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CIFAR to lead an AI safety research program in support of the Canadian AI Safety Institute

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MONTRÉAL, Nov. 12, 2024 /CNW/ – The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) is proud to announce that it will play an essential role supporting the Canadian Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (CAISI), a highly anticipated initiative unveiled today by the Government of Canada. This new institute is a pivotal step in ensuring the safe and responsible development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, reinforcing Canada’s position as a global leader in AI. 

Recent studies have shown that a lack of confidence in AI safety is currently blocking the adoption of AI technologies by many Canadian businesses, which risks impacting their competitive advantage and productivity. By addressing societal, technical and ethical challenges around AI, CAISI will play a crucial role in building trust in AI technologies and promoting their responsible adoption among Canadian business and institutions.

Building on its leadership role since 2017, when the Government of Canada identified CIFAR as a partner for the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy—making Canada the first country to implement such a strategy—CIFAR will now implement the applied and investigator-led research stream of the Canadian AI Safety Institute. Funded by a $27 million contribution to CIFAR from the Government of Canada, the applied and investigator-led research stream of CAISI will be steered by CIFAR, in collaboration with the National AI Institutes, and will take a multidisciplinary approach, engaging experts from diverse fields to mitigate and address both the short and long-term risk of AI systems. By partnering with research institutions across the country, it will further the research Canada’s experts have already started in areas of AI safety, such as detecting AI-generated content, contributing to the evaluation of advanced AI models, ensuring the safe adoption of AI in high-risk applications and ensuring privacy in AI systems.

“The Canadian Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute will propel Canada to the forefront of global efforts to use AI responsibly, and will be a key player in building public trust in these technologies. In a world that’s evolving quickly and full of unknowns, Canadians can be confident that we will always take the necessary steps to ensure the AI they use is safe, responsible, and trustworthy,” says the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

The CAISI applied and investigator-led research stream will support priorities identified by CAISI, while considering key international reports such as the International Scientific Report on the Safety of Advanced AI, developed as part of a global initiative following the inaugural international AI Safety Summit in 2023. Yoshua Bengio, a Canada CIFAR AI Chair and Founder and Scientific Director at Mila, was appointed to lead the creation of this report.

To ensure a comprehensive and collaborative effort to understand and mitigate AI risks, CIFAR CAISI research activities will be guided by a Scientific Committee, which will include researchers and representatives from CIFAR, the National Research Council of Canada, and the country’s three National AI Institutes: Mila in Montréal, the Vector Institute in Toronto and Amii in Edmonton. The program will leverage the extensive expertise of these renowned institutes.

Stephen Toope, President and CEO of CIFAR, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, saying: “As the world grapples with the tremendous potential and the risks of AI, CIFAR is pleased to play a leading role in Canada’s response. The applied and investigator-led research stream at CIFAR will draw upon the strengths of Canada’s robust AI scientific community in order to advance world-leading research on AI safety, for the benefit of all.”

The launch of the Canadian AI Safety Institute marks a significant milestone as Canada joins a select group of countries with their own AI Safety Institutes, such as the United Kingdom and the United States. Just days before the inaugural meeting of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes in San Francisco and the upcoming AI Action Summit in Paris this February, Canada has now solidified its commitment to the safe development and adoption of AI technology.

Canada has, over the course of decades, built a strong network of Canadian AI researchers, thanks in part to the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy,” comments Elissa Strome, Executive Director, Pan-Canadian AI Strategy at CIFAR. “Our world-leading scientists are highly engaged in the scientific questions that inform the development of safe and responsible AI. This initiative will ensure that Canada will continue to be a leader in the ongoing global scientific response and deployment of this new and powerful technology.”  

CIFAR is currently seeking to fill three open positions for Members at Large on its Scientific Committee. Applications are accepted until December 16, 2024, and can be submitted here.

About CIFAR

The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) is a globally influential research organization proudly based in Canada. We mobilize the world’s most brilliant people across disciplines and at all career stages to advance transformative knowledge and solve humanity’s biggest problems, together. Through our 15 research programs and the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, CIFAR convenes close to 400 of the world’s top researchers from 141 institutions in 20 countries. This community has included 23 Nobel Prize laureates, 3 Turing Award winners, 37 recipients of the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering and 2 recipients of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Canada) Gold Medal. Our early-career programs attract and support some of the most exciting young researchers in the world today. We are supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta and Québec, as well as Canadian and international foundations, individuals, corporations and partner organizations.

