The Lighthouse IT Podcast

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - February 6th, 2026Welcome back to an exciting new season of the Lighthouse IT Solutions podcast! As we embark on this journey, we bring with us a series of changes and insights into the ever-evolving landscape of technology. Dive into the transformations in our podcast format, the technology trends shaping the industry, and how you can prepare for the inevitable shifts in the market. (Like why your tech is pricier than ever!)Don't miss out on our discussions and more!https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/why-are-computers-suddenly-so-expensive-and-what-smbs-can-do-about-it-452

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - December 26th, 2025In this final 2025 episode of the Lighthouse IT Solutions Podcast, Matt and Griff reflect on the year. They break down the biggest tech stories, security shocks, and industry shifts that shaped the year, and what they mean to us, our clients, and business owners in general, heading into 2026.Highlights we cover:Valve’s 2026 “Trinity” vision: Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam FrameThe Louvre Heist and securityMajor outages like AWS and CloudflareDoomscrolling Sora 2 and the state of AI-generated mediaHow Google wasn’t forced to sell ChromeAI bot traffic surpassing human web useThe end of AOL dial-upInstagram content became indexable23andMe’s bankruptcy and data privacy implicationsMicrosoft’s 50th anniversaryNintendo Switch 2 launchSkype shutting downThe return of Pebble OS and watches (Repebble)UnitedHealth’s breach that impacted 100M peopleDeepSeek’s open-source R1 modelWindows 10 reached End-of-LifeSlate Auto trucks coming in 2026Odoo today and what Odoo v19 will doHatz AI, our secure AI chat platformzTech joining Lighthouse IT SolutionsDon't miss out on these interesting discussions and more!Read the full show notes over at: https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/the-lighthouse-it-solutions-podcast-2025-year-in-review-450

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - December 12th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff cover:🧊 Valve's Gaming Trinity: Frame, Machine, and Controller Walk Into 2026📝 AI Can Invent, But Humans Get the Patents (And the Lawsuits)🤖 Anthropic's Opus 4.5: Smarter, Cheaper, and More Effort-Conscious💻 Anthropic Disrupts First Fully AI‑Orchestrated, China‑Linked Cyber‑Espionage CampaignDon't miss out on these interesting discussions and more!Read the full show notes over at: ⁠https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/valves-2026-trinity-opus-4-5-ai-inventors-and-the-ai-spy-game-449

Join us for our annual end-of-the-year address where we dive into the latest advancements and initiatives at Lighthouse IT Solutions, as well as what the future holds. This session covers changes in digital presence, AI applications, operational automation, enhanced IT security measures, and a new face in the company. Key topics include the transition from SSL VPNs to Zero Trust solutions, SEO and AI's impact on marketing, navigating new business intelligence platforms, maximizing return on digital investments, and the strategic merger with zTech IT Solutions. Connect with our team to learn how these innovations can drive growth and efficiency in your business!🔗Learn more: https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-blog-1/state-of-lighthouse-address-2025-44800:00 Introduction and Overview00:57 Digital Presence Insights with Griffin via Momentum03:20 The Importance of User Experience in SEO05:21 Maximizing Digital Presence ROI10:26 Flexible Business Solutions16:12 Business Automation with Mark via Navigate17:13 AI and Business Intelligence19:59 Leveraging AI for Business Efficiency23:50 Enhancing Client Support with AI25:25 AI Summit and Client Engagement26:35 Security & IT Management Insights with Laif via Harmony27:06 Future of Remote Access and Security30:19 Leveraging AI for Ticket Management34:11 Open Source Solutions and Refurbished Computers38:32 Upcoming Pricing Changes42:43 Welcoming zTech IT Solutions50:05 Conclusion and Future Outlook

