Ian Tyler-Clarke, an executive counselor at Info-Tech Research Group in the UK, said not every cloud company is thrilled with Microsoft joining CISPE.  “There are concerns that Microsoft’s inclusion may create internal tensions with other major vendors, such as AWS. Despite this, the overall impact is anticipated to be a positive step towards fairness in the European cloud market,” Tyler-Clarke said. “Microsoft’s membership in CISPE represents a significant advancement towards fairer licensing practices, enhanced collaboration and the reduction of operational burdens through the suspension of certain licensing audits. This move is expected to foster a competitive and cooperative environment, benefiting both customers and providers.” AWS’s board representative, Stéphane Ducable, VP for public policy for EMEA at AWS, voted against Microsoft’s acceptance, according to someone familiar with CISPE’s board deliberations. When contacted by CIO, Ducable did not reply, but another Amazon official, Harry Staight, the international policy and media relations lead at AWS, responded, saying “I can confirm we are declining to comment.” source

The tax-evasion indictment of U.S. Supreme Court expert lawyer and SCOTUSblog publisher Tom Goldstein features an eclectic cast of characters linked to his purported side career as a high-stakes poker player, including law firm partners, professional gamblers, a Texas billionaire, a movie producer and an actor. source

European politicians and advocacy groups are adamant that the region’s legislation is not hardline enough to dismantle the monopolies of Big Tech companies. In the last week, two open letters have been penned to regulators criticising how Apple and Google remain unchecked. On Jan. 16, four digital rights groups responded to the measures proposed by the European Commission for Apple to ensure interoperability with iOS and iPadOS operating systems. They allege that Apple’s current process for handling interoperability requests is convoluted, discouraging developers from submitting them. “Gatekeeper” organisations — the most prominent tech firms operating in Europe, including Apple and Google’s parent company Alphabet — must provide third parties with the tools they need to make their software and hardware products work seamlessly with their own, as per the Digital Markets Act. SEE: EU Approves NVIDIA Deal With Run:ai, Pushes for Apple Interoperability The next day, Club de Madrid, a network of former European heads of state, voiced its support of the Commission “end(ing) Google’s monopoly over digital advertising technologies” through forced divestiture. “Google’s unchecked dominance, stemming from its 2007 acquisition of DoubleClick, has stifled competition and consolidated its control over every segment of the adtech market,” the 18 leaders wrote in a letter. In June 2023, the Commission told Google that a “mandatory divestment” of part of its ad tech business would be the only way to address competition concerns. This came after an investigation yielded the preliminary view that the company had breached E.U. antitrust rules. According to Club de Madrid’s letter, the Commission will announce the final outcome soon. What’s hot at TechRepublic Digital advocacy groups say Apple is still able to avoid interoperability with the existing Digital Markets Act In September 2024, the European Commission initiated two proceedings under the DMA to guide Apple into enhancing interoperability between iOS, iPadOS, and third-party devices like smartwatches and headphones. Then, in December, it published its preliminary findings and proposed remediations. Recommended measures include improving compatibility between iOS and features of devices such as smartwatches and earbuds. These features include notifications, automatic Wi-Fi connections, AirPlay, AirDrop, and automatic Bluetooth audio switching. SEE: Meta and Apple Violated the Digital Markets Act, EU Charges The authority also suggested that Apple make its process for developers to request interoperability within iOS and iPadOS features more transparent and predictable. This involves providing clear information about its internal features and timely request status updates. However, Free Software Foundation Europe, ARTICLE 19, European Digital Rights, and Data Rights said that the Commission’s proposals are “clearly deficient and structurally incapable of delivering effective interoperability.” In their letter, the groups recommend that Apple should: Embrace interoperability by design as it is “required by the letter of the DMA” rather than relying on a reactive, request-based model. Not be allowed to “impose non-disclosure agreements solely at its own discretion” that block access to APIs. Be required to provide a standardised, freely accessible interoperability request form to developers, dedicate adequate resources for handling them, and offer greater transparency on a request’s status or rejection. Not be able to use security claims to block effective interoperability. Be encouraged to offer “flexible” third-party APIs in response to interoperability requests, which accommodate diverse developer needs. Improve or overhaul its system for addressing interoperability-related bugs. They also suggest that the Commission should appoint neutral conciliators to resolve disputes and prevent Apple bias. In response to the Commission’s proposed measures, Apple published a document outlining how granting access to its technology stack and, thus, user data could compromise privacy and security. It highlighted how Meta had made 15 requests for access to Apple’s software tools that, if accepted, would provide swathes of user data, and that the company “has been fined by regulators time and again for privacy violations.” SEE: Meta Offers Less Personalised Ads for EU Users to Appease Regulators Meta Communications Director Andy Stone responded to this on X: “Here’s what Apple is actually saying: they don’t believe in interoperability. In fact, every time Apple is called out for anticompetitive behavior, they defend themselves on privacy grounds that have no basis in reality.” Former European heads of state say that Google’s dominance in the ad tech sector puts democracy at risk The digital advertising technology sector, known as the “ad tech stack,” includes various intermediaries facilitating the sale of online ads. Google owns four of these: Google Ads, DV360, AdX, and DoubleClick For Publishers. Google Ads and DV360 are both used by advertisers to bid for advert spaces on websites and apps. DoubleClick For Publishers is a platform for managers of websites and apps where they can list their available ad space. AdX connects the two by matching the highest bidding advertiser with the website or app manager in a real-time auction. Club de Madrid described this setup as “as if Goldman or Citibank owned the New York Stock Exchange.” Google’s ownership of a significant portion of the ad tech stack means that “Europe’s democracy is still at risk” despite the publication of the pioneering DMA and Digital Services Act. The group, which includes former heads of state from France, the Netherlands, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Belgium, Finland, and Poland, said that Europe’s “reliance on foreign platforms” that influence the bottom line of news organisations could erode local journalism, ultimately resulting in the proliferation of misinformation, political and otherwise. Club de Madrid made two recommendations in its letter: Regulators should be given the resources and authority to implement structural remedies that restore fair competition, following decisive action in the ongoing Google investigation. The Commission should actively seek to foster European innovation — such as by supporting startups, enforcing the DMA and DSA, and building independent digital infrastructure. The second point specifically addresses recent criticism that lack of funding and over-regulation has led to a technological gap between Europe and other global superpowers like the U.S. Only four of the world’s top 50 tech companies are European. Club de Madrid also supports the sentiments voiced by Teresa Ribera, Europe’s new competition commissioner, on

