As Canada doubles down on AI in customer service, customers still want a human 

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 8, 2026 by itnerd

Canadian enterprises are accelerating AI adoption in customer service, but new data suggests they may be pulling back from the channel customers rely on most when it matters. 

According to new ServiceNow research: 

  • 85% of customers prefer a human phone call for complex issues 
  • Just 10% of executives plan to prioritize phone support over the next three years 
  • 59% cite lack of empathy as their top service frustration 

At the same time, two-thirds of customers want self-service for simple issues, and nearly half expect AI to improve speed and efficiency. The tension is clear: customers want automation for convenience, but human connection for resolution and trust. 

As Canadian tech companies build and deploy AI-first CX platforms, are they enabling better human interactions, or quietly optimizing them away? 

Find out more here: https://www.servicenow.com/workflow/crm/cx-shift-study-expectations-ai-era.html

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Canada’s First Innovation Space for Accessibility Startups Opens in Toronto

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 8, 2026 by itnerd

Canada’s first innovation hub dedicated to accessibility startups and technologies is launching its flagship location today in Toronto today. With the support of HP Inc., the Access to Success (ATS) Innovation Hub will bring together entrepreneurs, corporations, international networks and government agencies to accelerate connection and unlock new pathways for capital, procurement and technology adoption. 

Located on Toronto’s waterfront at 130 Queens Quay East, the ATS Innovation Hub offers a shared environment that fosters the exchange of ideas, partnerships and problem solving. The hub unites innovators developing solutions across disability sectors including mobility, sensory, cognitive, neurodiversity, and mental health; and thematic areas such as the Future of Work, Active Mobility, Aging in Place and more. With the backing of HP, participants have access to integrated workstations equipped with laptops, monitors, docking stations, printers, and essential workplace technology. This robust infrastructure helps reduce technology access barriers and enables users to focus on building and scaling impactful accessibility solutions. 

The hub will not only drive innovation but also support policy dialogue, promote accessibility technologies, build capital partnerships, and strengthen procurement pathways to speed up market entry in Canada and internationally. It shows how public-private collaborations can boost inclusive innovation and deliver expandable benefits for people with disabilities. 

Representing the first major initiative in an expanded partnership with HP, this launch supports HP’s global mission to accelerate the Future of Work for 150 million people by 2030. The effort began in 2024, when Access to Success was selected for the HP’s Accelerator. Following the success of that program, Access to Success and HP established a long-term strategic partnership focused on expanding accessibility training, advancing inclusive technology standards, and equipping people with disabilities with the skills needed to thrive in the Future of Work. 

For more information, visit accesstosuccess.ca 

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Professional Athlete Genie Bouchard Signs Representation Deal with Park Place Technologies 

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 8, 2026 by itnerd

Genie Bouchard, one of the most recognizable names in professional pickleball and 2014 Wimbledon finalist, has signed a representation deal with Park Place Technologies, a global leader in IT infrastructure services.

Bouchard will represent Park Place Technologies with a logo on her uniform, personal appearances, television commercials and support in broad business development and branding opportunities aligned with her growing presence in professional pickleball and her expanding off-court portfolio.As a noted world-class athlete who has successfully transitioned from an elite tennis career to becoming a standout competitor on the professional pickleball circuit, Bouchard continues to build her brand as one of the sport’s most influential ambassadors. Known for her competitive drive, entrepreneurial mindset and strong social media following, she represents a new generation of athletes leveraging performance and personality to create meaningful business impact.

Park Place is both the Official Technology Partner of the Carvana Professional Pickleball Association Tour and Major League Pickleball. Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. with nearly 70,000 places to play and nearly 20 million participants.

The partnership reflects Park Place Technologies’ continued investment in its brand and in customer experiences, connecting elite talent with its innovative services and products portfolio. Bouchard is already sporting the company’s logo and hosted an initial “play-with-a-pro” clinic during last month’s Veolia Texas Open. Additional activities, including those tied to next week’s Pickleball Slam 4 to be aired on ESPN on April 15, will be announced.

