes before submission. The new AI-powered capabilities will also review and summarize a patient’s outside medical records to provide details to physicians on screening exams, test results, and medications. AI messaging will also help care teams respond to the influx of patient messages. Offering AI avatars to support patient prep. NVIDIA’s VP of healthcare, Kimberly Powell, shared the company’s collaboration with Deloitte to develop AI-driven virtual agents, built on the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform, offering real-time, humanlike support. A patient-facing pilot with the Ottawa Hospital is expected to go live by the end of the year. *Note: A live interactive demo was not available at HLTH. Only prerecorded videos of the experience were shared. Digitizing data to decrease the turnaround for prior authorization. In a standout video by Blue Shield of California and Salesforce, executives recreated a famous “Office Space” scene, smashing a fax machine to symbolize the outdated prior authorization process. Paul Markovich, president and CEO at Blue Shield of California, described the payor’s efforts to digitize medical data and implement a cloud infrastructure to streamline the PA process. By partnering with Salesforce to leverage the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standard, Blue Shield went from 20 systems being used for prior authorization to one and can process transactions in near real time. Promoting responsible AI with a new scorecard from CHAI. A CHAI working group unveiled its draft Model Cards at the CHAI Global Summit on Saturday (held in conjunction with HLTH). The Model Card includes the identity of the health AI’s developer, intended uses, targeted patient populations, AI model type, data types, key performance metrics, security and compliance accreditations, maintenance requirements, known risks and out-of-scope uses, known biases, ethical considerations, and third-party information. The CHAI certification process and Model Card design are expected to be available by the end of April 2025. Elevating the conversation on women’s health. A panel featuring Jennifer Klein from the White House Gender Policy Council and Chelsea Clinton discussed reproductive freedom, government policy, and the impact on women’s health. The panelists discussed how restrictive laws are causing a rise in maternal and infant mortality. Making clinicians second-guess the care they offer to women delays care and worsens outcomes. The panel also highlighted that, in order to pass their medical boards, some OB-GYN residents must travel across state lines to learn about abortion care. Amid severe capacity issues, adding more barriers for medical practitioners entering the profession runs counter to the goal of improving population health. Flowing government funding to women’s health. First Lady Jill Biden, PhD, announced $110 million in funding for women’s health research and product development through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. Dr. Biden shared that 23 awardees will receive funding, including for projects focusing on advancing menopause treatment, creating a noninvasive blood test for endometriosis, and assessing brain disorders with a noninvasive MRI imaging biomarker. The funding announcement builds on the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, which launched in November 2023. More Buzz Than Breakthrough Conversations on combating rising medical spend took multiple forms, including a focus on GLP-1s, testing new models such as individual-coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs), the critical role of primary care, and a renewed interest in high-performance narrow networks. Notably, employers and associations representing employers were more prominent than in years past. Conversation hasn’t yet translated into meaningful action. Here are some prominent calls to action and a new vernacular for the industry to learn: Employers must push for performance metrics. Dan Mendelson, CEO of Morgan Health, encouraged employers to demand key performance metrics in contracts with health insurers, including for well-controlled HbA1cs, consistent cancer screenings, and cardiovascular health. Ellen Kelsay, CEO and president of Business Group on Health, issued a call to action for health insurers to include these metrics without waiting for employers to ask for them, saying, “Should we really have to ask this? Why aren’t you doing it already?” Employers and health insurers equally need to seize the moment to ensure better outcomes for employees and members. Employers and insurers consider abandoning GLP-1 rebates. The cost and peanut-butter spread prescribing trends of GLP-1 medications are unsustainable. Key stakeholders made a call for investing more in care management, advocates that can support increased shared decision-making, and care models that start not with a prescription but with more testing, as well as coaching and education on changing your diet. Speakers recommended that primary care play a more central role in managing holistic health for these individuals to better manage costs and ensure that these therapies are only given to individuals for whom meaningful improvement will be achieved. ICHRA is a term few understand. Many at the conference either didn’t know or misunderstood this alternative option for employees. While speakers noted that ICHRAs can be a compelling option for small and midsized business with employees concentrated in a small number of geographies, adoption remains limited. Furthermore, ICHRAs do not address health outcomes directly. Employers continue to increasingly focus on mental health, family planning, and musculoskeletal issues, which ICHRAs do not solve. Regardless of these shortfalls, as employees grow increasingly mobile across jobs, the gig