Stuttgart, Germany-based Sereact has secured €25mn to advance its embodied AI software that enables robots to carry out tasks they were never trained to do.  “With our technology, robots act situationally rather than following rigidly programmed sequences. They adapt to dynamic tasks in real-time, enabling an unprecedented level of autonomy,” said Ralf Gulde, CEO and co-founder of Sereact (short for “sense, reason, act”). Early Spotify and Klarna-backer Creandum led the Series A round. Existing investors Point Nine and Air Street Capital also chipped in as did several prominent angel investors. These include former Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg, ex-DeepMind product lead Mehdi Ghissassi, and past Skype exec Ott Kaukver. Typically, robots — like those Roomba vacuum cleaners — are hard-coded. This means they follow exact instructions that enable them to repeat specific tasks.  The 💜 of EU tech The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol’ founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It’s free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! Sereact’s eembodied AI, however, acts like a robot’s brain, allowing them to analyse and even learn new jobs on the go. This is thanks to a machine learning technique called zero-shot visual reasoning, which allows AI to understand and interpret images without prior specific training on those types of images.  The model, dubbed PickGPT, makes robots smarter. It also means humans don’t have to pre-program them for each task, saving time for the companies that use them.  “The opportunities here are endless and it’s great to see this kind of innovation coming from Europe,” said Johan Brenner, general partner at Creandum. Sereact’s approach is similar to that of UK startup Wayve, which raised $1bn in Europe’s largest-ever AI funding round last year. However, while Wayve’s tech targets autonomous vehicles, Sereact focuses on logistics and warehouse robots that do things like pick and pack, sort goods, and run quality control checks. Firms like BMW, Daimler Truck, Bol and Active Ants have already adopted Sereact’s software at their factories. However, the startup is now looking to venture beyond the warehouse.  Sereact said it will use the fresh funding to develop new “robot hardware platforms,” such as mobile robots and humanoids. The company also plans to expand its US presence.  “We’re on an exciting journey to become the leading platform for robotics applications that forever change the daily lives of people and businesses,” said Gulde.  source

