The convenience of mobile apps is irresistible—but so are the risks. A new survey by research firm GoodFirms highlights a growing disconnect between app functionality and user data privacy, showing that 73% of users consider mobile app permissions a serious security threat.

From demanding access to contacts and microphones to requiring unnecessary permissions, mobile apps are increasingly seen as invasive. Nearly half of the survey participants (46%) believe that many of these permissions have nothing to do with core functionality. And 13% of users go so far as to outright deny all permission requests, regardless of app needs.

Data Control Is No Longer Optional

“Mobile app users must be able to understand the nuances of mobile app security, and respond quickly to the growing data threats,” says GoodFirms. The firm emphasizes that data privacy shouldn’t be an afterthought, urging businesses to work with trusted mobile app developers who are well-versed in data security and privacy best practices.

This shift in development priorities reflects broader industry changes. Apps built today are not just digital tools—they're gateways to personal and behavioral data. The shift toward agile development, stronger security protocols, and transparency indicates that user trust is now a core feature, not a bonus.

Users Hold the Real Power

While developers have a responsibility to code securely, users still hold the keys to their own data security. GoodFirms encourages mobile users to regularly audit app permissions, deny access where unnecessary, and make full use of Android and iOS privacy settings.

In addition, experts recommend downloading only from official app stores, avoiding shady third-party sources, and reviewing privacy policies before installation. Apps should come from reputable development companies—those who publish clear security documentation and have an established track record.

Also, don’t forget the basics: keep your apps updated and don’t run outdated versions of your operating system. Many attacks prey on old vulnerabilities that have long been patched.

Why This Matters to Martech Leaders

For marketers and app developers in the MarTech space, this is more than a user concern—it’s a trust issue. Brands that neglect data privacy risk user attrition, bad press, and even regulatory penalties. In contrast, building secure, privacy-first apps can become a competitive differentiator in today’s privacy-conscious market.

As mobile apps continue to collect behavioral, location, and purchase data, the need for ethical design and transparent permissions will only grow. Trust isn’t just a checkbox—it’s a business model.

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SilentSwap, a privacy-first, non-custodial crypto swap platform, has teamed up with Own. App, a blockchain-powered social media platform, in a strategic partnership that redefines the intersection of decentralized finance and creator-led content platforms.

At its core, this collaboration enables Own. App users to seamlessly swap digital assets across blockchains—Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, and soon, Solana and Bitcoin—directly from their own wallets. No third parties. No custody. No compromise on privacy.

Bringing Web3 Monetization and Crypto Privacy Together

Own. App is already ahead of the curve in social media decentralization. Designed to reward creators based on real-time engagement and merit-based content ranking, it supports five built-in monetization channels:

• Tipping

• Brand sponsorships

• Content licensing

• Own. Shops

• Tokenized rewards via $OWN

Now, by integrating SilentSwap’s wallet-to-wallet cross-chain swaps, the platform adds a new dimension to user autonomy—enabling content creators to move their earnings across blockchains without losing control or exposing personal data.

SilentSwap’s non-custodial infrastructure ensures that users stay in control of their funds at all times. This is increasingly vital as Web3 platforms face mounting pressure to offer both performance and privacy.

“Privacy isn’t a privilege—it’s a foundation,” said Shibtoshi, Founder of SilentSwap. “Together, we’re not just building bridges between blockchains—we’re building a future where users move freely, securely, and confidently across the digital ecosystem.”

Redefining Digital Ownership in the Creator Economy

With social platforms pivoting toward decentralization, Own. App is positioning itself as more than just another Web3 social feed. By empowering users to control their content, data, and now assets, it moves closer to becoming a fully user-owned ecosystem.

“This is about redefining what ownership and freedom mean in the next era of social media,” added Amir Kaltak, CEO of Own. App. “SilentSwap helps us deliver the tools that match our mission.”

The integration, slated for launch in Q4 2025, arrives at a pivotal time for the Web3 creator economy, where seamless interoperability, privacy, and decentralized tools are no longer luxuries—they're expectations.

