Author: Art Ryan

SAP has unveiled Joule Agents, a suite of collaborative AI agents designed to enhance business productivity by streamlining complex, cross-functional workflows. These agents aim to eliminate operational silos, enabling seamless collaboration across various business processes. Key Features of Joule Agents: Upcoming Deployments: SAP plans to roll out a collection of ready-to-use Joule Agents across finance, service, and sales sectors throughout 2025. Notably, a cash collection agent is slated for availability in the first quarter. This agent will analyze disputes and collaborate across finance, customer service, and operations to validate details and recommend resolutions, exemplifying the practical application of agentic AI…

EnCharge AI, a startup specializing in analog in-memory computing AI chips, has successfully secured over $100 million in an oversubscribed Series B funding round. This latest investment brings the company’s total funding to more than $144 million. The capital will be utilized to commercialize EnCharge AI’s inaugural AI accelerator products for client computing in 2025 and to advance its future product roadmap. Leading the Funding Round The Series B round was led by Tiger Global, a prominent investment firm. The round also saw participation from a diverse group of financial and strategic investors spanning various industries, including consumer electronics, infrastructure,…

Researchers have used artificial intelligence (AI) to design brand-new enzymes that can go through multi-step reactions, a key feature of natural enzymes. The structures they made accelerated a four-step chemical reaction pivotal to many biological and industrial processes, including plastic recycling. “This is a milestone in enzyme engineering,” says Huimin Zhao, a synthetic biologist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “[It] shows that now it’s possible to design enzymes with native-like activity that could make them useful practically.” Earlier efforts to design enzymes from scratch using AI have had limited success, often producing ones that stall after the first step…

Samsung’s One UI 7.0 has been in development for the past two to three years, according to the company’s software chief, Sally. In a recent interview, Sally revealed that some of the latest AI features in One UI 7.0 will require modern hardware and may not be available on older Galaxy phones. One such feature is Now Brief, which debuted with the Galaxy S25 series. It provides relevant information based on the time of day to help users keep up with their schedule. But Now Brief relies on Samsung’s Personal Data Engine, a feature that requires a powerful NPU for…

The UK government has officially dropped “safety” from its AI watchdog, renaming it the AI Security Institute and refocusing on AI-related national security risks. The move signals a shift away from concerns like algorithmic bias and misinformation toward preventing AI-enabled cyberattacks, fraud, and bioweapon development. The government also signed a memorandum of understanding with Anthropic to explore AI applications in public services and research. Key Points: The UK’s AI governance landscape is undergoing a major shift. On Friday, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle announced that the AI Safety Institute would be renamed the AI Security Institute, refocusing on AI-related threats to national security. The change,…

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Outreach, the first and only Sales Execution Platform built for intelligent revenue workflows, today announced new innovations to its AI-powered platform to increase efficiencies across the sales cycle for the full revenue team. “As AI becomes more embedded in revenue organizations, Outreach is committed to continuous innovation, implementing increased security and data privacy measures, and ensuring our platform adapts to the evolving needs of sales teams,” said Nithya Lakshmanan, Head of Product and Design at Outreach. “Our latest enhancements empower GTM teams with more control, efficiency, and intelligence, whether they’re in the office or on the move.” Outreach continues…

Key Points In 2023, Bank of America analyst Michael Hartnett coined the term “Magnificent Seven” to describe a group of powerhouse tech stocks, inspired by the classic 1960s Western film. These companies, among the market’s most valuable, are leading the way in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, online gaming, and advanced hardware and software. Over the past five years, the Magnificent Seven have delivered mind-boggling returns, but 2025 has been more challenging. So far, only Meta Platforms has significantly outperformed the S&P 500 (^GSPC 1.04%) (up 2.4% year to date as of this writing), while others have flat-out struggled. AAPL data by YCharts One standout performer this year is Amazon (AMZN 0.63%), a…

Dates: February 23-26, 2025 Location: Doha, Qatar Website: Web Summit Qatar Overview of Web Summit Qatar 2025 The highly anticipated Web Summit Qatar 2025 is set to take place from February 23-26, 2025, in Doha, Qatar. This premier technology conference will bring together global entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and policymakers to explore cutting-edge innovations and discuss the future of the tech ecosystem. As part of Web Summit’s global expansion, the Qatar edition aims to bridge East and West, providing a dynamic platform for networking, knowledge-sharing, and investment opportunities in one of the fastest-growing technology hubs in the Middle East. What…

In a court filing on Wednesday, a lawyer for Elon Musk said the billionaire will withdraw his $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI’s nonprofit if the ChatGPT maker’s board of directors “preserve the charity’s mission” and halt its conversion to a for-profit corporation. The filing, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims that Musk’s offer to buy OpenAI’s nonprofit is “serious,” and that the nonprofit “must be compensated by what an arms-length buyer will pay for its assets.” “Should […] the charity’s assets proceed to sale, a Musk-led consortium has submitted a serious offer […] that…

Indonesia has officially proposed to host the AI Global South Forum, an initiative led by UNESCO to promote responsible AI development in emerging economies across Asia, Africa, and the South Pacific. This forum aims to bridge the digital divide, ensuring that developing nations benefit from AI advancements while maintaining ethical and sustainable technological growth. Indonesia’s Leadership in Ethical AI Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Nezar Patria, emphasized Indonesia’s commitment to fostering an inclusive AI ecosystem that aligns with ethical standards and human rights. He highlighted Indonesia’s milestone achievement as the first Southeast Asian country to complete UNESCO’s Readiness…

