Snowflake is planting a bigger flag in Africa. The AI Data Cloud company announced today that its platform is now generally available on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Africa (Cape Town) Region—a move designed to give South African organizations faster, compliant access to their data while tapping into AI-driven analytics.

Why South Africa, Why Now

Cloud adoption in South Africa is booming, but with growth comes scrutiny. The country’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA)—its answer to Europe’s GDPR—places strict rules on how personal data is stored, processed, and shared across borders. On top of that, the government’s National Policy on Data and Cloud demands that public-sector data be housed inside the country.

By going live on AWS Cape Town, Snowflake can finally tick the box on local data residency and sovereignty, a key requirement for financial services, healthcare providers, and public-sector institutions wary of shipping sensitive information overseas.

Snowflake + AWS: Closer to the Customer

“This expansion is a pivotal step in our commitment to supporting local organisations with secure data solutions that meet local regulations, all without compromising performance or innovation,” said Luan Reineck, Snowflake’s South Africa country manager.

The partnership with AWS means customers can keep their data on home soil while still enjoying Snowflake’s signature perks: elastic scalability, cost efficiency, and the ability to build AI-powered applications directly on their data.

Customers Already Onboard

Several South African companies have already hitched their wagons to Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud.

• Carry1st, a mobile gaming publisher operating in 20 countries, says Snowflake helped slash infrastructure costs by 45%, sped up data refresh rates by 300%, and improved customer interactions.

• BluNova and Mukuru are also among early adopters, using the platform to make smarter business decisions and wring more value out of their data.

Those are not small wins in a market where cloud cost optimization is often the difference between scaling and stalling.

A Play for Skills, Not Just Storage

Snowflake isn’t just dropping servers in Cape Town and calling it a day. As part of its broader African strategy, the company is working with system integrators and AWS on the “One Million Minds” initiative, aimed at training learners in AI and data skills. The idea: grow the local talent pipeline while expanding the ecosystem around Snowflake’s platform.

That push could give Snowflake an advantage over rivals like Databricks and Google Cloud, both of which have been investing heavily in AI and Africa’s cloud footprint.

What’s Next

To mark the launch, Snowflake is hosting an event on September 3 at The Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town, positioning its AI Data Cloud as the go-to platform for businesses looking to balance compliance with innovation.

The bigger story, though, is that South Africa just became a more strategic battleground for global cloud players. As data residency rules tighten and AI ambitions grow, the region is quickly becoming too important to ignore. For Snowflake, this launch could be the opening move in a much larger African play.

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Elliptic Labs (OSE: ELABS), best known for turning hardware sensors into pure software magic, is quietly expanding its footprint in the smartphone world. In August alone, the company’s AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform™ landed on six new devices:

• HONOR Play 70 Plus

• vivo TR4 and iQOO Z10R

• Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 and Redmi Note 15 Pro

• Transsion Infinix GT30

That brings Elliptic Labs’ year-to-date tally for 2025 to 45 smartphone launches, cementing its role as a go-to software partner for OEMs looking to cut costs and streamline design.

How It Works: INNER BEAUTY Proximity Detection

The highlight of the platform remains the AI Virtual Proximity Sensor INNER BEAUTY®. It does what every smartphone needs: detect when you lift the device to your ear during a call. The display shuts off, touch input is disabled, and you avoid the embarrassment of accidentally hanging up with your cheek.

Most phones use a dedicated infrared hardware sensor for this job. Elliptic Labs replaces that with software—no extra component required. The result? Lower bill of materials for manufacturers, less supply-chain risk, and fewer parts crammed into already tight smartphone designs.

Battery savings come as a bonus since the screen powers down when not in use.

Why It Matters

Proximity detection might not sound glamorous, but it’s a mission-critical function for smartphones. By virtualizing it, Elliptic Labs is effectively rewriting the hardware playbook—especially for brands like HONOR, vivo, Xiaomi, and Transsion that thrive in competitive midrange markets where shaving a few dollars off device costs can make or break margins.

It’s also notable that this is software at scale: Elliptic’s AI Virtual Smart Sensors are now deployed in over half a billion devices worldwide. The company’s ability to quietly embed itself across major OEM portfolios suggests we’re seeing a long-term shift away from dedicated hardware sensors in mainstream devices.

The Bigger Picture

While Apple and Samsung have yet to make the leap to virtual-only proximity sensing, the broader Android ecosystem is proving fertile ground for Elliptic’s tech. As component shortages and rising BOM costs continue to pressure manufacturers, expect software-defined sensors to spread beyond proximity detection—think presence, gesture, and even environmental sensing.

