Gone are the days when you had to store boxes of documents in your office. Salvation came in the form of cloud computing in the 2000s. Since then, it’s made a world of difference for businesses across all industries, increasing productivity, organization, and decluttering the workspace. More importantly, it allows businesses to reduce various expenses by 30%-50%.


Cloud computing has countless benefits, but that doesn’t mean the technology is flawless. On the contrary, you should be aware of several disadvantages of cloud computing that can cause many problems with your implementation. Weighing up the pros and cons is essential – and we’ll do precisely that in this article.


Read on for the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing.


Advantages of Cloud Computing


The cloud computing market is worth more than $540 billion. The main reason being that over 90% of all companies use some form of this technology. Here’s why they rely on cloud-based platforms.


Cost Efficiency


One of the greatest benefits of cloud computing is that it’s cost-efficient and allows you to reduce business expenses on three fronts.


Reduced Hardware and Software Expenses


You don’t need physical hardware to store your documents if you have a cloud computing platform. Likewise, the technology eliminates the need to run multiple software platforms because you can keep all your files in one place.


Lower Energy Consumption


In-house storage solutions can be convenient, but they consume a lot of electricity. Conversely, cloud computing systems help companies increase energy efficiency by over 90%.


Minimal Maintenance Costs


Maintaining such platforms is straightforward and affordable as cloud computing doesn’t involve heavy-duty software and hardware.


Scalability and Flexibility


Another reason cloud computing is popular is its scalability and flexibility. Here’s what underpins these advantages of cloud computing.


Easy Resource Allocation and Management


You don’t need to allocate your storage resources to numerous solutions if you have a unified cloud computing system. Managing your storage requirements becomes much easier with all your money going into one channel.


Pay-As-You-Go Pricing Model


Cloud-based platforms are available on a pay-as-you-go model. This reduces the risk of overpaying for your service because you’re only charged for the amount of data used.


Rapid Deployment of Applications and Services


Deploying cloud computing applications and services is simple. There’s no need for intense employee training, which further reduces your costs.


Accessibility and Mobility


Cloud computing is a highly accessible and mobile technology that can elevate your efficiency in a number of ways.


Access to Data and Applications From Anywhere


All it takes to access a cloud-based platform is a stable internet connection. As a result, you can retrieve key files virtually anywhere.


Improved Collaboration and Productivity


The ability to access data and applications from anywhere boosts collaboration and productivity. Your team gets a unified platform where they can share data with others much faster.


Support for Remote Work and Distributed Teams


Setting up a remote workspace is seamless with a cloud-computing solution. Employees no longer have to come to the office to perform repetitive tasks since they can do them from their computers.


Enhanced Security


If you want to address the most common security concerns in your organization, cloud computing is an excellent option.


Centralized Data Storage and Protection


By storing your information in a centralized location, you decrease the risk of data theft. In essence, you funnel all your resources into one platform rather than spread them out across multiple channels.


Regular Security Updates and Patches


Cloud computing providers offer regular updates to protect your information. Systems with the latest security patches are less prone to cyber attacks.


Advanced Encryption and Authentication Methods


You can also benefit from cloud computing tools due to their next-level encryption and authentication solutions. Most platforms feature AES 256-bit encryption, which is the most advanced and practically impregnable method. Furthermore, two-factor authentication lowers the chances of unauthorized access.


Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity


Business continuity and disaster recovery are two of the most pressing business challenges. Cloud computing solutions can help address these problems.


Automated Data Backup and Recovery


Many cloud storage systems are designed to automatically backup and recover your data. Hence, you don’t need to worry about losing your information in the event of a power outage.


Reduced Downtime and Data Loss


Since cloud computing helps prevent data loss, this technology also saves you less downtime. You don’t have to retrieve information manually because the platform does the work for you.


Simplified Disaster Recovery Planning


Although cloud computing tools are reliable, they’re not immune to failure caused by power loss, natural disasters, and other factors. Fortunately, these platforms have robust disaster recovery plans to get your system up and running in no time.



Disadvantages of Cloud Computing


Since the technology is so effective, you might be asking yourself: “Are there any disadvantages of cloud computing?” There are, and you need to understand these downsides to determine the best way to implement the technology. Here are the main drawbacks of cloud computing.


Data Privacy and Security Concerns


Like any other online technology, cloud computing can put users at risk of data privacy and security concerns.


Potential for Data Breaches and Unauthorized Access


While cloud apps have exceptional security practices, cyber criminals can bypass them with state-of-the-art technology and innovative hacking methods. Consequently, they may gain access to your information and steal your credentials.


Compliance With Data Protection Regulations


Your cloud computing tool may comply with many data protection regulations, but this doesn’t mean your information is 100% secure. Some standards only require apps to use robust password practices and fail to consider other attack methods, such as phishing.


Trusting Third-Party Providers With Sensitive Information


Online services require you to share your information to enable all features. Cloud computing is no different in this respect. You need to provide a third-party vendor with your data, which can be risky.


