It has been quite some years since we introduced the Atera all-in-one platform for IT administration in 2016. It’s also really wide. It covers everything, including technical tasks like security and patching as well as continuing support, alarms, automations, ticket handling, reports, and analytics, among other things.
Your whole IT is managed by Atera on a single platform, providing a single pane of glass. Its power lies in the fact that it uses a single codebase and database for everything, and we’re the only business that does this. Purchasing four or five different devices and trying to figure out how to link them all has been the alternative for a long time, but it’s usually very difficult.
Here, the fact is it’s a single codebase and a single database. Everything is connected and streamlined and very intuitive. So, in essence, you sign up or start a trial and within five minutes, you’re already running with it and onboarding. It’s that intuitive.
We have 12,000+ customers in 120 countries around the world. The UK is our second-largest country in terms of business, currently. The US is the first, but the UK is right behind them.
What are the most recent developments in AI that you have observed this year?
We have been committed to incorporating AI into the core of our business since the beginning. Our objective has always been to use data to detect difficulties and notify people so they may resolve or prevent problems. At first, we concentrated on using data to make solutions.
Our goal over the last nine years has been to free up professionals to work on more interesting projects by letting AI perform routine IT jobs. We’ve been leading the way in a new trend called Action AI since we got early access to Chat GPT and Open AI tools a year and a half ago.
When it comes to autonomous job performance, Action AI works in the actual world by interacting with hardware and software, unlike general Generative AI that generates content such as music or emails. Our AI is capable of more than just conversation—it can comprehend IT issues and find solutions on its own.
Atera provides both Autopilot and Copilot. Could you describe these for me?
Autopilot functions independently. It recognizes a potential issue with your machine. It’s a computer widget that can interact with you and solve the issue on its own. It does, nevertheless, have limitations on what it can and cannot repair. Additionally, whatever it is permitted to handle must be impenetrable. Completely private or secure. No chance to cause harm or something similar.
Therefore, the Copilot will be activated whenever a ticket is opened or a complaint is made that falls outside of these parameters. The IT specialist is enhanced by the Copilot.
They are both friends. The Copilot is a partner that will assist the IT professional in resolving the day-to-day challenges they encounter, while the Autopilot removes tedious and repetitive problems like password resets, printer problems, software installations, etc. It also contains a plethora of different tools.
The Copilot has a lot of detail. If you have an issue, you can ask it, and unlike ChatGPT, it will investigate and do various tests on the computer, printer, and network before arriving at a decision and formulating the necessary course of action. But it won’t make it better. The IT specialist will still be in charge of considering the many pieces of information and making the final decision.
IT workers can cut their workday in half by using Copilot. Although we’ve been testing it out in the field for a while, we’re thrilled to finally debut it. Autopilot is currently in beta testing.
What guidance would you offer businesses considering incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations?
I urge businesses to start implementing AI technology right away, but it’s critical to find and use safe and appropriate generative AI tools. AI integration has many benefits, including the automation of repetitive operations, increased productivity and efficiency, improved accuracy due to a decrease in human error, and accelerated issue solving. Having said that, it’s critical to select the best generative AI technology so you can profit without sacrificing security. For instance, thanks to our partnership with Microsoft, the data of our clients is safe; it remains in the system and isn’t utilized by the AI for database expansion or training. This offers significant advantages and guarantees safety.
We integrate AI into our product with two main goals in mind. First off, boring, tiresome duties are no longer a burden for your IT staff. Secondly, problems such as broken printers, misplaced passwords, and sluggish internet are fixed in a matter of minutes or seconds for end users, as opposed to hours. This results in a quantifiable and noteworthy increase in productivity.
There are a wide variety of AIs available. While some are less helpful than others, some are. Some are only very thin layers of Chat GPT in disguise. The entire connection with IT is essentially altered by what we do. We also know that when there is an issue with IT, things stop working and you stop working. The smooth operation of everything is guaranteed by our solution.
What can we anticipate in the coming years from AI?
AI is expected to develop into a far more conscious and intelligent system. One noteworthy advancement is its increasing capacity for reasoning, forecasting, and comprehending data. With this skill, AI can predict problems and solve them on its own, demonstrating an incredible degree of reasoning.
We predict two significant advances: first, a sharp increase in AI’s intellect, as evidenced by the most recent OpenAI release; and second, a significant improvement in its ability to connect with empathy. This development will change how people interact with AI.
Our work is an example of this change. When non-technical users engage with our software to resolve issues, AI reacts in a very human-like and sympathetic way. Customers get a smooth and relaxing experience since they feel like they are chatting with an actual IT specialist.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will grow more potent and sophisticated as it advances. Recent advances in our understanding of AI’s workings will strengthen its potential as a positive force by assuring its security and moral application in addition to improving its usefulness.
What does Atera have scheduled for the upcoming year?
We are thrilled to share the news that Autopilot will be launching in a few months. Although our full suite of cutting-edge solutions, Copilot, has been helpful in improving productivity and effectiveness for IT professionals, Autopilot is the next big step forward.
Autopilot directly interacts with end users, automating and resolving common IT issues that often burden IT workers, like printer breakdowns and password resets. It is currently in beta, so anyone who wants to try it already may. IT workers can concentrate on more strategic and fulfilling work by delegating these repetitive chores to Autopilot, which eventually boosts output and job satisfaction.
