The Ban.gl landscape image of a stylised QR code rising from a circuit board

Articles

Explore our ever-expanding library of articles and essays. I mainly think and work with AI and Machine Learning, QR Codes, and NFC technology. So, naturally, that's what most of the pieces here are about.

Some of the content is practical, some is more philosophical, but all are genuine thoughts. I'd love to speak with anyone about any of the topics raised or anything related to them. Don't hesitate to get in touch. Remember, my main focus always has been, is now, and always will be to find 'More Ways To Do Less'.


In-Depth Analyses

Diving Deep into Tech and Philosophy

Artificial Intelligence – Will AI REALLY end ALL Jobs?

It was quite a sweeping statement from Elon Musk following the recent Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit when he commented to Rishi Sunak that “There will come a point where no job is needed.”

Now, much as I agree that there are certain jobs that AI is coming for, I have to say I’m not on the same wavelength as Elon in terms of the entire world’s workforce facing the chop and being overtaken by robots.

Not yet, anyway. At the time of writing, I am having my house painted. Watching the skill and dexterity of the decorator, it's hard to envision this task being done by an AI. Instead I find myself imagining a wayward, wall-hugging, paint-spraying robot inadvertently glossing the cat. So, while I do not personally believe ALL jobs are at risk, I do believe that some most certainly are.

There are definitely certain jobs where AI is already starting to make a good run for employee of the month. And there are some that I (and seemingly countless others) believe the tech will eventually completely replace over the next few years.

So should certain professions be quaking in their boots? Will their AI imbued printer even bother printing out their P45 or will it just tell its sibling at HMRC directly? Or is it just a case of needing to look at this whole situation through a different set of specs?

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The Artificial ‘Emotionally’ Intelligent Therapist – Are you ready for an ‘AeI’ and would you confide in a machine?

I’ve no problem with divulging that I’m a big fan of ChatGPT. My day job is a software developer and a lot of that is writing what we call in the trade, boilerplate code and routines. Stuff that just must be done but we don’t really add a lot of value to doing it.

I use ChatGPT for that stuff now, or more specifically its first cousin, CoPilot. It literally saves me days of effort. It augments my skillset by at least 10 times, probably even 100 times. As a result I get more time to do less. And I think we all need that in our lives.

But aside from work, I’ve also used ChatGPT for a few things on a more personal level. As my personal therapist, in fact.

AI or as I call it, ‘AeI’, for me is a daily sounding board. One minute I’m asking it why my ‘public async void task c# code’ isn’t working as expected, and the next why people kill each other over religion. And if I have time on my hands, I really enjoy playing devil’s advocate with it.

I use it to help me reflect on my thoughts, so I can question my thinking and develop opinions. I also use it as a self-discovery tool. For me, it’s therapeutic. And I am under no misconception that I am alone when it comes to using ‘AI’ in this way. ‘LLM therapy’ is, after all, ‘a thing’.

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Never Mind Artificial Intelligence, Let’s Define ‘Real’ Intelligence

‘Artificial intelligence’ is without doubt the latest breakfast table topic of conversation. Everyone seems to have formed some sort of opinion around it. And some of it appears to be derogatory. I find this interesting, for a number of reasons.

Some people are questioning why artificial intelligence is called artificial intelligence. Specifically the ‘intelligence’ part.

They (whoever ‘they’ are) are saying that if a machine can do something, then how can it be defined as ‘intelligence’? Surely machines aren’t intelligent, even artificially?

Which led me to consider, somewhat philosophically, what is ‘real’ intelligence?

And then I started realising that there were potentially numerous parallels between what we as humans define as real intelligence, and what a machine can do. Which then led me to question what ‘real intelligence’ actually is.

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Quick Takes

Bite-sized Insights for the Digital Age

QR Codes for Waste Reduction

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QR Code Digital Suggestion Box

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Packaging Recycling QR Codes

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Disaster Recovery Plan QR Codes

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Paper-Saving QR Code Corporate Christmas Cards

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Property QR Codes | Estate Agent QR Codes

Estate and letting agents – add QR codes to your property boards and listings to better...

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QR Codes for Office Waste Reduction

How to use QR codes to promote office waste reduction – support your corporate...

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QR Codes for Education | Reduce Paper Waste

Too much paper is wasted in UK classrooms every year. Here’s how to reduce educational...

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QR Codes – The Fun Way to Send a ‘Postcard’ Home

Do you remember the days of sending a postcard home from your holiday? Do you recall...

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Bringing Days out to Life with QR Codes

Everyone loves a day out. Whether it’s a museum, a nature reserve, the zoo or aquarium, a stately...

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QR Codes for Gyms – The FULL Potential Revealed

QR codes may have reached the fitness industry as a method of getting people through the door into a gym...

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Wine QR Codes – Keeping up with Changing Legislation

Wine QR codes are the easy way to share the growing volume of regulatory information...

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How to Use QR Codes on Receipts

Printing QR codes on receipts opens up a whole new realm of promotional opportunities...

