Gen, a global leader powering Digital Freedom with a family of trusted brands including Norton, Avast, and more, has released its Q1/2025 Gen Threat Report, highlighting the most significant shifts shaping the global Cyber Safety landscape observed between January and March 2025.

Key report findings include a 186% surge in breached personal information, a 466% increase in phishing reports, growth in fake browser update scams by 17 times the previous quarter’s levels, and more than 4 million people protected from Scam-Yourself Attacks, alongside the rise of mobile financial fraud and crypto-related US presidential inauguration scams. 

“Online threats are evolving at a startling pace,” said Siggi Stefnisson, Cyber Safety CTO at Gen.

“Attackers are moving away from broad, indiscriminate campaigns to highly personalised, AI-enhanced deception. Breached data and AI tools are giving cybercriminals just enough personal information and design sophistication to more easily manipulate people. That’s why we constantly evolve our cybersecurity solutions to be an interactive partner in fighting scams and to be one step ahead of cybercriminals.”

Notable Trends from the Q1/2025 Gen Threat Report:

Data Breaches Escalate

Data breaches are on the rise, with a 36% increase in the number of breaches faced by companies compared to last quarter. Individual breached records surged by more than 186%, revealing sensitive information such as passwords, emails, and credit card details. Attackers employed more advanced infostealers like Lumma Stealer, making data compromise faster and harder to detect.

Phishing Scams Designed to Bypass Security Filters

Reports of phishing scams rose by a staggering 466% compared to the previous quarter, now making up nearly 32% of all scam submissions to the Norton Genie scam detector.  According to the Norton Genie scam detector platform, phishing is the fastest-growing threat, second only to generic scams, which accounted for 51% of reports. The good news is that people are becoming more wary of potential phishing scams and reporting these messages.

Telemetry data reveals a growing number of phishing campaigns that abuse dynamic DNS services and subdomain providers, as well as free website builders to create deceptive login pages. This means, that by mimicking legitimate login portals and leveraging trusted domains—like recent scams targeting AT&T, Telstra and Xfinity customers—attackers make phishing attempts harder to detect and more likely to succeed. Many of these campaigns create a sense of urgency for potential victims through emails claiming account issues or prompting people to review sensitive documents. Despite sometimes being poorly written, the use of familiar platforms and subdomain tricks allows these scams to bypass security filters and remain highly effective.

Scam-Yourself Attacks and Fake Browser Updates on the Rise

Gen helped protect over 4 million users from Scam-Yourself Attacks in which individuals, through sophisticated deception, are manipulated into infecting their own devices. In one of the most striking evolutions of this type of scam that we observed this quarter, attackers are using AI-generated personas, deepfake influencers and hired actors. They use these personas to deliver their malicious campaigns. This is primarily done through compromised YouTube accounts, leveraging interactive FakeCAPTCHAs and asking people to verify they are human but instead guiding them to give device permissions or download malware.

Fake Update Scams grew to over 17 times last quarter’s level. This type of Scam-Yourself Attack tricks people into installing malware under the guise of browser updates.

Financial Threats Thrive on Mobile and Crypto

Mobile financial threats continued to rise, fueled by increasingly sophisticated tactics that target people directly through their smartphones. Malware, like banking trojans, now exploit accessibility features to overlay fake login pages, stealing sensitive data such as crypto wallet credentials. Combined with an uptick in credit and transaction fraud alerts, there’s a growing trend of attackers focusing on mobile devices as gateways to people’s financial lives.

Digital currencies continue to be a target for financial threats. CryptoCore executed one of its most successful campaigns in early 2025, hinging on the US presidential inauguration. Attackers leveraged deepfake videos of public figures spread through compromised YouTube accounts to steal close to $4 million spread through more than 2,000 transactions.

Gen is always innovating to stay one step ahead of today’s evolving cyberthreats. Our trusted family of brands offers powerful solutions to help keep you safe—LifeLock helps people protect their identity, the Norton Cyber Safety lineup comes equipped with Norton Genie scam protection, and products like Avast Mobile Security offer protection for mobile devices, just to name a few.

To learn more about the latest Cyber Safety tips and solutions, visit our blog at https://www.gendigital.com/blog/insights.

The full Gen Threat Report is available now at https://www.gendigital.com/blog/insights/reports/threat-report-q1-2025

Young Australians are embracing generative AI (GenAI), but concerns about its ethical use, impact on future careers and potential for creative theft are shaping how they engage with the technology, according to a new report by The Insight Centre.