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More Enterprises of all sizes around the world are trying to make sense of generative AI and determine where it might add value. The good news: The majority of organizations are actually making it work. According to a new report today from Deloitte, the majority of enterprises are actually meeting or exceeding their own expectations for return on investment (ROI) from gen AI. The “State of Generative AI Q4” report, based on a survey of 2,773 leaders across 14 countries, highlights both the progress and challenges organizations face in their gen AI journeys. The report shows considerable progress from the first version released a year ago, in which business leaders expressed multiple concerns. There is also positive progress over the third quarter report, which showed that the majority of organizations had avoided some gen AI use cases due to data issues. Despite longer-than-expected time to value, nearly three-quarters (74%) of respondents reported that their most advanced gen AI initiatives are meeting or exceeding ROI expectations. Cybersecurity and IT functions are leading the way in terms of ROI and successful scaling. Key findings include: Organizations require at least 12 months to resolve major adoption challenges IT, cybersecurity, operations, marketing and customer service show strongest adoption and results Regulatory compliance has emerged as the top barrier to gen AI deployment 78% of respondents expect to increase their overall AI spending in the next fiscal year Jim Rowan, head of AI at Deloitte, told VentureBeat that the biggest gains enterprises are reporting from AI usage are efficiency and cost savings. “We’re taking time out of day-to-day tasks and activities and making individuals more efficient,” said Rowan. The challenge of gen AI moving at enterprise speed Enterprise technology by definition is about stability and resilience. It is supposed to be the stuff businesses run on. For many types of technology, enterprise adoption can take multiple years as organizations first need to validate use cases and ROI potential. While the rapid advancements in gen AI capabilities have captured the public’s imagination, enterprises are often moving at a much slower pace when it comes to adoption. This disconnect between the breakneck speed of AI innovation and the more deliberate nature of enterprise technology rollouts presents a significant challenge. “Enterprises are moving at enterprise speed,” said Rowan. “That plays out in a couple different areas within the report, in terms of scaling questions, risk and regulatory challenges that organizations are facing across the board.” This disparity in speed is further complicated by the fact that many enterprises are still grappling with foundational technology challenges, such as data governance and platform modernization. Rowan noted that those underlying issues must be addressed before enterprises can fully capitalize on the potential of generative AI. Rather than rushing to deploy the latest gen AI tools, Rowan emphasized the importance of a more measured, strategic approach that focuses on building the necessary infrastructure and cultural readiness. By taking the time to properly integrate gen AI into existing operations and workflows, enterprises can ensure that the technology delivers tangible, long-term value, rather than just serving as a fleeting novelty. This patient, deliberate approach, while potentially slower in the short term, may ultimately prove more effective in driving lasting transformation. Where enterprise AI is delivering the most ROI today One of the key areas where enterprises are seeing tangible value from AI is in the software development lifecycle.  According to the report, AI is helping to drive efficiency gains across the entire process — from requirements gathering to testing and deployment.  “We’re seeing it a ton in the software development life cycle,” Rowan said. “This is why IT has been a big, big proponent of this.” Beyond software development, enterprises are tapping into AI to enhance their customer service and contact center operations. By automating certain tasks and interactions, companies are able to improve efficiency and responsiveness. “The other big use case is around contact centers, customer service, sort of engagement from those two,” said Rowan. “So those tend to be the largest areas where we’re seeing the most amount of efficiency being taken out.” How enterprises can measure the impact of gen AI As enterprises seek to quantify the impact of their AI investments, Rowan emphasized the importance of looking at both quantitative and qualitative metrics.  While cost savings and efficiency gains are important, companies should also track the number of new ideas and use cases generated, as well as the impact on employee skills and culture.  In the quantitative categories Rowan cited a few key metrics: Efficiency measurement through cost savings Increased revenue generation Increased efficiency per full-time equivalent employee (FTE) on some activities. On the qualitative side, Rowan pointed to metrics around employee development, continuous learning and the overall transformation of business processes.  “How are your employees’ skills improving? How are you using this moment to really change the culture around learning and development?” he said. Benefitting from the promise of agentic AI Perhaps the biggest area of innovation for enterprises to consider in 2025 is agentic AI. The report indicates that 52% of organizations are pursuing AI agents, with 45% specifically exploring multi-agent systems. Rowan expressed optimism about the potential of agentic AI, but noted that it will take time for enterprises to fully adopt and integrate this technology. He explained that enterprises will likely start with simpler, more focused agent applications before expanding their use. Rowan said that agentic AI has the potential to fundamentally transform enterprise processes and drive significant ROI, but only if approached strategically. With the initial rollouts of gen AI, enterprises often focussed on proof of concept (PoC) deployments. A different approach will be required for agentic AI. Instead of looking at individual use cases, enterprises will be well served looking at the broader process chain. He explained that the true value of agentic AI will come from rethinking entire business processes to be AI-driven, rather

