In November 2023, LeanIX was absorbed by SAP; in September 2024, Ardoq acquired ShiftX; and most recently, on December 11, 2024, Orbus Software announced its acquisition of Capsifi. All these acquisitions point to a significant shift in the enterprise architecture management suite space. Orbus Software, recognized as one of the leading vendors in The Forrester Wave™: Enterprise Architecture Management Suites, Q4 2024, has demonstrated exceptional proficiency in both its offerings and strategy. Notably, its vision stands out due to its integration with the digital twin of organizations (DTO). With the acquisition of Capsifi, the firm will move significantly closer to achieving this vision. But what exactly is a DTO? For the newly combined entity, it can be broken down into three components: Enterprise and solution architecture (traditionally, Orbus’ core strength) Business operating model and strategy (traditionally, Capsifi’s core strength) Business process analysis and mining (both players still need to evolve here) These three components will interact and enhance each other using AI features based on integration-platform-as-a-service technology, creating a comprehensive digital twin of the entire company. This digital twin allows for simulations, positioning, and using the different components as a strategic enabling tool for CEOs, business directors, and enterprise architects. The success of this merger will further showcase the power of enterprise architecture as a crucial element of a company strategy. source

  原文網址：https://finance.mingpao.com/fin/instantf/20241219/1734581624905 LinkedIn Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp The post 市場關注: 匯豐下調最優惠利率0.125厘至5.25厘 appeared first on VeriMedia. source

Europe has selected the sites for seven “AI factories” — specialised research and development centres using the region’s most powerful supercomputers. The factories will be based in Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, and Sweden. The interconnected network of factories will drive advancements in AI applications across various sectors in the E.U., including health, manufacturing, energy, climate, and finance. It will be managed by the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, an organisation set up to develop a world-class supercomputing ecosystem in the region. Sites will more than double E.U.’s data capacity AI startups, small and medium enterprises, and researchers across the continent can easily access high-performance computing resources, training, and expertise through the factories. The aim is to bring together the “key ingredients for success in AI,” which are computing power, data, and talent. Together, the seven factories will more than double the E.U.’s data capacity by 2026. Five of the sites will involve new AI-optimised supercomputers, while the one in Spain will involve upgrading an existing EuroHPC system, MareNostrum 5. Likewise, the facility in Greece will be associated with the DAEDALUS supercomputer currently deployed in Athens. The factories in Spain and Finland will have an “experimental platform” designed specifically to develop and test frontier AI models. Who will fund Europe’s new AI factories? The EuroHPC JU, the European Commission, and individual Member States will share funding for the seven factories, totaling €2.1 billion. The E.U. will also provide €100 million to support incubation and start-up activities, aiming to attract an additional €1 billion from private investors. Location Name Existing supercomputing infrastructure New or upgrade? Budget Kajaani, Finland LUMI AF LUMI New At least €556 million Stuttgart, Germany HammerHAI High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart New €85 million Athens, Greece Pharos DAEDALUS, GRNET Upgrade €30 million Bologna, Italy IT4LIA LEONARDO New €430 million Bissen, Luxembourg L-AI MeluXina New €112 million Barcelona, Spain Barcelona Supercomputing Center MareNostrum 5 Upgrade €198 million Linköping, Sweden MIMER National Academic Infrastructure for Supercomputing New Unknown More must-read AI coverage The AI factories will lower the typical barriers to entry associated with AI technology, such as the cost of installing hardware, shortage of applicable talent, and data security concerns stemming from using offshore cloud providers. They will also make it easier for researchers to adhere to the E.U.’s strict data security and AI ethics requirements, as the factories’ management teams will be responsible for compliance. Furthermore, a September report by former European Central Bank President and economist Mario Draghi claimed that the bloc was not competitive with other global regions in terms of innovation, especially with advanced technologies. The factories intend to help address this lack of competitiveness, guarantee strategic sovereignty, and improve control over data and security. SEE: Generative AI Could Add Up to €1.4 Trillion to the EU’s GDP by 2034 “Now we are ready to lead with the right infrastructure in our ambition for the EU to become the AI continent,” said Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, in a statement. First seven factories to be operational by 2026 In Jan. 2024, the European Commission launched a package of measures to support European startups and SMEs developing trustworthy AI in line with the AI Act. Among them was a proposal to enable the establishment of accessible AI factories using the EuroHPC infrastructure. In May, the European AI Office was formed largely to govern the deployment of the general purpose models and the AI Act. However, the office is also tasked with establishing AI factories. Proposals for the seven factories were received in November and then formally announced on Dec. 10. The goal is to set up the first AI factories in early 2025 and complete them by 2026. More may join later; Cyprus and Slovenia have submitted letters of interest, and Feb. 1 is the deadline for the second round of proposals. source

