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CISCO LAUNCHES $1B GLOBAL AI INVESTMENT FUND

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Cisco is launching a $1B global investment fund to expand and develop secure, reliable and trustworthy AI solutionsCisco is making strategic investments with world-class start-ups across software and infrastructure that build upon Cisco’s strategy to connect and protect the AI eraCohere, Mistral AI and Scale AI among the initial GenAI startups joining the Cisco Investments portfolio to help build a broader AI ecosystem

LAS VEGAS, June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — CISCO LIVE — Cisco Investments, the global corporate venture investment arm of Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), today launched a $1B AI investment fund to bolster the startup ecosystem and expand the development of secure and reliable AI solutions. As part of the new AI fund, Cisco is making strategic investments in Cohere, Mistral AI and Scale AI among others to advance customers’ AI readiness and complement Cisco’s AI innovation strategy. Cisco has already committed nearly $200M of the $1B investment fund to date.

AI is reshaping every industry and the world at an unprecedented pace, putting greater emphasis on how businesses globally interact and rely on technology. Recent research from IDC (2023) indicates that the global AI market is expected to double in size to over $500 billion in the next three years. Enterprises, including Cisco, have an opportunity to leverage Gen AI to significantly enhance their products and services and better serve their customers and end users.  

“For more than 30 years, Cisco Investments has invested and partnered with hundreds of companies to drive innovation both within Cisco’s core markets and in new strategic areas. Our recent investments in generative AI companies align perfectly with this long-standing strategy,” said Mark Patterson, Chief Strategy Officer, Cisco. “At Cisco, we believe we are well positioned to be the best strategic partner for our customers in the AI era as they look to build, secure, and power AI. In addition to building essential technology to connect, secure and advance AI, Cisco is committed to investing in the broader AI ecosystem to more effectively meet our customers’ needs.”

Over the past several years, Cisco has made over 20 AI-focused acquisitions and investments, furthering GenAI and Machine Learning capabilities and integration of AI across the Cisco portfolio. These strategic investments and partnerships with world-class AI platforms across software and infrastructure build upon Cisco’s holistic strategy to connect and protect the AI era. In addition to these investments, Cisco will also be working with AI companies on product collaborations that allow Cisco to co-innovate, while also being an agnostic provider and platform player in AI, offering options and coverage for Cisco’s global customer base.

The committed investments in the new AI fund include:

Cohere: Headquartered in Toronto and San Francisco, Cohere provides security-focused frontier large language models (LLMs) and industry-leading Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) capabilities tailored to meet the needs of enterprises.Mistral AI: Mistral AI is a global company headquartered in Paris specializing in generative artificial intelligence. The company develops new models of generative artificial intelligence for businesses, combining scientific excellence, an open approach and a responsible vision of technology.Scale AI: Based in the U.S., Scale AI provides a data-centric, end-to-end platform providing training and validation for AI applications. Cisco recently participated in Scale AI’s Series F funding as the round’s largest strategic investor.

“The establishment of our $1 billion AI investment fund is a testament to our commitment to the transformative power of artificial intelligence and its potential to redefine industries globally,” said Derek Idemoto, SVP, Corporate Development and Cisco Investments. “This fund represents our unwavering commitment to AI and innovation, and to the entrepreneurs and visionaries who are defining the next wave of technology.”

Cisco has a rich history of delivering innovation through R&D, Investments, M&A, and strategic partnerships—using a multi-pronged build, buy, partner, invest and co-develop strategy. Today’s announcement builds on the momentum of Cisco’s investments and product innovations in AI, while reinforcing that Cisco is well-positioned to help enterprises harness the power of secure, reliable and trustworthy AI on a global scale.

Additional Resources:

For more information on Cisco Live, please visit The Newsroom

About Cisco 
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that securely connects everything to make anything possible. Our purpose is to power an inclusive future for all by helping our customers reimagine their applications, power hybrid work, secure their enterprise, transform their infrastructure, and meet their sustainability goals.

Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @Cisco.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco’s trademarks can be found at http://www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word ‘partner’ does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

Forward-Looking Statements: This release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, among others, statements regarding Cisco’s future strategic investment plans to expand and develop secure and reliable AI solutions. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results due to a variety of factors, including, among other things, the ability of Cisco to achieve expected benefits of its investments, business and economic conditions and growth trends in its customer markets and various geographic regions, increased competition, global economic conditions and uncertainties in the geopolitical environment and other risk factors set forth in Cisco’s most recent reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q, respectively. Any forward-looking statements in this release are based on limited information currently available to Cisco, which is subject to change, and Cisco will not necessarily update the information.