For now, Elliptic Labs is playing the long game: cut hardware where you can, replace it with AI-powered software, and keep pushing OEM adoption model by model. At 45 smartphone launches this year and counting, the momentum is clearly on their side.

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Alternative Ballistics Corporation, best known for its less-lethal firearm attachment The Alternative®, has refreshed its digital presence with a new website and branding push. The redesign underscores the company’s evolving mission: advancing public safety while reducing risk in high-stakes encounters.

But the bigger news? The company isn’t stopping at law enforcement. Alternative Ballistics is now preparing a civilian version of its flagship tech for the home-defense market.

A Brand With a Broader Mission

The updated website introduces new corporate colors, sharper messaging, and a more modern look. Beyond aesthetics, it aims to clarify how The Alternative works and address common misconceptions.

“Our new website not only represents a visual transformation but also a renewed effort to communicate who we are and the positive social impact that we are driving,” said CEO Steve Luna. “It allows us to explain how our solution empowers officers and communities alike by reducing risk in critical incidents.”

The site also highlights the company’s growing roster of international partners, signaling that Alternative Ballistics has global ambitions.

From Police to the Public: The Home Defense™

The company’s next act could be its most disruptive. Luna confirmed plans to release The Home Defense™, a consumer-grade version of its less-lethal technology.

Originally built for law enforcement, the system works by attaching to a firearm to deliver stopping power without lethal consequences. The goal: give homeowners a defensive option that prioritizes safety while still deterring threats.

“With our upcoming consumer product, we’re giving families meaningful protection without the risks and trauma associated with lethal force,” Luna explained. “It’s a ‘less-lethal-first solution’ that reduces liability without surrendering your weapon.”

Why It Matters

The move comes as debates over policing, gun violence, and responsible self-defense continue to intensify worldwide. While tasers and pepper spray are widely available alternatives, The Home Defense™ offers a firearm-compatible solution that sits somewhere between deterrence and deadly force.

For law enforcement, The Alternative has already been pitched as a risk-mitigation tool, designed to reduce fatalities and liability in volatile encounters. For civilians, the same tech could reshape conversations around what “responsible gun ownership” looks like.

The Bigger Picture

Alternative Ballistics’ expansion reflects a broader trend in public safety tech: the push for solutions that balance personal protection with reduced harm. The new website is part of a brand refresh, but the company’s pivot toward consumers suggests its future may lie not just in police departments, but in living rooms.

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Battery makers don’t usually make headlines in the AI world, but GP Batteries just did. The Hong Kong–based manufacturer, which sells its power packs in more than 50 countries, has partnered with Aurora Mobile’s GPTBots.ai to overhaul customer service and streamline operations.

The result? Smarter support, faster responses, and a glimpse of how traditional manufacturers can leverage AI to modernize global business at scale.

The Problem: Complex Products, Global Headaches

GP Batteries’ catalog spans dozens of models across household, industrial, and specialty uses. That complexity creates a nightmare for customer service:

• Consumers struggle to identify which battery works with which device.

• Reps field repetitive, technical inquiries daily.

• Multilingual and cross-regional service requests bog down response times.

The company needed a way to serve thousands of customers, across dozens of markets, without burning out its human support team.

Enter GPTBots.ai: Building a "Battery Advisor"

Aurora Mobile’s GPTBots.ai platform gave GP Batteries the tools to build a no-code, AI-powered service agent in weeks. Through a drag-and-drop interface, the team created a multilingual “Battery Advisor” capable of:

• Recommending the right models for specific use cases

• Handling FAQs and location-based guidance

• Acting as the first line of defense before escalating to humans

Within two months of launching in the Netherlands, the system was already fielding questions from 1,000+ sales channel users and cutting human workloads in half.

The Payoff: Faster, Cheaper, Always-On

Since rolling out GPTBots.ai, GP Batteries has:

• Automated more than 50% of responses

• Reduced customer service costs by half

• Extended coverage to 24/7

• Boosted both response speed and satisfaction

For a company operating across 50+ regions, those numbers represent serious efficiency gains.

Beyond Customer Service: AI in the Factory and Supply Chain

The partnership is also expanding deeper into operations. GP Batteries and GPTBots.ai are now working on:

• Sales forecasting & supply chain optimization: Using AI to crunch historical and market data for more accurate planning.

• Employee training: Delivering standardized, multilingual onboarding materials for global staff.

• Internal process automation: From order management to inventory scheduling, AI agents are being plugged into everyday workflows.

“AI’s multilingual capabilities have enabled our global team to achieve standardized training and services, drastically reducing communication costs,” said GP Batteries’ marketing head.

