Tag: tech

Real Estate Report: New York City Wages Not Increasing Proportionally to Property Market Rental Costs

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 15:06:08 +0000

Rent prices have surged in recent years, and wages have not kept pace, according to an update from real estate tech firm Zillow (Nasdaq: Z and ZG). While last year was a bright spot — wages grew faster than rents nationally and in almost half... Read More

The world’s largest carbon removal plant is here, and bigger ones are on the way

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Climeworks’ Mammoth direct air capture plant in Hellisheiði, Iceland. | Image: Climeworks

Mammoth, the largest industrial facility yet built to filter carbon dioxide out of the air, just powered up in Hellisheiði, Iceland. It’s run by Swiss climate tech company Climeworks, whose clients include JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Stripe, and Shopify, among others.

It was the latest industrial plant built with the purpose of sucking carbon dioxide out of the air, a process called direct air capture (DAC) — with more facilities planned around the world. DAC is supposed to be a way to fight climate change by getting rid of greenhouse gas emissions that have built up in the atmosphere, but the process still has to prove that it can scale up enough to have a meaningful impact.

It’ll have to see if it can replicate that early success in a...

Russo Brothers’ AGBO launches innovation department for tech creativity

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 15:00:00 +0000

AGBO, the media company founded by the Russo Brothers, has launched its Innovation Department to propel tech-enabled creativity.Read More

Report: Telefonica Deal Puts Amazon in Europe’s 5G Market

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 14:40:13 +0000

Telefonica Germany is reportedly moving 1 million 5G customers to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud.

The deal marks the first time in which an existing mobile operator is switching its main network to a public cloud, Reuters reported Wednesday (May 8).

Cloud giants like Amazon and Microsoft have been working to expand into the telecom space and its billions of dollars in potential revenue, although operators have been reluctant to trust their mobile networks to a public cloud, the report said.

“I want to see it working for at least one to two quarters and have a roadmap to move at least 30-40% of my customer base by 2025-2026,” said Mallik Rao, chief technology and information officer at Telefonica Germany, a subsidiary of the larger Spanish company Telefonica, per the report.

The telecom has 45 million customers in Germany, the report said, adding that terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The core network, made up of high-performance servers in data centers, drives a mobile network that securely routes data and calls at high speeds, according to the report. A public cloud will reduce costs, increase scale and allow repairs to be made without disrupting services.

“As the network becomes more defined by software, traditional players need to up the ante to keep up with the threat of the Big Tech,” Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at PP Foresight, told Reuters. “We will hear the word ‘frenemy’ used a lot more.”

PYMNTS Intelligence’s “Generative AI Tracker®” examined the way that 5G adoption dovetails with the way telecoms are actively integrating generative artificial intelligence into their operations.

Eighty-seven percent “of telecom executives acknowledge the potential of AI and machine learning to positively impact both customer experience and customer relationship management, while 67% believe generative AI can improve IT service provision,” PYMNTS wrote in March. “Additionally, legacy providers are partnering with technology incumbents to develop generative AI solutions that can streamline operations and enhance customer service as well as enhance network performance and personalize user experiences.”

Meanwhile, several countries are either considering, deploying or on the verge of deploying 5G infrastructure, from smaller nations like Fiji and Samoa working with Nokia, to major players like China and the United States showing progress on the 5G front.

The post Report: Telefonica Deal Puts Amazon in Europe’s 5G Market appeared first on PYMNTS.com.

World Blockchain Summit: Pioneering Insights and Strategic Partnerships Ignite in Dubai

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 13:39:19 +0000

Building on the momentum from a successful first day of the World Blockchain Summit (#WBS), organized by Trescon, Day 2 concluded with thought-provoking discussions, cutting-edge innovations, and actionable insights at the JW Marriott Hotel Marina in Dubai.

Held on April 22nd and 23rd, the event gathered leading industry experts, blockchain innovators, government stakeholders, and investors, collectively spotlighting the practical applications of next-generation blockchain solutions.

The World Blockchain Summit outdid expectations drawing over 2000+ C-Suite, 300+ investors, 100+ sponsors, and 50+ speakers. The event fostered a dynamic environment for learning, networking, and innovation. Filled with rich discussions and insightful keynotes, the Summit focused on enhancing the adoption of blockchain across crucial sectors such as finance, food industries and more.