Palo Alto, CA — October 2024 — Following its successful Series A funding round in August 2024, where DevRev secured $100.8 million and reached a $1.15 billion valuation, the company continues to drive forward its mission to revolutionize customer support and product development. Led by Khosla Ventures with participation from Mayfield Fund, Param Hansa Values, U First Capital, and several accelerators, family offices, and angel investors, this investment highlights the growing potential of AI-native enterprise software. Fueling this mission is DevRev’s AgentOS platform, which is rapidly advancing GenAI adoption in enterprises. By offering seamless 1-click data migration from legacy systems and deploying lightweight AI agents, DevRev is setting a new standard for how businesses integrate and benefit from AI.  A visionary approach to developer-customer interaction DevRev, founded in October 2020 by Dheeraj Pandey, former co-founder and CEO of Nutanix, and Manoj Agarwal, former SVP of Engineering at Nutanix, aims to remodel how businesses connect developers directly with customers and revenue. The company was born out of a simple yet powerful realization: “Today, every company is a software company, yet we isolate developers from customers and revenue…Our mission is to break down these barriers and empower developers to create customer-conscious products and businesses.” — Dheeraj Pandey, CEO of DevRev DevRev’s knowledge graph powers its AgentOS, delivering AI-native solutions that streamline customer service, product management, and software engineering. The platform is already trusted by customers across all major geographies, various industries, and numerous company sizes, including many of the global leading players across AI, SaaS, and financial services. By analyzing structured and unstructured data — from customer conversations to session analytics – the platform’s unique approach allows developers to connect their code directly to production issues and customer interactions. From there, DevRev’s AI-driven agents are able to automate enterprise workflows to reduce manual effort, enhance operational efficiency, and accelerate response times. “We have invested heavily in the generative AI sector. We’ve noticed that to fully harness the potential of AI, the underlying data and knowledge infrastructure must be reimagined and rebuilt. DevRev is at the forefront of enabling AI adoption in enterprises, thanks to its innovative product architecture. Furthermore, DevRev is pioneering a new vision for organizational structure by breaking down internal silos, fostering greater collaboration and efficiency across the company.” — Dr. Ekta Dang, CEO of U First Capital AI agents on knowledge graphs Organizations today suffer from technology complexity that siloes around departments and their respective apps, data, and workflows, which results in poor customer experiences, delays in product development, and often building the wrong software. DevRev believes that this complexity can be meaningfully resolved by AI-on-Knowledge Graphs, which combines the emerging power of GenAI and an organization’s own systems mapped into Knowledge Graphs. While AI is proving to be powerful, organizations are realizing that without Knowledge Graphs, they either end up with AI copilots on single apps or AI copilots on vast data lakes with little-to-no context or definition. The solution begins by creating an organization’s Knowledge Graph by ingesting data from 2-way real time integrations with an organization’s CRM, support, and engineering applications, along with the underlying code repositories. By doing so, the Knowledge Graph understands the product (software), the customers (users), the people (employees), and the workflows involved, along with unique elements to the organization, such as security and customizations. Once mapped, customers and employees can run queries through AI Agents to not only return more accurate search results, but also power systems of action quickly across the organization. This is the productivity promise GenAI holds, which is only enabled by the contextual mapping that Knowledge Graphs provides. With DevRev’s Knowledge Graph platform and data from major system of record applications that are ingested real-time into DevRev, DevRev creates an interdependent network of customer, user, product, employee, work and usage records. Put simply, DevRev comprises both the front-end applications and the back-end Knowledge Graphs to analyze, contextualize, and act on enterprise data, enabling organizations to: Gain Deep Organizational Insights: spot emerging trends and linkages across customers, products, and employees to better inform strategic planning Increase Focus: connect the dots between product / engineering roadmaps and customer impact to better prioritize and allocate resources Boost Operational Efficiency: streamline operations by identifying bottlenecks, eliminating redundancies, and automating workflows across the organization Enhance Customer Experience: gain a comprehensive understanding of customer interactions and feedback, leading to more personalized and effective service About DevRev DevRev’s mission is to help build the world’s most customer-centric companies, embracing the principle that “less is better.” Founded in October 2020 by Dheeraj Pandey and Manoj Agarwal, DevRev is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, with offices in seven global locations. For more information, visit DevRev’s website. About U First Capital Led by two technical PhDs based in Silicon Valley for over two decades, U First Capital’s focus is to invest in stellar founders. The firm has invested in over twenty five category-leading companies like Anthropic, Cohere AI, Rubrik, Worldcoin, Pensando, Palantir, Uniphore, and Nile. For more information, visit U First Capital’s website.  source