Aurora Mobile’s GPTBots.ai CEO framed the partnership as more than just tech adoption: “We are not just a tool but a long-term partner for enterprises implementing AI.”

Why It Matters

GP Batteries’ move highlights a bigger trend: manufacturers are starting to use AI not just for chatbots, but as a backbone for digital transformation. With margins tight and supply chains under pressure, AI-driven efficiency could prove as critical to survival as the batteries themselves.

And for Aurora Mobile, this deal signals momentum for GPTBots.ai as a platform that lowers the barrier to AI adoption for traditional enterprises. If it can help battery makers, it might soon be powering other “old school” industries into the AI era.

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Energy storage is getting a jolt, and not just from lithium-ion. A new report from Research and Markets projects the global supercapacitors market will grow at a 15.3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2036, fueled by demand for electrification, renewable integration, and high-power applications.

Supercapacitors—also known as ultracapacitors—sit between conventional capacitors and batteries, delivering instant bursts of power, ultra-fast charging, and cycle lives that can exceed one million charge-discharge cycles. That makes them ideal for short-duration, high-power use cases that traditional batteries struggle with.

Beyond the Car: Supercapacitors’ Expanding Role

Historically, supercapacitors gained traction in automotive and transportation, powering regenerative braking, start-stop systems, and hybrid drivetrains. But the market is shifting. By 2036, the biggest growth is expected in power grids and renewable energy integration, where supercapacitors can provide lightning-fast frequency response and stabilize grids against intermittent solar and wind output.

Other sectors are waking up, too:

• Data centers & semiconductor fabs are exploring supercapacitor-based UPS systems for reliable, low-maintenance backup power.

• Heavy equipment, mining, and industrial automation benefit from rugged performance and temperature resistance.

• Next-gen fields like 6G communications, electric aviation, fusion energy, and defense are investigating ultracapacitors for their mix of high power and reliability.

Technology Race: EDLCs, Hybrids, and Graphene

The report breaks down three key technologies:

• EDLCs (Electric Double-Layer Capacitors): The most mature and commercially viable, especially in automotive and industrial settings.

• Pseudocapacitors: Leveraging fast redox reactions to store more energy.

• Hybrid supercapacitors (like lithium-ion capacitors): Combining high power with moderate energy density for emerging applications.

On the materials side, advances are accelerating. Graphene electrodes are improving conductivity and surface area, MXenes (2D carbides/nitrides) are pushing performance further, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are being explored for radical new electrode designs. Even structural supercapacitors—where the storage device doubles as part of a car or plane’s body—are on the horizon.

Market Dynamics: Asia-Pacific Dominates, But Watch Europe

According to the report, Asia-Pacific leads production and consumption, thanks to China’s manufacturing muscle and Japan’s R&D strength. North America and Europe, meanwhile, are carving niches in high-performance applications, with companies like Skeleton Technologies (graphene) and Maxwell Technologies (Tesla) pushing boundaries.

The global market includes more than 110 active players, from household names like Panasonic, Nippon Chemi-Con, and Kyocera AVX to startups such as Avadain (graphene) and Ligna Energy (bio-based supercapacitors). Consolidation, R&D partnerships, and heavy investment in advanced materials are shaping the competitive landscape.

The Bigger Picture: Electrification’s Unsung Hero

While batteries grab headlines, supercapacitors are becoming essential for a more electrified world. Their ability to deliver power in milliseconds makes them vital for smart grids, EV performance boosts, and resilient backup systems.

The report stresses that success in this market will hinge on balancing power density, energy density, cost, and scalability. As industries chase efficiency and sustainability, supercapacitors could quietly become the glue holding the energy transition together.

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Press releases are no longer one-and-done announcements—they’re becoming long-term digital assets. That’s the pitch from Online Marketing Standard (OMS), which today unveiled its new Optimized Press Release Services. The offering aims to help businesses get visibility not just on traditional wires and Google, but also on the fast-growing universe of AI-driven discovery platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, Grok (X), and Claude.

“Traditional PR has always been about visibility and credibility,” said Sean Bolton, CEO of OMS. “What makes this different is we’re optimizing every release for news outlets, search engines, and AI. That means our clients stay discoverable in the places people now actually search for answers.”

Why This Matters

For years, press releases faded after their initial splash. OMS argues that’s no longer acceptable in a digital ecosystem where AI platforms are shaping how people find information. By blending SEO with what the agency calls AI Engine Optimization (AEO), these optimized releases are structured so they remain indexable, authoritative, and AI-ready.