Limited Control and Customization


Cloud computing is a flexible and scalable technology. At the same time, it limits your control and customization options, which is why you might not be 100% happy with your platform.


Dependence on Cloud Service Providers


You decide what files you wish to share with your cloud-based solution. However, that’s pretty much it when it comes to the control you have over the platform. You depend on the vendor for every other aspect, including updates and patches.


Restrictions on Software and Hardware Customization


There aren’t many options to choose from when selecting a cloud storage plan. The price of your plan mostly depends on how much data you wish to share. Other than that, you get little-to-no hardware and software customization features.


Potential for Vendor Lock-In


Once you create an account with one cloud computing provider, you might not be happy with their services. As a result, you want to switch to a different platform. Many people think this is a simple transition, but that’s not always the case. Even though you can cancel your plan, migrating your data from one tool to the next can be difficult.


Network Dependency and Connectivity Issues


You might be relieved once you set up an account on a cloud-based platform: “I no longer need to clutter my office with masses of documents because I can now use an internet tool.” That said, using an online app also means you depend on network quality.


Reliance on Stable Internet Connection


A stable internet connection is essential for cloud computing. Internet problems can reduce or prevent you from accessing your files altogether.


Performance Issues Due to Network Latency


If your cloud network has high latency, sharing files can be challenging. In turn, latency reduces productivity and collaboration.


Vulnerability to Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attacks


Cloud platforms are susceptible to so-called DDoS attacks. A cyber criminal can target your tool and keep you from accessing the service.


Downtime and Service Reliability


Not every cloud computing system performs the same in terms of reducing downtime and maximizing reliability.


Risk of Outages and Service Disruptions


While cloud-based solutions have exceptional recovery plans and backup methods, you’ll still face some downtime in case of outages. Even the shortest service disruption can cause major issues when working on certain projects.


Shared Resources and Potential for Performance Degradation


Cloud systems are convenient because they allow you to store your data in one place. Nonetheless, one of the key disadvantages of cloud computing is managing those shared resources. Accessing information can become difficult if you don’t stay on top of it.


Likewise, performance can drop at any point of your plan. App incompatibility and other issues can compromise data architecture and further compromise management.


Dependence on Provider’s Service Level Agreements (SLAs)


You’ll probably need to enter into an SLA when partnering with a cloud computing provider. These contracts can be rigid, meaning they may fail to recognize and adapt to evolving business needs.



Make an Informed Decision


Cloud computing has tremendous benefits, like improved data storage, collaboration, and cost reduction. The main drawbacks include hardware and software restrictions, connectivity issues, and potential downtime.


Therefore, you should understand the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing before implementing a platform. Also, consider your business needs when partnering with a cloud provider to help prevent compatibility issues.

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Wired: Think Twice Before Creating That ChatGPT Action Figure
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
May 12, 2025 6 min read

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  • Wired, published on May 01st, 2025

People are using ChatGPT’s new image generator to take part in viral social media trends. But using it also puts your privacy at risk—unless you take a few simple steps to protect yourself.

By Kate O’Flaherty

At the start of April, an influx of action figures started appearing on social media sites including LinkedIn and X. Each figure depicted the person who had created it with uncanny accuracy, complete with personalized accessories such as reusable coffee cups, yoga mats, and headphones.

All this is possible because of OpenAI’s new GPT-4o-powered image generator, which supercharges ChatGPT’s ability to edit pictures, render text, and more. OpenAI’s ChatGPT image generator can also create pictures in the style of Japanese animated film company Studio Ghibli—a trend that quickly went viral, too.

The images are fun and easy to make—all you need is a free ChatGPT account and a photo. Yet to create an action figure or Studio Ghibli-style image, you also need to hand over a lot of data to OpenAI, which could be used to train its models.

Hidden Data

The data you are giving away when you use an AI image editor is often hidden. Every time you upload an image to ChatGPT, you’re potentially handing over “an entire bundle of metadata,” says Tom Vazdar, area chair for cybersecurity at Open Institute of Technology. “That includes the EXIF data attached to the image file, such as the time the photo was taken and the GPS coordinates of where it was shot.”

OpenAI also collects data about the device you’re using to access the platform. That means your device type, operating system, browser version, and unique identifiers, says Vazdar. “And because platforms like ChatGPT operate conversationally, there’s also behavioral data, such as what you typed, what kind of images you asked for, how you interacted with the interface and the frequency of those actions.”

It’s not just your face. If you upload a high-resolution photo, you’re giving OpenAI whatever else is in the image, too—the background, other people, things in your room and anything readable such as documents or badges, says Camden Woollven, group head of AI product marketing at risk management firm GRC International Group.

This type of voluntarily provided, consent-backed data is “a gold mine for training generative models,” especially multimodal ones that rely on visual inputs, says Vazdar.

