Jio to deliver AI-enhanced in-home services on both JioFiber and JioAirFiber

Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, India's largest telecom network, today announced a partnership with consumer experience pioneer Plume^® to provide market-leading smart home and small business services to its subscribers across India. This partnership will deliver state-of-the-art solutions, through Plume's highly scalable cloud platform, to approximately 200 million premises in India.

Jio specializes in meeting the digital needs of customers based in India, providing fixed-line and wireless services delivered through the cloud, with all the infrastructure hosted in the country. For this purpose, Jio has built world-class JioFiber and JioAirFiber networks, designed to deliver reliable and high-speed internet and entertainment services to every home in the country.

With this new partnership, Jio will deploy HomePass^® and WorkPass^® consumer services enabled by Plume's AI-powered and cloud-based platform, including whole-home adaptive WiFi, connected device and application performance optimization, cyberthreat protection for connected devices, advanced parental controls, WiFi motion sensing, and more. Access to Plume's Haystack^® Support and Operations Suite will enable Jio's customer support and operations teams to identify, analyze, and act faster on performance-related issues, find and isolate the location of network faults, and monitor the overall customer experience.

"As we continue to expand our portfolio of connected home services, it is critical for Jio to provide our customers the most advanced and secure in-home digital services, delivering the best end-to-end customer experience," said Mathew Oommen, President of Reliance Jio. "With scalable and leading-edge platforms from partners like Plume, Jio will continue to strengthen and enhance our connected home service offers and experience."

"The partnership with Jio marks a significant global expansion of Plume's services with a major telecoms force in Asia. Our ability to offer a tailored and highly scalable cloud-based solution to meet the needs of the Indian market will enable Jio to rapidly expand its services offering," said Adrian Fitzgerald, Chief Revenue Officer of Plume. "We are thrilled to help Jio deliver unique and highly personalized in-home digital experiences to its customers across India and support the company in the next chapter of its growth journey."

Simplify content management with Newgen + Duck Creek

Newgen Software, global provider of the NewgenONE digital transformation platform, today announced that it has partnered with Duck Creek Technologies, the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of technology. insurance and general insurance, to offer insurers a platform that helps connect the front office, middle office and back office for a seamless flow of information, which accelerates development of applications and streamlines the end-to-end customer journey. The integration between NewgenONE's OmniDocs contextual content services platform and  Duck Creek Policy  allows insurers to gain a 360-degree view of all customer, process and policy content.

“We believe our innovative solutions are game-changers in content services and revolutionize the way businesses manage content. Our recent recognition by Forrester as a “Leader” in The Forrester Wave™: Content Platforms, Q1 2023 report validates our efforts to deliver a best-in-class enterprise content management (ECM) platform to customers, said Rajvinder Kohli , Senior Vice President at Newgen Software. Through this partnership, Newgen and Duck Creek can help insurers revolutionize their conventional processes by enabling them to adopt a more streamlined, customer-focused, digital, and value-driven approach. »

Fully integrated with NewgenONE's OmniDocs contextual content services platform — available on the Duck Creek Content Exchange — seamlessly integrates with Duck Creek Font to provide powerful search and filtering, enabling insurers to quickly access large documents, including recorded videos and high-definition images. Additionally, the platform enables content lifecycle management, secure archiving and real-time collaboration for faster decision-making and improved decision-maker productivity.

“Integrating content services into Duck Creek's comprehensive suite is a significant value-add for insurers looking to simplify the complexity of document management and forms creation with one core system,” said Robert Fletcher , director of partnerships at Duck Creek Technologies. Our integration and partnership with Newgen provides the necessary Customer Communication Management (CCM) and ECM capabilities in a single solution. We are excited to enter the market with this global partnership, especially in North America, Europe , Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and an emerging market like India, where Duck Creek is further strengthening Her presence. 