With broad EVM compatibility from the start and non-EVM support on the horizon, SilentSwap’s functionality promises Own. App’s users a truly borderless, private, and secure transaction experience.

Implications for the Broader Web3 Landscape

This partnership is more than technical synergy—it's a reflection of evolving priorities in the decentralized world: privacy, autonomy, and creator empowerment.

As Web3 continues to challenge the norms of both finance and social media, collaborations like this one are early blueprints of platforms that don’t just talk about ownership—they build it in.

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The digital consumer intelligence leader today announced a strategic partnership with Trajaan, the global frontrunner in search intelligence. The move significantly expands Brandwatch’s capabilities, integrating real-time search data into its platform so brands can now see not just what people are saying—but what they’re actively searching for.

In short: Brandwatch is turning up the clarity on consumer intent.

Search Meets Social

Until now, Brandwatch has largely focused on analyzing consumer sentiment through social conversations, forums, and digital chatter. But with this integration, customers can overlay that social sentiment with search behavior—from Google queries and e-commerce lookups to GenAI prompts and regional demand surges.

Why does that matter? Because what consumers type into search bars often reveals deeper intent than what they post on social media.

“We’re empowering our customers to get even closer to the ‘why’ behind consumer behavior—from the questions they’re asking to the products they’re considering,” said Jim Daxner, Chief Product Officer at Brandwatch and Cision.

What’s New and Why It Matters

With Trajaan’s data woven into Brandwatch’s ecosystem, users now have access to what may be the world’s most comprehensive search intelligence dataset—spanning traditional engines, e-commerce platforms, social sites, and emerging GenAI sources.

Key unlocks include:

• End-to-End Intelligence: Brands can pair social conversation trends with actual search demand to validate signals, track market shifts, or detect unmet needs.

• GenAI Visibility: Marketers can now see how generative AI platforms recommend or represent their brand—a fast-growing touchpoint influencing purchase decisions.

• Real-Time, Geo-Localized Insights: Whether spotting early micro-trends or tracking regional brand sentiment, Trajaan’s search data enables faster reactions and more accurate forecasts.

“This is about giving brands a live feed of what people want and talk about—before it hits the shelves,” said Matthieu Danielou, CEO of Trajaan. “It’s about moving faster, spotting micro-trends earlier, and building what the market is already searching for.”

The Bigger Picture

This partnership is more than a bolt-on feature—it’s the first step in Brandwatch’s broader roadmap to deeply embed search intelligence into its core platform. For marketing, communications, and product teams, this means more predictive planning, smarter campaigns, and insight-driven decision-making.

It also reflects a growing trend in martech: merging fragmented datasets to deliver holistic, anticipatory intelligence—a capability that increasingly separates industry leaders from laggards.

With data ecosystems becoming more complex, tools like Brandwatch+Trajaan might just be what’s needed to cut through the noise—and act on the signal before your competitors even see it.

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SoundHound AI, Inc., the voice AI company traded on Nasdaq under the ticker SOUN, has announced a major rollout of its SoundHound Chat AI Automotive system. This generative AI-infused voice assistant is now live in vehicles from three major global car brands across North America—delivering a next-gen, conversationally fluid experience behind the wheel.

This marks a milestone in the evolution of in-car voice assistants, moving from basic commands like “Call John” or “Navigate home” to contextual, multi-step conversations that actually understand you.

From Command and Control to Conversation

SoundHound’s new system integrates traditional in-vehicle voice controls with generative AI, allowing drivers and passengers to go beyond robotic responses and engage in natural, human-like dialogue. Think ChatGPT, but wired into your infotainment system.

Whether it’s planning an evening in San Francisco, navigating to a stadium, checking the weather, or finding EV charging stations en route, the assistant can handle layered queries—and follow-up questions—with grace.

Here’s a real-world flow it can manage, start to finish:

• “Where do the Giants play?”

• “Where are the best seats there?”