Some of the notable highlights from the event was the panel discussion on “The Investor’s Perspective of Digital Assets: Challenges and Promises of the Digital Age”, moderated by Juliet Su, Partner, NewTribe Capital, examined the role of developing economies in embracing digital assets as a means for financial inclusion and economic growth. The panellists, Richard Muirhead, Managing Partner, Fabric Ventures; Diana Biggs, Partner, 1kx; Amit Grover, General Partner and Managing Partner, Koinonos Capital and Grover & Company, shared their insights on how the digital asset landscape is evolving.

Another noteworthy session was the keynote presentation on “Unleashing the Power of Blockchain: A Journey Beyond Transactions”, by Rizwan Shaikh, Chief Technology Officer at White Shark Blockchain Solutions DMCC.

One standout moment was the panel discussion on “Enterprise Adoption: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Trends in the Blockchain ecosystem”. Moderated by Maha Al-Saadi, Head of Regulatory Affairs, QFC Financial Services Sector, the panel explored the unique challenges and barriers in blockchain adoption.

The panellists, George Gvazava, Chief Crypto Officer, Bank of Georgia; Maher Al Kaabi, Advisor to Chairman & Independent Board, Alserkal Group; Aditya Tallapragada, CEO, Medifakt; Wolfgang Grabher, Founder, CEO and Chairman, SUN AG; Kiruthik Raaj, Co-founder & Head of Engineering, Hedgeblock, deliberated on the successful blockchain use-cases and spoke about the educational initiatives to bridge the knowledge gap and drive mainstream blockchain adoption.

Sharing his experience, Thomas Bleimuth, Chief Asset Management Officer at Anbruggen Capital, remarked, “I appreciate the opportunity to speak at the WBS panel. It was very well-organized and a truly memorable experience.”

Sharath Kumar, Business Director, Trescon, expressed his enthusiasm about assembling global blockchain pioneers and innovators in Dubai, noting, “The Summit showcased Dubai’s strategic emergence as a global hub for cryptocurrency, accentuating its significant role within the regional and worldwide innovation ecosystems that drive blockchain adoption forward.”

The event also hosted the Dubai regionals of the Startup World Cup by Pegasus Tech Ventures, offering startups a stage to present their innovations to global investors. Among the competitors, Pentagon Games emerged victorious, leading the rapidly evolving gaming industry by integrating XR Metaverse for innovative content distribution and employing Web3 and AI as the foundation for their GameFi initiatives.

Following the remarkable success of the World Blockchain Summit in Dubai, we are grateful to CNBC for their invaluable partnership. Their support has been instrumental in reinforcing our commitment to advancing global blockchain innovation and collaboration.

The 29th edition of the World Blockchain Summit is supported by:

Strategic Partners – DIFC Innovation Hub , Dubai AI & Web3 Campus
Co-Host – Sun Minimeal
After Party Sponsor – Floxypay
Gold Sponsors – Cardano Foundation , Medifakt, Crypto2Cash, Anbruggen, Bitflex
Silver Sponsors- Kreation, Coingames, Reat Capital, ACM Finance , Website AI, Vision Chain
Lanyard Sponsor- M2
Badge Sponsor – Ledn
Lunch Sponsor – Payper
Bronze Sponsor- BitGo, M2 , Block Convey, Genesis Digital Assets , Hedge , Golfin, Build-AI
Pitch Partners – Reat Capital , soukcola , MeAI , Zherpa , FidesInnova Labs, Pentagon Games
Exhibitors- DSQ Solutions , Reltime, Qoneqt , C# Corner , Islamic Dinar, Technoloader, Verichains, Vault, Ecotrader.io, Ideofuzion, NuChain, LCX
Official Accommodation Partner- HotelPlanner
Ecosystem Partner – Entrepreneur Media
Business Broadcast Partner – CNBC Arabia
Official Newspaper Partner- The Fintech Times
Official Digital PR Distribution Partner – ZEX PR Wire
ABM Partner- Demandify
Association Partners- Crypto and Blockchain Association, Blockchain Council, Asia Web3 Alliance Japan, European Blockchain Association
Prime Media Partner- Demandteq
Community Partner – Hyperledger Foundation, The Digital Chamber

