Cybersecurity

With the rise of the metaverse and web3 technologies, there’s no denying the next evolution of the internet is already underway. This is what I mean when I talk about the “future internet” – the next generation of the internet, characterized by immersive virtual metaverse worlds (such as Fortnite or Meta’s Horizon Worlds) and decentralized web3 technologies (think crypto, blockchain and NFTs).

For organizations, this future internet brings many opportunities – and threats. This means every organization must take a look at the products and services they provide and consider new and improved ways to serve their customers.

Here are three avenues to explore.

1. Augmenting Your Existing Products And Services

A good starting point is to look at your existing products and services and explore how you could enhance them with metaverse and/or web3 technologies. Consider how Fortnite has reinvented itself from a gaming platform to a trailblazing metaverse platform that provides immersive virtual experiences (like gigs by real-world megastars). Or consider how smartphone manufacturers are increasingly building AR capabilities into their phones, allowing users to see immersive virtual elements overlayed over the real-world view simply by using the built-in camera. Both are great examples of making your existing products or services more compatible with the next, more immersive evolution of the internet.

Could you augment your products and services for the future internet? If you ignore this question, the danger is another company will come along with that improved offering. Consider how services like Audius are reimagining music streaming and challenging established platforms like Spotify. Audius is a blockchain-based, artist-owned, decentralized streaming service with its own crypto token – in essence, the platform lets musicians decide how their music is monetized and allows them to connect directly with fans.

2. Creating New, Digital-Only Products

The next generation of consumers is only too happy to spend real money on products that don’t exist in the physical world. My children routinely spend their pocket money on Fortnite Skins, and yours may well do the same. In fact, Fortnite (and gaming in general) has led the way in creating digital-only products. What’s really interesting is Fortnite is a free-to-play game, so the sale of in-game items is clearly a vital revenue-earner for the game’s makers. In-game purchases are so popular that close to 70 percent of Fortnite players purchase outfits, accessories, and dance moves for their virtual characters. These outfits, accessories and moves don’t give players any actual advantage when playing the game – it’s purely about making your character look different from those who don’t pay for products. It goes to show that, in the metaverse era, digital-only products have very real value.

What about new services for the future internet? A great example comes from BlockBar, the NFT marketplace for high-end wines and spirits. BlockBar is a direct-to-consumer NFT marketplace that connects consumers and collectors with luxury alcohol brands such as Glenfiddich and Hennessy – allowing brands to sell NFTs that are tied to physical luxury and limited-edition products. (The NFT acts as proof of ownership but may also provide the NFT holder with access to exclusive perks and content.) As a service, BlockBar is taking the business of selling wine and spirits into the 21st century. And it’s proving popular with brands and consumers alike; the marketplace reached $7 million in sales in its first year and attracted more than 300,000 users.

Ask yourself, could your business create new products and services that are designed with the future internet in mind – or could your existing products or services be threatened by new, digital-native offerings?

3. Creating Hybrid Products And Services That Span Both Digital And Physical

What about blending the physical and digital to create hybrid products and services? One cool example comes from Merge EDU, which has designed a range of digital teaching aids for STEM subjects. The teaching aids immerse students with 3D objects and simulations they can “touch” and interact with – thereby helping students understand complex science concepts. This shows how digital products and services can deliver significant value in the physical world.

Of course, physical products can also be enhanced with a digital element, such as an accompanying NFT. Like how legendary music magazine SPIN – known for its iconic covers that are collectors’ items in their own right – is selling its covers and other art assets as collectible NFTs.

This “tokenization” of physical products is interesting because it also allows products to be sold in a distributed ownership model – where multiple customers share ownership of an asset. One example comes from the Crurated wine platform, which offers members the chance to buy fractions of wine barrels certified by NFT and blockchain technology.

Can You Afford To Ignore The Future Internet?

There’s no doubt in my mind that companies that ignore the impact of the metaverse and Web3 risk being overtaken by startups who are creating new, improved versions of existing products and services – essentially, reimagining them for the future internet.