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - November 14th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff cover:🔐 Password = “LOUVRE”☠️ SonicWall Breach: Mandiant Confirms State-Sponsored Attack💸 Nvidia Breaks Records: First $5 Trillion Company🤖 Is AI Dumber on Mondays?🤐 Your ChatGPT Prompts Are Showing in Google Search Console🔎 AI Training on Google Search Results Featuring Reddit🗺️ Apple Maps Ads Coming in 2026📍 Pinterest CEO Making Social Media That Doesn't Make You Hate YourselfDon't miss out on these interesting discussions and more!Read the full show notes over at:https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/louvre-heist-sonicwall-breach-ai-dumber-on-mondays-pinterest-s-purpose-44500:00 Post-Halloween Movie Talk 00:48 Spoiler Alert: Movie Ending Discussion 08:10 Competitive Eating and Joey Chestnut 09:57 Cybersecurity Failures at the Louvre 14:00 SonicWall Breach and State-Sponsored Attacks 17:35 Nvidia's $5 Trillion Milestone 18:26 AI Performance Conspiracy Theories 20:49 Secretly Switching to Cheaper Models 21:02 ChatGPT Issues and Google Search Console 22:15 Reddit's Lawsuit Against Data Scraping 23:43 Apple Maps Ads27:26 Pinterest's Appeal to Gen Z 31:09 The Rise of Sora and AI Content 36:11 State of Lighthouse and Future Plans

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - October 31st, 2025This week, Matt and Griff cover:📉 #AWS US-East-1 outage disrupted major services🛏️ Eight Sleep smartbeds malfunctioned during AWS outage🌐 #OpenAI launches #ChatGPT Atlas browser, starting the AI browser wars💼 Meta revives job listings in Facebook, but within Marketplace💬 Meta to shut down Messenger desktop app Dec 15th📱 Instagram UI shifts to prioritize Reels☠️ Critical #Redis vulnerability CVE 10.0 via Malicious Lua scripts🤖 Anthropic introduces #ClaudeSkills, potentially more adaptable than MCP for custom automationDon't miss out on these interesting discussions and more!Read the full show notes over at:https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/aws-outage-redis-red-alert-claude-skills-ai-browser-reels-first-444

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - October 17th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff cover:🤖 #OpenAI’s launch of #Sora2, a new #AI video platform that’s already topping the App Store charts and blurring the line between content creation and social media. ☠️ A potential zero-day threat brewing for #PaloAltoNetworks. 🤳 #Discord’s first major age-verification data breach and what it means for third-party security. 🙃 The growing #InfoSec burnout across the industry.🌐 They also unpack public trust issues with AI-generated search results.Don't miss out on these interesting discussions and more!Read the full show notes over at:https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/doomscrolling-sora-2-discord-hack-palo-alto-scans-infosec-burnout-440

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - October 3rd, 2025This week, Matt and Griff cover a range of topics, including Jaguar Land Rover's recent £1.5 billion loan to recover from a cyber attack, the emergence of Spam GPT, GPT's interaction with online shopping, and upcoming features like Chat GPT Pulse. We also touch on the ongoing legal battles of tech giants like Google and TikTok, and delve into some clever guerrilla marketing tactics employed by major brands. Tune in for engaging conversations and notable insights as we kick off Cybersecurity Awareness Month!Don't miss out on these interesting discussions and more!Read the full show notes over at:https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/jaguar-land-rover-hack-spamgpt-no-chrome-sale-mischief-marketing-438

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - September 19th, 2025This week, Mark and Matt examine the new reality where AI bot traffic has surpassed human web activity, while simultaneously exploring how AI is reshaping both threats and defenses. We cover emerging challenges from Gen Z workers' security blind spots, AI-powered ransomware targeting developer tools, rising AI costs, and Google's open-source FACADE anomaly detection system. AI has become cybersecurity's ultimate double-edged sword, creating sophisticated new attack vectors while offering powerful defensive capabilities.Don't miss out on these interesting discussions and more!Read the full show notes over at:https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/ai-dominated-web-traffic-ai-becoming-both-the-threat-and-a-shield-437

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - September 5th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff discuss the wild intersection of cybersecurity, branding blunders, and algorithmic overreach. From an exploit that ripped through SonicWall to a disgruntled developer’s revenge code that landed him in prison, the digital world is anything but quiet. Add in Cracker Barrel’s $100 million logo misstep, Instagram’s stealthy ad tactics, and YouTube’s AI age guessing game, and you’ve got a week full of tech drama, corporate lessons, and a few laughs!  Don't miss out on these interesting discussions and more!Read the full show notes over at:https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/sonicwall-exploit-cracker-barrel-s-logo-youtube-age-guessing-426

