Monthly Archives: June 2024

Empowering Cross Application Testing with AI-Driven Automation, Efficiency, and Insights

HACKENSACK, NJ, June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Panaya, the leader in SaaS-based AI-Powered Smart Testing and Change Intelligence for ERP, CRM, and Enterprise Cloud Applications, announces the launch of its latest codeless test automation solution. This new solution solidifies Panaya's position as the go-to SaaS platform for Cross-Application Testing and Change Intelligence. The solution reinforces Panaya's position as the industry frontrunner in testing, having maintained its status as a G2 leader for 14 consecutive quarters.

In today's interconnected digital landscape, organizations rely on multiple applications to streamline operations, ensuring the seamless functioning of critical business processes is paramount. However, testing each application in isolation falls short, as changes in one application can have ripple effects across the entire ecosystem. Panaya's test automation allows organizations to comprehensively validate end-to-end processes, identifying potential points of failure and inconsistencies. This solution provides a holistic view of the business landscape, enabling proactive risk mitigation, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing downtime and errors.

Panaya's testing solution is the only fully SaaS solution, covering all aspects of the testing process including codeless test automation, comprehensive test management and change impact analysis. With its intuitive interface and streamlined onboarding process, users can be up and running in less than 60 minutes. The codeless nature of the solution eliminates the need for technical expertise and makes testing accessible to users of all skill levels. Moreover, Panaya enables collaboration between business and technical users, facilitating seamless communication and alignment throughout the testing process.

Panaya leverages Generative AI to enhance its Codeless Test Automation solution by generating random data, validating complex expressions, and offering an AI co-pilot for product queries. Additionally, GenAI automatically creates test scripts, utilizing a comprehensive understanding of the test repository and thorough data analysis. This approach streamlines automation processes, providing smart automation for SAP and Salesforce environments. Panaya's GenAI ensures increased productivity for testers and ease of use, setting a new standard in efficiency and effectiveness compared to legacy automation tools.

"Our vision is to make it as easy as possible for our clients to grow as fast and as safely as possible," says David Binny, CEO of Panaya. "With our No-Code & Low-Code Test Automation, testing becomes infinitely more accessible for all team members, reducing bottlenecks and reliance on technical experts."

Panaya's Smart Testing Platform is a comprehensive SaaS-native solution that integrates Requirements Management, Test Management, Low-Code & No-Code Test Automation, as well as Change Intelligence. This platform streamlines end-to-end, cross-application testing processes, providing organizations with the necessary tools to ensure seamless transitions during upgrades, updates, or process alterations.

As a recognized leader on G2 with hundreds of positive reviews and a leading 5-star solution in the Salesforce AppExchange, Panaya is celebrated for its excellence, reliability, robust features, and exceptional support. By winning key partnerships and key accounts, Panaya continues to solidify its position as a trusted partner in driving digital transformation and operational excellence.

"Our 15+ years of domain expertise in SAP, Oracle, and Salesforce are amplified by Generative AI and Machine Learning," adds Binny. "This enables our smart engines to understand the interdependencies between critical business processes across different applications, taking automated testing of business applications to the next level." We aim to continue driving growth, profitability, and value for our customers through continuous innovation and leadership in test automation and Change Intelligence technology.

About Panaya

Panaya, a SaaS-based company certified by SAP, Oracle, and Salesforce.com, offers an all-in-one platform for Smart Testing solutions and Change Intelligence tailored for ERP, CRM, and cloud business applications. Panaya accelerates and de-risks digital landscapes with AI-powered Test Automation, Test Management, and Impact Analysis. Panaya's focus on ease of use and an intuitive interface ensures seamless collaboration between business and IT, empowering business users and IT professionals to gain real-time visibility and control over their projects. This capability enables faster releases and continuous delivery of high-quality software.

Since its founding in 2006, over 3,000 companies across 62 countries, including a third of the Fortune 500, have trusted Panaya to drive rapid, quality testing and change management in their enterprise business applications.

For more information, contact Panaya at [emailprotected] or visit http://www.panaya.com.

For media inquiries, contact Dana Averbouch [emailprotected]

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Panaya Launches AI-Codeless Test Automation Solution for Business Applications, Powered by Change Intelligence - PR Newswire

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maxon provides motion controllers, and Balluff offers sensors for warehouse automation. Source: maxon motor

When looking to boost productivity and eliminate mundane manual tasks in the warehouse, adding robots is a good start, but its not enough. Speed, scalability, sustainability, and upskilling the workforce are also essential for long-term success. This strategy requires additional forms of automation that are optimized for digital transformation from the controllers to the networks to the interfaces and the cloud.

In this webinar, we explore the many technologies that come together to keep warehouse and fulfillment centers operating at peak performance.

Manufacturers, third-party logistics providers (3PLs), and distribution center operators need tools that enable greater visibility into their processes, offer tighter control of processes, and improve energy management. From sensing to vision systems, motion control, cables, connectors, and more, its advances in components and controllers that power the adoption of automation.