That said, because the future internet is evolving so fast, some of the products and services being developed now may not exist in a few years’ time. There will be new products and services that we can’t yet imagine. The upshot is amazing innovations are coming our way, and we can’t predict where all this is going. But don’t let that stop you from reimaging your own products and services and experimenting with future internet innovations. Don’t wait, in other words. The time to experiment is now.

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The quiet hum of AI servers is rapidly drowning out the traditional drumbeat of marketing departments worldwide. As we venture deeper into 2025, this technological revolution isn’t just changing how we market – it’s fundamentally transforming what marketing means.

Over the last decades of analyzing digital trends, I’ve never seen such a profound shift in how businesses connect with their customers. While AI and automation are undoubtedly the stars of this show, other fascinating developments are emerging from the wings, from the evolution of influencer culture to a growing emphasis on digital privacy. Let’s explore the most significant trends that will shape marketing’s future in the coming year.

The Move Towards Dynamic Content Creation

The buzz around generative AI isn’t just hype – it’s the harbinger of a fundamental shift in content creation. But here’s the interesting part: while many marketers are still stuck in the basic ChatGPT-generated blog post phase (a strategy that’s increasingly showing its limitations), the real innovators are pushing boundaries we didn’t even know existed. They’re creating content that adapts in real-time, responding to context and audience sentiment in ways that make traditional personalization look primitive.

What’s particularly exciting is how forward-thinking content creators are integrating AI into their creative process itself. They’re not just using AI to generate content – they’re showing their audiences how to use it in novel ways, creating engaging meta-content that builds authority and drives engagement. In 2025, we’ll see the emergence of truly dynamic content that transforms based on viewer behavior, time of day, or even global events, taking the concept of marketing “micro-moments” to an entirely new level.

AI’s Strategic Takeover

While AI’s role in tactical marketing operations is well established, 2025 will mark its emergence as a crucial strategic partner. We’re moving beyond basic data analytics and recommendation systems into an era where AI actively participates in high-level planning and decision-making. Imagine AI systems that can predict future market trends with unprecedented accuracy, simulate entire campaign outcomes before launch, and optimize resource allocation in real time.

This strategic evolution of AI is particularly exciting because it’s happening first in marketing departments. As we push into 2025, marketing teams are becoming the proving ground for AI’s ability to contribute to strategic business decisions, setting patterns that other business functions will likely follow.

Search Is Dead, Long Live Search

The integration of generative AI into search engines isn’t just an upgrade – it’s a complete reimagining of how people find information online. With both Google and Bing now embedding AI-generated responses directly into search results, marketers are facing a fundamental shift in how they approach visibility. The traditional SEO playbook isn’t just being updated – it’s being completely rewritten.

But here’s what makes this trend particularly fascinating: as AI chatbots increasingly become the go-to tool for information seeking, we’re seeing a shift in user behavior that could rival the move from desktop to mobile. Marketing teams are now grappling with the challenge of not just ranking in traditional search results but also ensuring their brand messages are effectively captured and conveyed through AI-generated responses. This isn’t just about keywords anymore – it’s about understanding and influencing the AI systems that are becoming the new gatekeepers of information.

Video Marketing Gets A Brain Upgrade

If content is king, video continues to be its crown jewel. The appetite for quick, engaging, “snackable” video content shows no signs of slowing down, particularly among Gen-Z consumers. What’s changing is the sophistication of video creation and distribution. AI-driven video production tools are making it possible to create personalized, targeted video content at scale, while new formats like shoppable video and live streaming are opening up exciting new possibilities for brand engagement.

User-generated content remains a powerful force, but the tools and platforms for creating and sharing it are becoming increasingly sophisticated. In 2025, the ability to create, optimize, and distribute video content will become less about technical capability and more about strategic application.

