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  • Spotify and Universal Music Group Announce Landmark Licensing Agreements for Fan-made Covers and Remixes

    Groundbreaking responsible AI tool to launch as paid add-on for Spotify Premium users 

    Santa Monica and Stockholm, May 21, 2026 – Spotify and Universal Music Group (UMG) today announced landmark recorded music and music publishing licensing agreements enabling Spotify to launch a new tool allowing fans to create covers and remixes of their favorite songs from participating artists and songwriters. 

    This groundbreaking tool will be powered by generative AI technology that will open up additional revenue streams and new ways to drive discovery. It introduces a creation model where artists and songwriters can directly share in the value generated through AI-driven licensed covers and remixes on the Spotify platform. 

    The new tool will launch as a paid add-on for Spotify Premium users and create an additional source of income for artists and songwriters, on top of what they already earn on Spotify. 

    “Solving hard problems for music is what Spotify does, and fan-made covers and remixes are next. What we’re building is grounded in consent, credit, and compensation for the artists and songwriters that take part. Through each technological transformation, we have worked together with Sir Lucian and his team to evolve the music ecosystem into a richer, more beneficial experience for fans and a more rewarding outcome for artists and songwriters,” said Alex Norström, Co-CEO, Spotify. 

    “The most valuable innovations in the music business always bring artists and fans closer together. That principle is at the heart of this pioneering AI-enabled superfan initiative, which is designed to support human artistry, deepen fan relationships, and create additional revenue opportunities for artists and songwriters. Building on our long track record of leading the industry through technology changes, and collaborating with Alex, Gustav, Daniel and the team at Spotify, this initiative is firmly artist-centric, rooted in responsible AI, and will drive growth for the entire ecosystem,” said Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO, Universal Music Group.

  • Kore.ai Launches Artemis, the New Generation of the Kore.ai Agent Platform for Building, Governing, and Optimizing Enterprise AI

    Agent Blueprint Language™ (ABL) compounds returns and compresses agent delivery from months to days 

    SAN MATEO, Calif., May 21, 2026 — Kore.ai, the global leader in agentic platforms and applications, today launched the new-generation Kore.ai Agent Platform Artemis edition, the AI-programmable, AI-native foundation that builds, governs, and optimizes the agents, systems, and workflows running across the enterprise. The platform launches initially on Microsoft Azure, with broader cloud availability to follow. 

    The new-generation Agent Platform enables enterprises to deploy production-ready multiagent AI systems in days instead of months, with governance, observability, and operational control enforced before any agent goes live. Three core innovations make the platform fundamentally AI-native: 

    Agent Blueprint Language™ (ABL): ABL is a compiled, declarative language that standardizes how AI agents, systems, and workflows are defined, validated, and governed. Six built-in orchestration patterns (supervisor, delegation, handoff, fan-out, escalation, and agent-to-agent federation) enable resilient, production-grade multiagent systems at scale. 

    Arch™: Kore.ai’s AI agent architect translates business objectives into production-ready ABL, supports the full agent lifecycle, designs the underlying agent topology, and continuously refines agents using real-world production traces. 

    Dual-Brain Architecture: Two cognitive engines (combining agentic reasoning and deterministic flows) operate in parallel through shared memory, authored in a unified language and governed by a single runtime. 

    The platform operates independently of the model, keeping AI systems predictable, auditable, and scalable from experimentation to production-grade operations. 

    “Enterprise AI is entering its third wave, where governance, observability, and trust define success at scale,” said Raj Koneru, CEO and Founder, Kore.ai. “The Kore.ai Agent Platform reflects this shift by bringing an AI-native architecture to market that enables enterprises to build, manage, and optimize multiagent systems with confidence. This level of depth comes from a decade of delivering AI experiences in complex, regulated environments, where scale, compliance, and reliability are non-negotiable.” 

    The Business Case: AI Building, Governing, and Optimizing AI 

    ABL and Arch put AI in charge of every stage of the agent lifecycle: 

    • AI building AI. Arch generates production-ready agents from plain-language objectives, writes them in ABL, and validates them before deployment. Agents that once required months of bespoke engineering now ship in days as compiled, reviewable blueprints.
    • AI governing AI. Every decision, path, and outcome is logged, traced, and analyzed by AI in real-time. Deterministic constraints and flow controls are enforced by the platform itself, not left to the agent.
    • AI optimizing AI. The platform learns from production signals and recommends specific improvements as reviewable optimizations, with human oversight built in. 

    “To scale AI with confidence, enterprises need a standardized agent building system and the enforcement of robust governance,” said Vaibhav Bansal, Vice President at Everest Group. “Kore.ai’s strong investments in advancing agentic AI capabilities and governance, combined with a consistent focus on delivering measurable business outcomes, have positioned Kore.ai as a Leader in the Agentic AI Products PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2026.” 

    What This Means for Today’s CIO, CISO, and CFO 

    The Kore.ai Agent Platform changes what enterprise AI delivers, what it costs, and what it can be trusted to do: 

    • For the CIO, AI becomes manageable and accelerated. The platform consolidates fragmented third-party and home-grown agents into one foundation and accelerates delivery from quarters to days across every department and business unit.
    • For the CISO, AI behavior becomes predictable. Governance is enforced at the platform layer, outside the model’s control. Every agent action and policy decision is logged, timestamped, and traceable to a specific regulatory control.
    • For the CFO, AI investment compounds. Arch, ABL, and the runtime are shared infrastructure across every agent, so the marginal cost of the Nth agent approaches the cost of authoring its blueprint. Every model upgrade improves every agent already running.

    Microsoft Azure: Initial Launch Partner 

    The Kore.ai Agent Platform launches initially on Microsoft Azure and is built natively on the Microsoft Azure stack across compute, identity, AI, and security. For Global 2000 enterprises already standardized on the Microsoft stack, the platform integrates with Microsoft Foundry, Microsoft Agent 365, Entra ID, and the Microsoft Graph API, and powers a native Microsoft Teams channel through the Azure Bot Framework. Kore.ai is also a launch partner for Agent 365. 

    “Enterprises are moving agentic AI from experimentation to operations, and that shift requires a foundation built for production. The Kore.ai Agent Platform integrates with Microsoft Foundry and Microsoft Agent 365, giving customers a governed environment to build, deploy, and operate AI agents with the identity, security, and observability that Microsoft customers expect,” said Stephen Boyle, CVP, Enterprise Partner Solutions, Microsoft. 

    Customers Say 

    “We’ve had early visibility into the Kore.ai Agent Platform, and the architectural rigor stands out. Compiled blueprints, governance in a separate deterministic layer, and one language for every agent are the design choices enterprise AI has been missing.” – Keyur Parikh, Head of Workplace Technology Strategies and Services, Vanguard 

    “The question every enterprise is asking is how to move AI from pilot to production without creating compliance exposure. What stood out about Kore is that governance is architectural, not an afterthought. That is what it takes to get AI approved for the work that actually matters.” – Arunkumar Ramakrishnan, Director of Enterprise Technology, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

    Built for the Global 2000 

    The platform meets enterprise security, compliance, and deployment requirements from day one: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, PCI DSS certified; FedRAMP Moderate Authorized; HIPAA-aligned; HiTrust and GDPR compliant. Real-time PII tokenization, tenant isolation, and immutable audit trails apply to every agent action. Customers deploy in public cloud, sovereign regions, private cloud, or on-premises, with data residency by region. The platform supports 40+ voice and digital channels and 300+ integrations across Microsoft A365, Salesforce, HubSpot, Jira, GitHub, and core banking, healthcare, retail, and telecom systems. 

    For more than a decade, Kore.ai has been one of the world’s leading providers and pioneers of AI-native enterprise software, enabling 500+ Global 2000 organizations to run mission-critical business workflows, including some of the largest names in banking, healthcare, insurance, retail, and global service operations.

  • SimonMed leads largest global study of AI in X-ray, analyzing 258,373 exams across 26 countries

    SCOTTSDALE, AZ. May 21, 2026 — A landmark, peer-reviewed global study representing the largest published evaluation of artificial intelligence in X-ray imaging has been published in Radiography, analyzing 258,373 X-rays from 100 medical centers across 26 countries and five continents. The study was led by Dr. Sean Raj, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at SimonMed, who served as senior author.

    SimonMed, one of the largest outpatient imaging providers in the United States, contributed U.S. clinical data and played a central role in the study’s design, execution, and analysis, reinforcing its leadership in the clinical validation of artificial intelligence in radiology. 

    The study evaluated all four components of the Rayvolve® AI Suite as a unified clinical platform under real-world conditions, with no exclusions based on image quality or acquisition protocol. The system demonstrated high diagnostic performance across multiple use cases, including musculoskeletal trauma, chest imaging, automated measurements, and bone age assessment. AZtrauma achieved an AUC of 98.3% (sensitivity: 97.4%, specificity: 96.4%) across 195,706 musculoskeletal examinations. AZchest demonstrated an AUC of 97.8% (sensitivity: 96.7%, specificity: 87.9%) across 61,418 chest radiographs covering six pathology categories. AZmeasure and AZboneage delivered measurement precision within 1.83 degrees for angles, 1.1 mm for lengths, and a bone age estimation error of approximately six months.

    Performance remained consistent across pathologies, anatomies, patient demographics, and global care settings, with all 258,373 images processed without a single technical failure, highlighting both the robustness and scalability of AI in real-world clinical environments.

    SimonMed’s contribution to the study builds on a partnership that has deepened since 2023, when SimonMed selected AZmed as its AI partner for X-ray diagnostics following an independent evaluation across its outpatient network. That initial deployment demonstrated a 6x reduction in turnaround time for fracture cases and 98.5% sensitivity across SimonMed centers. SimonMed subsequently provided the clinical data that supported AZmed’s 2024 FDA 510(k) clearance for pediatric fracture detection. The inclusion of SimonMed’s U.S. imaging data in this 26-country study extends the collaboration from operational deployment and regulatory contribution to large-scale, independently published clinical evidence. 

    “Validating a complete AI suite at this scale, across 100 centers in 26 countries, establishes a new standard for clinical evidence in radiology AI,” said Julien Vidal, CEO of AZmed. “SimonMed’s contribution at every stage of this journey, from early U.S. deployment through FDA clearance and now the largest published X-ray AI study, reflects the kind of clinical partnership that advances the entire field.” 

    “This study represents a defining moment for AI in medical imaging,” said Dr. Sean Raj, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at SimonMed. “We are proud to have led a global effort that not only validates AI performance at an unprecedented scale, but also reinforces the importance of rigorous, real-world clinical evidence. We are committed to continue our founding mission – to deliver high quality, accessible care at scale while measurably improving diagnostic quality for our radiologists and the patients they serve.” 

    The study is available in Radiography.

  • The Growing Role of Water Testing Labs in Ensuring Safe and Sustainable Water Quality

    With increasing concerns over water pollution, industrial contamination, and public health risks, the role of water testing laboratories has become more important than ever. Water quality testing helps identify harmful contaminants, assess safety standards, and ensure that water is suitable for drinking, industrial use, agriculture, and environmental applications. As urbanization and industrial activities continue to expand, regular water monitoring has become a crucial step in protecting both human health and natural ecosystems.

    Choosing  the best water testing lab  is essential for accurate analysis and reliable results. Professional laboratories use advanced scientific techniques to test critical parameters such as pH, turbidity, heavy metals, microbial contamination, total dissolved solids (TDS), and chemical pollutants. These services help industries, households, and regulatory bodies make informed decisions about water safety while ensuring compliance with environmental and public health standards.

    The Growing Role of Water Testing Labs in Ensuring Safe and Sustainable Water Quality

    Water testing laboratories play a vital role in detecting contaminants at an early stage, preventing potential health hazards before they escalate. Contaminated water can contain harmful substances such as lead, arsenic, pesticides, bacteria, viruses, and industrial chemicals that may lead to serious diseases and long-term health complications. Through routine testing and laboratory-based analysis, these risks can be identified and controlled effectively.

    In industrial sectors, water testing labs support quality control, wastewater treatment monitoring, and regulatory compliance. Industries rely on laboratory analysis to maintain process efficiency, prevent environmental pollution, and meet discharge standards set by authorities. Similarly, municipal bodies use water testing services to ensure safe drinking water distribution and maintain public sanitation systems.

    Modern water testing laboratories also use advanced technologies such as ICP-MS, GC-MS, microbiological analysis, and real-time monitoring systems to provide highly accurate and timely results. These scientific methods improve contamination detection and help create data-driven water management strategies.

    As water quality challenges continue to grow worldwide, water testing laboratories remain a critical pillar of public health, environmental protection, and sustainable resource management. Their role in ensuring safe water access, preventing contamination, and supporting regulatory compliance makes them indispensable in building a healthier and more sustainable future.

  • Enterprise AI is burning tokens without context and teams are paying the price

    PALO ALTO, Calif. May 21, 2026 – DevRev, an AI-native enterprise software company transforming how teams and customers collaborate, today announced the newest release of Computer, by DevRev, its AI teammate for enterprise teams. The release addresses the three biggest failures of modern enterprise AI: models that have no memory of a business, insights that disappear the moment they leave a user’s screen, and AI that answers questions but can’t safely take action.
     
    The rest of the industry has responded to these failures by focusing on selling speed – working faster, producing more outputs, increasing token use – resulting in organizations running world-class models on ineffective infrastructure. The Upwork Research Institute states that 96% of C-suite leaders expect AI to boost worker productivity, but 77% of employees report AI has increased their workload. Focusing on metrics like speed and token volume – “token maxxing” – without clarity distracts from progress, and advocating for applying more compute to inadequate contextual data only produces more noise.The result: knowledge workers lose hours a day hunting for information across disconnected systems, and the people meant to benefit from AI are left holding the bill for its failures.
     
    Computer is built on a different philosophy: delivering both speed and clarity. This solves the context problem through “shared memory,” a curated, living picture of an organization’s data, how the organization works, and how its people interact. Shared memory is the architectural foundation that enables:
    • Precision: answers sourced from real business data, cited and referenced so teams can stand behind them. 
    • Efficiency: trusted answers at lower cost, lower token usage, no analyst required, full context on the first response. 
    • Safety: nothing goes out before a human approves it, with full audit trails and the ability to undo any agent action. 
     
    When AI has this context, it stops guessing and starts acting like a trusted member of the team. Reliable performance builds trust; trust unlocks action. That progression – from trusted answers to safe actions – is what makes multiplayer collaboration between humans and AI possible across every function.
     
    “Every AI company is selling speed, which is fueling the next enterprise crisis. This will be the latest form of workplace burnout if we don’t do something about it,” said Dheeraj Pandey, Co-founder and CEO at DevRev. “Speed without the right context is just faster noise, noise that overloads humans in the loop, and eventually breaks them. Computer is built on a different philosophy: work softer. Give AI the enterprise memory and shared context it needs to perform reliably, and then let it take action. Only then will your people have the confidence that the AI they use is performing the tasks they need it to, more accurately and with less handholding.”
     
    What is new in the newest release of Computer
    The evolution of shared memory at every level ensures that every Computer session now builds on the last. At the individual level, Computer learns how each person works, picking up where they left off with each new session. At the team level, the skills and AI agents one person develops become available to everyone. At the organizational level, institutional knowledge stays in the system permanently. When a top-performing rep leaves, their account knowledge does not leave with them.
     
    Before this release, AI insight disappeared the moment it left one person’s screen. Now the introduction of Multiplayer AI lets teams share a live Computer session where everyone sees the full context and continues the analysis together. Colleagues can question, build on, and correct reasoning in real time. In a 2025 study, KPMG and University of Melbourne reported that 57% of employees admit to using AI in non-transparent ways, including avoiding revealing when they have used AI tools to complete their work. Teams rarely benefit from one another’s AI work. Multiplayer AI changes the unit of attribution from “what I did with AI” to “what we did with AI, together.”
     
    Earlier versions of Computer answered questions and took single-step actions. The addition of the new desktop app shifts Computer from a question-answering tool to a content-producing system. From the in-app canvas, any user can generate complete, fully branded and formatted work artifacts grounded in real business data: competitive slide decks, QBR reports, structured dashboards, knowledge base articles, and multi-step workflows; these outputs are available in a variety of file formats, including PPT, HTML PDF, DOCX, and more. Skills and outputs built in the Canvas are saved at the user, team, or organization level and become reusable across the business.
     
    Agent Studio gives any team the ability to build, test in a sandbox environment, and deploy AI agents that take action across connected systems. Every action runs under individual user permissions, not a shared account. Every step is traceable, auditable, and reversible: if an agent makes a mistake, it can be rolled back.
     
    Key capabilities at a glance
    • Shared Memory: personal, team, and organizational memory that compounds over time
    • Trusted Answers: intent-aware search and consistent data answers. Same question, same answer, every time. Computer doesn’t guess – it knows, and it shows its work.
    • Safe Actions: governed, auditable actions across your systems. Computer acts on your behalf with guardrails, so teams move faster without risk.
    • Multiplayer AI: shared live sessions for human-to-human, human-to-AI, and team-wide collaboration
    • Skills – reusable workflows that any team can build, share, and deploy. One person’s expertise becomes everyone’s capability. Agent Studio allows users to build and deploy AI agents with sandboxed testing, full audit trails, and rollback
     
    Additional capabilities:
    • Text2SQL: analytical queries across structured data in plain language, no data analyst required
    • Connectors: Gmail, Outlook, Slack, Notion, Google Drive, Jira, Microsoft OneDrive, SharePoint, and any MCP-compatible tool
    • Usage-based pricing: that scales with adoption and not headcount
     
    With the newest release of Computer, the above capabilities are all generally available today.
     
    Results from customers in production
    More than 250 organizations have Computer live in production, with over 1,000 users onboarded since launched in September 2025. Customers include BILL, HDFC Bank, and FAME, spanning financial services, aviation, retail, and technology.
     
    The results Computer, by DevRev’s customers are reporting speak for themselves. Customers Pebl and Uniphore are resolving 85% of support tickets without any human involvement. BILL has achieved around $5M in operational savings. India’s largest airline went from kickoff to production in 14 days and selected Computer over Salesforce Agentforce in a head-to-head evaluation. A retail loyalty customer is saving $1.2M annually, with sales reps reclaiming six hours a week and the team reporting a 30% productivity boost. And FAME is saving users more than 10 hours a week, resolving tickets approximately 40% faster, and accelerating specific workflows by up to 75%.
     
    “Customer experience is a top priority for us, and AI presented a real opportunity to set a new standard while reducing cost,” said Steve Januario, CIO at BILL. “With DevRev, we’re seeing how agentic AI can actually reduce support costs and help customers get the answers they need faster, without compromising on quality.”
     
    Availability
    • Across web, mobile, and desktop. Use Computer from any device.
    • Inside the DevRev system of record apps. Existing DevRev customers can access Computer directly within their current workflow without switching surfaces.
     
    Resources
    Visit devrev.ai to learn more about the enterprise offering, book a demo, or start a free trial of Computer. 
     
    Usage-based pricing with plan and billing management are available at https://devrev.ai/pricing

  • Toyota Kirloskar Motor Reinforces Commitment to Biodiversity Conservation on International Day for Biological Diversity 2026

    Toyota Kirloskar Motor Reinforces Commitment to Biodiversity Conservation on International Day for Biological Diversity 2026

    Chandigarh, May 21: On the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2026, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) strengthens its commitment to preserving and improving biodiversity through initiatives aligned with the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 (TEC 2050). Guided by its philosophy of ‘Respect for the Planet’ and rooted in The Toyota Way, the company continues to integrate biodiversity conservation into its manufacturing ecosystem, community engagement programs and environmental action plans. 

    Driving Biodiversity through Measurable Impact:

    TKM has undertaken several initiatives to enhance green cover, conserve natural resources and support ecological balance around its manufacturing facilities. Through large-scale tree plantation drives, water conservation measures, lake rejuvenation activities and habitat restoration programs, the company contributes towards preserving local biodiversity and strengthening environmental resilience.

    As part of its TEC 2050 challenge, TKM envisions transforming the Bidadi plant into a thriving green sanctuary through initiatives such as: 

    The Toyota Greenwave Project: This is our ambitious flagship initiative devoted to cultivating ecologically resilient habitats through Miyawaki afforestation and strategic green-belt development. It is a collaborative movement that unites the entire TKM community under a mutual vision of transforming the Bidadi plant into a thriving green sanctuary. 

    Today for Tomorrow: This program reflects our symbiotic relationship with environmental stewardship through large-scale conservation and biodiversity enhancement. We recognize that thriving ecosystems are foundational to supporting all forms of life and our initiatives are designed to strengthen this interdependence. 

    Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): We believe that meaningful and lasting environmental change begins with education. Through this program, we strive to inspire students to embrace a mindset of ecological responsibility and inculcate eco-conscious behavior.

    Building awareness and Future Stewardship: The company’s 25-acre Ecozone, an experiential ecological learning hub that supports both conservation and awareness, hosts over 650 native plant species (including 25 IUCN red listed species) and has documented around 400 faunal species (including 4 IUCN red listed species) since its establishment. To date, the Ecozone has engaged and inspired over 62,000 students and stakeholders on sustainable living practices. 

    Creating Green Ecosystems beyond the Boundary:

    Further reinforcing its commitment to sustainability, TKM has advanced large‑scale afforestation and ecosystem restoration programs both within and beyond its campus. During the reporting period, the company planted 747 saplings internally and 1,492 saplings externally. At the Channapatna Police Training School, TKM developed over 6.6 acres of land using the forest tree planting method, introducing approximately 4,090 saplings across 33 native species. This initiative is designed to prevent soil erosion, enhance biodiversity, improve air quality, and support groundwater recharge, while fostering community participation and long‑term environmental stewardship.

    Expanding its community‑focused biodiversity initiatives, TKM has partnered with the Government of Karnataka to develop an Environment Theme Park and Experiential Learning Centre at Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Vanadhama, Savandurga. Developed in collaboration with the Karnataka Forest Department, the project enhances the park’s ecological, socio‑economic, and educational value. The initiative emphasizes ecological restoration, water management, biodiversity conservation, and the revitalization of heritage structures — creating a holistic model of community‑driven environmental responsibility. 

    Water, Energy and Waste: Advancing Resources Efficiency:

    Water stewardship remains a critical pillar of TKM’s environmental strategy. Nearly 89% of TKM’s water requirements are met through rainwater harvesting and recycled water. During the reporting period, the company utilized 1.73 million m³ of water, supporting its Zero Liquid Discharge goals. Additionally, TKM has achieved 100% renewable grid electricity across its manufacturing operations through which 509000 tCO2e emissions were avoided from manufacturing in the reporting year. It also maintains over 96% waste recycling, following a Zero Waste to Landfill approach.

    Beyond operational initiatives, TKM actively promotes responsible resource management through waste reduction, recycling, energy efficiency, and environmental awareness programs among employees and stakeholders. 

    Leadership commitment:

    Mr. B. Padmanabha, Executive Vice President and Director, Manufacturing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd., said, “Sustainability is deeply rooted in The Toyota Way and guided by our philosophy of ‘Mass Happiness for All.’ It shapes how we think, act, and create value across our ecosystem. Our journey towards a greener future is a shared commitment to the communities we serve and to future generations. Biodiversity conservation remains a critical pillar of this approach. Through our initiatives, we are building ecosystems while promoting greater environmental responsibility.” 

    Looking ahead:

    TKM remains committed to scaling its biodiversity and conservation initiatives through:

    • Expanded afforestation programs
    • Advanced water stewardship practices
    • Stronger community and government partnerships
    • Increased environmental education outreach 

    As India accelerates its journey towards a sustainable future, TKM continues to create a meaningful and lasting positive environmental impact—building ecosystems that benefit both people and the planet.

  • AD Ports Group and e& Deliver AI-Ready Terrestrial Digital Backbone Across Logistics Infrastructure

    Abu Dhabi, UAE – 21 May 2026: AD Ports Group (ADX: ADPORTS), a leading global enabler of trade, industry, and logistics solutions, and e& UAE today announced the successful deployment of an AI-ready high-capacity terrestrial connection, linking major maritime and logistics assets across the Group’s portfolio.

    The new high-capacity network extends AD Ports Group’s terrestrial digital backbone to more than 1,000 kilometers, seamlessly connecting the Group’s strategically located assets in Abu Dhabi. This enables the continuous streaming of high-volume sensor data, video feeds, and IoT signals, creating a fully integrated environment ready for machine learning and automated decision-making.

    Designed for ultra-low latency, this high-bandwidth terrestrial connectivity establishes a robust foundation for AI models to process data and deliver real-time inference within milliseconds.

    AD Ports Group and e& Deliver AI-Ready Terrestrial Digital Backbone Across Logistics Infrastructure

    Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO – AD Ports Group, said: “The future of global trade is intelligent and predictive. Under the guidance of our wise leadership in the UAE, we are embracing and leading this change by collaborating with globally leading technology companies to help us ensure that digital intelligence remains at the heart of our operations, driving global trade and supply chain resilience.”

    Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, Group CEO, e& and CEO, e& UAE, said: “Advanced connectivity is now essential to the way major industrial and logistics hubs operate, scale and compete. Through this collaboration with AD Ports Group, e& UAE has delivered a future-ready digital backbone that powers speed, security and scalability, while creating the foundation for more advanced automation, analytics and AI-led operations.

    “With e&’s leadership in fibre connectivity, we are not just connecting infrastructure; we are shaping the future of trade, logistics, and innovation for the entire nation.”

    This strategic initiative marks another significant milestone in AD Ports Group’s digital transformation journey, further strengthening the Group’s digital resilience across its expanding global portfolio. In 2025, AD Ports Group announced the phased rollout of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity across its global operations, aimed at enabling real-time data exchange with vessels and delivering always-on connectivity for ports and terminals, driving new efficiencies and fuel savings.

    By integrating its terrestrial digital backbone with LEO satellite services and existing radio networks, the Group has established a resilient, multi-layered connectivity architecture that ensures sovereign, uninterrupted data flow under all conditions. 

  • Indian Markets End Flat Amid West Asia Tensions; Selective Buying Cushions Losses !

    May 21 (BNP): Indian equity markets ended largely flat on Thursday as geopolitical tensions in West Asia weighed on investor sentiment, while selective buying in broader markets helped benchmark indices limit losses and avoid a sharper decline.

    News In Pics

    The benchmark Sensex closed at 75,183.36, down 135.03 points or 0.18 per cent, while the Nifty 50 settled nearly unchanged at 23,654.70, slipping just 4.30 points or 0.02 per cent, reflecting cautious market participation amid global uncertainty.

    Market sentiment remained under pressure due to concerns over escalating geopolitical developments in West Asia, prompting selling in sectors such as information technology (IT), fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and financial services. Heavyweight stocks including Bajaj Finance, Infosys, Tech Mahindra and Hindustan Unilever emerged among the key laggards during the trading session.

    Despite weak benchmark momentum, broader markets showed resilience. Mid-cap stocks traded subdued, while small-cap counters outperformed and ended higher, indicating selective investor confidence in specific segments. Sectorally, the cement pack emerged as the top performer with gains of over 2 per cent, followed by strength in realty and metal stocks. On the other hand, FMCG and IT sectors witnessed notable selling pressure.

    The Indian rupee recovered strongly against the U.S. dollar to close at 96.15, registering gains of 0.68 per cent, while the India VIX, a measure of market volatility, eased by around 3.5 per cent, signalling a marginal decline in investor anxiety levels.