Forrester recently evaluated mobile banking apps in Canada and the US in our latest Digital Experience Review™ (DXR). It shows that: Banks’ apps are barely keeping up with customers’ needs and expectations. Mobile banking usage is rising and evolving, and the pace of change has been accelerating since 2020. Yet few customers feel their primary bank’s app is markedly better than those of other brands (fewer than one in three feel this way in both the US and Canada). Our DXR findings reveal similar trends: Just half of the banking apps we reviewed earned a score above 75 (out of a possible 100). Leading banks use digital capabilities to expand options and reduce barriers. The banks that offer leading mobile experiences design and build their apps so customers can conveniently complete a wide range of tasks. U.S. Bank provides users with an effective conversational assistant that answers their questions and guides them to the right feature or content. For example, when a customer wants to pay a bill, they can do so within the search interface (see images below). U.S. Bank’s app also offers external account aggregation, a money movement hub, credit score monitoring, and in-app budgeting insights. Other leading bank apps offer similar search mechanisms and financial well-being features. To remain competitive, banks will need new ideas. Gone are the days when a bank could expect to meet a customer’s needs (let alone exceed those needs and differentiate the brand) by building an app with limited features. Going forward, your digital teams will need to explore new ways to help customers get jobs done. Our research uncovers some of these emerging needs, such as personal data hubs and autonomous savings. In many cases, banks will need to harness emerging technologies to design and build new offerings for customers. AI is just starting to transform mobile banking. As we’ve seen in other markets, US and Canadian banks are using AI technologies to level up their in-app search (often with sophisticated conversational agents). This foreshadows a future when banking is more invisible and immersive. Combining graphical interfaces with chat and voice interactions and proactive notifications, apps are set to become an (almost) invisible yet essential part of everyday financial decisions and actions. Leveraging AI, leading banks will anticipate customer needs and offer personalized guidance, transforming apps from an informational and transactional tool into a trusted advisor. This shift lays the foundation for the future of beyond-the-app experiences, requiring a set of new competencies. Digital teams: You already have the tools you need to strengthen your app. But even before you assemble a team of futurists and AI engineers, you can make major strides to improve your mobile banking app. Digital banking teams are underusing a number of established capabilities that — when incorporated into a well-designed user experience within your app — will drive engagement, stickiness, and better business outcomes for your firm. Digital banking leaders and teams should incorporate in-app search functionality; video content and interactive media; and personalized, proactive alerts and notifications. For a deeper dive into our DXR research and further insights from our reviews, I urge Forrester clients to check out the full report here: The Forrester Digital Experience Review™: North American Mobile Banking Apps, Q4 2024. Clients can also check out our Forrester webinar from this research. [U.S. Bank’s In-App Conversational Search Lets Users Pay Bills Within The Interface] source

Artificial Intelligence (AI), a term once relegated to science fiction, is now driving an unprecedented revolution in business technology. From nimble start-ups to global powerhouses, businesses are hailing AI as the next frontier of digital transformation. Nutanix commissioned U.K. research firm Vanson Bourne to survey 650 global IT, DevOps, and Platform Engineering decision-makers on their enterprise AI strategy. The Nutanix State of Enterprise AI Report highlights AI adoption, challenges, and the future of this transformative technology. 1. AI adoption is ubiquitous but nascent Enthusiasm for AI is strong, with 90% of organizations prioritizing it. However, many face challenges finding the right IT environment and AI applications for their business due to a lack of established frameworks. Currently, enterprises primarily use AI for generative video, text, and image applications, as well as enhancing virtual assistance and customer support. Other key uses include fraud detection, cybersecurity, and image/speech recognition. Most AI workloads are deployed in private cloud or on-premises environments, driven by data locality and compliance needs. AI applications are evenly distributed across virtual machines and containers, showcasing their adaptability. 2. AI a primary driver in IT modernization and data mobility AI’s demand for data requires businesses to have a secure and accessible data strategy. The majority (91%) of respondents agree that long-term IT infrastructure modernization is essential to support AI workloads, with 85% planning to increase investment in this area within the next 1-3 years. Data mobility across data centers, cloud, and edge is essential, but businesses face challenges in adopting edge strategies. However, 93% of respondents recognize the importance of an edge strategy for AI, and 83% plan to increase investments in edge technology over the next one to three years. While early adopters lead, most enterprises understand the need for infrastructure modernization to support AI. Key challenges include designing and deploying AI infrastructure, with priorities such as data security (53%), resilience and uptime (52%), management at scale (51%), and automation (50%). 