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Food Packaging QR Codes

Using a QR code on food packaging can help you engage consumers, tell your brand story and share...

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Instruction Manual QR Codes

Printed product manuals and appliance handbooks are out. The QR code instruction manual is in, reducing...

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Product QR Codes

Fed up trying to cram too much on your product packaging? Enter product QR codes, the modern way to share....

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QR Codes for Books

Physical books are wonderful, tactile things. From children’s pop-up storybooks, to illustrated cookbooks and exam study guides, you...

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QR Codes for Invitations

Managing your wedding or party guests just got a whole lot easier thanks to QR code invitations, gift lists and RSVPs...

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Gift QR Codes

Stumped for an innovative gift idea? Gift QR codes are the answer. Here are some top ideas for how to use them to send your love and best wishes...

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Human Resources QR Codes

QR code technology is fast becoming part and parcel of everyday life, especially in the...

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QR Codes for CVs

In the market for a new job? Looking to elevate your career? There’s only so much you can get across in a CV. And...

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QR Codes for Hospitality

Have you noticed that QR codes are appearing EVERYWHERE these days? Well it...

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QR Codes for Marketing & Promotions

QR codes for marketing – the easy, cost-effective way to engage new customers...

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Medical QR Codes

Medical QR codes are the digital version of medical ID jewellery. Easy to keep up to date...

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Fashion QR Codes

There are so many ways that the fashion industry can use QR codes. Designers, manufacturers and retailers...

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Managing medical episodes with QR codes

If you’ve ever been in a situation where someone you’re with has suddenly become unwell...

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How QR Codes can Help Keep Track On Dementia

Digital identity QR codes can help reunite worried families with missing dementia stricken...

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Digital Identity QR Codes for Lost Children

Digital identity QR codes can help quickly reunite worried parents with lost or wandering...

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Made for Each Other; NFC, QR Codes and Prestigious Buildings

We make no secret of the fact that we are big champions of the QR code. We love the way...

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Scan to Learn with NFC – The Invisible QR Code Alternative

QR codes are an amazing, square-shaped piece of technology. They have the ability to store...

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QR Codes – Protecting the Nation’s Lone Workers

In the UK, there are estimated to be up to 8 million lone workers, representing 22% of the UK working population...

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The benefits of password protected QR codes

QR codes provide a seamless way to share information with an audience. Paperless, contactless...

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Asset Management Made Easy with QR Codes

These days, our working lives are filled with so much ‘stuff’; gadgets for one thing, devices for...

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QR code check in sign out revolution making life easier

QR codes have many uses, and plenty of redeeming features too. And for anyone looking to...

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The Answer to Boosting Tourism is Black and White (and Square)

In 2022, tourism from overseas brought the UK economy over £25 billion. Down on pre-Covid...

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How QR Codes are Tackling the Paper Waste Crisis Head-On

Half of all waste stems from paper usage. If you cringe every time you print those great big...

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Landlords: Ditch the Tenant Ring Binder, it’s Time to QR Code it

Landlords… bogged down in reams of tenant paperwork? From the How to Rent Guide to the EICR...

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QR Codes – The Easy Way to Take Digital Payments

Everyone these days is used to making contactless payments. In fact, more than half of...

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QR Code Fleet Management

QR codes are not just for menus and ‘more information’. They’re being used across industry...

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NFC : The Future is tappable

How Contactless Technology is Transforming Everyday Tasks Outside of Mobile Payments...

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Cloud BI - The BIG Challenges

A recent survey by Matillion quizzed 10,000 senior executives and...

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Contractor Challenges

If you operate or work at the heart of a contract-based business, you’ll be only too familiar...

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Business Intelligence - Essential to growth

Being able to make informed decisions to keep a business on track is akin....

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Managing GDPR - Easy compliance

I was for a long time guilty of dismissing GDPR as just another Y2K like beano...

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Profitability - Maximising yours

Recently I looked at the importance of the use of business intelligence...

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People to People Networking - Why Web 2.0 Tools Work For Fundraising

There is a new wave of communication tools, and they are immensely powerful...

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Modern-Workplace

Web 2.0 tools are invaluable for connecting companies with their customers...

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A Gargantuan Leap

The communication landscape is changing - dramatically - at work and now at school...

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Education 2.0 - For the classroom

A leaked draft of the new primary school curriculum has been seen by....

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Enterprise 2.0 - Good news for business

Enterprise 2.0 is set to be the biggest thing on the horizon where workforce...

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Data Governance - 3 helpful ideas

Do you have confidence in your organisation’s data? You know the importance...

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FM Challenges - Increase profits

Facilities management is one of those tasks that tend to be extremely fluid in that...

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Faxes to Floppies - Technological evolution

Worldwide success. Global reach. Overseas operations...

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Data Dependency - Manage yours

Recently released research has revealed that the majority of UK companies could be...

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GDPR Opportunity - Beyond the scare

In the lead up to the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)...

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Big Data - Advantage by Analysis

How to Draw Competitive Advantage by Analysing Big Data (and how to do it)....

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