By Bryan Koenig ( January 17, 2025, 4:38 PM EST) — Winnowed consumer antitrust claims against Google can move forward after a California federal judge said Thursday that while users failed to resurrect claims of an agreement keeping Apple out of online search, they’ve now adequately accused Google of stifling would-be rivals with fewer ads or more privacy…. 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

Having clarity of vision and the ability to execute while staying true to your and your organization’s value systems will help you establish credibility and reliability within your workplace and the industry. Cal Newport’s book, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, changed the way I operate and made room for deep work, focus and clarity of thought as I do what I need to do. My practices in creating a distraction-free space for myself where I can find the clarity of my thoughts and visions have helped me work through some mission-critical projects including the one that got me nominated for the Emerging ICT Leaders Award.  I often work through the parting message I want to leave my audience with on any platform in those deep work sessions. My intent for the message and the keywords that I used to impart that message are often the product of the distraction-free spaces I have created for myself at work and home. Every piece of work product – whether it’s a piece of software or an article – I aim to achieve in a distraction-free space so I can give it the meaningful impact I want it to have on the world.  As a leader, your clarity of thought, purpose and clear understanding of your organization’s strategic priorities will form the foundation of what your team can deliver to make the company’s mission a reality. In the tech industry, there is always new shiny fish to distract you. Today, it’s artificial intelligence (AI). Yesterday it was blockchain. I’m not saying those technologies don’t add value, but they only add value for the right use cases with the right setup.  source

