#AI sales efficiency

[technologyequality]

Automate Your Sales Pipeline & Watch Revenue Grow: AI’s Secret to Closing More Deals

Automate Your Sales Pipeline & Watch Revenue Grow AI’s Secret to Closing More Deals Let’s be honest—following up with leads can feel like herding cats. You send emails, leave voicemails, drop a friendly “just checking in” message on LinkedIn… and then? Crickets. Meanwhile, potential sales are slipping through the cracks because, let’s face it, manual follow-ups are time-consuming and…

[familythings]

Microsoft Empowers Customers to Build AI Agents for Routine Tasks

Microsoft is gearing up to let its customers create their own AI agents next month, and it’s a big deal! This is a total game changer from the usual chatbots. These new agents will need very little human help, which means businesses can breeze through their usual tasks a lot faster. What Are Autonomous AI Agents? Unlike basic chatbots that just answer specific questions, these cool autonomous…

[vengoai]

Overwhelmed by endless client inquiries? Discover how Vengo AI can streamline responses, save time, and boost your sales—visit VengoAI.com today.

[spinnrblog]

Overwhelmed by endless client inquiries? Discover how Vengo AI can streamline responses, save time, and boost your sales—visit VengoAI.com today.

[intelisync]

2024's Game-Changing Technologies for Metaverse Development

Picture a universe where virtual and physical worlds blend seamlessly, allowing you to interact with digital elements in real-time. As 2024 draws near, groundbreaking technologies are shaping this metaverse, making such interactions more immersive and dynamic than ever.

The metaverse, an expansive network of virtual environments, is evolving rapidly as we approach 2024, driven by several key technologies. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are at the forefront, enabling immersive experiences that blend the physical and digital worlds. VR technology has advanced significantly, offering users enhanced graphics, realistic simulations, and responsive feedback that create fully immersive digital environments.

AR enhances the physical world by overlaying digital information, enriching experiences in retail, healthcare, and entertainment through interactive and engaging environments.

Blockchain technology is essential for the metaverse, providing a secure and transparent method for managing digital assets and transactions. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) allow users to own unique digital assets like virtual real estate and art, while smart contracts facilitate automated and secure transactions. The decentralized nature of blockchain promotes trust and reliability, making it a crucial component of the metaverse's infrastructure.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) further enhances user experiences by creating intelligent virtual agents, personalized interactions, and realistic simulations. AI-driven non-player characters (NPCs) provide engaging and adaptive experiences, and AI technologies enable natural language processing and speech recognition for seamless communication between users and virtual environments.

Edge computing and 5G technology are critical for the seamless operation of the metaverse. By bringing data processing closer to users, edge computing reduces latency and improves the responsiveness of virtual environments. 5G networks provide the high-speed internet required for real-time interactions, supporting scalable and complex virtual environments.

The Internet of Things (IoT) and spatial computing further enhance the metaverse by capturing physical movements and translating them into virtual actions, creating realistic and immersive experiences.

Elevate your business with Intelisync's cutting-edge metaverse solutions. Reach out to Intelisync today and learn how our advanced technologies in VR, AR, AI, and blockchain can revolutionize your operations, enhance customer engagement, and drive your Learn more...

[learning--tech]

Empower Your Business with DDS4U's Comprehensive Services

At DDS4U, we provide a suite of services designed to streamline your operations, drive growth, and ensure your business stays ahead in today’s competitive market.

AI-Powered Business Automation

Revolutionize your workflows with our AI-driven automation platform. By automating repetitive tasks and integrating advanced AI technologies, we help you save time, reduce costs, and improve accuracy, allowing you to focus on strategic initiatives.

Custom Software Development

Our experienced software developers create tailored solutions that meet your unique business needs. Whether you require a new application or need to upgrade existing systems, our innovative and scalable software solutions ensure your business operates efficiently and effectively.

CRM Solutions

Enhance your customer relationships with our comprehensive CRM platform. Manage customer interactions, streamline sales processes, and gain valuable insights to drive better business decisions. Our CRM system is designed to boost customer satisfaction and loyalty, ultimately leading to increased sales and growth.