That means a company announcement doesn’t just appear in a news feed—it has a higher chance of being pulled into AI summaries, cited in chatbot responses, and surfaced in conversational search results. In an era where AI is reshaping digital marketing, that’s a compelling value add.

The Value Proposition

OMS’s service layers traditional wire distribution with enhancements like:

• Entity-rich keywording & structured data → boosts SEO and AEO.

• AI-readiness → increases visibility in chatbot-generated responses.

• Credibility via syndication → releases appear across hundreds of reputable outlets.

• Repurposability → press releases can double as blog posts, newsletters, or social content.

• Performance analytics → tracking goes beyond backlinks and media pickups to include AI-driven discoverability.

The Bigger Picture

OMS isn’t just chasing trends—it’s recognizing a broader shift in marketing discovery. Search rankings still matter, but the next wave of digital visibility is conversational AI. If businesses want to appear authoritative when customers ask AI tools for recommendations, their content has to be structured to meet these engines halfway.

With this launch, OMS is positioning itself as an early mover in the AI-era PR playbook, offering a bridge between classic distribution tactics and the emerging AEO frontier. For marketers, the message is clear: ignore AI-driven discoverability at your own risk.

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Unit of Measure today announced the launch of Mirrix, a digital asset management (DAM) add-on built specifically for organizations running the STEP platform from Stibo Systems.

Unlike third-party DAM systems that bolt on with heavy integrations and siloed storage, Mirrix operates natively inside STEP. That means all images, documents, and media remain governed, tagged, and managed in the same environment that already houses product data.

“STEP already knows your products, structure, and users. Mirrix simply unlocks that potential for digital assets,” said Martin Kjeldsen, Founder of Unit of Measure. “It bridges the gap between product data and media workflows, so every team can move faster—without duplicating files or switching systems.”

Tailored for Everyday Users

Mirrix is designed to match the workflows of teams that interact with digital assets daily:

• Marketing teams → Quickly find approved visuals, review creative in product context, and ensure brand consistency.

• Product managers → Gain visual oversight of images and docs tied to each product, enriched with AI-generated metadata.

• Sales teams & partners → Access curated, always up-to-date assets—no more waiting for someone to send files.

• Compliance roles → Leverage structured tagging, accessibility insights, and certification logos linked directly to product records.

Built for the Files That Matter

Mirrix supports common enterprise file types and includes AI-powered enrichment to generate alt text, descriptions, accessibility tags, and search terms automatically. A role-based UX ensures marketing, product, sales, and compliance users see only the tools and permissions they need.

Key Advantages of Mirrix:

• No duplication → assets remain inside STEP, under a single governance framework.

• AI enrichment → automatic tagging and accessibility data.

• Collaboration → share, review, and annotate assets internally and externally.

• Contextual integration → media directly tied to STEP’s product data records.

By embedding DAM functionality directly into STEP, Mirrix positions itself as a frictionless alternative to standalone DAM platforms, helping enterprises unify product information management (PIM) and digital asset management into one system of record.

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Today marks the official launch of LLM Scout, a first-of-its-kind platform built to help businesses monitor, measure, and improve brand visibility inside AI-generated answers from emerging discovery tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.

As generative AI reshapes search behavior, the rules of discoverability are changing. Instead of competing for page-one Google rankings, companies are either included or invisible in AI-driven responses. With no second page of results, brand presence in these answers has become a high-stakes marketing frontier.

LLM Scout provides marketing teams, agencies, and founders with a new layer of visibility into this landscape. The platform shows when, where, and how brands are mentioned across multiple AI models, complete with the underlying prompts, responses, and sources. Beyond simple monitoring, LLM Scout benchmarks performance against competitors and delivers clear, actionable guidance to boost mentions, improve citations, and strengthen brand authority.

“Our mission with LLM Scout is to make AI search visibility measurable and actionable,” said Frank Vitetta, Founder and CEO of LLM Scout. “Generative AI has changed how customers discover products and services. We want to give businesses the same level of control and clarity in AI search that they’ve had in traditional SEO — and to help them win in this new frontier.”

Key Features of LLM Scout

• AI Search Monitoring → Track brand mentions across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.

• Competitive Benchmarking → Compare visibility against industry rivals.

• Source Transparency → See the links, citations, and context driving AI answers.

• Trend Analysis → Weekly updates with historical tracking to spot visibility shifts.

• Custom Prompts → Tailor tracking around product names, competitors, and industry terms.

LLM Scout is available today with a free 14-day trial and simple, scalable pricing plans, making it accessible to startups and enterprise marketing teams alike.

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