Dr Anna Denejkina, Associate Director said the findings from the report ‘From Gen Z to GenAI: The impact, opportunities and challenges of Generative AI for young Australians’ reveal a generation caught between the benefits and pitfalls of emerging AI tools.

“There is a clear tension between the opportunities Gen Zs see in AI and the significant concerns they hold about its impact on their future.

“On the one hand, young people are using AI to help with study, develop new skills, and even for emotional support and advice. We found that 74% of 14-27 year-olds are using AI to assist with their schoolwork, and nearly half of those surveyed use AI to help them think through ideas and find information.”

Donald, a university student studying computer science and working in the AI sector right now, said AI changed the direction of his life for the better.

“Using AI was what got me into tech in the first place. I had no coding background, but these tools helped me develop my skills and build the resources I needed to learn, and I went from there. Now I’m studying computer science and working in the AI sector. It opened doors I didn’t think existed.

“People talk about AI taking jobs, but if you look at industrial and technological revolutions of the past, they show that every wave of innovation creates new types of jobs. AI won’t replace humans, it’ll push us to think more creatively and work smarter.”

Dr Denejkina said that while many Gen Z’s spoke of their positive experiences with GenAI, many had expressed significant concerns.

“Gen Z remains deeply concerned about how GenAI could affect their job prospects, the creative industry and their online safety.”

“Deepfakes are a major concern for women, and specifically those aged 18-21, who are most likely to fear their impact.

“These fears were not unfounded, with research confirming that the vast majority of deepfakes were non-consensual sexual content that almost uniquely targeted women.

“This is a growing reality, not a hypothetical threat.”

Jacinta*, a young data analyst, said after using Chat GPT every day, she’s pared back her usage over concerns with deepfakes, misinformation and its impact on her capacity for independent thought.

“I used to rely on it religiously, but now I use it sparingly, especially after seeing deepfakes of politicians saying things they never said. That was a key point at which I turned away from AI.

“I started using ChatGPT to help write emails and brainstorm ideas, but it got to a point where I wasn’t thinking for myself anymore. I was getting ChatGPT to make all of these micro-decisions, and that felt like it was rewiring my brain.

“I stopped using it in my personal life when I caught myself using AI to text my friends. It didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel human.”

While also holding concerns, university student Donald believed the tech industry was developing better protections against deepfakes and misinformation.

“The misinformation and deepfake problem is real, but I’m hopeful. Industry is already responding, and we’re already building tech that can verify content. People are also getting savvier about spotting what’s fake.”

Dr Denejkina said the report also highlighted significant gender disparities in how AI is perceived and utilised.

“The report finds that a concerning AI gender gap is forming. Only 20% of young women feel skilled in using AI compared to 41% of young men, and men are twice as likely as women to feel confident or very confident in using GenAI tools (50% vs 24% respectively).”

Creative theft, misinformation, and job displacement top the list of concerns for young Australians. Almost seven in ten (67%) Gen Zs expressed concerns about the theft of creative work to train AI, with women holding significantly higher levels of concern than men (73% vs 59%).

Dr Denejkina said the report also reveals that while AI is widely perceived as a tool for cheating and plagiarism, the reality is quite different.

“Despite public fears, our findings show that Gen Zs are not using AI to cheat as much as we might think. More than four in five (82%) Gen Z students said they would not use AI to plagiarise in the future, regardless of how they have used these tools in the past.”

But beyond academic use, Gen Zs are also using AI in unexpected ways, particularly as a source of companionship and life advice.

“For some, AI has become a sounding board, a way to vent, reflect, or seek advice without fear of judgment. This is particularly true for those who feel isolated or those going through stressful situations.”

With AI rapidly evolving and becoming more embedded in daily life, Dr Denejkina said urgent attention is needed to address the emerging AI gender gap.

“There is a risk that AI could deepen existing inequalities if we don’t take steps to ensure women are equipped with the skills and confidence to engage with these tools.”

Despite their concerns, many Gen Zs showed clear-eyed awareness of both the benefits and potential consequences of using GenAI.

Jacinta said, “GenAI tools can be powerful, but overusing them can dull your ability to think critically. For me, that was the biggest red flag.”

Donald added, “AI has supercharged the way we work, but it’s on us to keep the human element front and centre. In our personal and professional lives, we can’t afford to become over-reliant.”

The full report is available here: ‘From Gen Z to GenAI: The Impact, Opportunities and Challenges of Generative AI for Young Australians,’

Key Generative AI Insights

1. Generative AI use is nearly universal among Gen Zs, with 90% having used it equally across men and women, with ChatGPT as the top tool.

