Today in Tech

The first big primary in the 2024 election season also sees an AI-generated President Biden doing robocalls to voters, signaling the beginning of a long season of AI deepfakers. We also talk about the energy costs of running large AI projects, Netflix moving to livestreaming of WWE program Raw, and whether Disney has invented something that will get us closer to the Star Trek Holodeck. Analyst Jack Gold joins as co-host for the episode.

In our latest technology news roundup, we discuss Chicago-area electric vehicle owners who struggled with starting their cars in the frigid cold; new AI can mimic handwriting (although is that skill really needed anymore; and why people are continuing to unsubscribe from streaming services (except for NFL playoff games). Technology analyst Jack Gold joins the crew as guest co-host for the next several weeks.

For many companies, this year will mean moving their generative AI pilot projects into more customer-facing tools, while they still experiment with new tools and models. Keith chats with Sandeep Sacheti, executive vice president of Wolters Kluwer, about the lessons they learned in 2023 from genAI experiments, and why companies need to balance experiments between creative uses and more accurate tools.

With many companies and organizations going through IPv4 to IPv6 migration, they may be left with a large block of IPv4 addresses that can still provide value to other groups. Lee Howard, senior vice president of IPv4.Global, chats with Keith about the rise of address trading markets, why companies may not even realize that they have this value, whether the IPv6 migration will ever be completed, and why IP addressing is a lot like the good Star Trek movies. Strap in for a networking geek fest!

With job market statistics showing a decline in the number of jobs available, is it still a good time to look for a new job in the tech space? Keith chats with Computerworld’s Lucas Mearian about the optimism in the IT/tech job space, what kind of key skills people will need as they look for a new position, and hot job areas in tech.

What makes a company great for IT professionals? The pay? The benefits? The career growth opportunities? Keith chats with Beck Stackpole and Valerie Potter about Computerworld’s Best Places to Work in IT 2024, now in its 30th year of publication. What benefits, insights and programs are making companies more appealing?

Getting a job in 2023 or 2024 is more difficult than 10, 20 or 30 years ago. New resume-scanning technologies and the use of artificial intelligence, while beneficial for employers, can eliminate many job seekers from getting their foot in the door. Keith chats with Chui Senanyake, an expert in human resources and CEO of The Job Helpers, about how job candidates can navigate the job seeking market as well as how to find the perfect job in 2024.

With years of hype around it, the world of robotics is facing a lot more disillusionment in 2023, especially compared to the hype around generative artificial intelligence. Keith chats with Eugene Demaitre, editorial director at WTWH Media’s robotics publications, about the good, bad and ugly news around robotics, automation and autonomous vehicles in 2023.

While Epic Games was able to gain victory in its lawsuit against Google for app store antitrust policies, they continue to reframe the market with partnerships that could potentially exploit users with higher microtransactions. Meanwhile, a game developer pulls a bait-and-switch with its high-profile game before announcing it’s going out of business. Our Today in Tech team covers these stories and others (including the likelihood of them attending a Kiss avatar concert) in this technology news roundup episode.

A new survey from Appdome says 40% of respondents have either fallen victim or know someone who has been victimized from a mobile fraud or mobile device attack. Raising awareness about security of mobile apps can have a big impact on a brand’s reputation, and the spotlight is shining on developers who build mobile apps, not the device makers or network carriers. Keith talks with Chris Roeckl, chief product officer at Appdome, about the survey.