Targeted Advertisement Platform

Maximize your reach and engagement with our cutting-edge advertising platform. Tailor your campaigns to specific audiences and utilize real-time analytics to optimize performance. Our platform helps you achieve higher conversion rates and a stronger online presence.

In-App Advertisement Space

Monetize your mobile applications with designated ad spaces. Our in-app advertising feature allows you to serve targeted ads to users, providing an additional revenue stream while ensuring ads are relevant and non-intrusive.

Referral Portal

Expand your network and drive business growth with our referral portal. Easily manage and track referrals, incentivize partners, and streamline communication. Our portal fosters strong professional relationships and opens new opportunities for your business.

Business Networking Platform

Connect with industry professionals and collaborate on projects through our dynamic networking platform. Share knowledge, explore partnerships, and expand your reach in a supportive community designed to foster business success.

Social Media Poster Design

Boost your social media presence with professionally designed posters. Our team creates visually appealing graphics tailored for social media platforms, helping you engage with your audience and enhance your brand’s online visibility.

Discount Booklets

Offer your customers exclusive discounts through our customizable discount booklets. This feature helps increase customer loyalty and encourages repeat business, driving higher sales and customer satisfaction.

Self-Managed Advertisements

Take control of your advertising campaigns with our self-managed ad platform. Create, monitor, and optimize your ads independently, giving you the flexibility to adjust strategies and maximize ROI.

Video Promotions

Enhance your marketing efforts with engaging promotional videos. Showcase your products and services, highlight unique selling points, and captivate your audience with compelling visual content that drives brand awareness and customer engagement.

At DDS4U, we are committed to helping your business succeed. Our comprehensive services are designed to address your unique challenges and support your growth ambitions. Partner with us to unlock new opportunities and achieve your business goals.

[transcriptioncity]

Multilingual Support for Businesses and Localised Translation Services

Multilingual Support for Businesses and Enhancing Customer Experience through Translation Imagine your business reaching customers all over the world effortlessly. Think about the increased trust and satisfaction from clients when they interact in their native language. Now, consider the competitive edge you gain by offering tailored experiences. These aren’t just dreams—they’re achievable…

[ezzybrownmedia]

AI Chatbot for Business Using ChatGPT - Optimize Now

Good day, smart owner of a business! Are you prepared to elevate the quality of your customer service? An AI Chatbot powered by ChatGPT has become your new closest companion. Why an AI Chatbot Is Urgently Required Customer service has become essential in today's fast-paced society. However, keeping oneself accessible around the clock to promptly address every inquiry is difficult due to the demands of operating a business. AI Chatbots are useful in such situations. Answering inquiries from customers, delivering assistance, and even suggesting products, these virtual assistants operate ceaselessly around the clock. Recommended AI Chatbot Developer

ChatGPT's Strength

One may now inquire, "Why implement ChatGPT?" Without a doubt, ChatGPT deviates significantly from the norm in this regard. Operating on the cutting-edge language model developed by OpenAI, it possesses the ability to comprehend and produce responses that resemble those of humans. Your clients will therefore perceive their conversation as involving an individual rather than an impersonal machine.Read More… Read the full article

[dameluthas]

Over 20k ChatGPT Prompts for Business Mastery 2024

Discover powerful ChatGPT prompts for marketing, sales, customer support & more! Elevate your business with AI in 2024

ChatGPT can automate tasks, generate creative content, and offer valuable insights, making it a valuable asset across various departments. This article explores how you can leverage ChatGPT business prompts to enhance efficiency and achieve your goals in 2024. Why Use ChatGPT for Business?ChatGPT Prompts for MarketingChatGPT Prompts for SalesChatGPT Prompts for Customer SupportOther Business…

[technologyequality]

AI-Powered Business Analytics: Make Smarter Decisions, Faster

AI-Powered Business Analytics Make Smarter Decisions, Faster 💡 AI-powered analytics give you instant insights into what’s working and what’s not. Learn how to use AI to optimize business decisions. The Problem: Are You Guessing or Growing? Let’s be real—making business decisions based on gut feelings is like throwing darts blindfolded. Sure, you might hit the target occasionally, but most of…

[political-us]

The U.S. energy consumption is expected to rise with the increasing adoption of AI, electric vehicles (EVs), and cryptocurrency mining, but the exact amount depends on multiple factors like efficiency improvements, grid expansion, and renewable energy adoption. Here’s a breakdown of how these technologies could impact energy demand:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Data Centers

• AI requires massive computing power, increasing electricity demand from data centers.

