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SKT, Deutsche Telekom, e&, Singtel, and SoftBank Corp. Announce Plan to Establish a Joint Venture

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Joint Venture Company to develop Large Language Models (LLM) specifically for telecommunications companies Joint Venture Company to be established within this yearInitial fine-tuning of models takes place 

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — SK Telecom (NYSE:SKM, “SKT”), Deutsche Telekom, e& Group, Singtel and SoftBank Corp. today held the inaugural meeting of the Global Telco AI Alliance (GTAA) at MWC Barcelona 2024 and announced their plans to establish a joint venture.

The meeting was attended by SK’s Chairman Chey Tae-won, SKT’s CEO Ryu Young-sang, Deutsche Telekom’s CEO Tim Höttges and DT’s Board Member for Technology & Innovation, Claudia Nemat, e& Group’s Group CEO Hatem Dowidar, Singtel Group’s CEO Yuen Kuan Moon, and SoftBank’s CISO Tadashi Iida.  

Through the Joint Venture Company, the five companies plan to develop Large Language Models (LLMs) specifically tailored to the needs of telecommunications companies (telcos). The LLMs will be designed to help telcos improve their customer interactions via digital assistants and chatbots.

The goal is to develop multilingual LLMs optimized for languages including Korean, English, German, Arabic and Japanese, with plans for additional languages to be agreed among the founding members.

The joint venture plans to focus on deploying innovative AI applications tailored to the needs of the Global AI Telco Alliance members in their respective markets, enabling them to reach a global customer base of approximately 1.3 billion across 50 countries. Deutsche Telekom boasts about 250 million subscribers across 12 countries, including Germany and the U.S. The e& Group has 169 million subscribers in 16 countries across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, while the Singtel Group has 770 million subscribers in 21 countries, including Australia, India, and Indonesia. 

The Joint Venture Company will be established within this year.  

Compared to general LLMs, telco-specific LLMs are more attuned to the telecommunications domain and better at understanding user intent. By making it easier for telcos to deploy high-quality generative AI models swiftly and efficiently, telco-specific LLMs are expected to help accelerate AI transformation of various telco business and services, including customer service.  

The LLMs are currently being optimized. Telcos’ customer service data is used to fine-tune the model for telco-specific questions. This is because tariff and contract models, information on special hardware such as the router, for example (e.g. How do I do a reset?) are rarely found in the general training data of the large models. But it’s exactly this content that a telco bot needs to know. So that it is able to understand, summarize and respond to these specific concerns. 

This targeted training ensures the LLM understands the unique language and needs of telecom operators, paving the way for enhanced, personalized, and efficient customer experiences.  

“We as telcos need to develop tailored LLM for the telco industry to make telco operations more efficient, which is a low-hanging fruit. Our ultimate goal is to discover new business models by redefining relationships with customers. The Global Telco AI Alliance brings synergy to its members by allowing them to achieve more by working as a team,” said Ryu Young-sang, CEO of SKT.  

“We want our customers to experience the best possible service. AI helps us do that. Already today, more than 100,000 customer service dialogs a month in Germany are handled by Generative AI. By integrating telco-specific large language models, our ‘Frag Magenta’ chatbot becomes even more human-centric: AI personalizes conversations between customers and chatbots. And our joint venture brings Europe and Asia closer together,” said Claudia Nemat, Board Member Deutsche Telekom for Technology and Innovation.

“This is a monumental step for e& and for the Telco industry at large. From streamlining customer support interactions to enabling personalised recommendations, this multi-lingual LLM will revolutionise how businesses engage with customers”, said Dena Almansoori, Group Chief AI and Data Officer, e& group. “In collaboration with our Global AI Telco Alliance partners, we look forward to shaping both the present and future of customer engagement and setting new standards for efficiency and innovation across the telecommunications landscape to better serve our customers and create meaningful impact.”