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Nexthink extends DEX to Android and iOS with Mobile Experience

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 8, 2026 by itnerd

Nexthink, the global leader in Digital Employee Experience (DEX) management, today announces Mobile Experience, a natively-built solution that extends Nexthink’s comprehensive experience-level insights to Android and iOS devices.  

 With real-time mobile insights delivered directly to the Nexthink Infinity platform, IT teams can:

  • Detect device performance degradation early: Monitor memory, storage, and deep battery health trends to identify devices at risk of failing before worker productivity is impacted  
  • Understand the root cause of connectivity issues: Continuous Wi-Fi and cellular data network tracking allows IT to distinguish between user-side issues, such as poor signal due to the mobile device antenna, and infrastructure-side issues like weak Wi-Fi coverage in a facility. 
  • Gain continuous visibility into compliance and security posture: Track outdated OS versions, missing patches, and encryption status while adding context from device performance and app connections to better assess risk. 
  • Optimize hardware and battery refresh decisions: IT can move away from blanket refresh cycles by using a data-driven approach to determine which devices need a battery or full replacement and which can remain in use. 
  • Improve visibility into app usage and risks: Gain insights into mobile app activity through network connection trends to better understand app adoption, engagement, AI app usage, and identify any non-compliant apps that could pose potential security risks

Android and iOS add to Nexthink’s growing list of supported technologies. Last year, Nexthink released VDI Experience, which offers enterprises full DEX capabilities for Citrix, Omnissa, AWS WorkSpaces, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Windows 365 virtual environments. 

Learn more about Nexthink Mobile Experience or find out how Nexthink can take your IT operations to the next level.  

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Iran-linked attacks on U.S. infrastructure surfaced by the U.S.

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 8, 2026 by itnerd

Just before the Iran-U.S. ceasefire deal hit the news, the U.S. announced that Iran-affiliated threat actors attacked critical U.S. infrastructure through internet-facing Operational Technology (OT) systems, which are used to control physical processes such as water systems and energy grids.

Cybernews’ Senior Information Security Researcher Aras Nazarovas provided some extensive commentary on this. He explains what made these attacks possible and what protective measures should be taken with Operational Technology (OT) systems.

This is not just a one-off campaign – it’s a repeatable attack model

“Attackers didn’t rely on anything particularly advanced. They took advantage of OT systems that were supposed to be isolated but ended up exposed to the internet. This is a very common issue in OT systems, and the same kind of attack can be repeated again and again, until the systems are properly secured.”

OT environments often lack the standard security features that IT environments have

“OT environments often don’t have the same security controls as IT systems. Instead, they rely much more on physical security and isolation. These systems are built to stay active 24/7, so a lot of standard protections like encryption or strong authentication aren’t always in place. In some cases, traffic is unencrypted for simplicity, and default passwords are still used.

That’s why isolation is so important. OT systems are supposed to be air-gapped and kept completely separate from IT networks and the internet. In the Iranian attacks on U.S. critical infrastructure, that basic rule wasn’t followed – systems that should have been isolated were exposed online. To avoid this kind of situation, the first step is simple: don’t connect them to the internet in the first place.”

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New Research from MIND Reveals Critical Impact of Data Trust on AI Initiative Success

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 8, 2026 by itnerd

MIND, in partnership with the CISO Executive Network, today announced new research, The Impact of Data Trust on AI Initiative Success, which examines the role of data trust in AI success. The findings point to a widening gap between rapid AI adoption and the ability to secure and govern the data that powers it.

AI is already embedded across the enterprise. According to the report, 90% of organizations are running enterprise GenAI at scale, yet 65% of CISOs lack confidence in their data security controls and only 20% of AI initiatives meet their intended KPIs.

The research introduces a clear insight: data trust is the degree of confidence that systems, including AI, use data safely and appropriately. When that trust is high, organizations move faster. When it is not, AI slows, stalls or introduces risk that outweighs its value.

