All posts tagged: Microsoft

Microsoft finds workers are tired and overwhelmed but AI ready to assist

Microsoft finds workers are tired and overwhelmed but AI ready to assist

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] A Microsoft workplace study has uncovered how workers feel about artificial intelligence (AI), with almost two in three workers stating they don’t have enough time or energy to do their jobs. The report compiled findings from 31,000 respondents from 31 countries as well as a deep dive into “trillions of aggregated productivity signals in Microsoft 365, along with labor market trends on LinkedIn”. Microsoft’s 2023 Annual Work Trend Index, the fourth time the tech giant has conducted the poll, contains a lot of useful information on how professionals view their contemporary workplace, with just under half of those surveyed sharing a concern that AI will have an impact on their job security. The report states 75% of workers now use AI in the workplace, with a feeling that the technology is a great tool at times of stress and high-intensity to allow them to concentrate on the imperative tasks. Of those who are already using AI, 78% are said to bring their own AI resources to work. Workers overwhelmed and out of energy The …

How to use multiple desktops on Microsoft Windows

How to use multiple desktops on Microsoft Windows

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Using multiple desktops on Windows can significantly enhance your productivity by allowing you to organize open applications and documents into separate virtual workspaces. This feature is especially useful for managing different tasks or projects simultaneously without cluttering a single desktop. Here’s how you can start using multiple desktops on Windows: How to create multiple desktops on Windows Windows 11 Open Task View: Press Win + Tab to access Task View, showing all open windows and virtual desktops. Create a New Desktop: Click on “New desktop” located at the top of the screen, usually on the right side of the desktop previews. Switch Between Desktops: Click on the desired desktop preview in Task View to switch. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Win + Left/Right Arrow Keys for quick switching. Move Windows Between Desktops: Open Task View. Hover over the window you want to move. Right-click and select “Move to”, then choose the target desktop. Close a Desktop: Open Task View. Click the X on the top right corner of the desktop preview you …

Buy Microsoft Office Pro 2021 and Windows 11 Pro bundled for right now

Buy Microsoft Office Pro 2021 and Windows 11 Pro bundled for $70 right now

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Save big on this lifetime Microsoft Office Pro 2021 and Windows 11 Pro bundle.  Kerry Wan/ZDNET It doesn’t matter if you’re upgrading to a new laptop or just upgrading your existing system — access to Microsoft Office and Windows are necessities for getting things done on your computer these days. And right now, you can buy a bundled lifetime license to Microsoft Office Pro 2021 and Windows 11 Pro from Stack Social for $70 — that’s 84% off.  Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021 includes all of the classic and essential Microsoft offerings, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, Access, and Teams. If you don’t need all the bells and whistles, check out this deal for Microsoft Office 2019, which offers all the same features except for Teams.  Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is an operating system perfect for the working professional or at home user. Get an easy-to-navigate interface, biometrics login, Smart App Control, Windows Studio Effects, DirectX 12 Ultimate, and top feature like snap layouts, desktops, seamless redocking, improved voice typing, and a powerful search …

Microsoft Deploys Powerful New AI Completely Disconnected From the Internet

Microsoft Deploys Powerful New AI Completely Disconnected From the Internet

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] It’s designed to be used by US spy agencies. Spy AI Microsoft has trained a massive new generative AI model — and strikingly, it’s entirely disconnected from the internet. The idea is to provide US intelligence agencies with a way to analyze top-secret information without running the risk of leaking any of it. As Bloomberg reports, the company claims it’s the first large language model (LLM) of its kind that’s completely divorced from the internet, unlike other competing ones that greatly rely on up-to-date information scoured from various places online. Microsoft’s new “air-gapped” AI, which is based on OpenAI’s GPT-4 LLM and will reportedly be available to 10,000 users, could allow agencies like the CIA to quickly analyze a wealth of classified data. In other words, civilians will likely never get their hands on it — or at least, Microsoft will do its best that won’t happen. “This is the first time we’ve ever had an isolated version — when isolated means it’s not connected to the internet — and it’s on a special …

Microsoft launched a new ‘air-gapped’ AI model — but none of you can use it

Microsoft launched a new ‘air-gapped’ AI model — but none of you can use it

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Microsoft has created a generative AI model for top-secret work within US intelligence agencies. This model is supported in an “air-gapped” environment, Microsoft’s CTO of Strategic Missions and Technology William Chappell told Bloomberg. In other words, it’s entirely unconnected, distinct from cloud-based AI models that are susceptible to hacks and data leaks. SEE ALSO: Microsoft to law enforcement: No using Azure OpenAI for facial recognition What makes Microsoft’s new AI model a coveted spy gadget For intelligence agencies, Microsoft’s model is a way to process and analyze vast quantities of classified information without compromising secrecy. Last fall, Bloomberg reported that the CIA was building its own internal ChatGPT-style tool to sift through public data for clues. In April, Sheetal Patel, assistant director of the CIA for the Transnational and Technology Mission Center, said intelligence agencies all over the world are racing to be the first to harness generative AI, saying “I want it to be us.” Mashable Light Speed The model, built upon OpenAI’s GPT-4 large language model, underwent an 18-month development process, according …