“This promises to be a game changer not just for us at Singtel but for any telecom company out there looking to lift their customer experience beyond limited automated responses and generic chatbot interactions. This multi-lingual LLM tailored for telcos will greatly expand chatbot capabilities with relevant responses to customers’ technical queries, freeing up service agents to deal with more complex customer issues and we intend to deploy this across the Singtel Group. With leading telcos from three different continents working on this innovative model, this unprecedented effort to scale AI development for the telecom industry would not have been possible had we all decided to go it alone,” said Yuen Kuan Moon, Group Chief Executive Officer, Singtel. 

“Through a powerful alliance with industry leaders, we embark on a mission to revolutionize global communication, elevate service quality, and ignite a new era of technological innovation powered by AI. Together, we have the power to shape the future of telecommunications, empowering communities worldwide with seamless connectivity and boundless opportunities,” said Hideyuki Tsukuda, Executive Vice President & CTO of SoftBank Corp.

About SK Telecom

SK Telecom has been leading the growth of the mobile industry since 1984. Now, it is taking customer experience to new heights by extending beyond connectivity. By placing AI at the core of its business, SK Telecom is rapidly transforming into an AI company with a strong global presence. It is focusing on driving innovations in areas of AI Infrastructure, AI Transformation (AIX) and AI Service to deliver greater value for industry, society, and life.

For more information, please contact skt_press@sk.com or visit our LinkedIn page www.linkedin.com/company/sk-telecom.

About Deutsche Telekom: https://www.telekom.com/konzernprofil 

About e& 

e& is one of the leading technology groups in the world. Boasting impressive financial figures for 2023, with consolidated net revenue reaching a staggering AED 53.8 billion and consolidated net profit surging to AED 10.3 billion, the Group’s impeccable credit ratings reflect its strong balance sheet and track record of sustained success.  

Founded in Abu Dhabi over 48 years ago, the Group has a rich legacy as the pioneer in telecommunications in the UAE. Today, its footprint spans 16 countries across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, making it a leading player in the industry.

Innovation is ingrained in e&’s DNA to create an unbreakable bond between communities using cutting-edge digital solutions, smart connectivity and advanced technologies. 

The Group has designed five strong business pillars that address various customer segments: e& UAE, e& international, e& life, e& enterprise and e& capital. Through these pillars, we strive to revolutionise the way people communicate, work and live by providing unparalleled services and exceptional experiences. 

At e&, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible and delivering measurable results that make a difference in people’s lives.

To learn more about e&, please visit: https://eand.com/

About Singtel

Singtel is Asia’s leading communications technology group, providing a portfolio of services from next-generation communication, 5G and technology services to infotainment to both consumers and businesses. The Group has presence in Asia, Australia and Africa and reaches over 770 million mobile customers in 21 countries. Its infrastructure and technology services for businesses span 21 countries, with more than 428 direct points of presence in 362 cities.

For consumers, Singtel delivers a complete and integrated suite of services, including mobile, broadband and TV. For businesses, Singtel offers a complementary array of workforce mobility solutions, data hosting, cloud, network infrastructure, analytics and cyber security capabilities.

Singtel is dedicated to continuous innovation, harnessing technology to create new and exciting customer experiences and shape a more sustainable, digital future.

About SoftBank

Guided by the SoftBank Group’s corporate philosophy, “Information Revolution – Happiness for everyone,” SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) operates telecommunications and IT businesses in Japan and globally. SoftBank Corp. has 40 million mobile subscribers in Japan, and through its group companies, 61 million smartphone payment (PayPay) users, 85 million online media (Yahoo! JAPAN) users and 96 million communication app (LINE) users (as of February 7, 2024). Building on its strong business foundation and compelling number of customer touchpoints, SoftBank Corp. is expanding into non-telecom fields in line with its “Beyond Carrier” growth strategy while further growing its telecom business. Also, by fully harnessing the power of AI, 5G/6G, IoT, Digital Twin, Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) solutions, including High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS)-based stratospheric telecommunications, and other advanced technologies, SoftBank Corp. aims to be “a company that provides next-generation social infrastructure essential to the development of a digital society.” To learn more, please visit https://www.softbank.jp/en/

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SOURCE SK Telecom

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Lichen China Limited Announces $2.8 Million Registered Direct Offering

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XIAMEN, China, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Lichen China Limited (Nasdaq: LICN) (“Lichen China” or the “Company”), a dedicated financial and taxation service provider in China today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with several investors for the purchase and sale of an aggregate of 20,000,000 of the Company’s Class A ordinary share, par value $0.00004 per share (the “Shares”) (or pre-funded warrants in lieu thereof) at a purchase price of $0.14 per share in a registered direct offering. The purchase price for the pre-funded warrants is identical to the purchase price for Shares, less the exercise price of $0.001 per share.

The aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of this offering are expected to be approximately $2.8 million. The transaction is expected to close on or about December 27, 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Univest Securities, LLC is acting as the sole placement agent.

The registered direct offering is being made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-277230) previously filed by the Company and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 1, 2024. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the proposed offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, when available, by contacting Univest Securities, LLC at info@univest.us, or by calling +1 (212) 343-8888.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sales of such securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Copies of the prospectus supplement relating to the registered direct offering, together with the accompanying base prospectus will be filed by the Company and, upon filing, can be obtained at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

About Lichen China Limited

Lichen China Limited focuses on providing financial and taxation solution services, education support services, and software and maintenance services under its “Lichen” brand. In recognition of the Company’s expertise and experience in the financial and taxation solution services industry for over 18 years, the Company has built up its reputation as a dedicated financial and taxation solution services provider of professional and high-quality services in China. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://ir.lichenzx.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and in its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

For more information, please contact:

Tian Sun
Phone: +86-0592-5586999
Email: ir@lichenzx.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lichen-china-limited-announces-2-8-million-registered-direct-offering-302339364.html

SOURCE Lichen China Limited

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Elvis Birthday Celebration tour kicks off at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center January 5th

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This January 8th would have been the King’s Birthday. Gone but never forgotten, his image, music, films and memories live on as a testament to his true effect and influence on his generation and future generations to come. Keeping the memory alive at countless venues throughout the country, Chris MacDonald lovingly shares the magic of the “King of Rock-n-Roll” with his full production tribute Memories of Elvis Rockin Birthday Bash

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration Florida Tour kicks off at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center at Nova Southeastern University Davie Campus on January 5th with Chris MacDonald’s Memories of Elvis Rockin Birthday Bash, a multi-media full production tribute celebrating the life and music of the King of Rock-n-Roll.

“Adding to the authenticity of his tribute, Chris has the honor of being the only tribute artist hired by Elvis Presley Enterprises to perform at Graceland’s Heartbreak Hotel.”

This January 8th would have been the King’s Birthday. Gone but never forgotten, his image, music, films and memories live on as a testament to his true effect and influence on his generation and future generations to come. The original American Rock-n-Roll Idol who influenced the Beatles, The Rolling Stones and anyone that has ever picked up a guitar or a microphone since, continues to engage our love affair with his all American story of a shy poor and humble country boy that became the King of Rock-n-Roll. Elvis Presley, recognized by TIME magazine as the “Artist of the 20th Century,” has sold more records than any other artist or group in the history of modern music. Even after death, his image and music continue to be loved and celebrated throughout the world. With the critically acclaimed big screen biopic “Elvis” by director Baz Luhrmann starring Austin Butler as Elvis and Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’s music and charisma are once again in the spotlight for a whole new generation and there’s no sign of the King leaving the building of Rock-n-Roll icon status.

Keeping the memory alive at countless venues throughout the country, Chris MacDonald lovingly shares the magic of the “King of Rock-n-Roll” with his full production tribute Memories of Elvis. Chris’s show is not an overdone impersonation. It is a natural heartfelt tribute to a legendary performer and music icon. With his dynamic production band, Chris MacDonald draws his audience in with the look, sounds, and nuances that made Elvis the King of Rock-n- Roll!

Adding to the authenticity of his tribute, Chris MacDonald has the honor of being the only tribute artist hired by Elvis Presley Enterprises to perform at Graceland’s Heartbreak Hotel. An energetic and experienced entertainer, MacDonald has also starred in the famous “Legends in Concert” stage productions and has performed in Branson, MO, and Las Vegas, NV. Chris has also performed in Concert with Elvis Presley’s original back up group The Jordanaires and D.J. Fontana Elvis original drummer “The Beat Behind The King” at the famous Seminole Hard Rock Live Concert Venue in Hollywood Florida and other venues throughout the country.