After releasing its regional blueprint in recent media roundtable event in Hanoi, CDNetworks expects to enhance its local presence with enhanced local network infrastructure and strengthened local partnership and collaborations.

CDNetworks, the APAC-leading network to deliver edge as a service, has released its regional blueprint during last week's media roundtable event in Hanoi, indicating that the company plans to expand its presence in Vietnam. CDNetworks believes its recent investment in infrastructure and local support team will bolster its wide-ranging services and also facilitate the digital transformation of Vietnamese companies.

Expanded Infrastructure for Greater Local Coverage and Better Protection

Up till now, CDNetworks has strategically established multiple Points of Presence (PoPs) across Vietnam, including key locations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and etc. Moreover, by partnering with four out of the top five ISPs in Vietnam, CDNetworks can ensure 100% coverage of the local network, effectively meeting the unique needs of various industries, guaranteeing an exceptional user experience throughout the country. Building on this strong foundation, CDNetworks has formed collaborations with esteemed local entities, including ON VTVCab, VSTV K+, and Tera Group. These partnerships underscore CDNetworks' dedication to delivering impeccable live streaming and high-quality viewing experiences to audiences across Vietnam.

As Vietnam's cybersecurity landscape becomes increasingly challenging, CDNetworks has also taken steps to enhance its cloud security measures. This year alone, CDNetworks has opened two scrubbing centres in Ho Chi Minh City to bolster its ability to protect against DDoS attacks in this region. With these centres located in close proximity to the market, CDNetworks can swiftly and effectively mitigate DDoS attacks, ensuring the security and stability of its clients' websites and network infrastructures. These scrubbing centres also complement CDNetworks' existing global anti-DDoS network, which consists of over 20 scrubbing centres with a combined capacity of 15Tbps.

"Vietnam's rapid digital transformation is undeniable. The 28% growth in GMV in 2022 and the rise to 74 million internet users signal a country embracing the digital age. It's not just about numbers; it's about the evolving digital habits and needs of the people," commented Mr. Phan Linh, Country Manager of CDNetworks Vietnam. "At CDNetworks, we see our role as more than just service providers. We're here to support and amplify this digital momentum. By expanding our local infrastructure with additional Points of Presence (PoPs) and scrubbing centres, we are now able to assist Vietnam's businesses in migrating their on-premises business operation to the cloud, thereby enhancing reliability and operational efficiency."

Upgraded Local Support and Security Service

To empower the digital transformation of Vietnamese companies, CDNetworks has greatly strengthened its team in Vietnam since 2022, and has been able to provide unparalleled 24/7 customer service to all Vietnam customers with localized expertise. Through this dedicated local support team, organizations can easily access CDNetworks' wide range of services, which include not only basic assistance with onboarding, configuration, and ongoing maintenance but also some advanced services tailored to the specific needs. This ensures that organizations can effortlessly navigate the entire process without having to worry about the complexities of daily operations.

In addition, with the launch of CDNetworks WAAP solution, CDNetworks has also upgraded its security service for the Vietnamese market to protect organizations' web applications and APIs throughout the entire attack process. By utilizing services such as Vulnerability Scanning Service and Penetration Testing before an attack, organizations can identify and address any potential vulnerabilities to better prepare for potential attacks. During an attack, organizations can rely on robust network resources, updated threat intelligence, and years of experience in security protection rules configuration to minimize the impact of the attack. After an attack, organizations can analyze and optimize the attack through services like Professional Reporting Service to better prepare for future security threats.

Meanwhile, CDNetworks is also making investments in resources to enhance its compliance system, ensuring that its solutions and services in the Vietnamese market adhere to local government regulations and guarantee that all traffic and data are strictly maintained within Vietnam.