• “Navigate there.”

• “What’s the weather like this afternoon?”

• “Find restaurants nearby.”

• “Locate charging stations along the route.”

That’s not just impressive—it’s the future of in-car convenience.

Enhancing the Driving Experience

Beyond navigation and search, SoundHound Chat AI Automotive brings in new layers of entertainment and utility. Users can tap into trip planning tools, interactive storytelling, trivia games, and even get user-friendly tips pulled from the vehicle manual. It’s infotainment with an IQ boost.

This latest integration reflects an industry-wide push to redefine the driver’s digital experience—especially as connected car ecosystems become central to brand differentiation and customer retention.

“We’re witnessing growing demand for advanced voice experiences inside vehicles,” the company noted, pointing to its earlier debut of a voice commerce assistant, which enables hands-free food ordering and brand engagement directly from the dashboard.

That voice commerce capability alone could represent a $35 billion opportunity for automakers, according to recent research cited by SoundHound.

Why This Matters

For OEMs, the implications are huge. In a market where infotainment quality increasingly sways consumer loyalty, embedding advanced, AI-native voice systems is no longer a luxury—it’s a competitive imperative.

And unlike earlier attempts at voice control that often felt clunky and rigid, SoundHound’s integration with generative AI provides context awareness, multi-step processing, and access to both cloud-based and vehicle-specific knowledge.

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In a world where speed, scale, and precision define competitive edge, Qualtrics and PureSpectrum are cutting the lag time out of market research—literally.

Qualtrics, the pioneer of experience management (XM), has partnered with PureSpectrum, a leader in data quality and market research tech, to launch next-gen synthetic research capabilities. Their shared goal? Shrink weeks of panel-based research into minutes of AI-driven insight—without compromising data fidelity or nuance.

This marks a major step forward in AI-powered market intelligence, especially as research teams seek faster, more cost-effective ways to understand dynamic consumer behavior.

The Shift to Synthetic Panels

Under the partnership, PureSpectrum will adopt Qualtrics as its exclusive synthetic panel provider, combining PureSpectrum’s expansive training dataset with Qualtrics’ proprietary AI models. The result: synthetic insights that mirror real-world sentiment, derived from vast industry-specific data.

Key outcomes companies can expect:

• Up to 50% reduction in research costs

• Time-to-insight slashed from weeks to minutes

• Expanded audience reach beyond traditional panels

For an industry built on sample accuracy, response integrity, and behavior modeling, synthetic panels represent both a disruption and an evolution—especially when built on rich, real-time datasets like those from Qualtrics and PureSpectrum.

AI-Generated Insights That Don't Feel Artificial

Qualtrics’ synthetic engine draws from its massive repository of industry-specific experience data to simulate realistic human responses. And thanks to the new partnership, it’s now being enhanced with millions of behavioral data points PureSpectrum captures daily—feeding a loop of continuously evolving, human-like insight.

“Synthetic data represents a powerful new era of market intelligence,” said Ali Rohani, Chief Transformation Officer at Qualtrics and founder of Qualtrics Edge. “With PureSpectrum, we’re unlocking AI-generated insights researchers can trust to guide business-critical decisions.”

It’s a bold claim—and one the companies back up with more than marketing hype. Their Edge Audiences offering, which blends traditional and synthetic panels, is already in use by giants like Booking.com and Google Labs, with full availability in the PureSpectrum Marketplace coming H2 2025.

Why This Partnership Matters

The challenge with most synthetic research has been fidelity—models that sound convincing, but lack the nuance and subtlety of real human behavior. According to David Butler, President of PureSpectrum, that’s changing.

“Until now, synthetic offerings have struggled because they lacked enriched, nuanced data. But with Qualtrics’ capabilities and our training data, this offering is unparalleled in reliability and precision,” said Butler.

The partnership also deepens a longstanding collaboration between the two companies. PureSpectrum is already the exclusive quantitative panel provider within the Qualtrics Platform, delivering trusted data, seamless onboarding, and platform reliability.