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - August 22nd, 2025Join us in this episode of the Lighthouse IT Solutions podcast as we dive into a variety of topics! From discussing weekend movie plans including 'Barbarian', 'Him', and 'Nobody 2', to talking about technological advancements and AI's impact on the economy. We cover wins in the tech industry, such as Epic Games' antitrust case against Google, and the rising influence of AI in the market. We also highlight shifts in social media platforms like Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and explore upcoming events at Lighthouse HQ like an AI-focused class. Don't miss out on these interesting discussions and more!Read the full show notes over at:https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/the-end-of-dial-up-chatgpt-5-ai-browsers-pinterest-won-over-gen-z-423

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - July 25th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff dive into:🎸 Soundslice's Accidental Feature: Music learning platform Soundslice noticed users mistakenly believed it had a feature for scanning ASCII tablature for guitar due to misinformation from ChatGPT. Instead of correcting the error, Soundslice decided to develop the feature.🔍 Instagram Now Google-Searchable: Public posts and reels from Instagram's professional accounts are indexable by search engines like Google and Bing, giving creators more search visibility.🌐 GEO - The New SEO: The emergence of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) marks a shift in search strategies.🚦 Google's AI Mode and Traffic Impact: Google's AI-generated search answers, which compile data from various sources quickly, might reduce traffic and ad revenue for content creators.📉 AI Content and SEO Rankings: A study suggests AI-generated content doesn't significantly harm SEO rankings. However, lightly AI-assisted or more human-written content performs better in top spots.🤖 Grok 4 by xAI: Grok 4 shows promising results in programming tasks but faced backlash for generating inappropriate content. xAI claims adjustments have been made for neutrality.🎥 AI-Generated Video Worlds by Veo 3: Google's Veo 3 can simulate physics and movement in videos, potentially transforming video production and the future of interactive media. Does that mean AI games are on the horizon?📱 Foldable iPhone Prototype: Apple's foldable iPhone has moved from rumor to prototype, with a possible release by 2026.🔒 Ingram Micro Cybersecurity Incident: IT distributor Ingram Micro suffered a cybersecurity breach, potentially causing operational disruptions.https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/ai-feature-requests-instagram-indexed-grok-4-foldable-iphone-ingram-micro-hack-416

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - July 11th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff dive into:🏎️ Apple's F1 Movie Races to the Big Screen, and Controversy🪦 RIP Blue Screen of Death. Meet Its Dark Successor🖼️ PNG Format Is Back, and It's Better Than Ever🗣️ Branding 101: Should Your Company Yell or Whisper?🤑 Cloudflare Tells Bots to Pay Up📈 Bots Buying Ads? Google's Agent2Agent Advertising Revolution💧 16 Billion Passwords Leaked?! Not So Fast.https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/apple-s-f1-play-blacksod-png-3-0-bots-paying-up-agent2agent-ads-410

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - June 27th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff dive into critical cyber alerts as the "Scattered Spider" group targets insurance firms and CISA issues urgent warnings for TP-Link and Zyxel devices. In the gaming world, a new handheld war begins with the Microsoft/Asus ROG Ally taking on the record-breaking Nintendo Switch 2. Plus, we break down Google's new conversational AI search, Meta's shift to Reels on Facebook, and the arrival of ads in WhatsApp.https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/scattered-spider-handheld-wars-and-the-future-of-ai-search-407

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - June 13th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff discuss the future of AI, spacey software loopholes, Apples rebranding, Gen Z's surprising take on data privacy and why your LinkedIn post probably isn't going viral.https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/claude-4-forever-trials-gen-z-data-deals-linkedin-algorithm-seo-2-0-405

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - May 30th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff talk about how HBO is renaming itself again, the Pope's trading card craze, Collage students using AI to "cheat", Apple and BYOD, Coinbase's breach due to bribery, Regeneron buying 23andMe, why your IT budget might be dangerously low, and much more! https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-it-podcast-2/holy-cards-cheating-grads-coinbase-bribery-buying-23andme-it-cuts-400