About World Blockchain Summit (WBS)

World Blockchain Summit (WBS) is an event by Trescon that supports the growth of the blockchain, crypto and Web3 ecosystem globally. WBS is the world’s longest-running blockchain, crypto, and web 3-focused summit series. Since our inception in 2017, we have hosted more than 20 editions in 11 countries as we strived to create the ultimate networking and deal flow platform for the Web3 ecosystem. Each edition brings together global leaders and emerging startups in the space, including investors, developers, IT leaders, entrepreneurs, government authorities, and others.

The post World Blockchain Summit: Pioneering Insights and Strategic Partnerships Ignite in Dubai appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Corlytics Acquires Regtech Platform from Deloitte UK

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 13:28:28 +0000

Corlytics, a regulatory intelligence and policy compliance tech provider, has acquired a digital Regtech platform from Deloitte UK. The marriage of the two platforms is described as transformational, “completing the cycle of regulatory assessment and implementation.” The announcement closely “follows Verdane’s majority stake investment last... Read More

U.S. revokes Intel and Qualcomm chip licenses to supply China’s Huawei

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 13:12:39 +0000

The U.S. government has withdrawn export licenses from Intel and Qualcomm, preventing them from supplying specific goods to Huawei, as Washington intensifies its pressure on the Chinese telecoms manufacturer.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the Department of Commerce’s decision on licenses impacts the delivery of chips for Huawei’s laptops and mobile phones.

The department spokesperson told the Financial Times: “We continuously assess how our controls can best protect our national security and foreign policy interests, taking into consideration a constantly changing threat environment and technological landscape.”

“As part of this process, as we have done in the past, we sometimes revoke export licences,” it added.

Since 2000, the U.S. government has raised concerns about Huawei, citing its ties to the Chinese government and military, sanctions violations, theft of intellectual property, and other offenses. However, scrutiny intensified in 2019 when the Department of Justice charged Huawei and its officials with financial fraud and sanctions violations.

In 2020, the Justice Department then charged Huawei with racketeering, conspiracy to steal trade secrets, and sanction violations. At the same time, the Commerce Department increased export restrictions, restricting Huawei’s access to foreign-made semiconductors that use U.S. technology. Additionally, Congress allocated $1.9 billion to facilitate the removal of Huawei equipment from U.S. networks.

The Biden Administration upheld the Huawei-related restrictions imposed by the Trump Administration and tightened restrictions on sales of semiconductors for 5G devices.

Marco Rubio, the Senate intelligence committee Republican vice-chair, and other significant players wrote in a letter to U.S. commerce secretary Gina Raimondo, “It is clear from these trends that Huawei, a blacklisted company that was on the ropes just a few years ago, is making a comeback.”

China advances in chip tech without help from the U.S.

Despite the restrictions, China is making significant progress in developing advanced semiconductors. The country’s leading chipmaker SMIC has new production lines in Shanghai to manufacture next-generation 5-nanometer (5nm) mobile processors, which Huawei designs. Several Chinese journalists, including Li Zexin from state-owned Xinhua News, said the ongoing sanctions against Huawei were due to its “jaw-dropping 6-fold profit growth in the 1st quarter of 2024.”

The US escalated its sanctions against Huawei today. The 2 news should be read together.

The fact is that despite the endless efforts to stop Huawei, the company still achieved a jaw-dropping 6-fold profit growth in the 1st quarter of 2024.

It's not a surprise to see this… pic.twitter.com/6FibUPrqze

— Li Zexin (@XH_Lee23) May 8, 2024

There have also been major advances in radio-frequency (RF) chip design and engineering in Huawei’s latest flagship smartphone, the Mate 60 Pro. The innovations indicated in the Mate 60 Pro prove that, even under U.S. trade restrictions, the Chinese tech giant can design cutting-edge mobile devices without American help.

Featured image: Canva

The post U.S. revokes Intel and Qualcomm chip licenses to supply China’s Huawei appeared first on ReadWrite.