With synthetic research moving from theoretical to tactical, this launch puts both Qualtrics and PureSpectrum at the frontlines of a broader shift in how insights are generated, scaled, and acted upon.

And in a business world that waits for no one, that speed may be exactly what market leaders need to stay ahead of the curve.

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In a bold move that brings AI voice technology closer to mainstream development, SignalWire—the company behind Programmable Unified Communications (PUC)—has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to integrate AWS’s cutting-edge Nova Sonic voice-to-voice AI model into the SignalWire platform.

This collaboration promises to streamline the development of conversational voice apps, enabling devs to bypass telecom complexity and focus on building intelligent, human-like voice interactions.

Nova Sonic Now Speaks SWML

At the core of this integration is the introduction of a powerful new SWML (SignalWire Markup Language) verb, aptly named amazon_bedrock, which bridges AWS Nova Sonic with SignalWire’s programmable infrastructure.

With full compatibility with SignalWire's SDK, developers now have a plug-and-play way to incorporate Nova Sonic’s highly responsive, human-sounding conversational AI into any voice app, IVR system, or contact center solution.

And it’s not just about voice prompts and canned replies—Nova Sonic delivers dynamic, context-aware responses, giving developers access to the kind of fluid, back-and-forth conversations typically reserved for high-end enterprise AI systems.

Going Beyond the Basics

But this partnership isn’t stopping at voice quality.

Through SignalWire’s AI Gateway, developers can connect voice AI agents to external services, like customer support platforms, databases, or CRMs—allowing Nova Sonic-powered voice agents to look up orders, open service tickets, or execute real-time tasks during a call.

Think of it as giving voicebots not just a brain, but hands to get things done.

No-Code Agent Builder = Faster Prototyping

SignalWire also announced support for Nova Sonic in its open source Agent Builder, a visual, no-code tool hosted on GitHub that lets teams design voice agents without writing code.

The Agent Builder generates SWML configurations automatically, making it easier for developers and non-devs alike to prototype, test, and deploy voice applications within hours instead of weeks.

This fits neatly into a broader trend: companies racing to give more people access to AI tools—without needing deep dev experience or knowledge of telecom APIs.

The integration of AWS Nova Sonic with SignalWire’s PUC platform unlocks serious potential for contact centers, virtual assistants, and real-time service applications.

“This opens a new frontier of possibilities for developers and businesses alike,” said Anthony Minessale, CEO and co-founder of SignalWire. “By baking Nova Sonic into our SWML and open source tools, we’re making it easy to build intelligent voice experiences—without wrestling with legacy telecom hurdles.”

In a market increasingly shaped by real-time, AI-fueled interactions, SignalWire’s developer-first, open ecosystem approach could be a blueprint for the future of voice communications.

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In a tech landscape flooded with AI “add-ons” and half-baked hype, Agiloft is earning recognition for doing the hard part: making artificial intelligence work where it matters most—inside the software, not just on top of it.

The contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform has been named a finalist in Newsweek’s 2025 AI Impact Awards, an accolade that celebrates companies applying AI both strategically and responsibly to solve meaningful business problems.

And Agiloft isn’t just along for the ride—it’s helping steer the course.

Built-In AI, Not Bolted-On

Unlike platforms that treat AI as a flashy extra, Agiloft built its solution from the ground up with what it calls “AI on the inside™”. That means fully-configurable AI features are embedded at every step of the CLM journey, from contract creation to risk analysis—no patchwork integrations, no black-box mystery.

The result? Legal and procurement teams can accelerate contract cycles, surface hidden risks, and drive approvals with automated intelligence baked into their workflows.

Here’s what sets Agiloft apart:

• Automated Initial Reviews: AI-powered assessments that can cut review time by up to 80%.

• GenAI Agents: Automate approval processes and drive decisions in seconds, not days.

• Prompt Lab with Screens: A new interface combining intelligent clause management and negotiation guidance.

This isn’t theory—it’s operational AI that’s being used by enterprises to optimize legal ops at scale.