SOURCE Canadian Institute for Advanced Research

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Cineverse Podcast Network Expands with Midnight Pulp and RetroCrush Audio Series, and New True Crime Show Creepy Places

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New Shows Join Top-10 Podcast Network as it Celebrates Record Growth Driven by Popular Horror Lineup Under the BloodyFM Sub-brand

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Cineverse Podcast Network, the audio division of next-gen entertainment studio Cineverse (Nasdaq: CNVS), has today announced a major expansion that goes well beyond its horror roots. Now home to popular entertainment, true crime and horror podcasts, the Cineverse Podcast Network is well-positioned to build upon its recent success.

In fact, Cineverse has grown its podcast revenue 98% during the fiscal quarter that ended Sept. 30 year over year and 60% from the previous quarter. The Cineverse Podcast Network also recorded 15 million downloads and listens in October, setting a new monthly record.

Among the drivers of this growth is Creepy Places: A True Crime Podcast, which recently launched via a partnership between Cineverse’s fan-first horror brand Bloody Disgusting and host Jon Grilz. The popular show at the intersection of true crime and historical hauntings has attracted 1.3 million monthly downloads since premiering in September and joins other additions to Cineverse’s growing podcast portfolio:

The iconic horror brand Dead Meat brings its dedicated fan base and over 200 episodes to Cineverse with the recently signed Dead Meat Podcast, hosted by Chelsea Rebecca and James A. Janisse, creators of the Dead Meat YouTube channel with over 6.6 million subscribers.Extending Cineverse’s popular action/cult movie streaming brand of the same name, Midnight Pulp will premiere in 2025. Hosted by Diana Prince, who plays “Darcy the Mail Girl” on Shudder’s top series The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs, each episode of the podcast will explore an entry from the streaming video channel, with Prince taking questions from listeners on everything from relationship advice to movie recommendations.Following a soft launch earlier this year, RetroCrush is Cineverse’s first official podcast created for anime fans. Hosts Malcolm Crawford, C2 and “it’s Eman” – three well-known anime fans – explore the hidden gems and popular shows featured on Cineverse’s RetroCrush streaming channel in weekly episodes.

“From partnering with talent and IP that come with pre-existing fan bases, to leveraging our owned-and-operated brands like Bloody Disgusting, Midnight Pulp and RetroCrush – all part of the company through strategic acquisitions from the past few years – we have quietly built one of the industry’s top podcast networks,” said Cineverse President and Chief Strategy Officer Erick Opeka. “Creators and partners – including advertisers, platforms and studios – are seeing this success and now coming to us to explore opportunities to work together in audio, and we are well-positioned to grow even further in the new year.”

These new podcasts follow other recently released shows on the Cineverse Podcast Network:

Mayfair Watchers Society: The chart-topping fiction podcast returned in May with Season 2, featuring 24 episodes every other week. Created in partnership with Trevor Henderson, the author of Scarewaves and prominent horror artist, the series brings Henderson’s creatures to life and features a full cast, original music and immersive sound design.Nightmare Soup: The horror fiction anthology podcast also premiered earlier this year, taking listeners back to their favorite horror stories from childhood. Inspired by iconic books like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Goosebumps, the 10-episode series airs every other Sunday.

Now home to more than 50 shows and ranking among the top 10 podcast networks by audience, the Cineverse Podcast Network has set the stage for significant ad sales growth over the next few quarters.

ABOUT CINEVERSE

On a mission to uplift storytellers and entertain fans with the power of technology, Cineverse  (NASDAQ: CNVS) distributes over 71,000 premium films, series, and podcasts. Engaging over 150 million unique monthly users, Cineverse delivers more than one billion minutes of curated content each month – connecting fans with stories that resonate.

With properties like the box office sensation Terrifier 3, iconic horror destination Bloody Disgusting, the Bob Ross Channel, women’s entertainment channel Dove, and a leading podcast network, Cineverse is the first stop for audiences seeking authentic and experiential content. From a vibrant range of content and fandom channels, to next-gen advertising offerings and streaming solutions, Cineverse is setting the stage for a new era of entertainment.

Press Contacts:

For Media
The Lippin Group for Cineverse, cineverse@lippingroup.com

For Investors
Julie Milstead, investorrelations@cineverse.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cineverse-podcast-network-expands-with-midnight-pulp-and-retrocrush-audio-series-and-new-true-crime-show-creepy-places-302315624.html

SOURCE Cineverse Corp.

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Neighborly Appoints Stacy Lynn Bourgeois as Chief Marketing Officer

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WACO, Texas, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ —  Neighborly®, the world’s largest home services company, today announced the appointment of Stacy Lynn Bourgeois as its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), effective December 2. She will serve as a member of Neighborly’s corporate leadership team and report directly to CEO Mike Davis.