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - May 16th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff discuss:🕹️ How Gemini 2.5 Pro beat Pokémon Blue🎵 The Janet Jackson Song Crashed Laptops for 9 Years🔑 OpenAI's Restructuring and Microsoft Holding the Keys📊 AI Usage Stats in 2025: Beyond Search and Code🔍 When AI Workers are coming and the Security Risks⚖️ The new App Store Freedom Act🛻 The Slate Auto Debut, A $20K EV Pickup⁠https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-it-podcast-2/how-a-song-crashed-hdds-app-store-freedom-an-ev-truck-ai-shakeups-395

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - May 2nd, 2025This week, Matt and Griff delve into how Sam Altman stresses the unexpected computational cost of digital politeness in AI interactions, security vulnerabilities, such as a critical flaw in CentreStack and Triofox, and an unconfirmed Oracle Cloud breach. Also, Apple is looking at new Vision models to advance their AR technology, how iPadOS might soon resemble MacOS, and global manufacturing shifts due to tariffs. In the realm of antitrust, Meta faces scrutiny from the FTC over acquisitions, while Google is challenged for monopolistic practices in ad tech. Shifting strategies emerge as OpenAI considers browser ventures and Google navigates privacy and global platform dynamics. Lastly, social media platforms like LinkedIn and Pinterest are now focusing on user education to enhance content creation and marketing skills, reflecting an evolving landscape in digital communication and learning.https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-it-podcast-2/security-scares-politeness-costing-ai-and-tech-industry-shakeups-390

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - April 18th, 2025This week, we discuss the latest tech breakthroughs, as well as some history. They explore Microsoft's 50th anniversary celebration, where past and present CEOs reflected on the company's influential history and future potential. The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 boasts some upgrades and exciting new games. Additionally, Roblox's collaboration with Google to provide immersive ads aimed at Gen Z, alongside YouTube's "Inspiration" tab for content creation. Finally, focusing on cybersecurity, there is a potential vulnerability associated with Palo Alto's GlobalProtect, and Google introduces Sec-Gemini v1, an AI model designed to bolster cybersecurity defenses!https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-it-podcast-2/microsofts-50th-switch-1-5-roblox-google-partner-youtubes-ai-388

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - April 4th, 2025This week, we discuss a wide range of developments in the tech world, first the Pebble Smartwatch. The Core 2 Duo ($149) is bringing back the nostalgia of the original Pebble with the same black-and-white e-paper display and a battery life lasting over 30 days. The addition of an in-device speaker for chatting with AI assistance is a modern touch. The Core Time 2 ($225) is a more featured-rich option with a touchscreen, color e-link display, heart rate monitor, and a metal frame. This makes it more competitive in the current smartwatch market while holding onto the simplicity that made Pebble popular.In other news, Microsoft announced that Skype would officially shut down on May 5, 2025. With Zoom's rise in popularity during the pandemic and Microsoft shifting its focus to Teams, Skype's decline reflects the rapid pace of the change in communications technology.23andMe, the popular genetic testing company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is seeking a court-approved sale. This raised concerns about the privacy of genetic data, especially since some countries outside the U.S. don't have the same strong protections in place. Genetic data's use in non-health-related contexts is still a growing issue.Roku's new startup video ads that play before the home screen loads have sparked frustration among users, with some threatening to switch to other platforms. Roku has already rescinded the change. While Roku might adjust this strategy, it signals a broader trend of increasingly aggressive advertising in streaming services, which could alienate viewers in the long term.Meta plans to introduce millions of AI-generated profiles that will engage on Facebook and Instagram, mimicking real users. These profiles will feature realistic bios and images, leading to the potential for widespread misinformation. This move adds concerns about AI's impact of social media and the authenticity of online interactions.Open-source developers have reported AI web crawlers are consuming an increasing amount of website traffic, which is causing issues for community-managed resources. These crawlers are essentially contributing to what resemble DDoS attacks, overloading servers and disrupting access. New tools are being developed to defend against these crawlers, but industry leaders have yet to adopt better practices to address this growing problem. https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-it-podcast-2/23andme-bankruptcy-skype-shutting-down-pebble-watches-meta-bots-379