2. Gen Zs use GenAI for study, skills development, searches and even conversation, ranging from entertainment to emotional support.

3. Seven in ten Gen Zs say they have never and would never use GenAI to plagiarise, while just one in ten admit they have and would again.

4. Men in Gen Z are far more likely than women to feel skilled and confident using GenAI tools.

5. Men are also more likely than women to hold a positive view of GenAI and the broader industry.

6. Gen Z sees Generative AI’s biggest benefits as convenience and skill-building, and its main risks as cheating, misinformation and lack of originality.

7. Seven in ten Gen Zs, especially women and creatives, worry about Australian creative work being used without consent to train GenAI.

8. Four in five Gen Zs are deeply concerned about deepfakes, with the highest concern among women and those aged 18 to 21.

9. Almost one in three Gen Zs have reconsidered their study or career path due to GenAI, often pivoting toward tech to future-proof jobs.

10. Only a third of Gen Zs feel confident using GenAI, but most know they need better prompting skills, tutorials and info on trustworthiness.

As the end of the financial year approaches, a leading business finance expert is warning that a Tax-Driven Decision rushed effort to reduce the amount of tax paid by a business could prove damaging in the long term.

Grow Capital CEO Gus Gilkeson says while there’s nothing wrong with making decisions and asset purchases that result in a tax advantage, the danger exists when businesses make decisions based on tax implications first.

“When making an investment in your business – whether that be the purchase of a new asset or securing finance – the first consideration should always be ‘how does this support my long-term strategy for growth and/or income?’.”

“The taxation aspect of that investment should be secondary, but unfortunately we see too many people making poor investment decisions based on avoiding paying tax in the short term.”

Examples of these, says Mr Gilkeson, include equipment or assets that are substandard, unfit for purpose, or have high maintenance costs.

“You need to ask yourself, is it worth claiming a tax deduction this financial year, if it’s not going to offer a solid return on investment going forward.”

With the Federal Government reducing the $20,000 instant asset write off to $1000 from July 1, Mr Gilkeson says businesses may be tempted to make big purchases before June 30.

“Again, I would urge that business to consider whether the hit to cash flow and any ongoing costs associated with the asset are worth the tax deduction this year. Is it really a saving if you end up paying more in future years?”

Mr Gilkeson offers this advice to avoid tax driven decision.

• Don’t Rush: Making decisions in a hurry to beat a deadline – including the end of a particular program or scheme – is never a good idea, says Mr Gilkeson. “If you have to rush, then chances are you haven’t done your due diligence. If your ducks aren’t in a row and you miss out, then that’s a lesson learned for next time. But there’s no point rushing into a bad decision that costs you down the track.”
• Consider Your Options: If tax minimisation is a focus, consider all your options, including research and development investments and/or offsetting, for example.
• Look at the Big Picture: Always consider your longer-term business strategy and goals, and how the current decision fits into that.
• Expert Advice: Mr Gilkeson says professional, objective advice is always best. “Whether it be your broker, financial adviser or accountant, seeking professional advice ensures you’re aware of all the potential risks and gives you a fresh perspective on whether the investment is worth it in the long run. Professional advice is also tax deductible.”

Australia’s Commissioner of Taxation recently confirmed the ATO’s debt book is more than $105 billion, a number Mr Gilkeson says highlights Australians’ broader attitude to paying tax.

“I think it’s fair to say that Australians collectively don’t like paying tax, but it’s a cultural mindset that really needs to change.”

“Is paying tax really a problem? It’s absolutely important that there are checks and balances to ensure SMEs aren’t paying too much tax, but if a business is focusing only on tax minimisation or trying to avoid paying tax at all, then I would suggest their priorities are all wrong.”

Small businesses currently make up roughly 97.2% of all businesses in Australia, and contribute approximately $590 billion to the economy annually – almost one third of the country’s total GDP.  There could, however, be a creativity gap among this cohort, with the Australian Retail Association revealing that just over half (51 per cent) of Australian small retail businesses are performing below or significantly below their financial expectations, and two-thirds (67 per cent) need to find innovative ways to acquire new business – proving that small businesses, through no fault of their own, are susceptible to falling short of the creative skills to win new customers hit revenue targets.  

Digital skills shortage is stifling innovation, contributing to the creativity gap

According to RMIT research, the digital skills gap – critical to design and marketing output given the velocity at which digital tools are used for both – is costing Australian businesses $9 million per day.  

