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Here are five business technology news stories from this week and how they impact your business. Were you lonely?
Business Tech News #1: President Trump’s tariffs could increase laptop and tablet prices by 46% and reduce sales by 68%.
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) predicts record sales for the technology industry in 2025. The impending tariffs proposed by President-elect Donald Trump will have a major impact on technology imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. According to a CTA report, these tariffs could increase the price of laptops and tablets by 46% and reduce sales by 68%. Game consoles and smartphones will see price increases of 58% and 37%, respectively, and sales may decline accordingly. The big picture, the CTA warns, is that tariffs could reduce US consumers’ purchasing power by $90 billion to $143 billion, disrupt supply chains and lead to a global economic downturn. (Source: Computer World)
Why this is important for your business:
The full impact of President Trump’s proposed tariffs has not yet been realized (or understood), but it will likely increase the price of many goods and will certainly impact technology products. But don’t get ahead of yourself. Most tech companies manufacture their products outside of China to avoid the highest levels of tariffs, and even as I write this article, vast amounts of products are shipped and warehoused in the United States. has been. Regardless of whether your company is looking to buy tablets, laptops, or desktops in bulk in 2025, it’s best to do this early in the year when inventory of lower-priced products is still available. is. I’m personally looking to buy a new laptop and will probably do so sooner or later.
Business Tech News #2 – Autonomous business will be powered by AI agents.
Vala Afshar, chief digital evangelist at Salesforce, highlighted an Accenture report detailing how AI-powered autonomy is shaping the future of business. Four major trends are highlighted: the Binary Big Bang, the Face of the Future, When the LLM Gets Flesh, and the New Learning Loop. These trends focus on how AI agents will become central to enterprise technology, personalizing customer interactions, reinventing robotics, and fostering collaboration between humans and AI. .
The report found that trust is needed to unlock the true benefits of AI, citing 77 percent of executives who believe AI needs to be built on a “foundation of trust.” I’m emphasizing. AI agents are expected to drive new levels of autonomy, transform business operations, and create opportunities for innovation and growth. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
As we’ve written before, 2025 will be the year of the AI agent, so get ready. how? By talking to software vendors and understanding these new AI tools that they are deploying. Testing, understanding and implementing them will hopefully increase the productivity of existing employees and eliminate the need to hire additional employees.
Business Tech News #3 – Reddit introduces business analytics tools and AMA ads.
Reddit has introduced two new tools for businesses: Reddit Pro Trends and AMA Ads. Reddit Pro Trends allows businesses to track real-time conversations about their brand, visualize conversation volume, and monitor discussions across nearly 100,000 “smart” keywords. Early adopters like Wayfair and the NBA saw a 12% increase in post creation using the tool. The AMA Ads format allows businesses to promote Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions directly through Reddit’s advertising dashboard with RSVP tracking. This new format is intended to make AMA more discoverable and engaging, and allow companies to engage in authentic community discussions. Reddit has reached the milestone of over 100 million daily users. (Source: Search Engine Land)
Why this is important for your business:
I participate in the CRM subreddit several times a week. I feel this is very valuable for my business, not only as a place to find opportunities, but also as a place to gain more knowledge about the latest technologies in this field. I also follow a few personal subreddits that make me laugh. And then the advertisements are pushed to you. And I can’t help but notice them. Reddit is quickly becoming a marketing opportunity for both B2C and B2B companies, and the company knows it.
Business Tech News #4 – Microsoft wants you to replace your old Windows 10 PCs this year.
Microsoft has declared 2025 the “Year of the Windows 11 PC Refresh.” Windows 10 will reach end of support on October 14, 2025. Microsoft is encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 11 by touting new AI features, security enhancements, and modern performance benefits. The company has introduced a new category of PCs called Copilot+ PCs. It’s touted as the fastest, most intelligent, and most secure Windows PC ever built. “Now is the time to move forward with new Windows 11 PC deployments,” Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer Yusuf Mehdi declared in a January 6 Windows blog post. (Source: Arstechnica)
Why this is important for your business:
As I mentioned above, I’m going to buy a new laptop this year, and since we’re a Microsoft shop, it’s going to be a Windows device. One of the many reasons I’m doing this is that I’m not getting the general vibe from Microsoft that support for Windows 10 has ended and I’m no longer using Windows 11. Perhaps they are right.
Business Tech News #5 – Amex executives say payments technology will drive customer loyalty for small businesses.
Tessa R. Dooley, vice president of U.S. Merchant Marketing for American Express, emphasized the importance of payment technology in increasing customer loyalty for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). (Source: PYMNTS)
Why this is important for your business:
Mr. Dooley emphasized the importance of adopting digital payment options, such as mobile wallets and contactless payments, to meet customer demand and remain competitive. He also said that offering flexible payment solutions such as buy now, pay later (BNPL) can improve accessibility and affordability for customers. Mr Dooley advised small businesses to use customer data to tailor payment options and loyalty programs to ensure efficient and secure transactions. “Insights from customer data can be applied to effective loyalty strategies,” said Dooley.
Each week, I identify five items in business technology news, report on them, and explain why they’re important to your business.