The study, based on a survey of 124 CISOs and in-depth interviews with senior practitioners, highlights several consistent patterns. Organizations have policies for AI, but struggle to enforce them at machine speed. Data estates remain unclassified and ungoverned. Security frameworks were built for human behavior, not autonomous systems. The result is measurable failure, not theoretical risk.

Nearly two thirds of CISOs report low confidence in their ability to prevent unsafe AI data access. At the same time, business pressure to accelerate AI adoption continues to increase, compounding exposure.

The report frames AI as a stress test of existing security fundamentals. Organizations with strong data foundations are positioned to accelerate. Those without face a growing risk of failure, including stalled initiatives, regulatory exposure and potential business disruption.

At its core, the research reframes data security as a business enabler. As companies embrace AI innovation, high data trust moves beyond protection to become a competitive accelerant.

MIND’s perspective reflects this shift. The company positions data security not as a barrier to AI, but as the condition that makes AI viable at scale. By enabling organizations to understand, control and act on data risk in real time, MIND supports a model of Stress-Free DLP, where security operates with the speed and precision that AI demands.

The full report, “The Impact of Data Trust on AI Initiative Success,” is available now.

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90% Run Enterprise GenAI at Scale, Yet 65% Lack Confidence in Data Security Controls

Posted in Commentary on April 8, 2026 by itnerd

MIND has released new research, “The Impact of Data Trust on AI Initiative Success,” which examines the role of data trust in AI success, revealing a widening gap between rapid AI adoption and the ability to secure and govern the data that powers it.

Key findings include:

  • There is a wide gap between visibility and enforcement: Most organizations have written policies for AI. They have governance frameworks, acceptable use of documents, and AI councils. What they cannot do is enforce those policies effectively at machine speed. In fact, 70% struggle to enforce policies on GenAI tools, 66% cannot enforce AI agent policies, and 98% report at least one AI security challenge.
  • Data fundamentals are lacking and impede AI projects: Every day an AI tool operates against an unclassified, ungoverned data estate, it is surfacing exposure that no one can see and manage. The challenge is urgent, with 68% not knowing what data their agents are accessing, 65% not knowing what data is accessible for AI input, and 41% reporting they know they have Shadow GenAI.
  • AI does not behave like a human: Policies written for human actors are insufficient for AI agents that execute without hesitation. Data estates that were never fully classified become comprehensively and immediately exposed the moment an agent is pointed at them. These agents behave in ways that existing security frameworks were never built to track. Alarmingly, 90% of organizations have given broad data access to enterprise GenAI, 68% cannot determine what data their agents are accessing, and 32% have unknown agents already operating in their environment.

You can look at the research here: https://mind.io/content/research-report-impact-of-data-trust-on-ai-success

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Hardcoded API keys expose Google Gemini AI via apps with 500M+ installs: CloudSEK

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 7, 2026 by itnerd

CloudSEK has published research showing that 22 popular Android applications, collectively installed on more than 500 million devices, contain hardcoded Google API keys that now provide full, unauthorized access to Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence platform.

The report, released today by CloudSEK’s BeVigil security search engine, reveals a structural flaw at the crossroads of decade-old developer practices and Google’s rapidly expanding AI infrastructure. It is available at: 

Background: A Decade-Old Assumption, Quietly Broken

For more than a decade, Google told developers that API keys in the AIza… format were safe to embed in public-facing applications. They were treated as public identifiers, not secrets.

That changed with Gemini. When a developer enables the Gemini API on a Google Cloud project, every existing API key on that project silently inherits access to Gemini endpoints, with no warning, no notification, and no opt-in prompt. 

Developers who embedded Maps or Firebase keys years ago, following Google’s own documentation, now unknowingly hold live credentials to one of the world’s most powerful AI systems.

BeVigil scanned the top 10,000 Android apps by install count and confirmed 32 such live keys across 22 applications.