The creative industry reflects these shortcomings, with research from Creative Australia for Service and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA)  revealing that Australia’s creative industries are facing skills shortages. These are exacerbated by multiple issues, including the economic climate, precarious work conditions, generational shifts in workplace expectations and a disconnect between formal education and industry needs. 

If the creative industries are suffering from a creativity gap, then it’s little wonder that trend extends to SMBs, whose primary focus is on running a business, not nailing branding and marketing.

Addressing this creativity gap is critical, as creativity is a proven driver of innovation and economic prosperity. Independent arts and culture think tank, A New Approach highlights that creative engagement enhances workforce adaptability and drives innovation, and Vistaprint’s creativity report notes that 69% of Australians believe creativity helps with their problem-solving skills.

Creativity isn’t optional, it’s essential

Design democratisation, which is centered around making design tools, skills and thinking accessible to all, could be the answer to plugging Australia’s creativity gap.

For small businesses, this means rethinking how design is used not just for branding, but for problem-solving, digital engagement and customer experience.  

 To help break this barrier, getting access to design platforms that are free to use and do not require coding or creative expertise can be hugely beneficial. There are tools that enable you to tap into a network of designers, that use AI to provide design templates, and even give you suggested branding tips like logos, website design, product names and slogans.

It’s then about marrying up your branding and design to every single marketing touchpoint and channel. For example, ensuring your digital branding is reflected in physical marketing materials like packaging, business cards, and signage.

More than tools – it’s a mindset shift

While tools are important, instilling a culture of creativity is paramount.

It starts with creating a culture where experimentation is encouraged and design thinking is embedded into workflows, and creativity is everyone’s job. It’s also about encouraging collaboration across teams and outsourcing the necessary professionals, like freelance marketers and creatives, to plug skillset gaps, fuel fresh thinking and inject fresh energy into business planning.

This is as true for a three-person business as it is a 50-to-100-person business and getting it right early will only help as you scale.

Design thinking from the outset, investing in skills

Dr. Russell Kennedy, Head of Art and Design at Deakin’s School of Communication and Creative Arts says that design thinking is a solution driven process and helps identify and understand human-centered business and social problems – and advocates for businesses bringing design thinking and expertise in as early as possible.

“It’s an evolutionary process that pushes ideas forward with deep understanding of what the consumer needs. There was a time when designers were brought into the process after the strategy and design brief had been established. Now, successful businesses using design thinking strategies and include designers in their research in a collaborative approach from the get-go.’

And while collaboration is critical, so is embracing and investing in upskilling for both in you as an SMB owner and your employees. Many accessible learning platforms now offer short and flexible modules that can not only build capabilities but also instill confidence and foster creative growth within workforces, ensuring that generations to come will feel supported and be trained appropriately.

Designing beyond logos

As a nation, Australia can close its creativity gap, and that starts with SMBs who contribute a significant portion of the local economy.

For small businesses, creativity shouldn’t just be reserved for logos and brochures but instead recognised as a cultural initiative that when done right can be critical for innovation, problem-solving, and growth.

Fostering an open culture where employees and freelancers are encouraged to experiment and contribute ideas, design democratisation tools are embedded into the creative process, and creative skills development is encouraged across the workforce, can break down silos, instill design quality and consistency, and ignite new ideas.

If SMBs get that right, then the ripple effect could be enormous.

Contributed by By Marcus Marchant, CEO at Vistaprint Australia, New Zealand & Singapore  

Australian fintech Zeller has announced an update to their all-in-one B2B financial super app, including the release of new invoicing functionality, enabling small businesses with a fully mobile solution to create, manage, track, and send invoices directly from their smartphone. As Australia’s only B2B financial super app, Zeller App delivers business owners access to every product within the Zeller financial ecosystem, including invoicing, transaction accounts, card management, fund transfers, expense tracking, and payments acceptance, all from a single app. 

Late payments for Australian small businesses are amongst the worst in the world, with an estimated $115B owed annually in outstanding invoices, with most being paid on average 27 days beyond the due date. By sending and managing invoices within the Zeller App, business owners are getting paid faster, while also reducing the administrative burden of manually issuing, mailing, and following up late invoice payments after-hours. 

Zeller Invoices is proven to get invoices paid faster; with 75% of invoices sent with Zeller paid on the same day. The increasing preference amongst Australians for the convenience and security of electronic payments is also impacting payment times; Zeller’s data highlights that invoices sent and paid online through Zeller’s secure online payment gateway are paid 7 times faster than those settled manually by cash or bank transfer. 

