This Week in Tech: Tools, Trends and Tech That Actually Matter for Small Businesses
Tech’s been doing what tech does best lately: moving fast and making noise. But buried in the hype are some genuinely useful updates for small businesses and founders. From smart AI features and policy changes to a few eye‑openers about digital security, here’s my take on what’s worth paying attention to and how to use it to your advantage.
Prefer to listen?
I’ve turned this article into a podcast-style chat with two AI presenters who break it down in plain English. It's not just a reading of the post, it's a proper conversation about this weeks tech news and what it means for small business owners.
Stick it on while you're working, driving, or making your sixth coffee of the day.
Smart tools made for busy founders
QuickBooks adds bill payments
QuickBooks just made paying bills a lot less painful. Their new Business Bill Pay feature lets you automate bill payments directly inside the platform, no need for extra apps or spreadsheets. It can pull bills from invoices, handle bank transfers or cheques, and reconcile everything automatically.
It’s available in free and paid tiers, so whether you’re a sole trader or growing team, you can try it out without jumping in headfirst.
Slack gets smart (finally)
Slack has rolled out AI tools that do more than just suggest GIFs. It can now summarise message threads, draft project briefs and pull out to‑do lists from chats. It also brings in enterprise search across apps like Google Drive to explain jargon and bring up useful documents.
On top of that, HubSpot is now playing nicely with ChatGPT. Their new integration helps you spot sales opportunities, segment customers and even predict churn, all without needing a data analyst on the payroll.
Credit and payments get a makeover
Mastercard wants to kill reconciliation hell
Mastercard expanded its Receivables Manager and introduced Commercial Direct Payments globally. Translation? You can automate virtual‑card payments and reconciliations so your books balance without all the chasing.
AI isn’t just hype anymore
A new poll showed 60% of adults use AI to search for stuff, but among under‑30s, that number jumps to 74%. They’re also using AI to brainstorm, plan projects and write code. Older people, not so much. And only four in ten adults are using AI for work.
The point? There’s a widening gap. Younger teams expect AI to be part of the workflow. If you’re not experimenting with it now, you might struggle to attract or keep the next generation of talent.
Regulation watch: what’s changing
EU AI Code of Practice
Google’s agreed to sign the EU’s voluntary AI Code, which lines up with the incoming AI Act. It’s all about responsible data use and transparency. Microsoft’s expected to follow. Meta? Not so much.
Why it matters: the big vendors are preparing for tighter rules. You’ll start seeing clearer disclosures on how their AI is trained and what data it uses, which is great for businesses (and users) that care about IP and privacy.
U.S. AI Action Plan
Across the pond, the US is going the other way. Their new Action Plan cuts red tape, encourages deregulation and throws cash at domestic AI development. Good for innovation, but maybe not so good for accountability.
If you operate internationally, expect AI rules to get more fragmented. Planning for compliance now will save you headaches later.
FTC’s click‑to‑cancel rule? Scrapped.
Again, in the US, courts just threw out the FTC’s rule that would’ve forced businesses to offer a clear “click to cancel” option. It’s a win for small businesses running subscription models, though customers still expect easy exits.
A few security nudges
Even Instagram’s CEO nearly fell for a phishing scam this week. Elsewhere, staff at a law firm were targeted with fake employee handbooks containing dodgy QR codes.
Big Tech bits and bobs
Microsoft’s collecting logs from Windows 11 users to diagnose performance issues. Apple’s AI rollout was underwhelming, but they’ve got updates coming this autumn. Amazon is already running over 1,000 AI tools internally and hinting at fewer white‑collar roles in the future.
Shopify turns up the AI
Shopify’s latest update includes:
- AI‑generated store designs
- Drag‑and‑drop modular layouts
- A Sidekick AI that analyses sales, re‑engages customers and handles admin
Great news if you run an online shop and a nudge that the ecommerce bar just got higher.
My thoughts
A lot landed this week, some useful, some slightly overwhelming. The main thing? You don’t have to chase every shiny tool or panic about falling behind. Instead, look at what’s actually useful for your setup right now.
Pick one tool or area that feels clunky and test something new that might smooth it out. Small wins add up fast.
And if something here caught your eye and you’re not sure how to get started, feel free to give me a shout. Always happy to bounce ideas around.
Ashley Adkins, Founder @ Adkinsio | Helping Business Work Smarter