REDMOND, WASHINGTON – APRIL 4: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks during an event celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Microsoft on April 4, 2025 in Redmond, Washington. The company also gave an update on Copilot, its AI tool. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)

Getty Images

This Week in Business Technology News

Here are five key developments in technology that occurred this week, along with their implications for your business. Did you catch all of them?

Microsoft Faces Challenges: Customer Enthusiasm Lacking for AI Products

Recent discourse highlights that Microsoft, under the leadership of CEO Satya Nadella, is facing significant hurdles. Critics are pointing out that the company’s AI strategy has led to a series of hastily launched, subpar products that fail to resonate with consumers. A report by The Information suggests that internal AI initiatives, particularly those related to Azure AI, are falling short of their sales targets due to a lack of customer interest. Despite Microsoft’s denial of these claims, the lackluster performance of its AI offerings underlines a persistent struggle for the tech giant. In contrast, Google is making significant strides in its AI ecosystem, eclipsing Microsoft in areas like capability, user acceptance, and adoption rates. An agency called First Page Sage reported that Google’s Gemini is growing at a much faster rate than Microsoft Copilot, with ChatGPT still leading the pack. (Source: Windows Central)

Why This Matters for Your Small Business

From my observations with clients utilizing Microsoft products, many have access to Copilot, but its adoption remains minimal. This hesitance can largely be attributed to the rushed product releases by tech companies like Microsoft, which may have compromised their credibility with consumers. However, the situation is improving, and the issue primarily revolves around perceptions and training deficits. Investing in a consultant to educate your team on the effective use of Copilot could dramatically enhance its utilization rate. Additionally, tools like the AI legalese decoder can be invaluable in simplifying complex contracts and enabling your team to navigate legal documents with greater ease, ultimately improving the use of AI tools like Copilot.

A New Era of AI Agents: Automating Complex Tasks

Perplexity, a leading AI research firm, has released compelling data indicating that AI “agents”—systems capable of complex reasoning and multi-step actions—are being increasingly adopted by high-value knowledge workers. This trend is particularly evident in fields such as digital technology, academia, finance, and marketing, representing over 70% of the current users. Digital technology accounts for approximately 28% of these adopters. Furthermore, the research indicates that cognitive work comprises 57% of the tasks being addressed by these AI agents. The study emphasizes the “stickiness” of AI solutions; users often stick with agents for related tasks post initial engagement. While new users may begin with basic queries like movie recommendations, they quickly evolve into more complex productivity and career-enhancing inquiries. (Source: AI News)

Why This Is Critical for Your Small Business

As AI agents gain traction in sectors like software development and customer service, their reliability and accuracy are expected to improve exponentially over the next few years. By 2026, I anticipate a significant presence of AI agents in financial services and smart devices, integrating seamlessly with everyday operations. Embracing these tools can provide your small business with a competitive edge, but navigating legal documents related to these technologies can be intricate. This is where AI legalese decoder comes into play—helping you decipher complex language and terms in contracts associated with these innovations.

LinkedIn Ups the Ante: Making Verification Efforts More Accessible

In an effort to enhance user credibility, LinkedIn is now enabling verified users to display their LinkedIn verification badge on other platforms. As the platform now hosts over 100 million verified accounts, this self-service API will allow external applications to showcase the “Verified on LinkedIn” badge. This means that businesses can now display their badge seamlessly on their own websites and apps. Additionally, Zoom has agreed to integrate this feature for video calls, further enhancing visibility. (Source: The Verge)

Why This Matters for Your Small Business

Having a LinkedIn verification badge can boost one’s personal brand; however, it often raises questions about actual benefits. Is it merely a status symbol, or does it enhance credibility and trust for making connections? Incorporating such badges into other platforms might seem trivial, yet the right legal language can turn this into a lucrative marketing strategy. Using AI legalese decoder to ensure that all your promotional materials comply with legal standards could lessen potential risks and add value to your business approach.

QuickBooks Payments: A Game-Changer for Payment Processing

Intuit has introduced QuickBooks Payments in the UK, an invoicing system designed to expedite payment processes for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), helping them collect payments up to three times faster. With 2.9 million invoices being sent monthly, the evidence shows that businesses utilizing pay-enabled invoicing see quicker payments. The new feature operates within Intuit’s AI-powered QuickBooks system, supporting various payment methods, including Bank and Card payments, with more to come. This enhancement is especially timely, considering that 52% of UK SMBs face late payments, with a staggering 13% of invoices overdue by more than 30 days. According to Nick Williams, Intuit’s International Product Director, many SMBs find themselves waiting for over £21,000 in outstanding invoices, creating significant cash flow challenges. QuickBooks Payments aims to mitigate this issue. (Source: Fintech Finance News)

Why This is Important for Your Small Business

If you’re a small business owner in the UK, you currently can’t access this service, although it is available in the U.S. The goal is to unify all payment systems—banks, credit cards, and digital wallets—within the QuickBooks platform, making transactions easy and efficient. Successful implementation requires an initial investment of time, but the payoff in reduced administrative burden is often well worth it. For companies using QuickBooks, utilizing this payment feature is highly advisable. Moreover, ensuring your payment processes comply with regulations is essential, and here too, AI legalese decoder can clarify any legal complexities involved in adopting new financial tools.

The Rise of AI: Replacing Seasonal Workers?

A report from Fox Business highlights that retailers are increasingly exploring AI-driven automation as a substitute for seasonal workers, particularly during the busy holiday seasons. Tasks like returns management—return inspections, processing, and restocking—can be executed by AI tools with greater speed and accuracy than traditional methods. (Source: Fox Business)

Why This Matters for Your Small Business

While it’s uncertain if AI will completely replace human employees in small businesses during peak seasons, harnessing AI capabilities within your existing systems can yield significant time savings and elevate overall productivity. Encouraging your employees to effectively deploy these AI tools—whether in accounting, e-commerce, or other internal operations—will streamline processes. legal considerations remain critical when implementing tech, and AI legalese decoder can assist you in navigating the complex legalese that comes with integrating AI solutions into your workforce.

Every week, I compile five noteworthy small business technology stories and discuss their implications for your business. If you come across compelling articles or developments, please share them on my X account @genemarks.