Your Next Influencer Might Not Be Human

Virtual influencers have been around for a while, but 2025 is the year they get smart – really smart. We’re moving beyond static digital avatars to AI-powered personalities that can engage in meaningful, real-time interactions with audiences. This isn’t just about posting pretty pictures anymore – it’s about creating authentic connections through intelligent conversation.

The implications for brands are enormous. Imagine having an influencer who perfectly embodies your brand values, is available 24/7, and can engage with thousands of followers simultaneously in personalized conversations.

The Privacy Paradox

The marketing world has long grappled with the balance between personalization and privacy. As we move into 2025, this balance is becoming more crucial – and more complex – than ever. Smart marketers are adopting what I call “privacy-first personalization,” an approach that delivers highly relevant experiences while maintaining transparent and ethical data practices.

This isn’t just about compliance with growing regulations – it’s about building trust in an era where consumers are increasingly aware of and concerned about their digital footprint. The marketers who succeed in 2025 will be those who can deliver personalized experiences while demonstrating a genuine commitment to protecting consumer privacy.

Looking ahead, it’s clear that success in 2025’s marketing landscape won’t just be about adopting new technologies – it will be about using them thoughtfully and strategically to create genuine value. The most successful marketers won’t be those who chase every new trend but those who understand how to integrate these innovations into a coherent strategy that puts the customer first.

I believe ChatGPT and other generative AI tools can help pretty much any business. With a low-cost subscription or even simply using free tools, advanced AI assistance that would have seemed the stuff of science fiction just a few short years ago is within reach of anyone.

Without specific information, though, the advice and output that these genAI tools give can be very formulaic and mundane.

Simply ask it to “write me a blog on subject X” or “create a business plan for my Y business” and you’ll see what I mean.

The problem is that by default, it doesn’t know enough about you or your business and its specific challenges to create anything very useful

Luckily, there’s a way to ensure it has the information it needs to give you very specialized, specific advice that’s relevant to your opportunities and challenges. Get it to ask you what it needs to know.

With that in mind, here are a few prompts that can be used to get AI to help you with everyday business tasks, but in a way that’s customized and personal to you. Of course, you can use these as they are or personalize them further to make them even more relevant to your own situation and challenges.

Either way, they all make good jumping-in points for anyone wanting to start putting AI to work for them in a personalized way:

Review Compliance Regulations Around A Project

I need you to help me create a list of all my compliance and regulatory obligations around a project I am planning. Please ask me questions, one at a time, to get all of the information you need to know. Then create a step-by-step, prioritized list of actions I need to take in order to ensure I am fully compliant.

Understand Cybersecurity Requirements

I need your help understanding all of the steps I need to take in order to ensure my business is protected against cybersecurity threats. Please ask me questions about my business, one at a time, to get all of the information you need. When you are ready, please create a step-by-step strategy for implementing cybersecurity measures in a way that’s specifically relevant to my business.

Create A Social Media Marketing Campaign

Please help me create five social media posts optimized to generate maximum engagement. First, ask any questions, one at a time, you need in order to understand my business, our products and services, and our branding and messaging. It’s important you understand who our customers are and our brand’s voice, tone and style. When you have enough information, please draft the posts.

Create A Website FAQ Page

I need you to help me create a FAQ page for my company website. Please ask me questions, one at a time, to get the information you need to understand my business and customers. Then, ask me for details on any specific questions that I frequently encounter. When you have enough information, please generate a list of questions and answers in an FAQ format suitable for use on our company website.

Write A Business Plan For Use In Applying For Loans And Financing

Please help me write a business plan designed to maximize my chances of success when applying to banks or investors for loans or funding. Format the plan in a way that you think is best in order to optimally present the information clearly and concisely. Ask me questions, one at a time, to get all of the information you need to generate the plan. When you have all the information needed, go ahead and draft the plan.

