Author: Art Ryan

Visa and Amazon Web Services want to help developers and enterprises deploy agentic AI commerce projects. To that end, the companies announced Monday (Dec. 1) the launch of a partnership that will see Visa list its Intelligence Commerce platform in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) marketplace. “Agentic commerce needs trust to move from intent to action; Visa Intelligent Commerce is designed to be the trust layer for the agent economy and together with Visa Acceptance can provide the infrastructure for secure, network-agnostic transactions,” Rubail Birwadker, senior vice president and global head of growth for Visa, said in a news release. “With AWS’s scalable cloud…

The role of the finance function is being re-written as companies increasingly are no longer satisfied with observing cash flow in the rearview mirror. Instead, they are beginning to redesign it. The latest data in the report “Time to Cash™: A New Measure of Business Resilience,” a new PYMNTS Intelligence collaboration with Bottomline and FIS, revealed that Time to Cash™, the speed at which a company turns sales into usable capital, now correlates more strongly with performance than sector, size, or even revenue growth. The report classified companies into three distinct profiles: Strategic Movers, Stable Operators, and Liquidity Constrained. Each are mapped to the maturity…

New York has become the first state to take action against so-called “personalized pricing.” As The New York Times reported Saturday (Nov. 29), a law enacted with the state’s budget requires retailers to notify customers about the use of the practice — also known as “algorithmic pricing” — in which they use artificial intelligence (AI) and customer data to set prices. According to the report, the legislation is designed to keep stores from abusing customer data to set high prices by, for example, hiking the cost of a hotel room for someone who has already spent heavily on airline tickets. Under the law, retailers who use personalized pricing…

The last few Prompt Economy Weekly features have focused on trust and technical security for agentic AI. Seeing as how security is a prerequisite for its consistent usage, that focus was spot-on and will continue to be an issue. But this week was something of a litmus test for the Prompt Economy. It marked the beginning of the holiday shopping season, and time will tell whether agentic AI was a factor. In the meantime, we did have several new cases come to the forefront over the past week. That’s where we will focus as more companies develop the trust and security necessary to fulfill agentic AI’s promise. The first…

Credit unions trying to attract younger members now face a generation that expects personalized digital tools and is willing to walk away when it does not get them. The “Digital-First Retention Playbook: Winning Gen Z Loyalty at Credit Unions” report lays out a portrait of a cohort that sees itself as navigating a tougher financial landscape than older groups while demanding fast, relevant and tech-forward service from its financial institutions. The report, produced by PYMNTS Intelligence in collaboration with Velera, finds that Gen Z’s expectations are rising at the same time that their willingness to switch providers is accelerating. This is…

OpenAI’s data center partners are reportedly set to accrue nearly $100 billion in borrowing.  As the Financial Times (FT) reported Sunday (Nov. 30), this has allowed the high profile artificial intelligence (AI) startup to reap the rewards of a debt-driven spending wave without having to take on financial risks. An analysis by the FT found that SoftBank, Oracle and CoreWeave have borrowed at least $30 billion to invest in OpenAI or help build its data centers. Meanwhile, investment company Blue Owl Capital and computing infrastructure providers such as Crusoe also depend on deals its customers have inked with OpenAI to service roughly $28 billion in loans. Lastly, a group of banks was…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — The countdown is entering its final week. In just 7 days, AI innovators, industry leaders, policymakers, and forward-thinking enterprises from around the world will gather in Abu Dhabi for Global AI Show 2025, set to convene on 8 December 2025 at the heart of the UAE. This year’s edition is shaping up to be a landmark event — spotlighting breakthroughs in generative AI, enterprise automation, agentic systems, ethical AI governance, and large-scale AI adoption. As organizations move from proof-of-concept to deployment, Global AI Show 2025 will offer a global platform for collaboration, investment, and strategic transformation.…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — The countdown is accelerating. In just 9 days, the global gaming community — including developers, studios, creators, investors, and esports professionals — will gather in Abu Dhabi for Global Games Show 2025, scheduled for December 8–9, 2025 at Space42 Arena. This year’s edition promises to set a new benchmark in gaming and interactive entertainment, positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for game innovation, immersive experiences, and digital culture. 🌍 A Global Nexus for Gaming, Tech & Entertainment Global Games Show 2025 will bring together a dynamic mix of: The event is designed to be a…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — 2025 — In one of the most significant technology investments in the Middle East, Microsoft has announced a historic US $15.2 billion commitment to the United Arab Emirates, aimed at supercharging the nation’s artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, and digital innovation capabilities. This transformative investment underscores the UAE’s fast-rising position as a global hub for next-generation technologies — and solidifies a powerful new chapter in U.S.–UAE strategic tech cooperation. 💡 A Massive, Multi-Layered Investment for AI Leadership Microsoft’s $15.2B initiative focuses on four core pillars designed to propel the UAE into the future: 1. Hyper-Scale AI &…

Surveying the state of America’s artificial intelligence landscape earlier this year, Misha Laskin was concerned. Laskin, a theoretical physicist and machine learning engineer who helped create some of Google’s most powerful AI models, saw a growing embrace among American AI companies of free, customizable and increasingly powerful “open” AI models. But most of these models were being made in China, and these systems were quickly gaining ground on their U.S. competitors. “These models were not that far behind the frontier. In fact, they were surprisingly close to the frontier. The ones that are coming now,” Laskin said, pausing slightly, “well…