Microsoft to shut Africa development centre in Nigeria

Microsoft to shut Africa development centre in Nigeria

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] LAGOS : Microsoft is closing down its Africa Development Centre in the continent’s most populous nation Nigeria, which will lead to job losses, a spokesperson said on Wednesday. The centre, based in the commercial capital Lagos was opened in 2022 as part of Microsoft’s push to deliver high-end engineering and innovation solutions for the company. The company said it would, however, continue to operate in Nigeria, continuing to prioritize and invest in strategic growth areas. “Microsoft has decided to close the Africa Development Centre in Nigeria, and as a result some of our employees based in Nigeria will be impacted,” the Microsoft spokesperson said. “Organizational and workforce adjustments are a necessary and regular part of managing our business.” It was not immediately clear how many people would be impacted. In December 2022, Microsoft President Brad Smith said Africa represented a burgeoning talent pool in contrast to declining population growth elsewhere. Microsoft at that time had more than 200 engineers in Lagos and more than 500 in Nairobi, Kenya. [ad_2] Source link

Burnout Is Pushing Workers to Use AI—Even if Their Boss Doesn’t Know

Burnout Is Pushing Workers to Use AI—Even if Their Boss Doesn’t Know

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] White-collar workers are so overwhelmed with emails, web chats, and meetings that they are using AI tools to get their jobs done—even if their companies haven’t trained them to do so, according to a work trends index published Wednesday by Microsoft and LinkedIn. Seventy-five percent of people in desk jobs are already using AI at work, and the amount of people using AI has nearly doubled over the past six months, the report found. The vast majority of workers using AI—regardless of whether they are baby boomers or Gen Z—are “bringing their own AI tools” rather than waiting for their companies to guide them. “People are overwhelmed with digital debt and under duress at work,” Colette Stallbaumer, general manager of Microsoft’s chatbot Copilot and cofounder of Workload, said in a video announcing the report’s results. “And they are turning to AI for relief.” Microsoft (which also owns LinkedIn) stands to win from the adoption of AI, and is already cashing in on its generative AI tools. The new report is built on a survey …

How to uninstall Microsoft Windows Defender

How to uninstall Microsoft Windows Defender

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] This article provides a concise guide on how to uninstall Microsoft Defender from your Windows operating system. To dive straight in and start uninstalling Windows Defender  follow the steps below to remove the software effectively. Note: Microsoft Defender is integrated into Windows 10 and Windows 11, and cannot be completely uninstalled, but it can be disabled as described below. Quick guide to uninstalling Windows Defender : Open the Start Menu and go to ‘Settings’. In Settings, navigate to ‘Update & Security’. Click on ‘Windows Security’ from the left-hand menu. Select ‘Virus & threat protection’ and then click on ‘Manage settings’ under ‘Virus & threat protection settings’. Turn off ‘Real-time protection’ to temporarily disable Microsoft Defender. For permanent removal, you will need to install another antivirus program, as Windows automatically activates Defender if no other antivirus is detected. After installing another antivirus, Microsoft Defender should automatically disable itself. While Microsoft Defender is a convenient default option, uninstalling it can provide significant benefits such as improved system performance, the opportunity to tailor your security setup, and …

Biden to unveil .3 billion Microsoft AI investment in battleground Wisconsin

Biden to unveil $3.3 billion Microsoft AI investment in battleground Wisconsin

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Construction at Foxconn complex in Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin in August 2020. Brian Snyder | Reuters President Joe Biden will visit the political battleground state of Wisconsin on Wednesday to announce plans by Microsoft Corp to build a $3.3 billion high-tech data center that will create thousands of jobs, the White House said. The Microsoft facility in Racine County, in southeastern Wisconsin, will be built on the same land where Taiwan electronics manufacturer Foxconn had planned to build a $10 billion factory that former President Donald Trump once called “the eighth wonder of the world,” before Foxconn drastically scaled back its plans. Microsoft’s plans will result in 2,300 union construction jobs and some 2,000 permanent jobs over time, the White House said. It said nearly 4,000 jobs had been added in Racine since Biden took office, while about 1,000 manufacturing jobs were lost during the Trump administration. Microsoft will partner with Gateway Technical College to train 1,000 people for data center and other roles by 2030, and will work to train 1,000 business leaders to …

Redfall and Ghostwire: Tokyo studios shut down by another round of Microsoft layoffs

Redfall and Ghostwire: Tokyo studios shut down by another round of Microsoft layoffs

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Arkane Austin, makers of 2023’s Redfall, and Tango Gameworks, developers of The Evil Within and 2022’s Ghostwire: Tokyo, are shut down. The two studios, subsidiaries of Microsoft-owned Bethesda Softworks, were shuttered on Tuesday along with two others according to an email sent by Matt Booty, the head of Xbox Game Studios. The closure means Redfall’s post launch support, including any DLC expansions, are now off the board although Arkane Studios itself, headquarted in Lyon, France, will still hang on. But the ambitious, supernatural shooter that Arkane Austin launched in May 2023 is officially done, and will not be be receiving any post-launch support, much less the two DLC characters that Xbox had promised at the time of released. IGN confirmed Arkane Austin’s closure in an email from Booty. “Redfall’s previous update will be its last as we end all development on the game,” it said. “The game and its servers will remain online for players to enjoy and we will provide make-good offers to players who purchased the Hero DLC.” Why did Microsoft shut …