• In 2022, U.S. data centers consumed about 2.5% of total electricity (~200 terawatt-hours, TWh).

• AI workloads could double or triple data center energy use by 2030, potentially increasing U.S. electricity demand by 5%–10%.

• Efficiency Gains: AI hardware and software improvements may offset some of this demand.

2. Electric Vehicles (EVs)

• The transition to EVs will increase electricity demand but reduce oil consumption.

• If EV adoption reaches 50% of new car sales by 2030, transportation electricity demand could rise by 10%–15%.

• Smart Charging & Grid Management: If managed well, EVs could charge during off-peak hours to reduce strain on the grid.

3. Cryptocurrency Mining

• Crypto mining is highly energy-intensive. In 2023, Bitcoin mining alone consumed about 120 TWh globally, with the U.S. accounting for ~40% of that (~48 TWh).

• If crypto adoption and mining expand further, electricity demand could rise by 2%–5%.

• Renewables & Efficiency: Some mining operations are integrating solar/wind energy to reduce grid impact.

Overall Impact on U.S. Energy Use

• The U.S. currently consumes about 100 quadrillion BTUs (~4,000 TWh) annually.

• By 2035, AI, EVs, and crypto could increase electricity demand by 15%–25%, depending on adoption rates and efficiency improvements.

• The shift to renewables and nuclear will be critical in meeting this demand without increasing carbon emissions.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Monopoly is capitalism's gerrymander

For the rest of May, my bestselling solarpunk utopian novel THE LOST CAUSE (2023) is available as a $2.99, DRM-free ebook!

You don't have to accept the arguments of capitalism's defenders to take those arguments seriously. When Adam Smith railed against rentiers and elevated the profit motive to a means of converting the intrinsic selfishness of the wealthy into an engine of production, he had a point:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/28/cloudalists/#cloud-capital

Smith – like Marx and Engels in Chapter One of The Communist Manifesto – saw competition as a catalyst that could convert selfishness to the public good: a rich person who craves more riches still will treat their customers, suppliers and workers well, not out of the goodness of their heart, but out of fear of their defection to a rival:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/19/make-them-afraid/#fear-is-their-mind-killer

This starting point is imperfect, but it's not wrong. The pre-enshittified internet was run by the same people who later came to enshittify it. They didn't have a change of heart that caused them to wreck the thing they'd worked so hard to build: rather, as they became isolated from the consequences of their enshittificatory impulses, it was easier to yield to them.

Once Google captured its market, its regulators and its workforce, it no longer had to worry about being a good search-engine – it could sacrifice quality for profits, without consequence:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/24/naming-names/#prabhakar-raghavan

It could focus on shifting value from its suppliers, its customers and its users to its shareholders:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/15/they-trust-me-dumb-fucks/#ai-search

The thing is, all of this is well understood and predicted by traditional capitalist orthodoxy. It was only after a gnostic cult of conspiratorialists hijacked the practice of antitrust law that capitalists started to view monopolies as compatible with capitalism:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/20/we-should-not-endure-a-king/

The argument goes like this: companies that attain monopolies might be cheating, but because markets are actually pretty excellent arbiters of quality, it's far more likely that if we discover that everyone is buying the same product from the same store, that this is the best store, selling the best products. How perverse would it be to shut down the very best stores and halt the sale of the very best products merely to satisfy some doctrinal reflex against big business!

To understand the problem with this argument, we should consider another doctrinal reflex: conservatives' insistence that governments just can't do anything well or efficiently. There's a low-information version of this that goes, "Governments are where stupid people who can't get private sector jobs go. They're lazy and entitled." (There's a racial dimension to this, since the federal government has historically led the private sector in hiring and promoting Black workers and workers of color more broadly.)

