(This column originally appeared in Forbes)
Let’s Recap:
- Bank of America is offering fraud education for small businesses
- Google is limiting Gemini features
- Reddit launches new lead generation features
- RAM prices to skyrocket
- The best website builders this year
As U.S. Cybercrime Losses Top $20 Billion, Bank of America Expands Fraud Education for Small Business Owners
Bank of America is offering a “fraud awareness initiative” for business owners who are faced with the growing risk of cybercrime — especially with the rise of AI-enabled cyberattacks. An expansion of BofA’s fraud protection program, the updates announced include an updated Fraud Prevention Checklist to help businesses identify security vulnerabilities and improve internal safeguards; educational materials explaining common fraud schemes, warning signs and social engineering tactics; and a new webinar that will focus on social engineering and business email compromise scams. This announcement is paired with two significant data points: $20.8 billion in internet crime losses in 2025 according to the FBI; and BofA’s 2025 Business Owner Report that found 30 percent of business owners plan to increase cybersecurity measures as part of their tech investments over the next five years. (Source: PR Newswire)
Why this is important for your small business:
Thanks to AI it is becoming much easier for bad actors to perpetuate scams. AI deepfakes are fooling financial people with very realistic calls and videos that they think are coming from their supervisors. Phishing and ransomware emails are becoming more difficult to detect. There are a number of things your business can be doing to protect its data but it all starts with training. I strongly recommend you take up BofA’s offer to educate your people on how to detect potential scams and have a meeting with your IT security advisors to make sure your data is protected.
Use Gemini for Free? You’ll Soon Be Limited to Its Weakest AI Model
Google just made an important announcement for Gemini users: Beginning October 9, lower-tier subscribers/free users will have restricted access to its more advanced Gemini artificial intelligence models. The changes will require users to purchase more expensive subscriptions to access Gemini’s most advanced capabilities. After October 9, free users will only have access to Gemini’s Flash-Lite model, its least powerful option. They will lose access to the more capable Flash and Pro models. Google AI Plus subscribers — who pay $4.99 monthly — will retain access to Flash but lose access to Pro. Google AI Pro subscribers (paying $19.99 monthly) will continue accessing the advanced Pro model and Deep Think reasoning capabilities. These new parameters show a significant change from Google’s previous approach — which allowed free users limited access to its more powerful AI models — and appears to be a push for more premium subscribers. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your small business:
As I write here, there is a cost reckoning for small businesses using AI. Big companies are already complained about AI’s steep costs, but smaller companies have been getting away with a lot with their very low-cost subscriptions. The big AI companies are losing money, given the billions they need to spend on infrastructure and it’s only a matter of time until their prices start rising for smaller customers. Google’s recent move will be one of many we see in 2027.
Reddit Launches Enhanced Capabilities for Lead Generation
For business owners who use Reddit as a marketing tool, good news: the platform is introducing new advertising and lead-generation capabilities to help you identify and attract potential leads. To boost ad performance and convert user engagement into sales opportunities, the enhancements combine automated advertising tools, improved audience targeting and customer relationship management (CRM) integrations. For example, Reddit’s Max campaigns are now available for lead generation, automatically adjusting campaign settings and cycling advertising content to improve performance. Enhanced audience targeting allows advertisers to reach users who are actively researching products or considering purchases. Reddit is also testing an integration with HubSpot that will help businesses connect advertising campaigns with customer data, track leads and evaluate results. These new capabilities show that Reddit is evolving into a powerful, sophisticated advertising and sales platform, particularly for business-to-business marketers. (Source: Reddit)
Why this is important for your small business:
If you’re thinking of taking advantage of these tools be careful. The Reddit community is passionate about keeping Reddit free of promotions and will call out any individual or company that is perceived to be exploiting a conversation.
RAM to See ‘Meaningful Price Increases’ Before 2026 is Out, As the Memory Crisis is Predicted to Last ‘At Least’ Another 3 Years
Darren Allan of TechRadar reported on the current RAM crisis and included comments from a source who stated, “the global memory shortage will last for at least another three years.” And we can expect RAM prices to rise significantly higher before the end of this year, according to Allan’s report. Growing demand from cloud computing providers and AI infrastructure is contributing to the shortage. As to the source, an employee at Chinese memory manufacturer YMTC reportedly indicated that the company expects the global shortage to continue for at least three more years. Putting the projection aside, prices have already increased since last year. Allan cites German retail market data which shows DDR5 RAM prices have risen approximately 544 percent compared with levels before the memory shortage began. The bottom line for consumers: expect higher tech prices, e.g. computers, over the next few years. (Source: TechRadar)
Why this is important for your small business:
It will be important to keep this in mind as you budget for hardware expenditures in 2027. There are still plenty of good deals out there and it’s not unreasonable to consider older or used devices which can be refurbished and upgraded much less expensively.
Best AI Website Builders of 2026: 18 Builders Expert-Tested
Forbes Advisor evaluated 18 AI-powered website-building platforms to identify the best options for small businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals who are looking to create sleek and professional websites without coding expertise. The research highlights how AI is making website development faster, more affordable and easier for businesses with limited technical resources. Some of the platforms that were listed included GoDaddy: Best for ease of use, earning a 4.6-star rating. Its AI builder simplifies website creation, including generating logos and selecting images. Wix: Best for SEO features, helping businesses improve their websites’ visibility in search engines. 10Web: Best for WordPress users, combining AI website generation with WordPress customization and maintenance capabilities. (Source: Forbes)
Why this is important for your small business:
The Forbes list is a great starting point for those who are on the front end of the website creation process. Visit the link to see all eighteen.
Note: Have a technology story that small business owners should know about? Don’t mind me sharing my opinion? Share it with me on X @genemarks.