Media Contact:
Will Stickney
Wstickne@cisco.com
646-573-4532

 

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SOURCE Cisco Systems, Inc.

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Xthings Empowers Subsidiary U-tec with Strategic Upgrade and Brand Revamp, Ushering in a New Era of Smart IoT

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UNION CITY, Calif., Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Xthings, a global leader in IoT solutions, has announced a comprehensive brand revamp and strategic upgrades for its subsidiary U-tec. This initiative aims to solidify its leadership in the smart IoT market by enhancing brand positioning, product competitiveness, and promoting innovations in smart electronic technologies.

Strategic Upgrade 

As U-tec’s parent company, Xthings will provide extensive support to elevate U-tec’s product and service offerings. This strategy encompasses:

Data-Driven Product Optimization: Utilizing Xthings’ advanced data analytics capabilities, U-tec will gain deeper insights into consumer needs, driving superior product performance and functionality.New Product Launches: U-tec will introduce an expanded range of smart devices, including locks, doorbells, cameras, control systems, and personal electronic products, all powered by the Xthings IoT platform.Enhanced Compatibility through Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) Collaboration: By adopting the Matter standard, Xthings ensures its products are seamlessly compatible with leading platforms such as U home, Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and SmartThings, thereby enhancing user experiences.

Brand Revamp 

Since its inception, U-tec has earned market recognition for its innovative smart home solutions, including smart locks, cameras, and lighting control systems. With Xthings’ support, the brand revamp will include:

Brand Image Refresh: A modernized logo and visual identity that reflect innovation and leadership in smart home and consumer electronics industry.Revised Brand Positioning: A renewed focus on providing smarter, safer, and more convenient home solutions while expanding its personal electronic consumer products.Enhanced Market Promotion: Through Xthings’ support, U-tec will bolster brand visibility and market penetration via multi-channel marketing initiatives.

Market Outlook 

This revamp and strategic upgrade underscore a deep synergy between technology and branding for Xthings and U-tec, reflecting the immense growth potential in the smart home market. Market projections indicate rapid expansion, with the global market size expected to reach $250 billion by 2028.

Matthew Brown, Xthings’ Chief Strategy Officer, remarked, “We are excited to support U-tec’s brand transformation and strategic evolution. This initiative showcases our technological expertise and shared vision, as we remain committed to delivering smarter, better user experiences.”

About U-tec Group Inc.

U-tec Group Inc. is a leader in smart home innovation, known for its superior product design and user experiences. Its portfolio includes smart lighting, security, and personal accessories, beloved by consumers worldwide.

About Xthings Inc. 

Xthings Inc. has driven advancements in IoT technology since its founding. With a track record of innovation in smart security, Xthings aims to improve quality of life, accelerate AIoT industry growth, and promote the intelligent transformation of society.

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SOURCE Xthings

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Gaudio Lab Secures CES Innovation Award for Third Consecutive Year: “AI Audio Technology Capturing the World’s Attention”

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SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Gaudio Lab, a leader in AI audio technology, has won the CES 2025 Innovation Award with its comprehensive audio solution, “Gaudio Music Placement,” designed to address challenges in video content production and distribution. With this accolade, Gaudio Lab has marked its third consecutive year of CES Innovation Award wins, bringing its total to four awarded products over this period, further proving its position at the forefront of AI audio technology on the global stage.

Gaudio Music Placement: Revolutionizing Video Content Production

The award-winning “Gaudio Music Placement” offers a comprehensive solution that addresses various challenges in video content production and distribution. By simply uploading a video, the AI engine efficiently handles tasks such as background music selection and placement, music replacement, dubbing, subtitles, sound effects, noise reduction, and dialogue isolation – significantly reducing the time needed for these labor-intensive processes. Currently, an early version with select features, “Gaudio Music Replacement,” is commercially available, with the complete version set for release in the first half of next year.

A Solution to Copyright Challenges in Global Contents Distribution

Gaudio Music Replacement tackles the prevalent background music copyright issues that arise in video content distribution. Traditionally, resolving this required manual replacement of background music, but Gaudio’s AI quickly replaces original music with high-quality, copyright-free options that closely match the original, thus greatly accelerating the workflow. The solution leverages world-class audio separation technology to isolate and enhance dialogue, provides automated foreign language dubbing, and simplifies the application of various sound effects. Leading broadcasters in Korea have already adopted this solution, and discussions are underway with broadcasters in Japan.

Gaudio Lab’s CEO, Henney Oh, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled to receive the CES Innovation Award for three consecutive years, affirming our AI audio technology as world-class. As global demand for cross-border content continues to grow, we will keep refining our products to enable fast and easy access to content distribution worldwide.”