Create A Customized Blog Post Relevant To Your Audience

Please help me create a blog post introducing my products or services to my online audience. Ask me questions about myself, my business, products/services, my customer base, and what I hope to achieve with the blog post in order to get all of the information you need to create a post that is informative, engaging, and optimized to achieve my aims.

Creating Your Own Personalized Prompts

As you can probably see, by following this formula, it’s possible to get ChatGPT (or whatever chatbot you prefer) to create personalized help, advice, and plans for just about any business task.

Asking it what information it needs means you can guarantee that you’ll always get more useful responses than simply expecting it to rely on whatever it already knows.

Mastering this technique will take you a step closer to leveraging the full potential of generative AI when it comes to assisting with everyday business tasks, helping you save time, money and effort.

Credit: Bernard Marr

Ensuring robust cybersecurity measures are in place is more important than ever when it comes to protecting organizations and even governments and nations from digital threats.

As society’s reliance on digital platforms, online connectivity, and the transfer and storage of data has grown, so has the number of potential attack vectors. Phishing attacks, identity theft and ransomware are all growing in frequency and scale.

Now, AI has been added to the mix, particularly generative AI. But while this revolutionary technology creates new risks, it also creates new opportunities.

Cyber security analysts, engineers, architects and ethical hackers are on the front line of this fight. Increasingly, their work will involve collaboration with intelligent machines and generative AI technology to tackle the new wave of threats.

So, if you work — or are considering working — in cybersecurity and want to know how the rise of AI will impact your role and the future of your profession, read on.

Generative AI and Cybersecurity

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) framework defines eight key domains when it comes to cybersecurity. Broadly speaking, these can be used to categorize the key tasks that security professionals are responsible for. It isn’t difficult to see that generative AI has implications for all of them:

Security and risk management involves identifying specific threats, such as phishing or denial-of-service attacks. Here, generative AI can be used to conduct risk assessments in real-time and automatically report on recommendations and mitigation strategies.

Asset security focuses on implementing protection measures for systems and data. Generative AI tools can be used to automate the classification of sensitive information and identify weak points in security infrastructure.

Security architecture and engineering refers to work that involves designing and implementing security measures. Generative AI can be used to suggest security implementations as well as to simulate attacks to test their effectiveness.

Communication and network security is the job of ensuring the transfer of data across networks is secure. Machine learning algorithms monitor traffic and look for patterns that suggest suspicious activity, while generative AI tools create real-time reports that flag potential breaches.

Identity and access management involves ensuring authorized users have access to the systems and data they need while keeping out potential intruders. AI can track user behavior and access patterns to identify anomalies or detect phishing attacks by analyzing emails or voice comms for content, tone and structure. It can also create simulated phishing attacks to probe for vulnerabilities.

Security assessment and testing implements processes for conducting routine tests across the entire spectrum of cybersecurity infrastructure. GenAI can automate the creation of testing schedules and reporting of results, along with generating recommendations for corrective action.

Security operations refers to the procedures in place to detect and respond to ongoing security incidents. Generative AI tools can be used to create automatic incident response plans or conduct simulated attacks, enabling organizations to reduce the time it takes to respond to breaches.

Software development security ensures that software vulnerabilities are identified at the development stage. Generative AI tools can automate code reviews and the writing of testing plans, as well as scan code repositories to ensure they are safe.

By understanding how generative AI can be integrated across these domains, cybersecurity professionals can develop a solid understanding of how this technology can help them spot and respond to threats as well as proactively strengthen the defenses of their organizations.

How The Role Of Cybersecurity Professionals Will Change

I believe generative AI will impact just about every job, profession and career path, and the in-demand field of cybersecurity is no exception.

Those who have the ability to work with generative AI will find it easier to automate many elements of their day-to-day activities. This will free up their valuable time to spend on activities that aren’t so easy to delegate to machines.

These could include working face-to-face with colleagues to help them understand their own cybersecurity responsibilities, tasks involving high-level strategic decision-making, or identifying novel threats that aren’t well recognized and documented.