Overwolf acquires NitroPay in 8-figure deal to boost ad tech offering

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Gaming UGC and monetization platform Overwolf has acquired NitroPay to boost its ad tech offering and double its monthly ad traffic.Read More

The Future of Programmatic Lies in Simplification and Collaboration: DIRECTV’s McGovern

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 12:47:36 +0000

MIAMI — Creation wasn’t supposed to be about fragmentation. But that’s what many media companies and advertisers think they have ended up with, as a plethora of platforms and technology standards competes for attention.

Faced with the impact, brands and their agencies are seeking ways to manage reach and frequency in Connected TV (CTV) as they have historically done with traditional TV. Rose McGovern wants to help build a solution.

In this video interview with Beet.TV, the Head of Programmatic & Digital Ad Sales at DIRECTV, emphasizes the power of simplification and collaboration as the cornerstone for future advancements in a programmatic advertising and live TV environment that sometimes seems like it’s coming apart at the seams.

Simplifying the Programmatic Puzzle

McGovern sheds light on the complexities buyers face in the current environment, where content is scattered across various platforms.

She states, “It’s important for us to make it really easy to buy any content on our platform,” highlighting DIRECTV’s role in streamlining the buying process. By leveraging programmatic avenues like Private Market Place (PMP), Programmatic Guaranteed, or biddable marketplaces, McGovern believes that opportunities for advertisers, especially within live sports—a DirecTV stronghold—can be uniquely catered to.

“Being the right ad at the right moment for the right person,” McGovern says, is the essence of resonating with viewers. To achieve this synchronicity, DIRECTV is harnessing audience targeting, supported by programmatic capabilities and interoperable Universal IDs. McGovern elaborates, “We can also support that with content metadata,” which allows buyers to target series or genres programmatically, offering the dual advantage of audience and content-specific targeting.

Coming Together

McGovern praises industry events like POSSIBLE for facilitating partnerships and problem-solving among platforms, stating, “We’re all here as partners to solve these problems.”

The industry is witnessing “productive collaboration among programmers, distributors, ad tech, [and] mar-tech at an all-time high,” McGovern observes.

By enhancing collaboration, she believes the industry can create those “magic moments where we can connect content and advertising and drive outcomes”.

You’re watching ‘Anything Is Possible: The Rising Tide of Programmatic Streaming,’ a Beet.TV Leadership Series at POSSIBLE 2024, presented by Index Exchange. For more videos from this series, please visit this page.

AT&T Tries Charging Users $7 Extra For ‘Turbo’ 5G

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 12:20:20 +0000

For years, big ISPs have made it abundantly clear that they dream of being able to abuse their gatekeeper power over telecom markets to tilt the playing field in their favor. Whether it was Verizon’s early attempts to force you to buy their GPS apps and mapping services, to AT&T’s later-year efforts with “sponsored data” (letting certain big companies buy a network advantage), their goals have never been subtle.

Unfortunately for them, consumer groups, activists, and regulators keep screwing up their plans with that whole “net neutrality” thing.

Last month, the FCC finally got around to restoring net neutrality rules, which prohibit ISPs from being too obviously obnoxious when it comes to anti-competitive behavior. The rules ban ISPs from blocking or throttling competitors, or from striking deals that could distort the competitive landscape (like say by giving Disney faster network performance and exemption from data caps, but not a nonprofit).

Since AT&T can’t engage in the kind of fully anti-competitive efforts they were hoping for, they’ve been relegated to trying to nickel-and-dime consumers in less spectacular ways. For example, last week the company announced they’d be offering the company’s 5G users “Turbo” speeds for an extra $7 a month.

The $7 surcharge, for each line on your account, “boosts all the high-speed and hotspot data on a user’s connection.” It does this by assigning “Quality of Service Class Identifiers,” which effectively gives some users network priority. The “boost” is only available on unlimited data plans, and even then AT&T will still throttle your connection down if you consume more than 75 GB of data.

Some business users who videoconference on the go might find some benefit from the guaranteed performance, but it’s unlikely many users (who already pay some of the highest prices in the developed world for wireless data) will be all that interested. Verizon tried charging users $10 extra a month just to connect at 5G speeds, but had to back off once it was clear that most users care more about affordability.