By Michael Mueller and Rob Edwards ( December 17, 2024, 5:04 PM EST) — In today’s global economy, with litigation involving foreign companies, American courts increasingly face choice-of-law questions implicating the laws of foreign nations. Particularly sensitive situations arise when foreign attorney-client communications become relevant to litigation in the U.S…. Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions. A Law360 subscription includes features such as Daily newsletters Expert analysis Mobile app Advanced search Judge information Real-time alerts 450K+ searchable archived articles And more! Experience Law360 today with a free 7-day trial. source

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More IBM is staking its claim at the top of the open-source AI leaderboard with its new Granite 3.1 series out today. The Granite 3.1 large language models (LLMs) offer enterprise users extended context length of 128K tokens, new embedding models, integrated hallucination detection and improved performance. According to IBM, the new Granite 8B Instruct model tops open-source rivals of the same size including Meta Llama 3.1, Qwen 2.5 and Google Gemma 2. IBM ranked its models across a series of academic benchmarks included in the OpenLLM Leaderboard.  The new models are part of the accelerated release cadence of IBM’s Granite open-source models. Granite 3.0 was just released in October. At the time, IBM claimed that it has a $2 billion book of business related to generative AI. With the Granite 3.1 update, IBM is focusing on packing more capability into smaller models. The basic idea is that smaller models are easier for enterprises to run and are more cost-efficient to operate. “We’ve also just boosted all the numbers — all the performance of pretty much everything across the board has improved,” David Cox, VP for AI models at IBM Research, told VentureBeat. “We use Granite for many different use cases, we use it internally at IBM for our products, we use it for consulting, we make it available to our customers and we release it as open source, so we have to be kind of good at everything.” Why performance and smaller models matter for enterprise AI There are any number of ways an enterprise can evaluate the performance of an LLM with benchmarks. The direction that IBM is taking is to run models through a gamut of academic and real-world tests. Cox emphasized that IBM tested and trained its models to be optimized for enterprise use cases. Performance isn’t just about some abstract measure of speed, either; rather, it’s a somewhat more nuanced measure of efficiency. One aspect of efficiency that IBM is aiming to push forward is helping users spend less time to get desired results. “You should spend less time fiddling with prompts,” said Cox. “So, the stronger a model is in an area, the less time you have to spend engineering prompts.” Efficiency is also about model size. The larger a model, the more compute and GPU resources it typically requires, which also means more cost. “When people are doing minimum viable prototype kind of work, they often jump to very large models, so you might go to a 70 billion parameter model or a 405 billion parameter model to build your prototype,” said Cox. “But the reality is that many of those are not economical, so the other thing we’ve been trying to do is drive as much capacity as possible into the smallest package possible.” Context matters for enterprise agentic AI Aside from the promise of improved performance and efficiency, IBM has dramatically expanded Granite’s context length. With the initial Granite 3.0 release, the context length was limited to 4k. In Granite 3.1, IBM has extended  that to 128k, allowing for the processing of much longer documents. The extended context is a significant upgrade for enterprise AI users, both for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and for agentic AI. Agentic AI systems and AI agents often need to process and reason over longer sequences of information, such as larger documents, log traces or extended conversations. The increased 128k context length allows these agentic AI systems to have access to more contextual information, enabling them to better understand and respond to complex queries or tasks. IBM is also releasing a series of embedding models to help accelerate the process of converting data into vectors. The Granite-Embedding-30M-English model can achieve performance of 0.16 seconds per query, which IBM claims is faster than rival options including Snowflake’s Arctic. How IBM has improved Granite 3.1 to serve enterprise AI needs So how did IBM manage to improve its performance for Granite 3.1? It wasn’t any one specific thing, but rather a series of process and technical innovations, Cox explained. IBM has developed increasingly advanced multi-stage training pipelines, he said. This has allowed the company to extract more performance from models. Also, a critical part of any LLM training is data. Rather than just focusing on increasing the quantity of training data, IBM has put a strong emphasis on improving the quality of data used to train the Granite models. “It’s not a quantity game,” said Cox. “It’s not like we’re going to go out and get 10 times more data and that’s magically going to make models better.” Reducing hallucination directly in the model A common approach to reducing the risk of hallucinations and errant outputs in LLMs is to use guardrails. Those are typically deployed as external features alongside an LLM. With Granite 3.1, IBM is integrating hallucination protection directly into the model. The Granite Guardian 3.1 8B and 2B models now include a function-calling hallucination detection capability. “The model can natively do its own guardrailing, which can give different opportunities to developers to catch things,” said Cox.  He explained that performing hallucination detection in the model itself optimizes the overall process. Internal detection means fewer inference calls, making the model more efficient and accurate. How enterprises can use Granite 3.1 today, and what’s next The new Granite models are all now freely available as open source to enterprise users. The models are also available via IBM’s Watsonx enterprise AI service and will be integrated into IBM’s commercial products. The company plans on keeping an aggressive pace for updating the Granite models. Looking forward, the plan for Granite 3.2 is to add multimodal functionality that will debut in early 2025.  “You’re gonna see us over the next few point releases, adding more of these kinds of different features that are differentiated, leading up to the stuff that we’ll announce at the IBM Think conference next year,” said Cox. source

