Opinion stories - Page 29

Ransomware attacks in Australia surged in 2023–24, costing businesses up to AUD $97,200 on average, urging firms to bolster cyber defences and response plans.

Businesses must build trust in conversational AI by setting clear goals, ensuring transparency, reducing bias, and continuously improving customer interactions.

AI adoption is crucial for businesses to thrive, not just survive, amid fears of job losses; embracing AI boosts productivity and job evolution.

Microsoft's May 2025 Patch Tuesday fixes 77 vulnerabilities, including six critical remote code exploits and five actively exploited zero-days.

Generative AI 2.0 is transforming business intelligence with real-time insights, conversational analytics, and self-healing systems by 2025.

Smart label adoption is soaring, generating vast data that firms must analyse with AI and BI tools to boost operations and enable ecosystem-wide sharing.

AI adoption is transforming manufacturing with 80% of firms investing in automation to boost efficiency, meet demand, and enhance supply chain resilience.

Ransomware persists in 2025 as attackers exploit easy targets, with cybercrime losses hitting USD $16.6 billion despite soaring cybersecurity investments.

Technology like biometrics and AI is transforming travel, reducing queues and delays to create smoother, ticket-free, personalised journeys for passengers worldwide.

OnBuy harnesses AI to boost growth and return GBP £15m yearly to customers, emphasising cautious, customer-focused adoption in online retail's AI journey.

America's railroads, vital since 1830, now embrace sustainability with innovative composite ties, reducing deforestation while ensuring safer, longer-lasting infrastructure.

Mercury Analytics launches Qual at Scale, an AI-driven tool offering in-depth qualitative research at survey scale for rapid, detailed consumer insights.

B2C firms are embracing AI-powered self-service platforms to cut costs and boost customer flexibility, enhancing subscription account management.

eCommerce retailers are boosting loyalty and revenue by using WhatsApp's 3 billion-user reach for faster, efficient, and personalised customer service.

Embracing ESG is now essential; businesses thriving in the conscious economy align performance, talent management and procurement for lasting success.

Passwords are fading as biometrics, like fingerprints and facial recognition, emerge as Australia's secure, hassle-free future for digital access.

As cyber threats rise and passwords fail, businesses face US$1m annual costs; passwordless authentication offers a secure, efficient future for digital access.

Supply chain turmoil amid hurricanes and scarce timber drives North America's railroad tie industry toward sustainable composite alternatives for resilience.

Businesses face growing challenges as unstructured data surges, demanding smarter management to turn vast volumes into valuable insights by 2038.

Vulnerability exploitation surged 34% in 2025, with edge devices targeted; enterprises must prioritise risk-based vulnerability management to combat rising cyber threats.