"From expanding our infrastructures to upgrading our local support and security services, CDNetworks is dedicated to empowering Vietnam's digital growth. With a focus on expanded coverage, reliable content delivery, and robust cybersecurity measures, we aim to be a trusted partner for Vietnamese companies as they navigate the digital landscape. " said Mr. Vo Luan, Senior Solution Architect, CDNetworks Vietnam, "In the future, we will continue to organize or participate in various seminars, workshops, and activities held by 3^rd party organizations and industry associations to facilitate extensive communication with Vietnamese companies. Through these communications, we believe businesses can finally discover how CDNetworks' solutions can strengthen their online performance and improve security posture."

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise , a leading provider of tailored communications, networking and cloud solutions for its customers, has introduced the Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch ^® Milestone Plugin to provide seamless integration with Milestone XProtect ^® Video Management Software (VMS).

The service assurance solution allows for remote resolution of typical camera issues directly from Milestone VMS. It allows operations teams to conveniently reset offline cameras and implement resolutions quickly, saving time and avoiding unnecessary IT team visits to the site.

Benefits of the Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Milestone plugin include:

Camera Status Visibility: Ability to view video surveillance operating status at a glance along with Power over Ethernet (PoE) consumption and maximum available PoE power.

Remote Testing and Troubleshooting: Test the status of individual cameras with a single click, with the option to reset them if necessary. Ensure power to critical devices under any circumstances with PoE priority set per camera.

Fast information retrieval: Get real-time information about the network switch and its status, including model, version, IP address, location, PoE consumption, and temperature.

Alarm Manager: Forward the event to the Alarm Manager for proactive OmniSwitch troubleshooting.

Enhanced Cybersecurity:  Lock camera ports to prevent outside tampering and increase network security.

"We are delighted to introduce the Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Milestone plugin, which prioritizes seamless integration and uninterrupted video surveillance for businesses and organizations around the world. Our determination to offer customers exceptional products and services aligned with their needs means that this solution offers a more user-friendly way to maintain a physically secure environment while increasing efficiency," said Stephan Robineau , Executive Vice President of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Network Business Division and President of ALE USA .

With this new add-on, available at no cost, ALE brings cybersecurity to the world of physical security to deliver resilient, secure and efficient video surveillance networks.

Phonexa has partnered with Tipalti, a leading payables automation platform, to launch an integration for Phonexa clients that will make global payment methods automated, compliant, and easier than ever for affiliate marketers and publishers.

The integration gives customers of Phonexa's Books360 accounting product optimized automated payment methods across wire transfers, US ACH, or checks, all while processing and collecting the proper W-9, W-8 series, or VAT ID forms and producing submission-ready 1099 and 1042-S reports along the way.

The integration also provides seamless onboarding for customers, and it will greatly simplify the commission payment process. 

"Tiplati is a one-stop shop for automated payments, all while collecting the necessary information accounting departments will need at the end of each year," said Mara Garcia, Phonexa's Chief Financial Officer. "If you have a publisher and want to pay them through Tipalti, you can do it through Phonexa with just a few clicks on the platform. It makes the payment automation even easier. Our customers are always looking for efficient optimization of end-to-end operations, and our alliance with Tipalti allows for them to further streamline, simplify, and evolve their business."

Tipalti offers a scalable platform that provides publishing partners the freedom to choose their desired payment methods, as well as guaranteed commission payouts on time, all while verifying payment details using over 26,000 rules across networks in 196 countries using 120 currencies. 

Partnering with a global-ready software like Phonexa allows us to offer an 'all-in-one' solution for our clients," said Zach Svendsen, Vice President of Alliances at Tipalti. "Our customers now have the ability to track performance and partner marketing, with built-in payments, all in one place, which helps drive additional revenue across all channels. The partnership gives our clients the tools they need to provide a best-in-class experience for their payees – whether they are affiliates, publishers, or any other type of partner."

Books360 is a core product in the Phonexa Suite. Books360 generates cash flow reports for automated invoicing and payouts from web or call-based campaigns for Phonexa's clients. By seamlessly integrating with Phonexa's different solution platforms, Books360 has value for those looking to streamline their bookkeeping and automate critical accounting processes.