NTT DATA aims to reskill all its employees in India to become AI-native developers, leveraging the country’s vast engineering talent pool to scale Gen AI capabilities globally, a company spokesperson has said. It also intends to tailor its services to meet the country’s unique requirements for cost sensitivity and data sovereignty/confidentiality, according to another company spokesperson. The global IT services company, which offshores engineering resources from India, currently employs over 40,000 individuals in the country. “India is one of the most important countries for the future… we have more than 40,000 employees in India, and our plan is to reskill…

Artificial intelligence developers have been told they should “watermark” content so that people can clearly tell it is AI-generated, as the government seeks to address concerns the technology is being used to mislead and harm Australians. There is no legal requirement to identify content as AI-generated, which has allowed generated content to be confused as real, known as deepfaking. In guidance to developers and content creators, the federal government has advised that AI content should be “clearly identifiable” by including labels that note content is AI-generated or embedding information to trace the origins of content — a process known as…

Dubai, UAE – 30 November 2025 – The CARE ESG Awards by Trescon and ESG Mena recognised the region’s most outstanding leaders, changemakers, and industry shapers driving sustainability, clean energy, climate resilience, and responsible growth. Held during the inaugural edition of climate action, renewable energy & sustainability forum, CARE 2025, the awards spotlighted high-impact contributions driving measurable progress across environmental stewardship, renewable energy deployment, resource efficiency, social value creation, and transparent governance.  He continued “Congratulations to all the winners for their outstanding contributions, commitment, and influence in advancing the region’s transition to low-carbon, sustainable, and responsible growth.” The CARE ESG…

UAE, Dubai – November 24, 2025: ZainTECH, the integrated digital solutions provider of Zain Group, has partnered with Vortex Global, a leading software company specializing in surveillance and visual intelligence solutions, to introduce advanced video compression and AI-powered visual analytics technologies designed to optimize data efficiency and empower organizations across the region. This strategic collaboration reinforces ZainTECH’s commitment to delivering scalable, impactful technologies, that deliver measurable value to clients. The partnership focuses on two key innovations: Z Compress, a high-efficiency video compression technology developed by Secure City Solutions (SCS), and Twin Vision, Vortex’s advanced visual intelligence platform. Z Compress significantly…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — The countdown is nearing the finish line. In just 9 days, industry leaders, innovators, policymakers, and AI enthusiasts from around the world will gather for Global AI Show 2025, scheduled for December 8, 2025, in Abu Dhabi. This flagship event promises to reshape the global AI conversation — spotlighting breakthroughs in generative AI, enterprise automation, agentic systems, and cross-sector innovation. With the date fast approaching, anticipation is building for what is set to be a defining moment in the AI calendar. 🌍 A Hub for AI Transformation Global AI Show 2025 will convene a global audience…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — The countdown intensifies. In just 11 days, the global gaming industry will converge in the UAE’s capital for Global Games Show 2025, taking place December 10–11 at Space42 Arena. The event is already being hailed as one of the most influential gaming gatherings of the decade — bringing together innovators, creators, investors, esports leaders, and the next generation of gaming visionaries. 🌐 A Global Stage for the Future of Gaming Global Games Show 2025 is set to attract: With a world-class agenda spanning game development, AI in gaming, Web3 integration, immersive AR/VR/XR technologies, and the rapidly…

For years, when it was time for startups to start selling their product, they could turn to any number of traditional playbooks. But as with so many things, AI is changing how companies prepare to go to market. “You can do more with less than ever before,” Max Altschuler, general partner at GTMfund, told the audience at TechCrunch Disrupt last month. The challenge for founders and operators, though, will be threading the needle. While there has been some chatter of startups hiring developers more versed and loosing them on typical GTM problems, he said, there’s still a need for more specific domain expertise.…

The Huawei Cloud & AI Partner Summit Singapore 2025, held under the theme “AI Pioneer In Industries”, concluded successfully on November 27, showcasing the company’s latest advancements in AI-native cloud services. The event underscored Huawei Cloud’s continuous investment in delivering a dynamic cloud experience for Singaporean businesses, where 70% of companies have now actively adopted AI. “To drive the next wave of Generative AI adoption, success will be defined by real-world business applications. Huawei Cloud accelerates this shift by offering a complete, ecosystem-driven solution. Through its integrated AI-native infrastructure, CloudMatrix, and a rich network of data and applications, Huawei Cloud…

Google’s 2025 Holiday Campaign: Key Findings Google frames its AI tools, including Gemini, Nano Banana, and Veo, as friendly problem-solvers for festive challenges. Character-driven storytelling demonstrates how playful narratives can highlight complex technology in relatable ways. Multi-platform activations, from TV to digital, show how campaign reach benefits from consistent cross-channel integration. Google is turning AI into a holiday helper. The tech giant’s latest seasonal push brings two playful stories to life, showing how its search and AI tools can solve everyday festive dilemmas. These ads use features such as AI Mode, Try On, and Lens and turn them into plot devices, highlighting how Google’s tech integrates…

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, attends an Artificial Intelligence barza, at the Sea Palace.Ministry of Presidential Affairs Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday attended a high-level session that explored the UAE’s long-term vision for building an integrated artificial intelligence ecosystem. The discussion brought together senior leaders, experts, and officials to outline how the country plans to harness AI in a way that benefits people, communities, and future generations. A vision for a human-centred AI future The session reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to using artificial intelligence to improve quality of life, boost national competitiveness, and strengthen…