Gaudio Lab at CES 2025

Gaudio Lab will showcase its award-winning and other AI audio products at CES 2025 in Las Vegas this January. During CES 2024, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella visited Gaudio Lab’s booth, garnering significant attention. At CES 2025, Gaudio Lab will host a booth in the Global Pavilion, exhibiting a range of innovative AI audio solutions.

[About Gaudio Lab]

Gaudio Lab is a leading AI audio technology start-up that was founded in 2015 following the company’s spatial audio technology for headphones was adopted as the binaural renderer for the ISO/IEC MPEG-H Audio standard in 2014. Ever since its establishment, the company has worked to develop technologies to deliver superior audio experiences wherever there is sound, gaining the attention and support from top global strategic investors such as SBVA, Samsung Venture Investment and Naver Corp. Across and between reality and virtual reality, Gaudio Lab’s solutions will continue to provide optimized audio on a diverse range of platforms such as earbuds, smartphones, VOD, VR/AR, theaters, automotives and more. Gaudio Lab secured three consecutive CES Innovation Awards (2025/2024/2023, 4 products), finalist nominated for the SXSW Innovation Award 2024, adopted the ANSI/CTA international standard (2022), and obtained recognition through the adoption of the ISO/IEC MPEG-H international standard (2018, 2013). The company was also honored with the VR Awards for the Best VR Innovation Company in London (2017).

 

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Intelligent.com Survey Finds 1 in 5 Managers Have Considered Quitting Due to Stress of Overseeing Gen Z Employees

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Managers report stress, increased workload, and challenges adapting to the expectations of younger workers

SEATTLE, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Intelligent.com, a platform dedicated to helping young professionals navigate the future of work, has released new findings on the challenges managers face overseeing Generation Z employees. In a survey conducted in October 2024, 1,000 U.S. managers shared their experiences, revealing high levels of stress and frustration with the newest workforce cohort.

“Managers may need to adjust their approach, acting more as coaches than traditional supervisors to better support and guide younger workers.”

Among key findings, 18% of managers report they have considered quitting due to the strain of managing Gen Z workers.

The survey highlights specific challenges in managing Gen Z employees, including excessive phone use, poor work ethic, and communication issues that impact team cohesion and productivity. Over half of the managers surveyed report increased workload and the need for additional resources to manage Gen Z employees, with many saying these workers require more guidance and attention than previous generations.

The survey found that 51% of managers experience frustration and 44% feel stress in managing Gen Z employees, with issues like workload increase (27%) and productivity declines (20%) among their top concerns. Additionally, 20% feel overwhelmed and 16% report burnout due to the demands of managing this group.

“Part of the frustration comes from a misalignment in expectations,” says Huy Nguyen, Intelligent.com’s chief education and career development advisor. “Gen Z employees often bring strong technical skills but may lack the soft skills that develop through hands-on experience, which many missed out on during the pandemic. Managers may need to adjust their approach, acting more as coaches than traditional supervisors to better support and guide younger workers.”

The majority of managers (65%) have adjusted their management style to better accommodate Gen Z employees. This includes providing more frequent feedback (44%), micromanaging (38%), and allowing more time for tasks (32%). Three-quarters of managers feel that Gen Z requires more time and resources to manage effectively compared to older generations, with 54% having experienced inappropriate communication from Gen Z employees.

Over half of managers (52%) report that Gen Z employees create tension with older generations, primarily due to differences in workplace attitudes, communication styles, and priorities. Additionally, 54% of managers say Gen Z work habits lower team productivity.

Given these challenges, 50% of managers have fired a Gen Z employee, and 27% would avoid hiring Gen Z if possible. Despite this, managers cite filling junior roles, cost-effectiveness, and concerns over ageism as reasons to continue hiring Gen Z.

This online poll was commissioned by Intelligent.com and conducted on Pollfish in October 2024. A total of 1,000 U.S. managers completed the survey. Demographic criteria and screening questions were used to ensure qualified respondents. To view the complete report, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/1-in-5-managers-have-considered-quitting-due-to-stress-of-overseeing-gen-z-employees/

ABOUT INTELLIGENT.COM
Intelligent.com stands at the forefront of innovation, empowering young professionals to navigate the rapid technological advancements shaping our world and the future of work. The platform is dedicated to unlocking each individual’s unique potential, guiding them toward achieving their career ambitions, and maximizing their financial prospects. To learn more, please visit https://www.intelligent.com/.

Media Contact
Hannah Hayes, Intelligent.com, 0000000, hannah@intelligent.com

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SOURCE Intelligent.com

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