According to Forrester’s 2024 predictions, released today, 60% of generative AI skeptics will use and value the emerging technology in 2024, whether they realize it or not. Consumers who are genAI skeptics will embrace the technology for tasks that enhance creativity and productivity, including seeking support from conversational assistants and translating and summarizing content. Additionally, business, technology, and marketing leaders’ investment in genAI in the year ahead will augment employees’ creative problem-solving time by up to 50% — driving customer-centric innovation and creating greater business value.

Forrester’s predictions analyze the dynamics and trends across different topics and industries, including technology and innovation; B2B marketing, sales, and product; artificial intelligence and automation; customer experience (CX); and the future of work. These insights help leaders see around the corner and gain a competitive edge to thrive in the year ahead.

Highlights from Forrester’s 2024 predictions include:

• CX will improve for the first time in years — thanks to genAI. The key to CX improvements in 2024 will be behind-the-scenes genAI that helps customer service agents answer questions faster and better and resolve CX issues on first contact, leaving customers feeling heard.

• Agencies will invest in custom AI solutions for enterprise clients. In 2024, the top 10 advertising agencies will spend a combined $50 million in partnerships to build custom AI solutions that enable their clients to scale personalized marketing campaigns and brand experiences.

• Clouds will launch prompt engineering services — to no avail. Cloud hyperscalers will announce either a preview or the general availability of prompt engineering, the process of structuring text so that it can be understood by a genAI model. Enterprise adoption, however, will be limited: 80% of enterprises will add prompt engineering talent internally to drive model grounding and value delivery.

• Regulators will have genAI in their sights. An app using ChatGPT will be fined for how it handles personally identifiable information (PII). Companies will need to identify apps that increase their risk exposure while also increasing investments in third-party risk management.

• Generational differences will alter B2B buying preferences. Millennial buyers make up 75% of business buying teams. In 2024, 40% of these buyers will demand early access to B2B product experts. When engaged in face-to-face buying, these buyers find personal interactions with product experts more meaningful than all other in-person activities.

• An “EX winter” will freeze employee experience investments. Many teams that drive employee experience (EX) will suffer from a lack of funding in 2024. For example, the percentage of companies that fund a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) function will fall to 20%. Instead, many companies will prioritize spending that makes HR functions efficient over improving EX outcomes.

“Generative AI’s influence is dominating all aspects of business and consumers’ lives,” said Sharyn Leaver, chief research officer at Forrester. “Despite some risks, genAI will serve as the fulcrum that businesses rely on to enhance, empower, and engage employees and customers. In the year ahead, successful leaders will be the ones who embrace genAI and experiment further with this technology to both improve customer experiences and accelerate business growth.”

Plume appoints new Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Revenue Officer

Network services and consumer experience pioneer, Plume^® today announced the appointment of two new executives to its leadership team: Valerie Buckingham as Chief Marketing Officer and Adrian Fitzgerald as Chief Revenue Officer.

"Plume is leveraging data and AI to enable people across the world to live more connected lives while empowering them with the tools to provide privacy, security, and control over how they interact with technology," said Valerie Buckingham. "This is an exciting time to be joining the team as we raise the global visibility of Plume and its game-changing consumer services for homes and small businesses. We have big plans for Plume."

"Plume is taking the smart home and small business markets to the next level and the significant growth it has experienced over the past few years is testament to this," said Adrian Fitzgerald. "As Plume continues to build a global presence, my team and I will ensure that we are primed to support the next phase of its expansion."

"Valerie and Adrian bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the executive team at Plume," stated Fahri Diner, Founder and CEO of Plume. "These senior-level appointments enhance Plume's go-to-market strength as the company continues to scale and innovate for customers around the world."