The Affected Apps: Household Names, Global Reach

The 22 vulnerable applications span e-commerce, travel, finance, education, news, and productivity. They include:

  • OYO Hotel Booking App (100M+ installs)
  • Google Pay for Business (50M+ installs)
  • Taobao (50M+ installs)
  • apna Job Search App (50M+ installs)
  • ELSA Speak: AI English Learning (10M+ installs) – confirmed data exposure
  • The Hindu: India and World News (10M+ installs)
  • Shutterfly: Prints, Cards and Gifts (10M+ installs)
  • JioSphere Web Browser (10M+ installs)
  • Muslim: Ramadan 2026, Athan (10M+ installs)
  • 30 Day Fitness Challenge, Krishify, ISS Live Now, and 10 others
     

CONFIRMED DATA EXPOSURE: Using the key found in ELSA Speak’s publicly downloadable app, CloudSEK researchers queried Google’s Gemini Files API and received a live response listing uploaded audio files. The files were likely speech recordings submitted by users for AI-powered pronunciation coaching.

What an Attacker Can Do With a Single Exposed Key

Any person who decompiles a vulnerable app and extracts its hardcoded key can:

  • Access and download private user files, including documents, audio, and images, stored in the Gemini Files API
  • Make unlimited Gemini API calls, potentially generating thousands of dollars in charges on the developer’s Google Cloud account
  • Exhaust the organization’s API quotas, knocking out AI-powered features for real users
  • Read cached AI context windows, which may contain sensitive prompts and internal data
  • Continue exploiting the key across multiple app update cycles, as hardcoded keys often survive app versioning
     

Real Losses: Three Cases of Gemini API Key Abuse

The following highlights three publicly reported cases where stolen or exposed Google API keys led to severe financial harm:

Case 1: $15,400 overnight. A solo developer’s startup nearly collapsed after an attacker used his exposed key to flood Gemini with inference requests. The developer revoked the key within 10 minutes of a $40 billing alert. Due to a 30-hour reporting lag in Google Cloud’s billing system, the damage had already reached $15,400 by the time the dashboard updated.

Case 2: $128,000 and a company facing bankruptcy. A Japanese company using the Gemini API for internal tools saw approximately 20.36 million yen (around $128,000) in unauthorized charges accumulate after its key was compromised, even though firewall-level IP restrictions were in place. Google initially denied an adjustment request.

Case 3: $82,314 in 48 hours, a 455-times spike. A three-person development team in Mexico with a typical monthly cloud spend of $180 had their key stolen between February 11 and 12, 2025. Within 48 hours, attackers generated $82,314 in Gemini charges. Google’s representative initially held the company liable under the platform’s Shared Responsibility Model, citing an amount that exceeded the company’s total bank balance.

Full Report:  https://www.cloudsek.com/blog/hardcoded-google-api-keys-in-top-android-apps-now-expose-gemini-ai 

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Finite State Appoints AI Security Marketing Veteran Ann Miller as Vice President of Marketing

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 7, 2026 by itnerd

Finite State, a leader in product security and software supply chain risk management, today announced the appointment of Ann Miller as Vice President of Marketing. Miller brings more than 15 years of experience scaling high-growth technology companies, with deep expertise in cybersecurity and AI-driven platforms, and is known for turning emerging technologies into market-defining categories.

Miller joins Finite State at a pivotal moment as enterprises face increasing pressure to secure software embedded across critical infrastructure, connected devices, and regulated environments. Her appointment underscores the company’s commitment to defining the future of product security through data, automation, and AI.

Prior to joining Finite State, Miller led marketing at Horizon3.ai, where she helped scale the company from early-stage to thousands of customers, driving rapid market adoption. During her tenure, Horizon3.ai was recognized as the #1 fastest-growing cybersecurity company on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list and established leadership in autonomous security testing. Earlier in her career, she held strategic roles at Cylance, a pioneer in AI-driven endpoint security, and iboss, a leader in cloud security.