Zeller Super App offers features designed to streamline invoicing for business owners:

• Send invoices instantly from a smartphone: Invoices can be built and sent in 7 clicks from Zeller App, reducing time spent after-hours manually issuing invoices to clients. 
• Customisable invoice designs: Add a business logo, customise invoice design, and add personalised messages to ensure invoices are personalised and on-brand.
• Attach contacts to invoices: Utilising Zeller Contact Directory, contacts can be appended to invoices to track recurring payments from regular clients.
• Schedule and automate reminders: Reminders can be scheduled and automated to be sent to late payees, ensuring invoice settlement is kept top-of-mind. 
• Real-time payment tracking: Receive instant in-app notifications when an invoice is paid, and track payment status of outstanding invoices from Zeller App.
• Secure online payments: Invoice recipients can make invoice payment instantly utilising Zeller’s secure online payment gateway. 
• Improved cash flow: Funds paid from invoices are settled nightly, 7 days a week to any Zeller Transaction Account, significantly boosting business cash flow by reducing settlement delays. 
• Lower costs: Merchants can send unlimited invoices free, with no monthly software subscription costs. Transaction fees for invoices paid online with Zeller are on average 30% lower than other providers.

“Getting paid fast is one of the most important elements of maintaining a healthy business cash flow” said Ben Pfisterer, Zeller CEO and co-founder.  “Now that Zeller Invoices lives natively within the Zeller App, merchants can issue invoices instantly, track outstanding payments from anywhere, and ensure they’re getting paid faster. As we continue adding more products to the Zeller financial services ecosystem, we’re making it simpler for Australian business owners to accept payments in more places, access their funds faster, and get a holistic view of their overall business financial health that no other bank or provider can offer them. That’s why over 70% of Zeller customers utilise 2 or more products from our ecosystem; it’s enabling them to better manage their business finances.”

“Being able to send invoices from the Zeller App has made it easier for me to get paid. I don’t need any extra devices to send an invoice, just my smartphone” said Paul Doody, who runs Panda Dry Cleaning & Laundry Services in Sandringham, Victoria. “The ability to add pre-populated items to an invoice makes it a lot faster to create and send, and triggering reminders to customers to prompt them for payment has streamlined my entire invoicing process. I’m no longer wasting hours issuing and chasing late payments; it’s literally saving me hours every week.”

Zeller App can be downloaded free via the App Store or Google Play here.

 Shopify, a leading commerce technology company, has unveiled its Summer ‘25 Edition, Horizons. This edition introduces several paradigm shifts across the Shopify platform that redefine how merchants build high-converting storefronts and how shoppers discover products. 

Shopify’s Summer Edition encompasses 150+ product highlights across UX, Point of Sale (POS), Shop App, Payments, and AI. Its centrepiece is the introduction of Shopify’s new store design foundation, Horizon. Blending beautiful aesthetics with powerful AI capabilities, Horizon empowers merchants to build stunning, high-converting storefronts without writing a single line of code.

“Merchants today need flexible, intuitive tools that work as hard as they do,” said Shaun Broughton, Managing Director, APAC at Shopify. “Our latest  Edition, Horizons, represents a step change in how our merchants can spend less time on tech and more time building their brands. These updates enhance their efficiency and customer engagement, while progressing toward our vision of ’declarative commerce’, where merchants can express their goals, and our system charts the optimal path forward. Through this shift, merchants can focus on innovation and strategic growth rather than time-consuming tasks.”

Unlock design freedom with Shopify’s new theme foundation 

This Edition, Shopify is setting a new standard for online store design with Horizon – a flexible theme foundation. With built-in AI, best-in-class UX and a fully customisable layout system, Horizon helps merchants create premium storefronts that convert, with no coding required.

• 10 high-converting presets: The Horizon collection includes 10 beautifully designed presets to jumpstart any brand’s online presence. Each one is built with sections that prioritise clarity, engagement, and conversion. Horizon includes intuitive product discovery, rich full-screen hero banners, high-performing collection and product pages, and an optimised cart — all designed to guide customers to purchase.
• Theme Blocks, redefined: This is a powerful new way to customise storefronts. Merchants can move elements freely across the page, copy and paste blocks to different parent elements or sections, and pick from over 30+ block presets that they can preview before adding it to their layout, streamlining the customisation process.
• AI-Block Generation: Horizon features built-in AI Block Generation, enabling merchants to generate fresh content blocks and layouts using AI directly within the theme. This gives users smart, instant layout suggestions tailored to their design goals, helping them build high-performing pages faster.