Something else that even the best AIs don’t yet have the generality to do as well as humans is understanding the specific foibles of a particular organization’s culture and how they create or mitigate security threats. This could include the leadership’s attitude towards security, the quality of training policies in place, and compliance levels around IT codes of practice.

Just as is the case with professionals in other fields, those who are able to reskill and upskill in the face of this shake-up of responsibilities and priorities will find they are more likely to prosper.

The challenges and opportunities faced by cybersecurity professionals will undoubtedly evolve, and the increasing prevalence of AI will be a primary driver of this.

The ability to adapt will be essential, as tomorrow’s threats will be different from today’s. Consider, for example, the threats posed to encryption standards by quantum computing or the data protection risks arising from more and more of our personal information being digitized and stored online.

This will result in cybersecurity professionals becoming increasingly critical to the safety of not just their organizations but society as a whole as we move further into the digital age.

As enterprises increasingly rely on company-issued smartphones as primary computing devices, these mobile devices are becoming the frontline of workplace AI integration. For many organizations, choosing between an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, or Google Pixel now means making strategic decisions about which AI capabilities will best serve their workforce and enhance productivity.

The $500 billion smartphone industry has transformed into a battlefield of artificial intelligence, with each manufacturer vying to deliver enterprise-grade AI features that can revolutionize workplace productivity and security. But which company is actually providing the most valuable AI capabilities? Let’s dive into the unique approaches each major player is taking to win over enterprise customers with their AI innovations.

Apple iPhone: Where Privacy Meets Intelligence

Apple’s fashionably late arrival to the AI party with its Apple Intelligence platform proves that good things come to those who wait. Through a strategic partnership with OpenAI (the creators of ChatGPT and DALL-E), Apple has introduced a sophisticated suite of AI tools that seamlessly blend cloud-based and on-device processing.

The platform’s standout features include an advanced language model that handles everything from email drafting to document summarization while breathing new life into Siri’s conversational abilities. The playful Image Playground and Genmoji features add creative flair to the package, letting users generate custom images and personalized emojis.

What truly sets Apple apart, however, is its unwavering commitment to privacy. By processing many AI features directly on the device, it has managed to deliver cutting-edge capabilities while minimizing the transmission of sensitive data to the cloud – a compelling proposition for the privacy-conscious consumer.

Samsung Galaxy: The Performance Powerhouse

Samsung has thrown down the gauntlet with its latest Galaxy S24 Ultra, embedding AI into the very DNA of the device through its custom Exynos chipset. The dedicated AI cores don’t just sound impressive – they deliver tangible improvements in how the phone handles AI-intensive tasks.

The Scene Optimizer in Samsung’s camera system is particularly clever, acting like a professional photographer’s assistant that automatically adjusts settings based on what you’re shooting. Whether you’re capturing portraits, landscapes, or your pet’s latest antics, the AI ensures you get the best possible shot.

But it’s the behind-the-scenes AI magic that really makes the Galaxy shine. The intelligent performance optimization system works like a skilled conductor, orchestrating CPU and GPU resources while adapting to your usage patterns to extend battery life. The result? A smartphone that feels more responsive and reliable with each passing day.

Google Pixel: The Photographer’s Dream

Google’s Pixel lineup, powered by their custom Tensor chip, showcases what happens when one of the world’s leading AI companies turns its attention to smartphone photography. The results are nothing short of remarkable.

The Magic Eraser feature has to be seen to be believed – it removes unwanted objects from photos with almost supernatural precision. Combined with AI-enhanced zoom capabilities and intelligent low-light photography, the Pixel transforms even casual snapshots into professional-looking images.

The integration of Google’s Gemini chatbot takes things further, enabling real-time captions for phone calls and videos, instant voice recording transcription, and seamless language translation. It’s like having a personal assistant who’s equally comfortable handling your photography and communication needs.