With this newly updated production, the show will include costume changes and songs representing the different stages of Elvis’s incredible career including the 1950′s, the Movies, the 1968 Comeback and the 1970′s White Fringe Vegas Concerts. It’s all a part of this fun loving tribute to one of the greatest entertainers of all time.

Get “All shook up” and celebrate the life and music of the King of Rock-n-Roll with Chris MacDonald’s Memories of Elvis Rockin Birthday Bash.

Florida Tour Dates:

January 5, 2025 2pm (Sunday)

Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center

Nova Southeastern University

3100 Ray Ferrero Junior Boulevard,

Davie, FL 33314

Box Office: 954-462-0222

https://www.miniacipac.com/events/detail/chris-macdonalds-memories-of-elvis-rockin-birthday-bash-2025

 

January 16, 2025 7:30 pm (Thursday)

Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall

Southwestern State College

13350 FSW Parkway, Fort Myers, FL 33919

Box Office: 800-440-7469 • 239-481-4849

https://www.bbmannpah.com/events/detail/chris-macdonalds-memories-of-elvis-2025-fort-myers

 

January 18, 2025 7:30 pm (Saturday)

Sunrise Theatre

117 S 2nd Street, Fort Pierce, FL 34950

Box office: 772-461-4775

https://www.sunrisetheatre.com/shows/memories-of-elvis-rockin-birthday-bash/

Media Contact

Donna Oz, CME Inc, 1 954341-6005, info@chrismacdonaldselvis.com, https://www.elvispresleystory.com/

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SOURCE CME Inc; CME Inc

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VIVOTEK Wins Double Honors for Its Commitment to Sustainability

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TAIPEI, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — VIVOTEK (3454-TW), the global leading security solution provider, has once again demonstrated its outstanding commitment to sustainability. Participating for the first time in the 17th Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards (TCSA), VIVOTEK emerged victorious, earning the Sustainability Report Award for the Information, Communication, and Broadcasting Industry and the Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Excellence Award. These recognitions showcase VIVOTEK’s remarkable success in corporate governance, environmental protection, and social responsibility, affirming its dedication to sustainable growth.

Pioneering Sustainability with Dual Recognition

“For over seven years, VIVOTEK has independently published sustainability reports, actively driving and disclosing our internal sustainability initiatives.” said Allen Hsieh, VIVOTEK’s Spokesperson and Director of the Global Marketing Division. “These awards not only recognize our integrity and efforts in presenting operational performance, environmental data, and social impact but also serve as a strong motivation for us to continue advancing on the path of sustainable development.”

Driving Sustainability through AI Innovation

VIVOTEK delivers advanced AI-powered security solutions built on cutting-edge AI and edge computing technologies. Beyond innovation, the company drives green initiatives, reduces its carbon footprint, and fosters a sustainable, supportive workplace.

Committed to social responsibility, VIVOTEK leads the security industry’s sustainability efforts through its ‘Safety Map’ initiative. For four years, employees have formed security teams to enhance safety in neighborhoods, care centers, and schools with on-site assessments and improvement plans.

In 2024, VIVOTEK will expand its efforts to Hualien’s Dacheng Village, where it will help improve local safety environments and support cultural preservation and tourism revitalization. These actions reflect its dedication to sustainability, community well-being, and lasting societal contributions.

Security Sustainability as a Foundation for Social Impact

VIVOTEK proudly received two prestigious honors at the Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards, highlighting its dedication to sustainable practices. These accolades inspire the company to deepen its internal efforts and mark the start of an exciting new chapter.

Building on this achievement, VIVOTEK aims to strengthen its mission of becoming the world’s most trusted smart security brand. By aligning with global market needs and fostering collaboration with customers, partners, and employees, VIVOTEK is committed to shaping a sustainable future founded on mutual trust and shared success.

To learn more about VIVOTEK’s sustainability initiatives, please refer to the 2023 Sustainability Report.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vivotek-wins-double-honors-for-its-commitment-to-sustainability-302339206.html

SOURCE VIVOTEK Inc.

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