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More Coplay, the AI copilot for game developers, today announced it has raised $1.2 million in pre-seed funding to accelerate its mission of streamlining game development. The goal is to automate repetitive tasks in game engines that bog developers down. The funding round was led by Failup Ventures, with participation from Tower Research Ventures, Founders Inc., Sequoia Scouts and other investors. Currently in closed beta, Coplay is already saving developers up to five hours per week, reducing repetitive tasks in game engines, and unlocking creativity, the company said. Coplay said that, as a game developer, you spend 50% of your time in code and 50% inside the game engine. The problem with game engines is that their deeply nested point-and-click interface leads to tedious repetitive tasks. After seeing the power of large language models (LLMs) for AI and agents, the team realized it could eliminate and automate all of the game engine tedium with AI, the company said in an email to GamesBeat. Jos van der Westhuizen is CEO of Coplay. While the code copilot space includes notable products like Cursor, Codeium, and Bolt, Coplay takes a unique approach by providing a natural language interface for traditionally complex software. Coplay offers a groundbreaking chat interface that empowers game developers to control the Unity game engine, replacing cumbersome nested click interfaces and automating tedious tasks. With Coplay, developers can effortlessly create, assign, optimize, and debug any game objects, assets, and properties in their project—all through natural language commands. Additionally, Coplay integrates with popular 3D and image generation tools, enabling rapid iteration directly within the game engine. One of its standout features is the “record and replay” capability, which replicates repetitive processes to significantly enhance iteration speed. For larger projects with hundreds of assets and tens of thousands of files, Coplay’s automation capabilities streamline workflows, manage live updates, and reduce errors—allowing teams to focus on creativity and deliver exceptional gaming experiences. Coplay has attracted over 400 developers across 22 studios on its waitlist, and plans to expand its integrations to additional game engines. Joned Sarwar is cofounder of Coplay. Jos van der Westhuizen, CEO of Coplay, said in a statement, “Our vision is to empower game developers by automating tedious tasks, allowing them to focus on crafting amazing experiences. With this funding, we’re not just building a tool—we’re creating an AI partner that fundamentally transforms how games are made. We believe this innovative approach positions Coplay as more than just a developer copilot; it’s a pioneering step toward redefining the future interface for all software.” The Coplay founding team brings a wealth of expertise to their mission. Jos van der Westhuizen, who has a doctorate in AI from Cambridge University, has scaled a tech startup to 1.5 million users. Marcus Sanatan is cofounder of Coplay. Coplay cofounders Joned Sarwar (cofounder of AI analytics startup Alchera) and Marcus Sanatan, (organizer of the largest game jam in the Caribbean), together have over a decade of experience building scalable systems and developing more than 30 games. Their combined expertise uniquely equips them to tackle the biggest challenges in game development. Jesse Heikkilä at Failup Ventures said in a statement, “Many AI solutions in the gaming space, like assetgenerators or NPC enhancers, feel like point solutions rather than holistic transformations. What excites me about Coplay is its ground-up approach — a fresh take on the game engine itself. I believe the games industry will be democratized by a technology company that can make the entire game development process accessible through natural language. When I came across Coplay, it was clear that their vision perfectly aligned with this thesis.” Jared Young at Tower Research Ventures said in a statement, “The video game market is growing rapidlyworldwide, yet game development is long overdue for disruption. Coplay’s AI solution addresses a universal pain point for developers, offering a transformative tool that has the potential to become a must-have for studios. With a team that brings deep expertise and a truly innovative approach, Coplay is well positioned to capitalize on this significant growth opportunity in the industry.” Game developers are invited to join Coplay’s closed beta waitlist to be among the first to experience the future of game development. Founded by Jos van der Westhuizen, Joned Sarwar, and Marcus Sanatan, the San Francisco-based team brings over a decade of experience in scalable systems and game development. There are four people in the company. source