Huawei: Practical AI For Everyday Life

While Huawei might not be the first name that comes to mind for many Western consumers, its Pura 70 series demonstrates a refreshingly practical approach to AI implementation. Under the Harmony Intelligence banner, it has developed features that solve real-world problems.

Its Image Expand technology can intelligently fill in missing background details when enlarging photos, while the Sound Repair feature patches audio drops in real time during calls. The upgraded Celia assistant, powered by the Pangu LLM, adds sophisticated image recognition capabilities that make everyday tasks smoother and more intuitive.

The Bottom Line

The AI smartphone revolution has given consumers something they haven’t had in years: meaningful choice. Whether you prioritize privacy (Apple), performance (Samsung), photography (Google), or practical everyday features (Huawei), there’s now a clear differentiation between leading smartphones that goes beyond mere aesthetics or ecosystem lock-in.

As AI technology continues to evolve at breakneck speed, we can expect these differences to become even more pronounced. The smartphone in your pocket is no longer just a communication device – it’s an AI-powered personal assistant that’s getting smarter with each new generation.

The stock market’s current AI euphoria, driven by companies like NVIDIA developing powerful processors for machine learning, might mask a more troubling reality. While artificial intelligence promises to revolutionize trading and risk management, it could paradoxically make our financial systems more fragile and susceptible to catastrophic failures.

“There’s so much euphoria, with tens or even upwards of a hundred billions of dollars being spent on AI. Every major investment bank on Wall Street is implementing it,” notes Jim Rickards, author of the new book Money GPT. However, he controversially asserts that this widespread adoption of AI in financial markets could amplify market crashes beyond anything we’ve seen before.

The Fallacy Of Composition

Rickards introduces a compelling concept called the “fallacy of composition” – where actions that make sense for individual market participants could spell disaster when adopted by everyone. He illustrates this with an analogy: “At a football game, one fan standing up gets a better view. That actually works. The problem is everyone behind them stands up, and next thing you know, the entire stadium is on their feet and nobody has a better view.”

In financial markets, this phenomenon could manifest during market downturns. While it might be prudent for individual investors to sell during a crash, if AI systems controlling vast amounts of capital all execute similar strategies simultaneously, the result could be catastrophic.

The Missing Human Element

The author claims one of the most significant risks stems from removing human judgment from the equation. He points to the historic role of specialists on the New York Stock Exchange, who were tasked with maintaining orderly markets: “The specialist was supposed to stand up to the market when there was a wave of sellers… try to equilibrate the market.” Today’s AI systems, he suggests, lack this nuanced human judgment.

Speed And Synchronicity: A Dangerous Combination

While market panics aren’t new, AI introduces unprecedented risks through its speed and synchronicity. The automated nature of AI-driven trading could accelerate market movements and create feedback loops that human traders might otherwise interrupt. As Rickards cautions, “What is new is the speed at which they can happen, the amplifying effect and the recursive function.”

Beyond Market Crashes: The Banking System At Risk

The concerns extend beyond stock markets to the banking system itself. Rickards points to the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank as an example of how digital technology can accelerate bank runs. “That didn’t work out over weeks and months. That happened in two days,” he notes, suggesting that AI could further accelerate such events.

The Path Forward

While the author’s warnings are stark, he emphasizes that the solution isn’t to abandon AI entirely. Instead, he advocates for more sophisticated circuit breakers and regulatory frameworks. He suggests implementing “cybernetic” approaches that could gradually slow market activity during periods of stress rather than implementing sudden stops.

A Call For Balanced Innovation

As financial institutions rush to implement AI systems, Rickards’ analysis serves as a timely reminder of the need for careful consideration of systemic risks. While artificial intelligence offers powerful capabilities for analyzing markets and managing risk, we must ensure these tools don’t inadvertently make our financial systems more vulnerable to catastrophic failures.

The challenge ahead lies in harnessing AI’s potential while implementing safeguards against its systemic risks. As financial markets continue their technological transformation, finding this balance may prove crucial for global economic stability.

Credit: Bernard Marr