A Different Kind of AI Recognition

While most awards celebrate AI flash, Newsweek’s AI Impact Awards focus on measurable business impact and ethical innovation. The 2025 edition puts a spotlight on companies transforming industries by aligning technology with transparency, accountability, and adaptability.

“We are focused on building AI with a balance of power and process transparency that leads to adoption,” said Eric Laughlin, CEO of Agiloft. “This recognition from Newsweek confirms that we are on the right track.”

For organizations trying to move beyond buzzwords, Agiloft offers a compelling blueprint—intelligent contract management that’s both powerful and practical.

Why It Matters in the CLM Space

The contract management market is teeming with tools that promise automation but deliver friction. Agiloft's approach is different: it focuses on configurability, explainability (white-box AI), and true operational efficiency. That’s especially critical for enterprise legal teams dealing with complex, regulated, or high-volume contract environments.

By providing AI as a core capability rather than an upcharge, Agiloft is making advanced contract intelligence more accessible, transparent, and actionable—all while keeping legal professionals in control.

“AI is reshaping our world, and the organizations receiving this award are at the forefront of that transformation,” said Jennifer H. Cunningham, Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek. “We are proud to spotlight technologies that are pushing the boundaries of what AI can achieve—responsibly and effectively.”

Agiloft is showing that in the world of enterprise AI, real impact beats gimmicks—and the industry is finally taking notice.

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In a move set to shake up the indie publishing space, Bowker has partnered with John Marshall Media (JMM)—the Grammy-winning powerhouse behind thousands of top-tier audiobooks—to deliver premium audio production and distribution services to publishers of all sizes, including the fast-growing self-publishing community.

With over 30 years of experience producing audio for the Big 5 publishers, JMM is now bringing its expertise to the broader publishing market via this partnership—offering studio-quality recording, global distribution, and integrated marketing under one roof.

“JMM brings decades of experience producing audiobooks for the largest U.S. publishers,” said Beat Barblan, General Manager at Bowker. “We’re excited to now offer their world-class services to self-publishers and smaller houses worldwide.”

Audiobooks for All, Not Just the Big Five

This collaboration is more than just a service upgrade. It reflects a growing trend: audiobooks are booming, and independent authors want in.

While the traditional audiobook pipeline has long been dominated by major publishers, Bowker and JMM are making the medium far more accessible. From professional narration to platform-specific formatting, this full-service offering lets authors focus on their content—while the production experts handle everything else.

“We’ve spent 30 years making great audiobooks for the Big 5. Now we’re helping smaller publishers and authors do the same,” said Kevin Stillwell, Head of Indie Production & Distribution at JMM.

And Bowker’s reach into the self-publishing ecosystem gives JMM access to a massive, often underserved market—one hungry for professional tools and support.

What the Partnership Delivers

✔ Production
JMM works with hundreds of elite narrators and voice actors. Whether it's single voice or full-cast production, author-narrated or professional voiceover, JMM delivers studio-grade recordings engineered to meet the exact specs of retail platforms worldwide.

✔ Distribution
JMM’s full-service platform reaches 106 retail, library, and school outlets, pushing audiobooks to millions of listeners globally. One contract, one pipeline, complete control.

✔ Marketing
Via a network of publisher-centric marketing experts, JMM offers strategic and creative services—from advertising and outreach to campaign planning and optimization—to ensure audiobooks don’t just get made, but get heard.

Why This Matters

Audiobooks are the fastest-growing segment of publishing, but producing a quality title remains a challenge for independents. With this partnership, Bowker and JMM are flattening the learning curve and opening the gates to high-quality audio production, regardless of publisher size.

For Bowker customers, it’s a direct line to a service once reserved for the industry's elite. For JMM, it’s a strategic extension into a broader market.

“The audiobook medium represents a tremendous opportunity for Bowker customers,” Barblan added. And with consumer demand showing no signs of slowing down, that opportunity could prove to be a game-changer.

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