Miller will lead all aspects of marketing, including branding, demand generation, product marketing, and go-to-market strategy.

She is the latest expansion of the Finite State executive team, following the February 2026 appointment of Sharon Hagi as Chief Security Officer, and January 2026 appointment of Chris Overton as Executive Vice President of Engineering.

Hagi brings more than 30 years of experience building and operating security programs across semiconductors, IoT, embedded systems, AI-enabled platforms, and cloud environments. Leading Finite State’s Security and Services organization, Hagi ensures execution, customer outcomes, and operational excellence.

Overton brings more than 20 years of engineering leadership experience. He drives Finite State’s engineering innovation at a critical stage of the company’s growth, as device manufacturers face increasing pressure to ship faster while meeting requirements such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act and other emerging security mandates.

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Clarvos Introduces Agentic Workflow Platform

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 7, 2026 by itnerd

Clarvos today announced the early access launch of its agentic marketing workflow platform designed to simplify how growing small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) plan, create, and run marketing campaigns. The platform brings together audience discovery, creative generation, and campaign execution into a single system, helping businesses maintain relevance and move from idea to live campaign in minutes.

Small and mid-sized businesses today face increasing pressure to grow, but many struggle to find new customers, understand what those customers value, and consistently produce marketing that performs. Managing campaigns across multiple platforms only adds to the challenge, making it difficult to keep up with the coordination required to plan and launch campaigns.

Research from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science shows that effective marketing depends on reaching new customers, understanding what they value, and aligning creative, media, and messaging accordingly. However, the growing number of platforms and data sources has made this process increasingly complex and time- consuming, especially for solo marketers and owner-operators.

The Clarvos Agentic Workflow introduces a unified workflow that coordinates campaign strategy, creative generation, and activation across Google, Meta and TikTok, using AI to simulate customer response, compare campaign options, and guide setup before launch while keeping teams in full control of final decisions. The result is an agentic workflow that cuts campaign launch time from weeks to minutes, reduces operational friction, and lowers the cost of managing multiple marketing tools by roughly up to 90% compared to typical multi-platform workflows.

A Unified Campaign Workflow for Growing Businesses

The Clarvos Agentic Workflow is built around an agentic workflow, meaning AI agents coordinate multi-step marketing tasks across audience discovery, planning, creative generation, budgeting, and campaign setup while keeping humans in control of final decisions. Instead of using separate tools for research, creative, media, and reporting, the system manages the full workflow in one place, reducing the need for manual handoffs between platforms and teams.

At launch, the platform enables businesses to:

  • Discover potential customer segments using AI-generated audience modeling
  • Generate and manage ad creatives using AI and existing brand assets, with built-in approval workflows
  • Simulate customer response to messaging and creative before campaigns go live
  • Develop campaign plans and budget allocations
  • Launch campaigns across major platforms, including Google, Meta, TikTok and other channels without switching tools
  • Coordinate approvals and campaign setup from a single dashboard

Because the workflow begins with planning and insight, the platform can support a wide range of industries where small teams need to manage growth with limited resources, including retail, CPG, automotive, restaurants, home services, and local businesses. The platform can also support broader marketing decisions, including content and organic strategy, by helping teams understand which audiences, messages, and creative directions are worth pursuing before campaigns go live.

By consolidating the core steps of campaign planning and execution, Clarvos reduces workflow friction, shortens planning cycles, and helps teams move from concept to activation more quickly compared to traditional multi-tool processes. Early internal testing and pilot use have shown meaningful reductions in the time required to prepare and launch campaigns.

Availability

The Clarvos Agentic Workflow is available in early access starting today, April 7, 2026, with broader availability planned later this year. Looking ahead, Clarvos plans to expand the platform throughout 2026 with additional capabilities, including expanded campaign orchestration, multi-user collaboration, deeper reporting dashboards, and tools designed to help growing businesses manage marketing across channels with greater visibility and control.

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