AI: Not Just Sci-Fi Anymore

Imagine a world where your calls to customer service are answered not by a human, but by a smart machine that can handle your queries just as efficiently. Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right? Well, it's happening right here in North Texas, where startups are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) to make work more efficient and help executives make better decisions.

AI in Action: Denton County's Virtual Assistant

Take Denton County, for instance. They've recently given the green light to an intelligent virtual assistant. This AI-powered helper will lend a hand to the county's six tax offices, dealing with tasks like handling property taxes, renewing vehicle registrations, and transferring vehicle titles. It's like having an extra pair of hands, but without the need for coffee breaks!

SmartAction: The AI Pioneer

Then there's SmartAction, a Fort Worth business that's been in the AI game for over a decade. They've been crafting robo-answering machines and text chats that companies like AAA and DSW use to guide customers. And guess what? They recently bagged $38 million in their latest fundraising round to grow their conversational AI platform. Talk about riding the AI wave!

AI: Job Stealer or Job Creator?

But what about the elephant in the room - job loss? While some folks are worried that AI might snatch away jobs, SmartAction CEO Kyle Johnson has a different take. He believes AI will free up employees to focus on more complex tasks. So, instead of answering the same old questions day in and day out, employees can tackle more challenging and rewarding tasks. Sounds like a win-win, doesn't it?

AI: The Future of Office Work?

But the AI revolution doesn't stop at customer service. Kay Yut Chen, a professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, sees AI simplifying office work and making it more efficient. Imagine having an AI tool that can help executives make decisions or even assist in writing and copy editing. It's like having your own personal assistant, but without the need for a desk or a chair!

AI in Healthcare: A Game Changer

And it's not just office work that's getting an AI makeover. OnPoint Healthcare Partners, a Flower Mound-based company, is using AI to transcribe clinical notes. This means doctors can focus more on their patients and less on paperwork. While the medical industry might be a bit cautious about embracing AI, it's clear that the potential benefits are too big to ignore.

So, there you have it. From customer service to office work to healthcare, AI is making waves in North Texas. And while there are valid concerns about job loss and copyright infringement, it's clear that the benefits of AI are too big to ignore. So, here's to the AI revolution - may it continue to transform our lives for the better!

You don't have to look too far to find a tattoo of Texas State emblazoned on the upper arm of a proud Texan. That's because Texans love Texas, and they love tattoos too. I've seen loads of variations of the State outline filled in various colors and patterns or skylines or even bull horns and cowboy boots.

The State does boast some of the best tattoo artists in the world. I mean, just check out the Showdown Festival for example. It's a whole tattoos and music festival - features over 300 artists and attracts some seriously cool names. Check out our fascinating facts about Texas too.

But we've also all seen the 'tattoos gone wrong' posts shared on Facebook. You know the ones, words spelt incorrectly, or just seriously amateur work that just looks plain bad. If you're going to get one, go to the best artist you can afford - and if you can't afford the best, it might be better to simply save up a bit longer. This is artwork you want to have for life, right?

Yes, you can get tattoos removed, and laser removal is really effective now. It is also painful, damn expensive and takes repeat treatment over many weeks to remove ink. There's some great places you can go in San Antonio for tattoo removal if there's nobody close to you. Or you might find someone good who is closer than that. Just don't underestimate the time and cost involved in getting ink removed by laser. It is the best method, but it's definitely no walk in the park I can tell you. Taking the time to get your tattoo design from a talented true artist to start with is way better than going through the removal process later - even though tattoos don't have to be for life anymore, I recommend you still think of them as permanent. So make them mean something, and make them good. Texas has a ton of talent to offer so make the most of them. 

Texas is an amazing state that is rich in history and has it's own unique culture.

Texas is so well known because everything is big there including its reputation.

But...

I bet that there are some fascinating facts you didn't know about Texas.

Did you know that the parking lot in the Dallas/Fort Worth airport is the largest one in the world area wise, and that Texas also has the third longest runway. It is big enough to be able to land the Space Shuttle if needed.

Did you know that many famous things are named after people or things in Texas? Take the bowie knife who was name after Jim Bowie one of the heroes of the Alamo, or how about the Academy Award Oscar who was named after Oscar Pierce. His niece worked for the Academy and when she saw the statue she said it looked like her uncle. Or how about the term 'Six Flags' which is used for the theme parks? It came from the fact that over the course of the history of Texas it has had 6 different flags. Here's the current one.

Another interesting fact to consider is that Texas has more tornados than anywhere else in the United States with an average of 139 per year.

And that's not all...

Some of the most popular things to snack on in Texas include peanuts submersed in Dr. Pepper, corn dogs, beef jerky and Frito pies which are chilli, onions and cheese poured right into the Frito bag and eaten from there.

Speaking of Dr Pepper did you know that it originated in Texas by Charles Alderton in 1885?

And to top off our food category, Amarillo, Texas has a really interesting cook off every year where they see who can cook the best calf fries which are bull testicles.

Now onto famous people you might not have known came from Texas:

• Dwight D. Eisenhower - President of the United States
• Patrick Swayze - Actor
• Jordan Spieth - Golfer
• Stevie Ray Vaughan - Singer/Songwriter
• Sam Donaldson - Journalist
• Frank Robinson - Baseball Player
• Kris Kristofferson - Actor/Singer
• Scott Joplin - Pianist and
• Jennifer Garner - Actress
• Richard Ramirez - Murderer

If that is not enough how some of Texas' strange laws. Like it is against the law to sell your own eye. Or how about an entire encyclopaedia series being banned because in one of the books they teach how to make beer at home.

This one really takes the cake. Two trains must stop when they meet each other at a railroad crossing and neither can pass until the other one does.

As you can see Texas is an incredibly interesting place filled with things you would never think of. So there you go, you now have some fascinating facts you didn't know about Texas that you can share with your family and friends.

A lot of people don't realise that Texas has a flag, well it does, and here it is:-