AI Crawlers Threaten Open Source, Microsoft Recall Launch, and IT Budget Cut Amid Tariff Uncertainty

Microsoft is rolling out a preview of its new feature called Recall, which captures screenshots of user activity on CoPilot Plus PCs. This feature, initially intended for launch alongside CoPilot Plus PCs, faced delays due to security concerns. Users must opt-in to save snapshots with Recall and can pause the feature at any time. This development raises important questions about data ownership and how organizations should approach the use of scraped data, especially as automated bots increasingly threaten the sustainability of open-source projects like Wikimedia.

The podcast also discusses the impact of tariffs on IT budget planning, with IDC lowering its projected growth in global IT spending for 2025 from 10% to 5%. Many companies are experiencing uncertainty in their budgets, leading to spending cutbacks. CIOs are advised to prepare for various potential tariff scenarios, particularly as technology prices for devices are expected to be affected. The ongoing cuts in federal jobs are also impacting Managed Service Providers (MSPs), prompting them to diversify their client bases and adapt to changes in the federal market.

In the cybersecurity realm, CyberFox has announced a strategic integration with Synchro to enhance security and operational efficiency for MSPs. This partnership aims to simplify security tools for providers, allowing them to increase security without sacrificing efficiency or budget. Additionally, Cohesity has expanded its partnership with Google Cloud to improve cyber resilience and data insights for organizations facing cyber threats, emphasizing that cybersecurity is becoming an essential infrastructure rather than an add-on.

The episode concludes with insights from the 2025 AI Index, highlighting advancements in AI model efficiency and a notable increase in AI incidents. The report indicates a growing divide in AI optimism between the U.S. and China, with significant investment in AI continuing in the U.S. The discussion also touches on the importance of backward compatibility in Wi-Fi technology, illustrating how innovation and stability are crucial for modern IT services. The podcast encourages listeners to consider how to implement guardrails for customers while leveraging stability as a competitive differentiator.

Four things to know today

00:00 Web Bots Are Taking Your Data—And Now Recall Wants to Watch Too
03:23 IDC Slashes IT Growth Forecast Over Tariffs While MSPs Grapple with Federal Market Contraction
06:34 Security’s Getting Easier to Buy—But Harder to Sell as Strategy
08:49 AI Innovation and Wi-Fi Stability: The Twin Pillars of Modern IT Strategy

Supported by:  https://syncromsp.com/

Join Dave April 22nd to learn about Marketing in the AI Era.  Signup here:  https://hubs.la/Q03dwWqg0

All our Sponsors: https://businessof.tech/sponsors/

Do you want the show on your podcast app or the written versions of the stories? Subscribe to the Business of Tech: https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe/

Looking for a link from the stories? The entire script of the show, with links to articles, are posted in each story on https://www.businessof.tech/

Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mspradio/

Want to be a guest on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights? Send Dave Sobel a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech

Want our stuff? Cool Merch? Wear “Why Do We Care?” – Visit https://mspradio.myspreadshop.com

Follow us on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftech
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech