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[adrian j boris] 16/1/2024 11:45

Vodafone to embrace AI with £1.2bn 10-year Microsoft deal

The deal will see the services distributed to its European and African markets

By Daniel Fessahaye

Updated: 11:09 GMT, 16 January 2024



Vodafone has agreed a 10-year partnership with US tech giant Microsoft that will see the London-listed firm embrace artificial intelligence and replace physical data centres.

The deal will see Britain's biggest telecom group invest $1.5billion (£1.2billion) in customer-facing AI developed with Microsoft's Azure OpenAI and Copilot technologies.

Services associated with the deal will be distributed to more than 300 million businesses and consumers across its European and African markets.

It means Vodafone customers could soon see complaints and enquiries handled by chatbots powered by the latest generative AI technology.


The Berkshire-based company will ultimately replace physical data centres with cheaper and scalable Azure cloud services.

The deal will also see Microsoft become an equity investor in Vodafone's managed IoT (Internet of Things) platform when it is becomes a standalone business by April 2024, and help scale Vodafone's mobile financial platform in Africa.

Vodafone's chief financial officer Luka Mucic said Microsoft's leadership in AI, underpinned by its OpenAI partnership, would transform the telcom firm's customer services.

He added that a Microsoft AI-underpinned TOBi chatbot would provide more consistent and intelligent responses to queries.


Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone chief executive, said: This unique strategic partnership with Microsoft will accelerate the digital transformation of our business customers, particularly small and medium-sized companies, and step up the quality of customer experience for consumers.'

Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft, added: 'This new generation of AI will unlock massive new opportunities for every organisation and every industry around the world.

'We are delighted that together with Vodafone we will apply the latest cloud and AI technology to enhance the customer experience of hundreds of millions of people and businesses across Africa and Europe, build new products and services, and accelerate the company's transition to the cloud.'

The news comes following Vodafone's agreed merger with Three's British division, which would make the enlarged company the biggest telecoms operator in the UK, with more than 27 million subscribers.

Over a decade, the pair have pledged to invest £11billion to deliver 'one of Europe's most advanced standalone 5G networks'.

The deal is currently being investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority amid concerns that it would lead to a 'substantial lessening of competition' in the telecoms industry.

Unite the union has claimed the merger could lead to mobile phone bills rising by £300 per year, although Three's general counsel, Stephen Lerner, has said that no price hikes were being planned.

Vodafone's operating profits fell by 44.2 per cent to €1.7billion in the six months ending September, following the sale of Vantage Towers, Vodafone Hungary and Vodafone Ghana, as well as 'adverse' foreign exchange movements.

These factors also drove the firm's turnover roughly €1billion lower to €21.9billion, even though organic service revenue rose thanks to solid performances across the UK and Africa.

Vodafone shares were up 0.13 per cent to 67.25p in Tuesday morning trading.

[ariane] 03/1/2024 18:57

all the best for 2024 H100

may thanks for your posts

[hedgehog 100] 03/1/2024 15:18

"Stock Market Forecast 2024: A Soft Landing May Not Bring The Gains You Expect

SCOTT LEHTONEN 06:15 PM ET 12/29/2023

The stock market climbed the wall of worry to impressive gains in 2023. After that big run, the stock market forecast for 2024 hinges on a key question: Will the Federal Reserve achieve a soft landing for the U.S. economy? And in a related question, can stocks extend gains?

Wall Street is mostly convinced that the Fed will reach its goal of a soft landing for the U.S. economy. That means there will be slower economic growth, but no recession, leading to interest rate cuts in 2024.

In that environment, most analysts predict improved corporate earnings growth for S&P 500 companies. As for how the stocks will perform in the coming election year, 2024 forecasts for the S&P 500 vary widely, but the consensus seems to fall in the range of 8%-9% gains, a little under the index's historical average of about 10%. Among other trends, artificial intelligence is widely considered to remain a key investing theme in 2024. ...

Stock Market Forecast 2024: AI Stocks

... "We believe a theme in 2024 will be less about AI's 'creators' and more about AI's 'adopters' — across the spectrum of industries and sectors — as companies increasingly focus their capital spending on productivity-enhancing investments," Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist, and Kevin Gordon, senior investment strategist, wrote in Charles Schwab's 2024 outlook. ..."

[hedgehog 100] 03/1/2024 14:26

"How Some Experts See The Future Of AI In 2024

Jennifer Kite-Powell Senior Contributor
I'm a senior tech contributor who writes about science and technology

Dec 29, 2023,06:45pm EST

... Sustainability

Kaitlyn Albertoli, CEO and co-founder of Buzz Solutions cites sustainability as a market for impact. ...

“There is a fundamental research challenge around energy use in the face of an energy crisis and climate change; it is estimated that 21% of the world’s overall energy usage by 2030 will be computing power alone, yet technologies in AI, cloud, and quantum are inherently power-hungry,” said John. ...

Security

Joseph Thacker, principal AI engineer and security researcher at AppOmni says AI security will be increasingly focused in 2024. ...

"There will be numerous startups, potentially hundreds, focused on AI security, and every major application will incorporate AI features, a shift that will inevitably introduce new vulnerabilities." ...

Commerce

Chris Anley, chief scientist at NCC Group, takes a different view and says commerce will be the most important AI trend for 2024. ...

"Organizations have struggled to keep up with the tricky balance of enabling staff to use these systems while keeping their sensitive information secure," said Anley. ...

"Businesses are seeing that there are real financial benefits to be gained – perhaps not the science fiction style capabilities predicted by some, but certainly practical, measurable improvements in productivity," said Anley. "Now that these benefits are becoming clearer - in financial terms - investment by companies in these systems will increase." ...

Enterprise

Varun Badhwar, CEO and co-founder of application security startup Endor Labs, predicts where AI will go from here. ...

Badhwar says businesses must prioritize the development of robust governance frameworks and visibility tools. "The focus should extend beyond the mere integration of AI solutions and encompass a holistic approach that addresses security, compliance, and ethical considerations," he said. ...

"In an era where data is a prized asset, and AI is a powerful catalyst for business growth, the responsibility lies with industry leaders, policymakers, and technology providers to collaboratively build a foundation for responsible AI adoption," adds Badhwar. ..."

[hedgehog 100] 30/11/2023 15:17

Grosvenor Technology's website has just added an AI article (with minor changes) that has previously only been on NWT's website (appearing there in mid July of this year):-

"Insights

The power of AI in workforce management: unlocking productivity and efficiency

Here, we highlight some of the major benefits that AI is having on the workforce management sector and give examples of how it might help your business operations.

Ben Lagden
Commercial Director

2023 is the year of AI. Very few technologies have become so widely used in such little time. Indeed, the AI platform can claim to be the fastest-growing application of all time, registering 100 million active users just two months after its launch.

There is an expectation that the next few years will see a generational shift. A recent report from Goldman Sachs says that AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs but will also drive millions more new roles and a productivity boom.

To illustrate the seismic effect AI is predicted to have, a 2022 AI report by PwC valued the potential contribution to the global economy driven by AI could reach $15.6 trillion by 2030. And as much as 14.5% of North America’s GDP could be directly influenced by AI over the same period.

AI is not a new concept, of course. It is already responsible for a significant impact in the workforce management industry, in particular, aiding enterprises to optimise performance, costs and worker happiness while also achieving critical efficiencies. ..."

[hedgehog 100] 02/11/2023 12:15

"A ‘world-first’ AI agreement, Elon Musk and a King’s speech: Key takeaways from the UK AI summit

By Pascale Davies
Published on 01/11/2023 - 17:05•Updated 02/11/2023 - 11:38

Representatives and companies from 28 countries, including the US and China, as well as the EU, signed the pact that aims to tackle the risks of so-called frontier AI models.

International governments signed a “world-first” agreement on artificial intelligence (AI) at a global summit in the United Kingdom to combat the "catastrophic" risks the technology could present.

Tech experts, global leaders and representatives from across 27 countries and the European Union are attending the UK’s AI Safety Summit, which runs from Wednesday until Thursday at Bletchley Park, once home to Second World War codebreakers.

The UK announced it would invest in an AI supercomputer, while the Tesla and X boss Elon Musk said on the sidelines of the event that AI is "one of the biggest threats to humanity". ..."

[hedgehog 100] 15/10/2023 14:23

13/09/2023 07:00 UK Regulatory (RNS & others) Belluscura PLC Half-year Report LSE:BELL Belluscura Plc

" ... Additionally, the Company continues to drive innovation in telemedicine and artificial intelligence with its proprietary NOMAD biometric app. The NOMAD app will allow users of the DISCOV-R to track performance data on their concentrator and connected devices such as an Apple(R) or Samsung(R) Watch, FitBit(R) device or Nonin(R) and Masimo(R) pulse oximeters. The collective information can then be provided to a patient's healthcare provider in person or remotely.

The Company is already working on the next-generation NOMAD app that will alert patients when their blood oxygen saturation level has varied beyond parameters set by their doctor, which is expected to help patients better monitor their conditions, but also improve the efficiency of the device by delivering supplemental oxygen as needed. ..."

[melegramforttongo] 11/10/2023 19:57

When an investor loses it, they often explode or melt down late at night .
Festario did this on VRS the other night .

Discuss investors who have done this ..

[melegramforttongo] 11/10/2023 19:56

Huge skulls .
Discuss investors with huge skulls.

Is it a dense skull or is it more egg like ?

[hedgehog 100] 27/8/2023 11:48

"Bletchley Park to host AI safety talks in November

2 days ago

By Tom Gerken
Technology reporter

The UK has set the date for its much-anticipated summit on the safe use of artificial intelligence (AI).

World leaders will meet with AI companies and experts on 1 and 2 November for the discussions.

The global talks aim to build an international consensus on the future of AI.

The summit will take place at Bletchley Park, where Alan Turing, one of the pioneers of modern computing, worked during World War Two.

"To fully embrace the extraordinary opportunities of artificial intelligence, we must grip and tackle the risks to ensure it develops safely in the years ahead," Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said.

"With the combined strength of our international partners, thriving AI industry and expert academic community, we can secure the rapid international action we need for the safe and responsible development of AI around the world." ..."

[hedgehog 100] 23/8/2023 20:17

"The British Embassy held ‘UK AI Week in Bangkok’ showcasing the UK leadership and unlocking the potential of AI in Thailand

From 15 to 18 August, the British Embassy Bangkok ran a packed programme on AI spanning policy, business and public diplomacy to demonstrate UK leadership and deepen our relationship with the region on this important technology.

From: British Embassy Bangkok
Published 21 August 2023

Bangkok, 21 August 2023 - The United Kingdom champions global technological innovation, and is a world leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Recognising its capacity to transform lives, and in accordance with the UK’s International Technology Strategy, the British Embassy held its first ever UK AI Week in Bangkok, a dynamic four-day event from 15 to 18 August 2023. The programme highlighted UK capabilities, provided a forum for the two countries to discuss AI governance and applications across multiple areas and, ultimately, helped deepen our growing relationship with Thailand. ...

Natalie Black, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific delivered an opening remark said:

"Last week, the UK held the first ever UK AI Week Bangkok, where experts and government convened to discuss the future of AI. Nine British AI businesses also exhibited at Techsauce Global Summit, where they demonstrated their innovations.

"With over 160 unicorns and a tech sector worth $1 trillion, the UK looks forward to offering our expertise and partnership in developing AI for good. I am excited to see deepening tech collaborations between our two countries." ..."

[grupo guitarlumber] 08/8/2023 20:30

Cheers fellas

appreciared

[hedgehog 100] 08/8/2023 18:01

"The state of AI in 2023: Generative AI’s breakout year

August 1, 2023 | Survey

As organizations rapidly deploy generative AI tools, survey respondents expect significant effects on their industries and workforces.

McKinsey & Company – Listen to the article: The state of AI in 2023: Generative AI’s breakout year

The latest annual McKinsey Global Survey on the current state of AI confirms the explosive growth of generative AI (gen AI) tools. Less than a year after many of these tools debuted, one-third of our survey respondents say their organizations are using gen AI regularly in at least one business function. Amid recent advances, AI has risen from a topic relegated to tech employees to a focus of company leaders: nearly one-quarter of surveyed C-suite executives say they are personally using gen AI tools for work, and more than one-quarter of respondents from companies using AI say gen AI is already on their boards’ agendas. What’s more, 40 percent of respondents say their organizations will increase their investment in AI overall because of advances in gen AI. The findings show that these are still early days for managing gen AI–related risks, with less than half of respondents saying their organizations are mitigating even the risk they consider most relevant: inaccuracy. ..."

[ariane] 01/8/2023 06:05

On watch this week will be results from two of the biggest companies in the world, Apple and Amazon on Thursday. Investors have piled into tech behemoths in a wager that they will benefit from a boom in artificial intelligence.

[hedgehog 100] 19/7/2023 10:02

"BBC News launches a week’s focus on Artificial Intelligence

All week BBC News is taking a closer look at Artificial Intelligence (AI) - exploring how AI is already affecting our lives, and looking at the ways it could impact all our futures

Published: 9:23 am, 17 July 2023
Updated: 10:12 am, 17 July 2023

Every day this week BBC News will launch new thought-provoking and informative journalism to help audiences understand what AI is, what it can do, and how it is shaping the world we live in. BBC News will speak to leading experts in the field and deep dive into issues around jobs, security and technology.

It kicks off with an exclusive interview with Ian Hogarth - the recently announced chair of the UK’s AI Foundation Model Taskforce.

In the interview, Hogarth talks to Zoe Kleinman about the importance of tech innovation in Europe, saying that we need to scale up companies in Europe instead of selling them on to be grown by larger global companies, citing the sales the sales of Skype to Ebay and Deep Mind to Google.

He also warns about AI and calls for greater understanding of the risks - telling the BBC “we’ve got to think about how to protect British jobs” and explore how we “really hold these [AI] companies to account in an appropriate way”.

They also discuss the environmental cost of the energy the data centres will need which will add up to “a tremendous carbon footprint”.

An interview with Deep Mind founder Mustafa Suleyman, also out on Monday, explores security, the culture of risk taking in the UK to facilitate significant tech innovation, and the potential impact of AI on the way we live. He told the BBC:

“[AI] is going to be hugely product productive and beneficial for our civilization. And clearly that also means that some people are going to struggle to make the transition. The question is one of values, how do we compensate those people who need to retrain and rescale and give them opportunities to improve and get back into the workplace. And to me, that's a question of government subsidization and support and ultimately, of taxation.”

Full interviews can be read on www.bbc.co.uk/news

Across the week, audiences will be able to learn more across all BBC News platforms - including podcasts on BBC Sounds, news and investigations on the BBC News website and TV packages on the news bulletins and channel, as well as special content for iPlayer.

As AI increases in its capabilities and scope of work, BBC News will look across how it is currently affecting our working lives, and how it could change the job market and affect business. It will also look at the role of AI in education, and how it is already being used in sport and being used to create music and media.

The week also starts with a visual guide to help you understand AI, answering all the questions you need to understand the basics of what AI is, and what it does - from the different types of AI, to how it learns, and how it can understand images.

This follows on from the BBC Sounds ten-part series with Spencer Kelly - Understand: Tech and AI, which aims to demystify the technology in our lives, explore key topics and answers big questions such as ‘Can AI be controlled?’ and ‘Will AI take my job?’

Upcoming highlights will include Click with Marc Cieslak: Marc will create Click’s own AI ‘Gogglebox’, and an iPlayer special on AI Moments that Made your Jaw Drop.

More news and content will be launched every day this week, with range of BBC global platforms sharing the focus on AI including:

BBC Future - BBC.com’s science section will be publishing articles including the A-Z guide of artificial intelligence terms, how to spot an AI cheater and how AI companies are buying up the rights to actors, musicians and personalities.

BBC Worklife will also be looking at the effect AI can have on your personal and professional life, including how AI can make you feel terrible about yourself - but it shouldn’t and how AI could save Gen Z’s professional futures.

HG"

[ariane] 17/7/2023 06:56

A.I. is a $1 trillion investment opportunity but will be ‘biggest bubble of all time,’ CEO predicts
Published Mon, Jul 17 2023
1:12 AM EDT

Ryan Browne
@Ryan_Browne_

Key Points

Speaking with UBS analysts on a call last week, Stability AI CEO Emad Mostaque said of AI: “I think this will be the biggest bubble of all time.”

Stability AI is the company behind Stable Diffusion, one of the other more popular generative AI tools aside from OpenAI.

Mostaque said that the total amount of investment needed in AI was likely to be $1 trillion.

[waldron] 09/7/2023 07:04

ABB, Microsoft partner to integrate generative AI into industrial applications



By NS Business Staff Writer 04 Jul 2023

The new application to be launched through the partnership, dubbed Genix Copilot, is expected to improve user experience by providing intuitive functionality and optimising the flow of contextualised data across processes and operations


ABB has joined forces with Microsoft to integrate generative artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities into industrial digital solutions to make operations more safer, smarter, and sustainable.

Through the partnership, the companies will focus on the integration of Azure OpenAI Service into the ABB Ability Genix industrial analytics and AI suite.

ABB Ability Genix is a modular industrial internet of thing (IoT), analytics, and AI platform. It embeds industry-specific domain knowledge to power business outcomes as well as ensure the protection of the existing investments of customers.

Both companies aim to collaborate on the implementation of generative AI technology to assist industrial customers to explore insights hidden in operational data.

According to ABB, enhanced data collection and remediation will lead to considerable increase in efficiency and productivity, operational safety, lower consumption of energy, asset reliability, as well as reduced impact on the environment.

ABB seeks to combine generative AI via Azure OpenAI Service including large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4 into the Genix platform and applications to allow the functionalities including code, image, and text generation.

Microsoft EMEA president Ralph Haupter said: “Applying advanced digital capabilities such as Azure OpenAI Service will strengthen ABB’s Genix to effectively manage the contextualised data while also helping drive the digital transformation critical for growth and lasting change.”

The new application to be launched through the partnership, dubbed Genix Copilot, will improve user experience. This is expected to be achieved by providing intuitive functionality and optimising the flow of contextualised data across processes and operations.

Genix Copilot is designed to offer real-time actionable insights to industry executives, functional specialists, and shop floor engineers for improved decision-making and greater productivity.

Besides, it will allow capturing an operators’ knowledge and facilitate collaborative decision-making across various roles by protecting data and knowledge within the enterprise.

ABB process automation global chief digital officer Rajesh Ramachandran said: “We believe Genix Copilot will help industrial customers achieve their combined objectives of sustainability, operational excellence and enhanced asset performance.

“Extending the generative AI capabilities across ABB’s industrial digital solutions will usher customers into a new era of AI enabling billions of better decisions.”