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, AI-generated content has brought both opportunities and challenges. On Safer Internet Day 2025, Microsoft is reinforcing its commitment to responsible AI use by focusing on education, empowerment, and proactive safety measures to combat AI-generated abuse. The Growing Risk of AI-Generated Abusive Content AI has revolutionized content creation, enabling realistic deepfakes, AI-generated text, and synthetic media that can be used for both positive innovation and harmful manipulation. The rise of misinformation, deepfake scams, and AI-driven cyber threats has created an urgent need for safeguards and digital literacy programs. Microsoft acknowledges these risks and highlights…

OpenAI has effectively canceled the release of o3, which was slated to be the company’s next major AI model, in favor of what CEO Sam Altman is calling a “simplified” product offering. In a post on X on Wednesday, Altman said that in the coming months, OpenAI will release a model called GPT-5 that “integrates a lot of [OpenAI’s] technology,” including o3, in its AI-powered chatbot platform ChatGPT and API. As a result of that roadmap decision, OpenAI no longer plans to launch o3 as a stand-alone model. The company originally said in December that it aimed to release o3 sometime early this year.…

LEAP 2025, held from February 9-12 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre in Saudi Arabia, convened over 680 startups, 1,000+ speakers, 1,800+ global brands, and attracted more than 170,000 visitors under the theme “Towards New Worlds.” On the opening day, Saudi Arabia announced investments and projects exceeding $14.9 billion in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, aiming to solidify its position as a global leader in shaping the digital future. These initiatives are designed to enhance digital skills, support the growth of emerging tech companies, and foster innovation within the nation. Abdullah Alswaha, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology,…

Key Points Google will start using artificial intelligence to determine whether users are age appropriate for its products, the company said Wednesday. Google announced the new technique for determining users’ ages as part of a blog focused on “New digital protections for kids, teens and parents.” The automation will be used across Google products, including YouTube, a spokesperson confirmed. Google has billions of users across its properties and users designated as under the age of 18 have restrictions to some Google services. “This year we’ll begin testing a machine learning-based age estimation model in the U.S.,” wrote Jenn Fitzpatrick, SVP of Google’s…

BEIJING, Feb. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As DeepSeek’s cutting-edge technology rapidly expands across industries, Mafengwo announced the integration of its self-developed AI application with the DeepSeek large language model. In the initial phase, the upgrade will prioritize the already launched provincial-level smart tourism ecosystem —”AI Travel Guizhou,” “AI Travel Qianxinan,” and “AI Travel Xijiang”— further enhancing the intelligence and quality of travel services in Guizhou Province. As China’s first provincial-level, comprehensive smart tourism platform, “AI Travel Guizhou” has garnered significant attention since its launch for its robust functionality. During the Spring Festival holiday, it provided personalized services to a large number of travelers visiting Guizhou. Now, within…

Key Points Amazon will keep playing a critical role in AI technology and cloud computing. Amazon (AMZN -1.65%) demonstrated remarkable financial strength in the fourth quarter, with revenues and earnings beating analysts’ consensus expectations. Revenues were up 10.5% year over year to $187.8 billion, ahead of the Wall Street target of $187.3 billion. Adjusted earnings per share rose by 86% to $1.86, dramatically higher than the consensus estimate of $1.49. Despite the robust performance, the market’s initial reaction to the Q4 report it delivered on Feb. 6 was negative. Investors were disappointed with management’s weaker-than-expected revenue guidance for the first quarter of 2025. While analysts…

A recent survey by the American Medical Association (AMA) indicates a growing enthusiasm among physicians for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into healthcare practices. The study, conducted in November 2024 with 1,183 physicians, reveals that 35% of respondents now express more enthusiasm than concern regarding healthcare AI, up from 30% in 2023. Additionally, the proportion of physicians whose concerns outweigh their enthusiasm decreased from 29% to 25% over the same period. The survey highlights that 68% of physicians in 2024 perceive definite or some advantages to utilizing AI technology, a slight increase from 65% in 2023. Notably, AI adoption in clinical…

Adobe has unveiled the Firefly Video Model, a groundbreaking generative AI tool designed to revolutionize video creation by offering unparalleled creative control. This innovative model is both intellectual property-friendly and commercially safe, ensuring that creators can produce content with confidence. Integrated within the Firefly web app, the Video Model allows users to seamlessly generate images and transform them into captivating videos. Features include the ability to create video clips from text prompts, convert images into dynamic videos, and translate audio into multiple languages. This multi-modal approach streamlines the creative process, enabling individuals of all skill levels to bring their visions…

PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CrowdSec, a global leader in threat intelligence and collaborative cybersecurity, today announced the release of its latest eBook, Multimodal Offensive Artificial Intelligence: Exploring The Next Frontier in Cyber Threats and Defense Evolution. As artificial intelligence continues to revolutionize industries worldwide, its potential misuse by cybercriminals presents a stark reality for organizations of all sizes. This in-depth study sheds light on the emerging risks posed by Multimodal Offensive Artificial Intelligence (MOAI) and offers a forward-looking perspective on the future of cyber defense in the age of intelligent, autonomous threats. The Multimodal Offensive Artificial Intelligence eBook provides a detailed examination of MOAI,…

As we close out the Paris AI Action Summit, one thing is clear: the conversation around open and Public AI is evolving—and gaining real momentum. Just over a year ago at Bletchley Park, open source AI was framed as a risk. In Paris, we saw a major shift. There is now a growing recognition that openness isn’t just compatible with AI safety and advancing public interest AI—it’s essential to it. We have been vocal supporters of an ecosystem grounded in open competition and trustworthy AI —one where innovation isn’t walled off by dominant players or concentrated in a single geography. Mozilla, therefore, came to…