Get started even quicker with AI Store Builder

Whether you are starting from scratch or not, AI Store Builder transforms a few simple keywords into three unique, ready-to-customise store designs.

• Store in seconds: By inputting a few descriptive keywords, this generates three different store layouts, complete with images and text. This feature significantly reduces the time and effort required to design a store from scratch, allowing merchants to focus on customisation and personalisation.

Sell smarter with a redesigned Shopify POS app

Shopify POS v10 has launched with a completely redesigned interface, built to make day-to-day selling faster, simpler, and more efficient. With a refreshed look and feel, intuitive navigation, and smarter search and cart functionality, retail staff can deliver more personalised service with less effort. 

• Ship and carry out: “Ship and Carry Out” enables split delivery methods, so customers can purchase multiple items within one order, choosing in-store pickup or home delivery for each individual item. Merchants have the flexibility to split line items based on fulfilment needs, location or delivery expectations, streamlining logistics. 
• Logo & background media on customer display: Merchants can now upload a custom logo and background image to the idle screen using the Display Editor, reinforcing brand presence and making the customer-facing experience uniquely theirs.
• Branded customer view: POS v10 introduces brand theming across customer-facing displays. Merchants can now apply their brand colours to the in-store checkout screen, helping the POS environment feel like a natural extension of the broader in-store experience.

A more dynamic Shop app feed, tailored to every tap and scroll

Shop app is evolving its home feed to connect merchants with high-intent buyers. As users interact with the Shop app—refreshing their feed, browsing products, or adding items to cart—content dynamically updates to reflect their preferences, creating a deeply personalised shopping experience.

• Improved home feed recommendations: The updated home feed intelligently surfaces merchants’ products in more relevant ways, increasing exposure and helping businesses grow their audience. With real-time content updates based on shopper behaviour, merchants benefit from greater engagement and stronger customer retention—all on Shop’s highest-traffic surface.
• Create and share collections: Shoppers can organise their saved items into themed or intent-based collections and share them with others. This replaces the single “Favourites” list and introduces collaborative features, allowing multiple users to curate and shop together. 
• Native and custom product swatches: Shop now supports native and custom swatches, mirroring how colour and variant selections appear in merchants’ online stores. Buyers can visually browse options at a glance—removing the need for dropdowns—and merchants can better showcase pre-orders, bundles, and their full product range. 

Power global growth with entity and currency support

Shopify Payments has always been the easiest way for merchants to accept payments both online and in-store. Now, with powerful new capabilities, merchants can scale globally with greater efficiency, managing multiple entities and settling in multiple currencies, all from a single store.

• Sell from multiple entities with Shopify Payments: Merchants can manage their online and offline entities worldwide from a single admin, simplifying operations and streamlining reporting. They can transact domestically worldwide, avoiding international and foreign exchange fees, duplicate apps and multiple integrations associated with additional stores. 
• Multi-currency payouts: Shopify Payments now supports payouts in up to eight currencies, allowing merchants to accept payments in over 130 currencies and settle in the ones that make sense for their business. 

Shape your brand’s AI presence with Shopify’s new Knowledge Base app

Acting as “SEO for AI conversations”, Shopify’s new AI-powered Knowledge Base app enables merchants to optimise their presence to enhance discoverability by generating and customising store facts and FAQs that are readable by generative AI platforms and shopping assistants.

• Shopify Knowledge Base: Merchants can automatically generate store facts and FAQs tailored for AI shopping agents like ChatGPT and Claude, then customise them to reflect their brand voice and value proposition. This gives them control over how their business appears in AI-driven shopping queries, improving discoverability and customer self-service.

Turn data into decisions with the new Sidekick

Commerce is full of complexity, with shifting sales patterns, fragmented data and time-consuming workflows. Shopify’s AI assistant, Sidekick, now goes beyond answering questions. It proactively spots issues, recommends solutions, and helps merchants take action. 

• Smarter, faster Sidekick: Sidekick now connects to multiple data sources, performs multi-step reasoning, and delivers deep, actionable insights in a single interaction—no toggling between dashboards or waiting on reports. 

Get in front of a wider audience with Shopify Catalog

Developers can leverage Shopify Catalog to build applications and AI agents that connect merchants with customers on any surface—from discovery to purchase.

• Real-time, clear, accurate and structured data: lets apps and AI agents search and pull real-time product data from millions of Shopify businesses, and display the most relevant products to shoppers. This diverse catalogue covers businesses of all sizes, sectors and geographies, helping merchants get their products in front of a wider audience. 
• Taz Patel, head of advertising and shopping at Perplexity, said: “Shopify Catalogue gives users seamless access to products from millions of Shopify merchants, providing accurate, real-time information throughout their shopping journey.”