TL;DR: Limited-time sale: get a 5th Gen iPad mini on sale for $279.99 (reg. $529), at TechRepublic Academy. When you’re traveling or working on the go, a compact, reliable device makes all the difference. The iPad mini 5th Gen delivers portability and power, making it perfect for professionals, and it’s available now for $279.99 (reg. $529). Why it’s useful to have an iPad mini on hand This iPad has both Wi-Fi and cellular capabilities, so you can stay connected wherever you go. Whether you’re at a cafe, on a plane, or somewhere remote, the built-in LTE support keeps you connected. Plus, the 64GB local storage means you have plenty of room for apps, documents, photos, and videos without relying on cloud storage. The 7.9-inch Retina Display is compact but wide enough to get some work done, and the A12 Bionic chip has the processing power to manage reliable productivity apps. Scan documents or join video calls with the 8MP rear camera and 7MP FaceTime HD front camera. The built-in stereo speakers provide rich sound, making them perfect for work and play. For security, Touch ID lets you quickly unlock your device or make secure payments. This refurbished iPad mini 5th Gen has a Grade “A” rating, meaning it’s in near-mint condition with virtually no signs of wear. Any marks or faint scuffs are limited to the body of the device, not the screen. The battery can last up to 10 hours on a single charge. Head to TechRepublic Academy and get an iPad mini on sale for $279.99. Prices and availability are subject to change. source

By Jesse Snyder and Kasey Ashford ( December 18, 2024, 2:06 PM EST) — With the holiday season in full swing, retailers are increasingly embracing the capabilities of generative artificial intelligence to optimize their business…. Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions. A Law360 subscription includes features such as Daily newsletters Expert analysis Mobile app Advanced search Judge information Real-time alerts 450K+ searchable archived articles And more! Experience Law360 today with a free 7-day trial. source

Rome-based venture capital firm Scientifica has launched a €200mn fund to support startups in quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and other frontier technologies. The fund, set to launch early next year, will provide early-stage companies with both financial backing and access to advanced lab spaces. Scientifica’s fund is based on a “Zero CapEx” model. Startups can use Scientifica’s 4,000 m² of laboratories and a network of 70 certified labs in Italy without incurring upfront costs. The aim is to reduce barriers to innovation by giving early-stage access to cutting-edge tools and facilities. The model reflects a growing trend of venture capital firms supporting both funding and infrastructure for startups, particularly in deep tech. “Scientifica Fund is the tangible expression of a strategy that integrates research, venture capital, and industry to accelerate technological innovation and create sustainable value,” said managing partner Riccardo D’Alessandri, pictured above. Scientifica already has three offices in Europe: two in Italy and another in London. It also recently expanded to Silicon Valley. Led by prominent entrepreneur and investor Jon Lunetta, the new hub aims to connect European startups with resources in the American tech ecosystem. “With high-level international collaborations, we are ready to position Italy as a central player in the global innovation ecosystem,” said D’Alessandri. One of Scientifica’s key focus areas is in quantum computing startups. These companies are working on technologies that leverage quantum mechanics to process information in ways classical computers cannot. Scientifica’s recently partnered with Quantum Italia, Italy’s first VC focused entirely on quantum tech.    Beyond quantum, Scientifica looks to back a range of technologies from AI and advanced materials to biotech and 3D printing. Among its current portfolio of 16 startups are Green Independence, a startup developing an artificial “solar leaf” with a built-in wastewater purification system, and Recornea, which is working on an implant to treat a severe eye condition called keratoconus. source

A congressional spending package that would fund the federal government through March is set to include a slew of bipartisan proposals aimed at digital security, online pricing transparency and rural broadband access. source