Small Business (SMB) stories - Page 11

By 2026, work will be more flexible and AI-driven, as tougher compliance, on-demand jobs and faster hiring reshape life for Kiwi workers.

Wise forecasts five shifts to speed up cross-border payments by 2026, as new rules, tech links and customer demands reshape the market.

OpenAI rolls out USD $8-a-month ChatGPT Go across the US and prepares to trial clearly labelled ads for free and Go users.

Elyos AI raises USD $13m to grow its AI agents that answer calls, book jobs and automate admin for trades and field service firms.

New Zealand launches an AI advisory pilot, offering up to NZD $15,000 co-funding to help small firms plan and safely adopt AI tools.

Pax8 taps former Microsoft Asia channel leader Sarah Bowden to spearhead APAC sales, marketing and partner growth from 2026.

Executive-level CISO roles now dominate security leadership, but a new report warns widening scope and legacy structures are driving strain.

Xero launches AI analytics across its platform, giving small firms dashboards, forecasts and scorecards once reserved for larger rivals.

Newo.ai and IONOS have launched a plug-and-play AI receptionist, promising SMEs 24/7 call handling, missed lead recovery and quick setup.

AI data management is set to surge to USD $239.15bn by 2034 as cloud, streaming data and governance needs reshape enterprise data strategy.

Acronis launches encrypted archival storage for MSPs and SMEs, promising rapid access, WORM immutability and predictable long-term pricing.

Cybersecurity in 2026 pivots from building higher walls to one core question: how fast can organisations recover when attacks inevitably hit?.

OpenText warns 2026 will bring an AI‑driven identity crisis, deepfake-fuelled scams and decision overload that many firms are not ready for.

Progress predicts 2026 will mark a shift from AI pilots to orchestrated, governed platforms, widening the gap between leaders and laggards.

AI will reshape risk, trust and compliance in 2026 as firms swap hype for embedded tools, tighter controls and higher regulatory scrutiny.

Yealink launches SP92 speakerphone and BH71 Pro headset at Officeworks, targeting hybrid workers needing clearer calls in noisy spaces.

Zyxel Networks' USG FLEX 50HP firewall has been crowned Security Hardware of the Year at the 2025 PC Pro Excellence Awards in the UK.

Seagate has begun shipping 32TB CMR hard drives for AI-driven video and analytics, targeting edge security, NAS and cloud data centre workloads.

Firewalla's App 1.67 brings WPA2/WPA3-Enterprise Wi‑Fi, expanded RADIUS and new AP7 controls aimed at small firms and power users.

CrowdStrike teams with Nord Security to bundle Falcon tools with secure access for SMBs via NordLayer and MSP marketplace Pax8.