But beyond that racially tinged caricature, there's a more rigorous version of the argument: government officials are unlikely to face consequences for failure. Appointees and government employees – especially in the unionized federal workforce – are insulated from such consequences by overlapping layers of labor protection and deflection of blame.

Elected officials can in theory be fired in the next election, but if they keep their cheating or incompetence below a certain threshold, most of us won't punish them at the polls. Elected officials can further improve their odds of re-election by cheating some of us and sharing the loot with others, through handouts and programs. Elections themselves have a strong incumbency bias, meaning that once a cheater gets elected, they will likely get re-elected, even if their cheating becomes well-known:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/gold-bars-featured-bob-menendez-bribery-case-linked-2013-robbery-recor-rcna128006

What's more, electoral redistricting opens the doors to gerrymandering – designing districts to create safe seats where one party always wins. That way, the real election consists of the official choosing the voters, not the voters choosing the official:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REDMAP

Inter-party elections – primaries and other nomination processes – have fundamental weaknesses that mean they're no substitute for well-run, democratic elections:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/30/weak-institutions/

Contrast this with the theory of competitive markets. For capitalism's "moral philosophers," the physics by which greedy desires led to altruistic outcomes was to be found in the swift retribution of markets. A capitalist, exposed to the possibility of worker and customers defecting to their rival, knows that their greed is best served by playing fair.

But just as importantly, capitalists who don't internalize this lesson are put out of business and superceded by better capitalists. The market's invisible hand can pat you on the head – but it can also choke you to death.

This is where monopoly comes in. Even if you accept the consumer welfare theory that says that monopolies are most often the result of excellence, we should still break up monopolies. Even if someone secures an advantage by being great, that greatness will soon regress to the mean. But if the monopolist can extinguish the possibility of competition, they can maintain their power even after they cease deserving it.

In other words, the monopolist is like a politician who wins power – whether through greatness or by deceit – and then gerrymanders their district so that they can do anything and gain re-election. Even the noblest politician, shorn of accountability, will be hard pressed to avoid yielding to temptation.

Capitalism's theory proceeds from the idea that we are driven by our self-interest, and that competition turns self-interest into communal sentiment. Take away the competition, and all that's left is the self-interest.

I think this is broadly true, even though it's not the main reason I oppose monopolies (I oppose monopolies because they corrupt our democracy and pauperize workers). But even if capitalism's ability to turn greed into public benefit isn't the principle that's uppermost in my mind, it's what capitalists claim to believe – and treasure.

I think that most of the right's defense of monopolies stems from cynical, bad-faith rationalizations – but there are people who've absorbed these rationalizations and find them superficially plausible. It's worth developing these critiques, for their sake.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/18/market-discipline/#too-big-to-care

[greenzaku]

I can't ask you to boycott Tesla...

...because I know the vast majority of Tumblr can't buy a Tesla. Musk's views have resulted in plummeting Tesla sales in 2024 - !as much as 63% in France!

But there IS another way to defund Elon Musk, and that is to write to advertisers on X (formerly Twitter) and pressure them to withdraw.

I know a lot of us have left, but if you have an old account on there and don't mind quiet, grindy, but highly impactful direct action, here is a step-by-step guide.

Choose 1-3 advertisers that are

Not affiliated with Musk/DOGE/Tesla/SpaceX/Starlink or the US Federal government. US State government entities and initiatives are probably OK to contact. Non-US government bodies are even better choices.

Have a contactable presence outside of Twitter; eg. an email address for complaints, a website feedback form etc.

Pay at least lip service towards diversity, equality and/or accessibility in a mission statement, organisational pledge, or through the use of inclusive imagery and language.

Avoid:

Advertisers ideologically aligned with Musk, or targeting specific individuals. Many far right think tanks and individuals take out advertising on Twitter. Some are likely sock puppets of Musk’s own allies. Look for vague buzzwords about ‘improving efficiency’, ‘anti-woke’, ‘free speech’ etc. Don’t waste your time on them.

Cryptocurrency exchanges, as they're probably scammers to start with.

Now, to create your letter!

