BERLIN, April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Riad Corporation, a leading AI-powered travel technology company, successfully launched its flagship product, RIA 1.0, at ITB Berlin 2025, one of the world’s largest travel trade shows. The company attracted over 300 visitors to its booth and secured 150 enterprise client sign-ups during the three-day event, marking a major milestone for its global expansion.

RIA 1.0 is an advanced AI platform that fully automates group hotel reservations, tailored for travel agencies and corporate clients handling complex requirements. Unlike traditional systems, RIA enables both direct bookings and customized group requests, processed entirely by AI without manual work. The platform simplifies large-scale, multi-hotel bookings — tasks that usually take days — completing them in minutes.

During ITB Berlin, Riad Corporation presented live demonstrations showing how RIA’s AI engine handles diverse, high-volume booking scenarios. Attendees praised its intuitive interface, seamless integration, and real-time responses to specific client needs, including corporate events, MICE bookings, and incentive groups.

Mike Lee, CEO of Riad Corporation, commented, “Meeting so many global partners at ITB Berlin was truly meaningful, and we are proud to showcase our technology to the world,” adding, “We will continue to focus on R&D to deliver stronger innovations and achieve greater success globally.”

In addition, Riad Corporation announced plans to launch AI-based group flight booking services later this year, transforming RIA into a comprehensive group travel platform covering both hotels and flights.

RIA has already gained momentum in Southeast Asia, with over 800 enterprise clients, and aims to reach 2,000 clients by the end of 2025.

Riad Corporation’s strong debut at ITB Berlin reflects rising demand for AI-driven solutions in travel. As group travel grows more complex, RIA 1.0 is positioned to lead the market with unmatched speed, accuracy, and automation.

For more information about Riad’s solution RIA, visit ‘www.ria-travel.com‘.

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SOURCE RIAD CORPORATION INC.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., April 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Piedmont Advantage Credit Union (PACU) is proud to announce the promotion of Robert Payne to Chief Technology Officer (CTO), marking a significant milestone in a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years in the technology field.

Payne has served as PACU’s Senior Vice President of Information Technology for over a decade, leading with a vision to ensure that technology functions and works smarter to make financial services easier, safer and more seamless for members and employees alike.

“Technology should feel effortless for the people who rely on it, our members and employees,” Payne said. “In my new role, I look forward to building on that foundation and driving strategic technology decisions that add real, measurable value.”

Payne holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Security (now called Cybersecurity) from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Ky., and is certified in ISO/IEC 20000, the international standard for IT service management. His approach to leadership blends technical expertise with a deep understanding of how technology shapes member experiences and internal operations.

As CTO, Payne will align PACU’s technology infrastructure with its long-term strategic goals. His priorities include:

Fortifying cybersecurity, recognizing that trust is the foundation of all member relationships.Enhancing digital experiences to ensure members can bank anytime, anywhere seamlessly.Investing in automation and AI to increase operational efficiency and allow staff to focus more on members’ financial well-being.Ensuring resilience and scalability to support PACU’s continued growth.

“Robert has a clear vision for how technology can enable innovation and preserve the human connections that make our credit union so unique,” said PACU’s President & CEO, Dion Williams. “His leadership has been instrumental in building a technology strategy that puts our members first and empowers our employees to serve with confidence and ease. As CTO, he will continue to guide us toward a more secure, efficient and people-focused future.”

While artificial intelligence and automation are key areas of interest, Payne emphasizes that technology at PACU will always serve people, not replace them. “No technology can replicate the relationships, trust and sense of belonging that define who we are,” he said. “That’s priceless, and it will always be our priority.”

About Piedmont Advantage Credit Union
Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., and founded in 1949 to meet the financial needs of Piedmont Aviation and Piedmont Airline employees, Piedmont Advantage Credit Union has grown to serve member-owners, who reside, work, worship, attend school or operate a business in one of the six counties it serves in North Carolina or who are employed by one of its many employer companies. These six counties are Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Mecklenburg and Rockingham. A not-for-profit, cooperative financial institution, Piedmont Advantage still has a strong presence in aviation with its six branches and 10 ATMs throughout the service region.

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SOURCE Piedmont Advantage Credit Union

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Human Capability Development Program (HCDP), a Saudi Vision 2030 Realization Program, convened a ministerial roundtable on day one of the second edition of the Human Capability Initiative (HCI) conference. The HCI conference is held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of HCDP, on April 13 – 14 2025 in the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center under the theme of #BeyondReadiness

The closed-door ministerial roundtable meeting focused on “AI Literacy for All: Promoting Equitable Access for Resilient Capabilities” and engaged 20 ministers from around the world, as well as local and global experts in education and technology, including representatives from the Saudi Education and Training Evaluation Commission, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the World Bank, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 

The roundtable explored the critical need for integrating digital skills as a cornerstone of human capability development and examined AI literacy’s central role in ensuring individuals can thrive in an AI-driven economy. 

The meeting also highlighted the need to establish inclusive strategies that promote digital education, and the importance of integrating AI skills into curricula and strengthening international collaboration to discover scalable solutions that can provide equitable access to AI tools and digital training worldwide. 

Participants in the roundtable agreed to issue a joint statement following the meeting, which highlighted key aspects of the discussion and outlined their main recommendations on next steps, which are as follows: 

Advocating for the inclusion of AI literacy in national education systems, ensuring future generations are equipped with the skills necessary to succeed in an AI-powered world. Encouraging initiatives that support continuous education and reskilling opportunities for AI literacy, enabling individuals to remain adaptable in the face of technological advancements. Continuing to support the strengthening of international collaboration, sharing resources, knowledge, and experiences to enhance access to AI education globally. 

The roundtable reinforces the Kingdom’s commitment to leading global efforts in human capability development in line with the Saudi Vision 2030, driven by its recognition of the central role of human capability development in achieving sustainable economic growth worldwide. Global participants in the roundtable identified innovative, concrete solutions to ensure that countries can remain competitive and achieve sustainable growth across various industries by enabling individuals and institutions to succeed in an AI-powered world.

For more information, contact the HCI Conference Media Team: media@humancapabilityinitiative.org  

Access the HCI Conference Website: https://humancapabilityinitiative.org/en/  

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2663390/20_Global_Ministers.jpg

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SOURCE Human Capability Development Program (HCDP)