While AT&T’s initial offering doesn’t violate net neutrality, some consumer advocates say that the act of speeding up some customers could slow down others. And the pricing mostly just makes for a confusing user experience:

“Unlike speed tiers, or different data allowances, if a bunch of users effectively buy their way to the front of the line, that could end up degrading the experience for other users. Apart from that, it could just lead to a confusing billing experience, and users being upsold on a service they don’t need, and that may not end up being that useful.”

But generally there’s nothing wrong with giving people with extra disposable income an opportunity to set it on fire. We’ll have to see if AT&T, known for always pushing its luck when it comes to nickel-and-diming consumers in creative and obnoxious ways, expands or tweaks the offering in ways that could be viewed as anti-competitive.

Social media firms must ‘tame toxic algorithms’ under new measures to protect children

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 11:43:17 +0000

UK technology firms have been told to ‘tame toxic algorithms’ and implement practical steps for children’s safety online.

This all comes under Ofcom’s new measures titled ‘Children’s Safety Codes of Practice,’ which must be followed by social media sites, apps, and search engines.

Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for broadcasting, telecommunications, and postal industries within the United Kingdom.

One of the first elements listed is age checks, with “much greater use of highly-effective age-assurance” needed. Anything that promotes suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, or pornography is classed as harmful content.

Dangerous challenges, harmful substances, inciting hatred against people with certain characteristics, instructions for acts of serious violence, and real or serious violence against people or animals are also classed as harmful under the UK Online Safety Act.

This should impact all services that do not currently ban harmful content, as they’ll now be expected to implement age checks to prevent children from seeing it.

Dame Melanie Dawes, the Ofcom Chief Executive, explains how this goes “way beyond current industry standards,” but aims to “deliver a step-change in online safety for children in the UK.

“We want children to enjoy life online. But for too long, their experiences have been blighted by seriously harmful content which they can’t avoid or control. Many parents share feelings of frustration and worry about how to keep their children safe. That must change.”

The regulatory watchdog “won’t hesitate to use our full range of enforcement powers to hold platforms to account.”

The draft includes measures to make sure there’s strong accountability for children’s safety taken within technology firms too. They say this should include having a named person accountable for compliance specifically with the children’s safety duties.

OnlyFans under investigation by UK Ofcom

The measures have been published just days after Ofcom announced they’ve opened an investigation into OnlyFans on May 1.

They’re looking at whether the company is doing enough to prevent children from accessing pornography on its site.

While OnlyFans does have age measures in place, Ofcom says they’ve “reviewed submissions we received” and “have grounds to suspect the platform did not implement its age verification measures in such a way as to sufficiently protect under-18s from pornographic material.

An update on the investigation is expected within due course.

The post Social media firms must ‘tame toxic algorithms’ under new measures to protect children appeared first on ReadWrite.

Payment Diversification Creates Winning Formula for Merchants

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 08:01:57 +0000

There’s no place like home, particularly when it comes to preferred payment mechanisms.

That’s why businesses looking to expand internationally need to ensure that their strategic approach includes diversification of payment methods and the integration of local payment solutions.

“You need to embrace local payment methods and prioritize them unless you want to have a lot of cart abandonment,” Deutsche Bank’s Head of Merchant Solutions, Asia Pacific and Americas Oliver von Quadt told PYMNTS.

Providing a frictionless payment experience helps increase the likelihood that online shoppers will complete their purchases, increasing checkout conversions and ultimately driving sales volume.

A frictionless experience starts with the local payment method your target customer base is most comfortable and familiar with. From cash on delivery (COD) to card and eWallet-based methods, international merchants need to adapt and incorporate local optionality and breadth of variety to be able to compete against incumbent peers.

“You have to embrace the local wallets that are very dominant,” von Quadt said, stressing that local payment methods are not just an option but a necessity for businesses looking to expand their reach across Asian markets.

He illustrated the success of local instant payment methods, such as UPI in India, which now processes 12 billion transactions per month. This surge from 5 billion to 6 billion transactions a year ago underscores the rapid adoption and effectiveness of these methods.

Government support, low fees and mandatory acceptance are driving the success of many local and digitally native methods, von Quadt said, as they benefit both consumers and merchants by improving margins and boosting adoption rates.