3. AI skills remain a concern: investment is coming As AI evolves, organizations are recognizing the need for new skills and competencies. Over the next one to three years, 84% of businesses plan to increase investments in their data science and engineering teams, with a focus on generative AI, prompt engineering (45%), and data science/data analytics (44%), identified as the top areas requiring more AI expertise. Additionally, 90% of respondents intend to purchase or leverage existing AI models, including open-source options, when building AI applications, while only 10% plan to develop their own. This allows organizations to maximize resources and accelerate time to market. 4. Sustainability and ESG are not off the AI table ESG is now a critical business imperative. Survey respondents ranked ESG reporting as a top area needing AI skills development, even above R&D and product development. Companies are seeking ways to enhance reporting, meet regulatory requirements, and optimize IT operations. Many believe that responsible AI use will help achieve these goals, though they also recognize that the systems powering AI algorithms are resource-intensive themselves. 5. Data security, data quality, and data governance still raise warning bells Data security remains a top concern. Respondents rank data security as the top concern for AI workloads, followed closely by data quality. Cost, by comparison, ranks a distant 10th. AI applications rely heavily on secure data, models, and infrastructure. Data governance is also critical, with AI pushing it from an afterthought to a primary focus. Consistent data access, quality, and scalability are essential for AI, emphasizing the need to protect and secure data in any AI initiative. 6. Cost Roadblocks will start to emerge Early AI adoption often comes with a “honeymoon phase” where costs are overlooked in favor of staying ahead of the curve. However, 90% of respondents already recognize that AI applications will drive up daily IT and cloud expenses. As budgets tighten, AI will soon face the same financial scrutiny as other IT investments. This highlights the need to justify costs, identify infrastructure options that offer optimal total cost of ownership (TCO), and strategically plan AI investments for sustained value. Implementing enterprise AI is a long-haul journey The journey to AI maturity is complex, with no single path or definitive approach to infrastructure decisions. Success will come to enterprises that adopt AI and embed it into their operations, making thoughtful infrastructure choices, investing in talent, and building long-term strategies. As businesses embrace AI, they stand poised for unprecedented innovation and transformation. Read the full Nutanix State of Enterprise AI Report for valuable insight into AI adoption, challenges, and the future of this transformative technology. source

By Chris Wlach ( October 31, 2024, 4:01 PM EDT) — In late September, the Better Business Bureau warned the public about an increasingly common type of fraud — the “task optimization scam,”[1] also known as a “task scam.”… Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions. A Law360 subscription includes features such as Daily newsletters Expert analysis Mobile app Advanced search Judge information Real-time alerts 450K+ searchable archived articles And more! Experience Law360 today with a free 7-day trial. source

Best free AI tools: HubSpot Best for AI-powered predictive forecasting: Zoho CRM Best for AI-recommended integrations: Pipedrive Best for writing emails with AI: Capsule Best for generating formulas and reports: monday CRM Best for AI-powered project management: ClickUp Best for AI task management: Bitrix24 In addition to core and advanced technical offerings, the top customer relationship management software (CRM) now implements more artificial intelligence features. These AI-powered tools provide valuable automations, insights, and analytics that can streamline an organization’s end-to-end sales process. AI CRM software can also create marketing content, implement lead nurturing strategies like emails or dialing, and pull detailed reports in moments. What is AI CRM? AI CRM refers to CRM solutions that have AI technology integrated throughout the system for users to access. CRM software with AI features can streamline workflows and sales processes by generating reports, summaries, and marketing content on behalf of individual users. Depending on the provider and since AI tools are constantly evolving, features are often released in beta and can be accessed through different paid plans. In this era of AI software, most CRMs have it incorporated into their tool in one way or another. 1 monday CRM Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Calendar, Collaboration Tools, Contact Management, and more 2 Zoho CRM Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Calendar, Collaboration Tools, Contact Management, and more 3 HubSpot CRM Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees) Micro, Medium, Large, Small Top AI CRM software comparison The top CRM solutions that offer notable AI tools for marketing and sales automations are, as expected, also top general CRM providers, including HubSpot, Zoho CRM, monday CRM, and ClickUp. In addition to the core CRM features users might expect from these technical CRM software, top features worth calling out are pipeline management, native or third-party integrations, AI-powered reporting or analytics, and the availability of a mobile application for users to access on the go. Software Star rating Pipeline management AI assistant AI-powered analytics