Power smarter shopping assistants with Shopify’s Storefront MCP

Developers now have the ability to build specialised AI shopping agents for individual brands with Storefront MCP, giving them the tools to create compelling shopping experiences that drive real business results.

• Adopting Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol (MCP): This platform will allow third parties building AI shopping agents to access the Shopify Catalog and shop-level information to facilitate AI shopping searches and purchases. 
• This simplifies the shopping experience for customers and gives merchants access to new sales channels and accurate product representation.

Synology announced the launch of BeeStation Plus, the latest addition to its plug-and-play BeeStation lineup. With 8 TB of storage and up to 4.8x the performance, BeeStation Plus gives creative teams, and professionals the freedom to access, organise, and enjoy their digital world—without missing a beat.

“The BeeStation lineup was designed to let everyday users benefit from a cloud-like environment without needing advanced storage or networking knowledge,” said Mayi, Product Manager at Synology. “Since launching the first BeeStation, we’ve seen strong interest from people looking for larger storage capacity and expanded capabilities, to run more applications and better support families and teams working and sharing together. BeeStation Plus is our answer to those needs.”

All Your Files and Photos, Always Within Reach

BeeStation Plus automatically backs up memories from phone, computer, cloud photo library, and external storage all in one place. With built-in local AI, it helps users instantly find photos of people or subjects, without sending any data to the cloud.

Personal files, schoolwork, and projects are just as easy to keep organised. Whether from cloud drives, external drives, or computers, BeeStation Plus brings everything together for easier browsing, smarter searches, and faster sharing.

Home Theatre Powered by Plex Media Server

BeeStation Plus comes with built-in Plex Media Server support, making it easy to turn users’ media collection into a personal streaming library. Store favourite movies, TV shows, and home videos in one place, and enjoy seamless access across TV, phone, or tablet—whether relaxing at home or on the move.²

Data Protection by Default

BeeStation Plus combines snapshot-based restore points with a free three-month BeeProtect cloud backup subscription, making 3-2-1 backup achievable in minutes. Designed to make offsite backup affordable, BeeProtect helps users recover their data even in cases of theft or disaster, with end-to-end encryption ensuring only the owner can decrypt and access their files.

Availability

BeeStation Plus is available for purchase starting today on the Synology website and through official partners and resellers worldwide. 

To learn more, visit https://sy.to/BeeStationPlus

Demand for commercial credit improved in Q1, with an interest rate cut helping bolster confidence across both the commercial and consumer markets. However, the latest Equifax data shows this confidence was short-lived, dipping in March due to global geopolitical factors.  

According to the Equifax Quarterly Commercial Insights – March 2025, the outlook for commercial credit demand is uncertain despite anticipation of further rate cuts, as varying sector vulnerabilities to evolving tariffs create market volatility. 

While overall commercial applications rose, commercial credit demand among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) fell by -8.25%, putting it well below demand observed in Q1 of prior years.  

Scott Mason, General Manager Commercial and Property Services, Equifax, said: “The dual pressures of long-term high interest rates and increased market unpredictability have had a significant impact on small and medium business in particular.  

“Without credit, expansion is difficult for SMEs. The reduced demand suggests that SMEs are battening down the hatches and focusing on efficiency gains through cost cutting rather than productivity gains that rely on investments, like technology, training or hiring.” 

SMEs struggling in construction; businesses of all sizes flail in retail and hospitality  

SMEs in construction experienced a significant 18% drop in credit demand in Q1, with this reduction most pronounced in the eastern states. Additionally, more high-risk SMEs applied for credit in Q1 2025 compared to the previous year, suggesting that lower quality constructors are strapped for cash and seeking supplemental funding to keep their businesses afloat.  

The hospitality sector experienced a severe downturn this quarter, with demand reducing by 16.9% and insolvencies rising by 32%. The retail industry also struggled, seeing demand reduce 7.4% and insolvencies increase 24%. Both of these industries are highly vulnerable to external factors like the ongoing squeeze on consumers’ disposable incomes and higher rents. 

“Interestingly, credit demand from larger businesses in both hospitality and retail fell sharply while SMEs experienced a smaller drop. In these industries bigger businesses are more likely to be carrying larger overheads and have less agility or adaptability compared to SMEs, so will be looking for ways to reduce their spending as they weather the difficult economic conditions. On the other hand, SMEs appear to be reaching for credit to fund their ongoing business operations,” Mr Mason said.  