Stacy Lynn brings a wide array of experience in business and brand strategy, organizational leadership, customer insight, data analytics, and marketing technology,” said Davis. “Her expertise and innovative approach to marketing will be instrumental in helping us better connect with our customers, differentiating our brands, making Neighborly and our service brands ridiculously easy to do business with while navigating an increasingly competitive landscape.”

The fanatical focus on the end consumer also serves Neighborly’s core mission of driving same-store sales growth with its franchise business owners. Bourgeois’ mixed background in both franchising and non-franchised business makes her uniquely qualified to deliver for both our customers, end-consumers, and franchise business owners.

Bourgeois is a strategic marketer who has driven double-digit growth while compiling a breadth of experiences. Throughout her career, she has launched new physical and digital products as well as a new restaurant concept at Yum! brands, stood up several new teams such as performance marketing and data science, implemented a new marketing technology stack, and led Pizza Hut through an agency review and countless creative campaigns.

She joins Neighborly from Amazon, where she broadened her scope from marketing to business more holistically in roles such as Global Head of Product, Quality & Operations for Amazon Renewed or U.S. Head of Musical Instruments. In her time with Amazon, she’s enhanced the discoverability of preowned products, increased conversion rates, simplified customer experience, improved operations, and owned a multibillion-dollar P&L. Even in general management-focused roles, she’s anchored on driving growth through the customer – such as offering free lessons with an instrument purchase on Amazon.

I am thrilled to be joining the incredible team at Neighborly and support our franchise owners,” said Bourgeois. “Customers invite Neighborly and our brands into their homes, which is deeply personal and requires tremendous trust. My goal is to earn this trust by listening to and innovating for customers in a way that builds lasting relationships with our amazing brands.”

Bourgeois will be based in Irving, Texas.

About Neighborly®

Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,500 franchises collectively serving 14 million+ customers by repairing, maintaining, and enhancing their homes and businesses. Through Neighborly.com and the Neighborly mobile app, we connect consumers to local service providers that meet rigorous franchisor standards across 19 service categories. More information about Neighborly, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com. To learn about franchising opportunities with Neighborly, click here.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neighborly-appoints-stacy-lynn-bourgeois-as-chief-marketing-officer-302315116.html

SOURCE Neighborly

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EHA Highlights Commitment to Innovation and Collaboration at ASH Annual Meeting

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The European Hematology Association (EHA) will showcase its dedication to advancing research and fostering collaboration at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition from December 7-10, 2024, in San Diego, California, USA.

The partnership between EHA and ASH is testament to both organizations’ commitment to progress and improving patient care. The EHA-ASH Joint Symposium, scheduled for Sunday, December 8 from 12:30-13:30 (PDT), will focus on myelodysplastic syndromes, showcasing expert insights from Amy DeZern of Johns Hopkins University and Matteo Della Porta of Humanitas Cancer Center. EHA President Antonio Almeida remarked, “The collaboration between EHA and ASH holds immense significance for the global medical community. Both organizations serve as pivotal platforms for advancing the understanding, research, education, and treatment of blood disorders. […] By combining our strengths, together, we can enhance research, education, advocacy, and patient care, generating significant benefits that resonate across nations and communities.” This joint session is another milestone in a fruitful collaboration that continues to shape the future of hematology.

In 2024, EHA reached unprecedented levels of engagement, connecting more professionals than ever. Membership surged by 25%, bringing EHA’s community to over 8,300 members, and the EHA2024 Congress attracted a record-breaking 17,900 delegates. This growth reflects EHA’s commitment to a member-focused approach, empowering professionals to exchange knowledge, collaborate on research, and share best practices on a global scale.

HemaSphere, EHA’s peer-reviewed journal, has recently achieved a significant milestone with a 2023 Impact Factor of 11.9, ranking it seventh among hematology journals globally. This development is a testament to the high-quality, cutting-edge research that HemaSphere publishes and its value to the hematology community.

With a vision for “Borderless Hematology,” EHA will continue to drive global connectivity, innovation, and excellence.

ASH delegates are invited to learn about EHA at booth #300.

About EHA

The European Hematology Association (EHA) is a membership organization serving a community of over 8,000 medical professionals, researchers, and scientists with an active interest in hematology. EHA is the largest Europe-based organization connecting hematologists worldwide and supports career development and research, harmonizes hematology education, and advocates for hematologists and hematology.

Website: www.ehaweb.org

“Towards prevention, cure, and quality of life for all patients with blood disorders”.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2461261/4811631/European_Hematology_Association_Logo.jpg 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eha-highlights-commitment-to-innovation-and-collaboration-at-ash-annual-meeting-302313636.html

SOURCE European Hematology Association (EHA)

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