    Market experts indicated that near-term direction is likely to remain dependent on geopolitical developments, global central bank signals and macroeconomic indicators. Technically, analysts see resistance for Nifty in the 23,700–23,800 range, with the 24,000 mark acting as a key psychological barrier, while immediate support is placed between 23,500 and 23,600.

    Overall, markets remained range-bound as investors balanced geopolitical risks with selective domestic strength, keeping benchmark indices largely stable despite external headwinds.

  • NCDEX to Roll Out India’s First Weather Derivative Contract ‘RAINMUMBAI’

    Mumbai, May 21 (BNP): India is set to enter a new phase of climate-linked financial innovation with the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd (NCDEX) preparing to launch RAINMUMBAI, the country’s first exchange-traded weather derivatives contract, on June 1, 2026. The pioneering product is designed to help businesses, investors and weather-sensitive sectors manage financial risks arising from monsoon uncertainty through a regulated market instrument.

    NCDEX to Roll Out India’s First Weather Derivative Contract ‘RAINMUMBAI’

     Representational image

    The launch marks a significant step toward integrating climate variability into India’s financial ecosystem, particularly at a time when erratic weather patterns and rainfall fluctuations increasingly affect agriculture, logistics, infrastructure and commodity markets. Linked to rainfall data, the contract will allow stakeholders to hedge against unexpected monsoon outcomes and minimise economic disruptions caused by excessive or deficient rainfall.

    Developed by National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd, RAINMUMBAI is expected to create a structured and transparent framework for managing weather-related risks using market-based mechanisms. The initiative is also seen as a major move toward strengthening financial preparedness against climate-linked uncertainties while broadening the scope of derivatives trading in India.

    Industry experts believe the introduction of weather derivatives could benefit multiple sectors dependent on seasonal rainfall, offering a more predictable risk-management system and helping businesses make informed financial decisions during the crucial monsoon period. The development signals India’s growing focus on combining technology, finance and climate resilience in economic planning.

  • Texas Tech Receives Dollar 4.5 Million Grant to Advance Semiconductor Research

    Texas Tech University’s continued commitment to interdisciplinary research and hands-on fabrication has paved the way for another opportunity to perform critical work regarding wide/ultrawide (UWBG) semiconductors.

    A team of faculty from the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering received roughly $4.5 million from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) for a project titled “Research and Development of Wide/Ultrawide Bandgap Semiconductor Materials, Devices and Applications.”

    TSIF grants are administered by the Texas CHIPS Office, within the Office of the Governor’s Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office. Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law the Texas CHIPS Act in 2023, establishing both the TSIF and the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium, the latter of which the CHIPS office also supports.

    Stephen Bayne, vice president of National Security for Texas Tech and executive director of the Critical Infrastructure Security Institute, is the project’s lead principal investigator. Joining him are Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) Professors Ayrton Bernussi, Rui He, Ravi Joshi, Donald Lie and Hieu P. Nguyen; ECE Assistant Professor Taewoo Kim; and Global Laboratory for Energy Asset Management & Manufacturing Senior Director Argenis Bilbao.

    Over three years, the researchers will seek to increase Texas Tech’s capabilities to develop UWBG semiconductors for high-power/high-frequency electronics and optoelectronics (instruments that detect and control light).

    Nguyen said the group is excited and humbled to be a part of Texas Tech’s eminence in this growing field. 

    “At the same time, we feel a strong sense of responsibility: to translate discoveries into reliable, manufacturable technologies; to build workforce pipelines by training students and technicians, and to partner with industry and government to ensure our work delivers real-world impact for Texas and the nation,” he added. “This award validates our momentum and accelerates our ability to turn research into jobs, commercial opportunities and long‑term competitiveness in the semiconductor ecosystem.”

    This work will also support critical industries such as aerospace and defense by improving the performance and reliability of UWBG materials and high-electron-mobility transistors for harsh environments. 

    Other priorities for the award include strengthening communications through work on broadband high-efficiency power amplification and radio frequency and millimeter-wave components; enabling the creation of high-performance nanostructured light emitters and detectors and high-voltage devices; promoting the translation of research into commercial products; and building regional economic impact.