New End-to-End Solutions Include Accelerated Systems, AI Software and Expert Services to Build and Deploy Domain-Specific AI Models with Ease

Lenovo and NVIDIA today announced an expansion of their partnership with new, hybrid solutions and engineering collaboration that supports their shared vision to bring the power of generative AI to every enterprise.

In close collaboration with NVIDIA, Lenovo will deliver fully integrated systems that bring AI-powered computing to everywhere data is created, from the edge to the cloud, helping businesses easily deploy tailored generative AI applications to drive innovation and transformation across any industry.

The offerings were described by Lenovo Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang and NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang at the annual global Lenovo Tech World keynote held in Austin, Texas, where they discussed businesses’ need for end-to-end solutions that bring together accelerated systems, AI software and expert services to quickly build and run custom AI models using their own data.

Supported by the new Lenovo AI Professional Services Practice, the solutions enable enterprises to use a hybrid cloud approach – building their custom AI models using NVIDIA AI Foundations cloud service and then running them with on-prem Lenovo systems powered by NVIDIA’s latest hardware and software designed for generative AI.

“Together, Lenovo and NVIDIA are driving a new era of Hybrid AI for businesses, designing the next generation of technology that delivers an AI-powered future now and unlocks the power of their data anywhere it is created,” said Kirk Skaugen, President of Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group. “Lenovo’s expanded engineering and time to market partnership with NVIDIA simplifies the path to generative AI for all and helps customers anywhere rapidly use cutting-edge AI to transform their business.”

“With generative AI driving the greatest technology transformation of our time, enterprises are seeking solutions that give them the flexibility to develop and deploy workloads across their workstations, data centers and clouds,” said Bob Pette, Vice President of Enterprise Platforms at NVIDIA. “NVIDIA and Lenovo are providing a comprehensive portfolio of hybrid AI systems that businesses can rely on to power generative AI from virtually anywhere.”

Enabling Businesses to Securely Implement AI Faster

Lenovo’s NVIDIA-powered systems are optimized to run NVIDIA AI Enterprise software for secure, supported and stable production AI. With the NVIDIA NeMo™ framework, included in NVIDIA AI Enterprise, organizations can customize enterprise-grade large language models, available on NVIDIA AI Foundations. Using the latest retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) technique and fine-tuning methods, enterprises can build generative AI applications with their unique business data which are optimized for production and running on Lenovo hybrid AI solutions.

At the center of the companies’ expanded partnership are the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR675 V3 server and ThinkStation PX workstation, which are optimized for production AI running NVIDIA AI Enterprise. The ThinkSystem SR675V3 will include NVIDIA L40S GPUs, NVIDIA BlueField®-3 DPUs and NVIDIA Spectrum™-X networking. The ThinkStation PX will bring expanded AI capability and data center performance to the desktop by enabling up to 4x NVIDIA RTX™ 6000 Ada GPUs in a system.

Additionally, Lenovo and NVIDIA will create next-generation systems based on the flexible NVIDIA MGX™ modular reference design to deliver a wide range of robust and secure solutions for the most demanding generative AI workloads and help businesses implement immersive simulations and cognitive decisions at scale with NVIDIA Omniverse™, a platform for connecting and developing OpenUSD applications.

The Lenovo solutions will also support the recently announced VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA, enabling the hundreds of thousands of VMware customers to streamline adoption of generative AI.

Lenovo Professional Services to Deploy an AI-Driven Future Now

Together, the companies are empowering businesses to easily deploy AI with confidence and begin their AI-driven transformations with the new Lenovo AI Professional Services Practice and Lenovo’s TruScale aaS offering, which enables businesses to leverage a pay as you go model.

Offering a breadth of services, solutions and platforms, the Lenovo AI Professional Services Practice helps businesses of all sizes navigate the AI landscape, find the right solutions, and put AI to work for their organizations quickly, cost-effectively and at scale. It helps bring AI from concept to reality — from designing AI roadmaps to deploying platforms and providing transparency into technology utilization with the Lenovo TruScale Hub.