Embracing a Holistic Approach to a Local Payments Strategy

Expanding into new markets, no matter the approach taken, will always come with its own set of challenges. But by prioritizing user-friendly, seamless checkouts with a variety of payment methods, online shopping platforms can close the cart abandonment gap and foster greater loyalty in new markets.

Still, von Quadt cautioned against taking a fragmented approach to sourcing acquiring solutions or attempting to build payment solutions in-house.

Instead, he stressed the importance of finding the right balance between centralization and localization. At the same time, both over-involving or under-involving local subsidiaries can hinder the scalability of operations, a reality that highlights the need for a strategic approach to governance and decision-making.

“It’s super important to look twice, look beyond the sales deck and see how deeply rooted the partner really is in the respective country,” von Quadt said. “Beyond that, it’s important to also look beyond just treasury or collections. Tech teams need to be involved, salespeople need to be involved … you have to embrace a holistic view on payments because it is going to have an impact on your workflows, your logistics, and your sales and product teams as well.”

Depth of partnership, local settlement capabilities, contractual agreements and adherence to regulatory standards are among the most important key considerations that firms must not compromise on, he added.

By partnering with established and reputable providers, businesses can navigate the complexities of regional markets more effectively and capitalize on growth opportunities.

Automation as a Key Enabler of Growth

While the journey toward payment diversification is complex, requiring a strategic, holistic approach, the potential rewards in customer attraction, retention and sales volume growth are immense.

That’s why centralizing and automating payment processes have emerged as critical strategies for businesses looking to scale within regional markets. Automation streamlines reconciliation, enhances cash visibility and optimizes sales processes, while centralization minimizes fragmentation and ensures greater control over payment operations. By striking the right balance between centralization and localization, businesses can effectively manage their payment ecosystem while focusing on core business objectives, von Quadt said.

“Automation is a no-brainer,” he said. “Automation is your friend. Reconciliation across various jurisdictions or countries is very powerful for treasury. Cash visibility at the moment when the sale happens is very powerful. The more you automate, the more you can optimize.”

Looking ahead, the future of digital payments in Asia promises continued innovation and evolution. Local payment methods are expected to thrive, fueled by initiatives to promote financial inclusion and cross-border interoperability.

While some consolidation may occur in the realm of digital wallets, von Quadt said a diverse landscape of payment methods will persist, offering consumers and businesses a range of options. SoftPOS solutions, which offer cost-effective payment processing, are anticipated to gain traction, further driving the digitization of payments across the region.

As the landscape of digital payments continues to evolve, strategic adaptation and innovation will remain essential for success in the global marketplace.

The post Payment Diversification Creates Winning Formula for Merchants appeared first on PYMNTS.com.

Samsung Medison buys healthcare focused AI firm Sonio for $92.7M

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 07:34:16 +0000

On Wednesday, Samsung Medison, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics focused on diagnostic imaging technology, announced its intention to purchase Sonio, a Paris-based company that develops AI-enhanced software for ultrasound procedures, for approximately $92.7 million (KRW 126 billion). Sonio.ai, a French startup, has developed an AI tool designed to assist obstetricians and gynecologists in analyzing and recording ultrasound examinations.

What does AI-powered Sonio Detect do?

In the U.S., its Sonio Detect product, which employs advanced deep learning algorithms to enhance ultrasound image quality in real-time, has gained FDA 510(k) approval. Samsung Medison expressed that integrating Sonio’s software would enhance its offerings in AI-optimized imaging workflows. Samsung Electronics, which purchased Medison in 2011 for $22 million, holds a 68.45% ownership in the medical device division.

Sonio Detect is designed to assist healthcare providers such as obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine specialists (MFMs), and sonographers by enhancing the quality of prenatal imaging. The software significantly facilitates the recognition of essential anatomical features, including the heart and brain, during fetal ultrasounds. This capability helps streamline the examination process and supports healthcare professionals in their diagnostic assessments. Sonio Detect is noted for its precision in identifying specific labels, views, and quality metrics, effective across various patient backgrounds and ultrasound equipment brands.