1 – Save a screenshot of the ad for attachment to your message. Not every personnel assigned to handling complaints is aware of every ad campaign.

2 – Begin by highlighting the relevance of the org or company to you eg.

“I am a taxpayer in (state/country/region)…”

“As a customer/fan/subject matter expert of …”

“As someone who uses similar products/services…”

3 – State your reaction to the ad, eg.

“…I am disappointed/shocked/upset to see your advertisement on X (formerly twitter).”

4 – Explain why Pick a mixture of ideological and financial reasons

Ideological:

Musk’s bigoted views, citing examples. Eg. nazi salutes, transphobia etc

The impact of DOGE on vulnerable Americans and/or the impact of withdrawing USAID overseas.

Permissiveness towards bigotry and abuse on X eg. Andrew Tate, Nazi accounts, ubiquitous bullying

… and that these run counter to the organisation’s / company’s values and image, quoting their own mission statements if desired; and that they risk tarnishing their brand through association. I haven’t added example URLs for these as there are simply way too many choices!

Financial:

Bot and inauthentic activity on X is greater than that of authentic users (references: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-02-28/twitter-x-fighting-bot-problem-as-ai-spam-floods-the-internet/103498070 , https://mashable.com/article/x-twitter-elon-musk-bots-fake-traffic , https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0313293

Very high incidence of click fraud (false and manufactured engagement with advertising, increasing advertisers’ expenditure) references: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/new-report-finds-x-may-be-inflating-ad-performance-results/707860/ , https://searchengineland.com/x-surge-traffic-fake-437715

Reluctance of users to engage with ads due to numerous advertisements by scammers eg. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/x-users-fed-up-with-constant-stream-of-malicious-crypto-ads/ , https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/cbc-ads-fake-investment-scheme-1.7439812 , https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/celebrity-deepfake-scam-ads-were-000100107.html?guccounter=1

5 – State the consequences of continuing to advertise on X

“I believe this is a waste of taxpayers’ money that could be better spent elsewhere…”

“Continuing to advertise on X harms your company’s / organisation’s image…”

“If you continue to advertise on X, I will take my business to your competitor…”

6 – Sign off

Yours Sincerely, (your name/pseudonym)

---------------------

Over time, you can build a toolbox of sentences to put together and create unique letters for each advertiser. If you have time to doomscroll, you have time to do this, and it only takes as few as 2-3 people writing in to get an advertiser to reconsider.

[large-penises-sporting-goods]

I need you guys to see this

So some probably-bot account was posting about "drive thru retail" becoming a "disruptive innovation" and claiming it's more efficient than traditional retail. Which lmao, most customers at my store spend 30+ minutes doing stuff like trying on shoes/clothes, comparison shopping, asking questions to sales staff, etc, so good fucking luck doing that efficiently in a drive thru.

But this ai image they used had me cackling. I feel like people who frequently use generative ai have gotten better at tweaking the prompts to make it more realistic. This is not happening here.

Five bebor. Delve thu. Dollar genaal. Painted lines on the road that mean nothing. What is the delve thu drive thru even made of. I think this is what hell looks like.

[mariacallous]

Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been clear about its plans to fire tens of thousands of employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs. New WIRED reporting sheds light on the specific DOGE operatives at the VA and the ways they’re trying to infiltrate and drastically change the agency.

On March 25, tech staffers and contractors at the VA noticed an unfamiliar name trying to push changes that could impact VA.gov code. It was Sahil Lavingia, a newcomer to the agency listed in the VA’s internal directory as an adviser to the chief of staff, Christopher Syrek.

Lavingia's presence in the VA's GitHub instance—a publicly viewable platform that houses projects and code for VA.gov—set off immediate alarm bells. It bore all the hallmarks of DOGE’s incursion into the federal government: Lavingia, a startup CEO and engineer with no government experience, all of a sudden had power—and was in their systems.

Since then, VA employees say they have had multiple concerns following interactions with Lavingia. Beyond his GitHub access, sources who spoke to WIRED indicate that Lavingia, who said on Slack that he wanted to digitize the agency, also appears to be trying to use an AI tool called OpenHands to write code for the VA’s systems. One person with knowledge says that Lavingia had been given what’s known as a “zero account,” which would allow him to be granted privileged access to VA systems.

