AI demands spike boosts growth at Linten Technologies

The growing need for awareness and understanding of AI tools is prompting increased demand for education and training, says Manchester-based IT firm Linten Technologies.

As Linten Technologies commemorated its 25th anniversary last year, the company reported expanding its workforce, premises, and technical capabilities in response to a spike in interest regarding AI technologies.

The firm has recently recruited two more staff members and continues to seek further enhancements in AI expertise.

Advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) are evolving swiftly, leading to increasing challenges in keeping abreast with their development. The firm highlights that business owners must stay informed about AI advancements to avoid being left behind. Linten Technologies has been proactive in delivering interactive sessions addressing the impacts of AI for its clients and the wider business community.

Steven Allan, CEO at Linten Technologies, remarked, "AI has seemingly overnight become the single biggest issue for our clients; they want to know what it means for them, the opportunities and risks." He added, "AI literacy is no longer a benefit to business owners; it's essential. More than half of hiring managers wouldn't hire someone without AI skills, and LinkedIn users listing AI skills in their repertoire has grown by 177% since 2023. If your business isn't taking advantage of AI, it's already behind."

The firm has noted that the demand for AI education continues to rise, prompting efforts to expand its expertise and educational offerings.

Allan stated, "Linten is responding by delivering in-depth courses, which have been very-well received. But demand is only increasing, and we are actively looking at how we can meet that demand – both by growing our own expertise and by developing more material to educate and inform."

One of Linten's clients, Claritas Tax, has been integrating AI tools throughout its business operations. Operations Director Debi Osborne said, "The cost of AI can be recouped in just a couple of hours. Many simple administrative tasks, such as data entry, transcribing notes, and basic data analysis, have now been significantly sped up."

Linten Technologies has also been focusing on developing its expertise in Microsoft's Copilot, an advanced AI chatbot. This tool combines AI capabilities with enhanced security features suitable for enterprise environments. Copilot's integration into Microsoft 365 ensures the protection of sensitive information, setting it apart from publicly available AI tools such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek.

Linten Technologies has established best practice guidelines for using LLMs, providing detailed instructions on forming and refining questions.

The guidance on "Do's" and "Don'ts" has been well received by users, improving their interactions with AI models such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek.

Allan concluded, "We have seen a lot of new technology in our 25-year history, but AI is by far the tech that holds out the promise of being the most transformative. It impacts every area of business and could change forever interaction with customers, operations, manufacturing, sales and marketing."

According to Allan, while AI might present an intimidating front, there is significant value and excitement to be derived from mastering and incorporating it into business practices.