The software has been rigorously tested on a dataset of 17,000 ultrasound images, demonstrating its effectiveness and consistency. This thorough validation process confirms the software’s ability to perform reliably under different conditions, establishing its role as a dependable option in prenatal diagnostics.

Sonio will operate as an autonomous entity (Image credit)

In addition to enhancing image analysis, Sonio also offers Sonio Diagnostics, a tool aimed at bolstering prenatal care. This CE-marked device provides detailed guidance during ultrasound scans, helping practitioners detect and interpret symptoms and anomalies. With a comprehensive database that includes 250 symptoms and 700 abnormalities, Sonio Diagnostics supports medical professionals in delivering informed care and timely interventions, highlighting Sonio’s broader commitment to advancing prenatal health.

Samsung disclosed that post-acquisition, Sonio will operate as an autonomous entity, continuing its commercial expansion and maintaining its product and service offerings in France. Established in 2020 by Cecile Brosset (CEO) and Remi Besson (CSO), Sonio recently garnered $14 million in Series A funding in August 2023, led by Cross Border Impact Ventures. According to Tracxn, Sonio has accumulated a total funding of $27.2 million. Its investment backers comprise Elaia, Bpifrance French Tech Seed, OneRagtime, along with several angel investors.

“We have great respect and admiration for what the Sonio team has built in the area of maternal care. Through the acquisition of Sonio, Samsung Medison will continue to deliver upon our promise to improve the quality of people’s lives with technology,” said Yong Kwan Kim, Samsung Medison CEO. “Collaboration with Sonio will bring together best-in-class ultrasound AI technology and reporting capabilities to bring a paradigm shift in the prenatal ultrasound exam.”

“Samsung Medison’s established global ultrasound business combined with Sonio’s advanced AI creates an exciting growth opportunity for both sides,” stated Cécile Brosset, Sonio CEO. “We have found in Samsung Medison an amazing, trusting partner to pursue and accelerate our roadmap and mission. In addition to close collaboration with Samsung Medison, as an independent company, Sonio will continue to advance medical reporting technology and diagnostic software globally, including for underserved areas in healthcare.”

Featured image credit: Babak Habibi/Unsplash

Red Hat unveils RHEL AI and InstructLab to democratize enterprise AI

admin — Tue, 07 May 2024 23:29:00 +0000

With RHEL AI and InstructLab, Red Hat aims to do for AI what it did for Linux and Kubernetes - make powerful tech accessible to a broad...Read More

OpenAI gears up to compete with Google as ChatGPT learns to search the web

admin — Tue, 07 May 2024 23:26:53 +0000

OpenAI is reportedly enhancing ChatGPT with a new feature that enables the AI to perform web searches and cite sources, according to Bloomberg, positioning it as a direct competitor to Google’s search engine and AI startups like Perplexity. This development could significantly change how users interact with ChatGPT by integrating more dynamic and referenced information directly from the web.

According to Bloomberg sources, the new feature in development would allow ChatGPT users to ask questions and receive answers that pull information from various online resources. These responses could include citations from Wikipedia, blog posts, and potentially even visual aids such as diagrams when relevant. For example, a query on how to change a doorknob might return a step-by-step guide accompanied by a diagram illustrating the process.

The move to expand ChatGPT’s capabilities comes as OpenAI faces increasing competition in the AI sector, where search functionality has become a significant battleground. Competitors like Perplexity, which recently reached a $1 billion valuation, and tech giant Google are also enhancing their search technologies with AI to improve accuracy and user experience. OpenAI’s initiative to integrate search functionality directly into ChatGPT could set a new standard for interactive AI systems by providing users with a more comprehensive, self-contained tool for information retrieval and task assistance.

The potential introduction of a search feature by OpenAI has sparked widespread speculation online, especially after social media users noticed a URL, search.chatgpt.com, which led to a “not found” message but hinted at future capabilities. Over one weekend, the URL briefly redirected to ChatGPT’s main site, fueling rumors about the imminent launch of this new feature.

Currently, the ability to search the web is available only to subscribers of ChatGPT Plus, and it can answer queries such as current weather conditions. However, there have been issues, such as outdated responses, highlighting the need for improvements in how ChatGPT retrieves and verifies real-time data.

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