OpenAI denies it is orchestrating viral photo trends as a ploy to collect user data, yet the firm certainly gains an advantage from it. OpenAI doesn’t need to scrape the web for your face if you’re happily uploading it yourself, Vazdar points out. “This trend, whether by design or a convenient opportunity, is providing the company with massive volumes of fresh, high-quality facial data from diverse age groups, ethnicities, and geographies.”

OpenAI says it does not actively seek out personal information to train models—and it doesn’t use public data on the internet to build profiles about people to advertise to them or sell their data, an OpenAI spokesperson tells WIRED. However, under OpenAI’s current privacy policy, images submitted through ChatGPT can be retained and used to improve its models.

Any data, prompts, or requests you share helps teach the algorithm—and personalized information helps fine tune it further, says Jake Moore, global cybersecurity adviser at security outfit ESET, who created his own action figure to demonstrate the privacy risks of the trend on LinkedIn.

Uncanny Likeness

In some markets, your photos are protected by regulation. In the UK and EU, data-protection regulation including the GDPR offer strong protections, including the right to access or delete your data. At the same time, use of biometric data requires explicit consent.

However, photographs become biometric data only when processed through a specific technical means allowing the unique identification of a specific individual, says Melissa Hall, senior associate at law firm MFMac. Processing an image to create a cartoon version of the subject in the original photograph is “unlikely to meet this definition,” she says.

Meanwhile, in the US, privacy protections vary. “California and Illinois are leading with stronger data protection laws, but there is no standard position across all US states,” says Annalisa Checchi, a partner at IP law firm Ionic Legal. And OpenAI’s privacy policy doesn’t contain an explicit carve-out for likeness or biometric data, which “creates a grey area for stylized facial uploads,” Checchi says.

The risks include your image or likeness being retained, potentially used to train future models, or combined with other data for profiling, says Checchi. “While these platforms often prioritize safety, the long-term use of your likeness is still poorly understood—and hard to retract once uploaded.”

OpenAI says its users’ privacy and security is a top priority. The firm wants its AI models to learn about the world, not private individuals, and it actively minimizes the collection of personal information, an OpenAI spokesperson tells WIRED.

Meanwhile, users have control over how their data is used, with self-service tools to access, export, or delete personal information. You can also opt out of having content used to improve models, according to OpenAI.

ChatGPT Free, Plus, and Pro users can control whether they contribute to future model improvements in their data controls settings. OpenAI does not train on ChatGPT Team, Enterprise, and Edu customer data⁠ by default, according to the company.

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LADBible and Yahoo News: Viral AI trend could present huge privacy concerns, says expert
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
May 12, 2025 4 min read

Source:


You’ve probably seen them all over Instagram

By James Moorhouse

Experts have warned against participating in a viral social media trend which sees people use ChatGPT to create an action figure version of themselves.

If you’ve spent any time whatsoever doomscrolling on Instagram or TikTok or dare I say it, LinkedIn recently, you’ll be all too aware of the viral trend.

Obviously, there’s nothing more entertaining and frivolous than seeing AI generated versions of your co-workers and their cute little laptops and piña coladas, but it turns out that it might not be the best idea to take part.

There may well be some benefits to artificial intelligence but often it can produce some pretty disturbing results. Earlier this year, a lad from Norway sued ChatGPT after it falsely claimed he had been convicted of killing two of his kids.

Unfortunately, if you don’t like AI, then you’re going to have to accept that it’s going to become a regular part of our lives. You only need to look at WhatsApp or Facebook messenger to realise that. But it’s always worth saying please and thank you to ChatGPT just in case society does collapse and the AI robots take over, in the hope that they treat you mercifully. Although it might cost them a little more electricity.

Anyway, in case you’re thinking of getting involved in this latest AI trend and sharing your face and your favourite hobbies with a high tech robot, maybe don’t. You don’t want to end up starring in your own Netflix series, à la Black Mirror.

Tom Vazdar, area chair for cybersecurity at Open Institute of Technology, spoke with Wired about some of the dangers of sharing personal details about yourself with AI.

Every time you upload an image to ChatGPT, you’re potentially handing over ‘an entire bundle of metadata’ he revealed.

Vazdar added: “That includes the EXIF data attached to the image file, such as the time the photo was taken and the GPS coordinates of where it was shot.

“Because platforms like ChatGPT operate conversationally, there’s also behavioural data, such as what you typed, what kind of images you asked for, how you interacted with the interface and the frequency of those actions.”

Essentially, if you upload a photo of your face, you’re not just giving AI access to your face, but also the whatever is in the background, such as the location or other people that might feature.

Vazdar concluded: “This trend, whether by design or a convenient opportunity, is providing the company with massive volumes of fresh, high-quality facial data from diverse age groups, ethnicities, and geographies.”

While we’re at it, maybe stop using ChatGPT for your university essays and general basic questions you can find the answer to on Google as well. The last thing you need is AI knowing you don’t know how to do something basic if it does takeover the world.

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