In response to WIRED’s questions about his work at the VA, Lavingia responded by email saying, “Sorry, I'm not going to answer these, besides to say I'm unpaid. And a fan of your work!”

Lavingia is not the only DOGE representative at the VA. According to sources within the agency, the DOGE delegation also includes Cary Volpert and Christopher Roussos. Other known DOGE members at the VA include Justin Fulcher, who ran a telehealth startup that went bankrupt in the late 2010s, and Payton Rehling and Jon Koval, both of whom worked for Valor Equity Partners and appeared at the Social Security Administration along with the fund’s founder and Musk ally, Antonio Gracias.

These DOGE operatives appear to have no work experience that’s remotely close to the VA in terms of its scale or complexity. The VA administers all the government benefits afforded to veterans and their families for roughly 10 million people, including education, loans, disability payments, and health care. Lavingia is the CEO of Gumroad, a platform that helps creatives sell their work and takes a cut of each sale. More recently, according to his blog, Lavingia launched Flexile, a tool to manage and pay contractors. According to his LinkedIn profile, Lavingia was the second employee at Pinterest, which he left in 2011 to found Gumroad. Lavingia is also an angel investor in other startups via SHL Capital, which backed Clubhouse and Lambda School, among others.

Volpert, who is listed as a senior adviser to the chief of staff, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. On a third-party job site Volpert is listed as the founder of a startup called Lindy Live, which once offered social engagement for senior citizens. According to documents viewed by WIRED, Volpert has been reviewing VA contracts with what appears to be the intent of canceling those agreements. Roussos is the former CEO of 24 Hour Fitness and most recently was CEO of AllerVie Health, an allergy and immunology startup, according to his LinkedIn profile. Last February, he became chair of the company’s board of directors. He is also listed as an adviser to the chief of staff at the VA. Volpert, Roussos, and Lavingia, according to a source at the VA, were introduced by agency leadership in meetings as DOGE representatives.

“DOGE's actions at the VA are putting veterans' lives at risk,” representative Gerald Connolly, ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, tells WIRED. Veterans, he adds, risk being “stripped of the care they need and deserve because [President Donald] Trump and Elon have turned the VA over to lackeys who do not know the first thing about what it means to serve your country."

VA employees have expressed concern about the changes the DOGE staffers have already started to make to the agency. “These people have zero clue what they are working on,” a VA employee tells WIRED.

The VA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither did Volpert, Roussos, Fulcher, Rehling, or Koval.

Lavingia’s past work, however, appears to have informed his present outlook at the VA, especially when it comes to AI. In a blog post on his personal website from October 2024, Lavingia discussed how Gumroad, which laid off most of its employees in 2015, had achieved financial stability: “replacing every manual process with an automated one, by pushing all marginal costs to the customer, and having almost no employees.”

“Today, humans are necessary for stellar customer service, crisis management, regulatory compliance and negotiations, property inspections, and more,” he wrote. “But it won't be long until AI can do all of the above.”

Two sources familiar with Lavingia’s work at the VA note that he appears to be trying to introduce an AI tool called OpenHands to write code for the agency. In GitHub, Lavingia requested to add OpenHands to the repertoire of programs that can be used by VA tech workers, and noted in Slack that this was “a priority for the [chief of staff] and Secretary.” (OpenHands is available for anyone to download on GitHub.)

“They’ve asked us to consider using AI for all development contracts and have us justify why it can’t do it,” says the VA employee. “I think they are considering how to fill the gaps [of canceled contracts] with AI.”

“We don’t really have approval to use AI, because there is sensitive info in some of the GitHub repos,” says a second VA tech worker who, like other sources, asked to remain anonymous because they’re not authorized to talk to the media. “Theoretically it could script something and pull out a bunch of data.” Much of that data, according to the source, is stored and accessed through several application programming interfaces. This includes information like the social security numbers of veterans and their family members and bank information, as well as medical and disability history.