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More Microsoft has been positioning Copilot as the “UI for AI.” The company has already launched several variants of the GPT-4o-powered assistant for business and personal users. Now, as the next step in this work, it is launching Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat — a rebranded version of its free AI chat experience for businesses, enhanced with agentic capabilities. Available starting today, the offering is designed to give businesses an easy way to explore most, if not all, of the capabilities of the more full-featured Microsoft 365 Copilot, which is priced at $30 per user per month. Although the experience is free, there is a notable caveat: The agentic capabilities promising task automation will work only on a consumption-based model. The goal here is pretty obvious: Microsoft wants to give its commercial customers a taste of what it has on offer in the paid version of Copilot. If, with powerful features like agents, the company can make using Copilot a daily habit of Microsoft 365 users — from customer service representatives to marketing leads to frontline technicians — those users might eventually turn to the paid plan. This development is not a surprise given that the rollout of Microsoft 365 Copilot has been reported to be far from perfect, with some enterprises describing it as expensive and complex to implement due to security concerns. For its part, Google continues to move ahead with Gemini for Workspace, positioning it as an affordable, easily accessible AI for work. What to expect from Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat Just like the original version, Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat will continue to have a chat interface, where users will be able to input their queries and get answers from AI.  The model under the hood, GPT-4o from OpenAI, will provide information grounded in the web, allowing users to do market research or prepare strategy documents. It even supports file uploads, enabling users to seek summaries, analyses or suggestions from documents, and image generation for use cases like social media marketing.  But the real deal is support for AI agents. IT admins can now use Copilot Studio to build domain-specific agents and make them available to employees via Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat.  These agents can serve as virtual teammates for employees, helping them automate repetitive tasks, from providing customer information before meetings to monitoring relevant events. They can be grounded using data from the web as well as work data either via Microsoft Graph or third-party graph connectors. “A customer service representative can ask a customer relationship management (CRM) agent for account details before a customer meeting, while field service agents can access step-by-step instructions and real-time product knowledge stored in SharePoint,” Microsoft notes in a blog post.  By providing access to agents within Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, Microsoft wants to show businesses the value its AI offerings can bring. However, this experience will not be entirely free. The agents will be accessible on a consumption-based model, with the total usage being determined according to the number of messages used by an organization. “You can purchase messages though the Copilot Studio meter in Microsoft Azure, a pay-as-you-go option, for $0.01/message, or via pre-paid message packs priced at $200 for 25,000 messages/month,” the company notes in a separate post. It’s worth noting here that different kinds of interactions will use up messages differently, with Microsoft Graph-based answers taking up as many as 30 messages or 30 cents.  Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat vs Microsoft 365 Copilot Taking on Gemini dominance With this move, Microsoft hopes to squeeze some money out of Microsoft 365 users with basic AI needs while creating an opportunity to convert them into paying customers. It also comes as a counter to Google’s push with the Gemini assistant The Sundar Pichai-led company has just announced that Gemini will be available for free within its Workspace apps, including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Chat and Vids. This integration is offered to Workspace Business and Enterprise customers, meaning companies paying a base price of $14 per user per month will gain access to AI features inside their core applications. In contrast, Microsoft 365 users must subscribe to the full Copilot version, priced at $30 per user per month, to access AI features within apps like Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. But Microsoft differentiates itself by offering usage-based agentic AI capabilities. This allows businesses to create custom agents for task automation — a feature currently absent in Gemini. Ultimately, the choice comes down to the ecosystem you’re aligned with and your specific needs. Google’s approach enables easy access to Gemini within essential business apps but lacks agentic capabilities for now. Meanwhile, Microsoft 365 provides web-based chat and agentic features (on a pay-as-you-go model) but requires a higher investment to unlock AI functionality within its work apps. source

By Christopher Cole ( January 21, 2025, 8:40 PM EST) — Brendan Carr took over as chair of the Federal Communications Commission on Monday, restoring Republican control of the agency as President Donald Trump kicked off his second term…. 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

TL;DR: H&R Block Tax Software Deluxe + State 2024 for Windows/Mac helps you file your taxes and maximize deductions, and it’s just $39.99 on PC/Mac. There’s plenty to be excited about when building a business. Filing your taxes is more of a chore. If you want to make the process less stressful and max out your deductions, H&R Block Deluxe can help. This powerful tax software lets you file both federal and state taxes online with ease. It also comes with free audit support and a massive library of 13,000 tax articles. Through February 11, you can get it for just $39.99 over at TechRepublic Academy. Image: StackCommerce April might feel a long way off, but April 15 will come around sooner than you think. That’s the last day to file your taxes unless you fancy a big bill. According to the IRS, the process requires 13 hours of work in total — the best part of two whole working days. H&R Block Deluxe allows you to spend your time on something more productive. Available on PC and Mac, the software shows you how to claim 350 credits and deductions through step-by-step tutorials. That means fewer hours spent reading PDF documents written in legalese. You also have that huge library of articles for reference, along with FAQs and tips from expert accountants. If you need to pause while preparing your filings, you can easily save your work and start where you left off. Once you have run the numbers, H&R Block Deluxe gives you five federal e-files and unlimited federal prep. Previously used TurboTax? No problem. You can import all your data to H&R Block Deluxe with a couple of clicks. It’s easy to see how the software has earned glowing reviews. Earning 5 out of 5 stars on BestBuy and 4.5 on Amazon’s Choice, it shows it’s one of the best tax filing software on the market right now. Order today to get this H&R Block Tax Software Deluxe + State 2024 for Windows/Mac for just $39.99, saving $20 on the regular price. Prices and availability are subject to change. source