Demand Change – Q1 2025 

The Quarterly Insights measure the volume of credit applications for business loans, asset finance and trade credit. 

Overall commercial credit demand increased by +1.6% in Q1 2025 compared to the same quarter the previous year. This was driven by healthy business loans demand (+3.9%) during the quarter, mirroring improved business confidence. On the other hand, trade credit demand declined -3.3% and asset finance applications declined -2.3% in Q1.  

Q1 2025 saw a 28% jump in total insolvencies vs the same period in 2024, with Victoria and NSW being the primary drivers. 

Konica Minolta Australia is setting a new industry standard by delivering native cloud print capabilities built directly into every eligible* bizhub multifunction printer and printer, with 12 months of complimentary access included^. CloudPrint requires no additional hardware or software, providing secure, cloud-based printing functionality from day one.

With CloudPrint preloaded and fully integrated into each device, Konica Minolta is removing traditional print barriers and redefining modern print infrastructure. Businesses can now activate secure, serverless printing straight out of the box. This shift streamlines operations and accelerates digital transformation.

Paul Colarelli, product marketing manager, Konica Minolta Australia, said, “This isn’t just another add-on. We’ve built cloud printing right into the device. It’s turnkey, seamless, and free for the first 12 months because we believe secure cloud print should be the standard, not the exception.”

Konica Minolta bizhub Core capabilities include:

• Built-in CloudPrint: native Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) functionality inside every supported Konica Minolta device.
• 12 months included^: no added cost.
• Zero additional hardware: no servers, connectors, or print management boxes.
• Print server removed: reduces the costs and complexity of on-premises print servers.
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This secure, scalable, cloud print platform simplifies deployment and accelerates adoption. Hosted locally on Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Australia, CloudPrint meets leading security standards, including SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001, giving businesses peace of mind with enterprise-grade protection.

Konica Minolta bizhub Key business benefits include:

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Konica Minolta CloudPrint delivers native, next-generation print capabilities without the complexity, whether for a small business or a growing small to medium-sized business expanding its operations. This is printing redefined: secure, simple, and ready to use from day one.

Airbnb has unveiled its 2025 Winter Release, ushering in a brand new era of travel from the company that first introduced a way to book a home like a hotel in 2007. 

Airbnb’s next evolution goes beyond the stay, with:

• Airbnb Services:Airbnb now offers incredible services across 10 global categories to enhance your trip, with 5 new categories launching in Sydney and Melbourne. Whether it’s a chef for a special dinner or a photographer for family photos, now you can get it all on Airbnb. Many hosts are renowned in their fields, including chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants, award-winning photographers, and wood-fired pizza artisans.

• Airbnb Experiences: Completely reimagined Airbnb Experiences – hosted by locals who know their city best, from ramen-making with a Michelin Bib Gourmand chef in Tokyo, to training with an ex Navy instructor on Bondi Beach and sip and savour Melbourne’s coffee scene. Airbnb Experiences are vetted for quality, with a focus on expertise, reputation, and authenticity, with thousands of experiences available globally. Locals are also eager to connect with their own city through experiences, as over 40% of respondents in Australia are interested in booking an experience on home soil. Experiences span a multitude of categories, including history and culture, food and drink, nature and the outdoors, art and design, entertainment, fitness, wellness and are launching globally and in Sydney and Melbourne locally.

• Airbnb Originals: For Aussies looking to elevate their travel experiences, Airbnb Originals has been introduced in many cities across the globe. These are extraordinary experiences hosted by the world’s most interesting people and designed exclusively for Airbnb, such as learning pastry-making at the renowned French Bastards bakery with chef Raphaelle Elbaz, or playing beach volleyball with Olympian Carol Solberg on Rio’s iconic Leblon Beach.
  • Some Originals are even hosted by global celebrities:
    • Tap into your inner anime hero with Megan Thee Stallion, who’s bringing her Otaku Hottie Quest to life 
    • Hang out with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City for a football-filled Sunday complete with his signature spiral and favourite BBQ 
    • Celebrate 10 years of music and memories with SEVENTEEN during an exclusive fan experience in Seoul
• An all-new app:Homes, services, experiences—it’s all now in one place. We’ve reimagined nearly every part of the Airbnb app to make it easy to plan your full trip, with personalised suggestions, integrated messaging, and a built-in itinerary from booking to check-out.
• Winter travel trends: We are also excited to share Airbnb’s 2025 domestic and international winter travel trends, outlined below. We can also provide additional service and experience AU specific data, if of interest.