New tools also mean new security risks. “Any programming tools or applications that you use in federal systems have to meet a bunch of security classifications,” the source says. They worry that the proposed use of OpenHands has not been properly vetted for government purposes for security gaps that could possibly leave the VA’s systems and data vulnerable.

“They’re not following any of the normal procedures, and it’s putting people at risk,” they say, noting that a system failure could impede veterans’ ability to access their benefits. “These are people who have given pieces of themselves to their country and they deserve more respect than that.”

A former VA employee who worked in the office of the CTO and asked for anonymity in order to protect their privacy says that OpenHands was not, as far as they knew, a tool approved for use at the agency. When asked to evaluate it based on the security assessment used at the agency, the person says that the tool’s ability to “modify code, run commands, browse the web, call APIs,” according to its website, was particularly concerning.

“That alarms me. That gives me Skynet vibes," they say. “I don’t necessarily want a computer to have all those capabilities unsupervised.”

OpenHands did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The source also says that AI-generated code can pose significant risks in general. “I would not want a tool like this writing code on VA.gov, because I think it would lead to a higher likelihood of bugs and therefore security issues being introduced into the platform,” they say, adding that “buggy code” could be easier to hack, introducing more security vulnerabilities. It could also accidentally access or modify the wrong data, including sensitive data. And even if the AI-generated code works well, it can be “unmaintainable,” because it is so complicated that even the people generating the code may not fully understand it and therefore not be able to update or change it when needed.

Lavingia has quickly suggested other changes at the VA as well.

Sources say Lavingia asked if there is a way to use veterans’ social security numbers or “other identifying information” to pre-fill customer forms with data from the VA system without the user being logged in. That data, according to one VA source, could include everything from their disability benefits and medical records and history. This kind of pre-filling requires users to be authenticated within the VA’s system, which not all of them are. A VA employee pushed back, noting that “there are fraud and risk concerns about someone submitting a form on behalf of a veteran when they have not been established as their caretaker.” Another employee noted this change would make it easier to “submit fraudulent forms at scale.”

In a March 26 Slack message, Lavingia also suggested that the agency should do away with paper forms entirely, aiming for “full digitization.”

“There are over 400 vet-facing forms that the VA supports, and only about 10 percent of those are digitized,” says a VA worker, noting that digitizing forms “can take years because of the sensitivity of the data” they contain. Additionally, many veterans are elderly and prefer using paper forms because they lack the technical skills to navigate digital platforms.

“Many vets don’t have computers or can’t see at all,” they say. “My skin is crawling thinking about the nonchalantness of this guy.”

Lavingia’s earliest activity on the VA’s Github is indicative of the broader tensions at the agency. According to GitHub pull requests and people familiar with his work, Lavingia sought to change the text in the website’s footer where the agency lists its social media presence from “Twitter” to “X.” (Musk renamed Twitter to X after purchasing it in 2022.)

That change was not as simple as it sounds.

“We wanted it to say ‘X (formerly Twitter)’ or something similar,” says the second VA tech worker. This was because the letter X is, on its own, not big enough to be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. The single letter would be too difficult for someone to tap. Other VA workers suggested that they could use “X.com,” again in an attempt to make text more readable and accessible to disabled users.

“X.com is not an acceptable replacement. It must be ‘X’ to be consistent with the other sites where we use the names they prefer,” Lavingia responded. The VA website now simply lists “X.”

In a GitHub ticket viewed by WIRED, Lavingia also suggested abandoning Drupal, a content management system (CMS) that the VA uses for publishing updates and information about the agency and the services it provides on VA facility websites. “I think we should consider removing Drupal as part of our workflow, and all content should just live in the codebase,” he wrote.

Sources say that the regular office administrators and health workers staffed at VA locations around the country are often the ones responsible for making sure that the content about their facilities are clear and up to date on their VA webpages. Instead of being able to log in to the CMS and update the appropriate text or pages, Lavingia’s suggestion would mean they’d need to go into the actual code of the website to make simple changes. Any mistakes could break the sites, and one source worried that such a technical task would be too big of an ask for nontechnical VA staffers.