Generative AI Free tier Starting price* HubSpot 4.4/5 Yes No Yes Yes Yes $15 per user per month Zoho CRM 4.3/5 Limited Yes Yes Yes Yes $14 per user per month Pipedrive 4.4/5 Yes Yes No Yes No $14 per user per month Capsule 4/5 Limited No Limited Yes Yes $18 per user per month monday CRM 3.5/5 Yes Yes No Yes Limited $12 per user per month ClickUp 4.1/5 Yes Yes Limited Yes Yes $7 per user per month Bitrix24 4.1/5 Yes Yes Limited Yes Yes $49 per 5 user per month *Pricing is based on annual subscription rates for paid tiers. HubSpot features Lead management and prospecting: Manage leads and their associated activities for reps to easily engage and nurture them closer to a sale. Playbooks: Create process outlines for reps to reference, such as scripts, competitor battlecards, positioning guides, and more. AI blog writing: Generate fresh and branded content with an AI-powered blog writing tool that users can edit for added customization. HubSpot’s AI blog writing and editing tool. Image: HubSpot HubSpot pros and cons Pros Cons 24/7 email and chat support. No free trial. Offers an intuitive user interface. Pricey paid tiers compared to others. Over 1,500 apps available for integration. No live support available for users of the free tier. Zoho CRM: Best for AI-powered predictive forecasting Image: Zoho CRM Zoho CRM is a powerful CRM tool that supports customer-facing teams with personalized automations and solutions. As a collaborative and analytical CRM, Zoho CRM offers a comprehensive analytics suite that gives users a bird’s eye view of their business with custom dashboards. The AI assistant, Zia, offers advanced predictive forecasting that can suggest both company-wide and individual targets based on historical data. The tool can inspire healthy, competitive sales by visualizing achievable targets for reps. Why I chose Zoho CRM Zoho CRM continues to be among our top-ranking CRM software due to its competitive pricing, core features, and customization opportunities. Its team collaboration, marketing, and project management tools make it a great option for organizations that want a strong platform with AI sales and marketing functionality. Zoho CRM’s artificial intelligence tools, specifically the AI assistant Zia, are only available in the top two pricing tiers, Enterprise and Ultimate. If you’re looking for a provider with AI accessibility in its free or standard subscriptions, check out HubSpot. SEE: For more information, check out our full review of Zoho CRM. Zoho CRM pricing Free CRM: Free for up to three users and comes with lead and document management and a mobile app. Standard: $14 per user per month, billed annually, or $20 per user when billed monthly. Professional: $23 per user per month, billed annually, or $35 per user when billed monthly. Enterprise: $40 per user per month, billed annually, or $50 per user when billed monthly. Ultimate: $52 per user per month, billed annually, or $65 per user when billed monthly. Zoho CRM features Sales process builder: Create a universal sales process with actionable steps for sales reps to follow in detail. Customer portals: Offer prospects a self-service tool where they can view an organization’s products or services to make purchasing decisions. Sales forecasting: Make accurate forecasts around future sales with AI predictions to measure success against current sales. Forecasted target account by Zoho CRM AI assistant, Zia. Image: Zoho CRM Zoho CRM pros and cons Pros Cons 15-day free trial. No available social media integration in the free tier. 24/7/365 data security. Some users report poor UI and UX. Offers workflow automations for each tier. AI tools are only available in higher-paid tiers. Pipedrive: Best for AI-recommended integrations Image: Pipedrive Users of Pipedrive can receive tailored AI app recommendations to integrate with the CRM software. The recommendations

But most organizations don’t have the resources, financial and human, to build and train their own domain-specific models from the ground up. Fine-tuning existing LLMs requires considerable time and skills beyond the capabilities of mid-size enterprises, even though it needs less compute power and data than building from scratch. Prompt tuning and prompt engineering are the most common and straightforward approaches. Rather than modifying model parameters, these techniques consume far less resources and, although specialist skills are required, can be adopted relatively easily. In the real world Some early LLM deployments trained on internal data have come from the larger banks and consulting firms. Morgan Stanley, for instance, used prompt tuning to train GPT-4 on a set of 100,000 documents relating to its investment banking workflows. The objective was to help its financial advisers provide more accurate and timely advice to clients. BCG has also adopted a similar approach to help its consultants generate insights and client advice alongside an iterative process that fine-tunes their models based on user feedback. This has helped improve outputs and reduces the chances of hallucinations more common in consumer-facing GPTs. We’re now starting to see less technology-intensive, service-oriented firms customizing LLMs with internal data. Garden-care company ScottsMiracle-Gro has collaborated with Google Cloud to create an AI-powered “gardening sommelier” to provide customers with gardening advice and product recommendations. This has been trained on the firm’s product catalogues and internal knowledge base, and will soon be rolled out to its 1,000 field sales associates to help them advise retail and market garden clients on prices and availability. It’s anticipated that, depending on results, it’ll then be available to consumers, with the aim of driving sales and customer satisfaction. source