“There are over 1,000 VA editors that work in the hospitals as administrators and other roles that update the websites for each VA medical center and hospital every day. They are not engineers, they barely can use a CMS at all,” says the second VA worker, who was shocked by Lavingia’s suggestion. “This guy is suggesting we move all 55,000-plus pages of live content into the code.”

A week after Lavingia made this suggestion, the VA did not renew a contract for the workers who managed its CMS. This means, sources claim, that the VA’s facility locator, which lets users find a hospital or VA office near them, may stop functioning. This feature was managed through the contractor. (The DOGE account on X posted proudly, “VA was previously paying ~$380,000/month for minor website modifications. That contract has not been renewed and the same work is now being executed by 1 internal VA software engineer spending ~10 hours/week.” VA workers say they have no idea who the post refers to.)

Sources say that Lavingia’s casual approach extends even to such issues as meeting protocols. On Tuesday, during a Microsoft Teams call with Chris Johnston, the agency’s deputy chief technology officer, VA tech workers were surprised when they saw that someone had started recording in the middle of a call.

“It created a stir,” says a third VA worker who was in the meeting.

In a chatbox, Lavingia wrote, “Why can’t we record? I think we should unless there’s a legal reason not to,” noting that it would be helpful for people who couldn’t attend. Another person wrote back, informing Lavingia that the deck for the meeting would be shared in a Slack channel, “for reference.”

“I think it’s good policy to assume all meetings will be recorded,” Lavingia responded. The source who was on the call says that recording all calls is not the norm at the agency and that it is standard practice to ask to record calls before doing so.

“I see more naivete than evil,” says the VA worker who was at the meeting. “If you come up in Silicon Valley, you really do start to believe that because you launched some startup and were successful you have some kind of secret sauce. And everything outside of your founder/startup ecosystem needs to be disrupted.”

But the worker says that Lavingia’s backing by Musk and DOGE has created a culture of fear. “Everyone is scared to death of him and takes every question or suggestion as an edict,” they say.

According to his GitHub account, it appears that while he is at the VA, Lavingia is continuing to work on his tool Flexile, which now also bears the name “Antiwork.” GitHub records show he has been working on the code even up to this week. The VA did not respond to questions about whether this is permissible while working with the agency. (Government workers are allowed to take on some kinds of outside work, generally with agency permission, so long as it doesn’t conflict with their existing role.)

[futureinfashion]

Introduction

For my first post, i just want to introduce the most common uses of AI in the fashion industry as of right now, as it is something that has been growing since 2023, and even more in 2024 as it is a tool being integrated in many parts of the industry.

Sustainability - AI have been helping a lot with waste control in the fashion industry, as it is one of the most pollutive contributes, AI can control fabric and water waste, pollution and carbon emissions by measuring environmental metrics during garment production.

AR - One of the biggest news in online shopping is the augmented reality-based shopping tool which makes clients be able to try and experience the garments and accessories virtually almost as if they are in person, something Burberry already implemented in their online shopping experience, making a more inclusive space for online shoppers who can't see themselves in the base models used by companies to showcase their items.

Creativity and Design - Some brands already started using AI tools to to create new designs that appeal to their customers using a trained AI with millions of research and inspiration from the brand themselves to create new designs, silhouettes, color palettes and more. FIT students already worked with AI in classes to create designs and explore the tool and creativity.

Trend Forecasting - For a long time people in the industry had to analyze and study fashion runways, street fashion and pop culture to predict trends a year ahead, and now with AI that can be made in a more quick and efficient way with AI being able to analyze all those things AND millions of social media posts, sales and search data to make trend forecasting easier and more accurate.

Photoshoots - Photography and fashion have always walked side by side, and now with AI is no different, companies can use AI to create new and exciting ways to express art, fashion and photography. The AI in this case is used to enhance the experience, push boundaries and redefine the concept of fashion photoshoots, one example is Vogue Italia's May 2024 with Bella Hadid.

AI is complementing the fashion industry in a very interesting way, helping with sustainability in the future, making customer experience more interactive and improved and pushing the limits of creativity and design creation forward.

For more info: How AI Is Shaping the Fashion Industry in 2024 | Vogue College of Fashion