This free webinar on controllers and warehouse automation will be at2:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 12, 2024.Register now, and ask questions during the live discussion. It will be accessible on demand after the initial broadcast.

John Santagateis the vice president of robotics atKrberSupply Chain Software, overseeing strategy for autonomous mobile and warehouse robotics, as well as its robotics partner network. He ensures these technologies drive customer success and integrate with Krbers broader solutions.

With a career in supply chain focused on efficiency and profitability, Santagate previously consulted for Tata Consultancy Services and was a leading industry analyst at IDC.

Stephanie Neilis executive editor for robotics at WTWH Media. She is a seasoned business-to-business (B2B) journalist and Web content expert with over 25 years of experience covering the manufacturing industry.

Neil covers a wide range of topics, such as digital transformation, automation, artificial intelligence, analytics, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, robotics, simulation, and workforce issues. She seeks to share the end-user perspective that reveals the business value of operational processes while exploring how technology affects the way we work.

This webinar is sponsored by motor providermaxonand software and sensors expertBalluff.

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Webinar: From controllers to the cloud: Discovering the cornerstones of warehouse automation - Robot Report

A "cobot" a collaborative robot that is designed to work alongside a human is used in the lab at the Northland Workforce Training Center.

Manufacturers have their share of concerns when it comes to embracing automation and warding off cyberattacks.

But it's not something they should shy away from. That was the message from panelists at a recent Buffalo Niagara Partnership panel on the topic.

Manufacturers shouldn't assume they are immune to a cyberattack that could expose customer information or company research, said Elizabeth Callahan, director of external relations and special programs for EWI, which operates Buffalo Manufacturing Works.

"It's a lot of layers of protection and thinking about all those things, but we need to be one or two steps ahead," Callahan said.

Federal agencies like the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy often have cyber-related requirements to be part of their supply chains, she said. If manufacturers don't meet those standards, they risk missing out on business opportunities.

Manufacturers should consider taking small steps into automation, instead of a big, expensive plunge at the outset, said Scott Pallotta, CEO of Zehnder Rittling, a heating and cooling products company in Buffalo.

"It doesn't need to be, 'Hey, we're going to automate this production line,' or, 'We're going to replace 10 people with robots,' " Pallotta said. "It's not that. It can be very, very small. It's putting in a scanner here. It doesn't seem like a lot, but all of a sudden it's like, 'We have all this information, what do we do with it?'"

When manufacturers introduce automation to the workplace, explain to employees what it will mean for them, said Dave Kegler, director of manufacturing at Sealing Devices in Lancaster.

"They hear the word 'automation,' they hear the word 'change,' they immediately go to defensive mode: Am I going to lose my job, am I going to be put somewhere else, is my job going to get harder?" Kegler said. "We put a lot of focus on having them know, this is about, how do we make your job easier?"

The semiconductor industry will need people with four-year degrees, such as engineers, but there will be plenty of other jobs that don't require that level of formal education, said Stephen Tucker, president and CEO of the Northland Workforce Training Center.

"You're going to need the folks to manufacture the actual components," he said.

Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse are trying to create a "semiconductor corridor," with manufacturers and other employers serving that high-tech industry. The strategy is central to their bid for $54 million in federal funding in the tech hub competition.

The region needs to raise awareness of the job opportunities that are coming, Tucker said."As a region, we have to do a better job of telling our story as it relates to manufacturing. We have great companies and products."

Technology will be essential for manufacturers, because there aren't enough new workers coming along to replace all the employees who are retiring, saidAlan Rae, director of the University at Buffalo's Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics.

"We're going to have to use all the tools we can get whether it be cobots or AI to leverage the people we can get in manufacturing," Rae said.

The New York Power Authority will collaborate with Say Yes Buffalo on an initiative to support development of the clean energy workforce.

The Power Authority will provide $600,000 to the Say Yes Buffalo Youth Apprenticeship Program. The program places recent high school graduates in one- to three-year, structured work-based learning apprenticeships at industry partners in high-demand sectors.

"The number of students served will depend on variables, including the number of companies that agree to participate in the program," said Paul DeMichele, a Power Authority spokesman.

Gov. Kathy Hochul's office said the expectation is the program will grow to serve as many as 200 high school students, as it develops.

Want to know more? Three stories to catch you up:

Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News will bring you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com.

Perry's Ice Cream wrapped up an $18 million expansion.

Labatt USA is ditching its offices in the Cobblestone District.

A South Buffalo cannabis facility is getting a new operator.

ACV Auctions' CEO touts the value of a support system for startups.

A new look is coming to the Old Editions bookstore.

Two local community colleges have new presidents.

A Brookings report predicts strong growth for Buffalo Niagara manufacturers.

The senior vice president of marketing strategy and public relations is leaving her position at 43 North.

Rainbow Air is making progress on Niagara Falls helicopter tourism facility.

West Seneca presses Pyramid to sell Seneca Mall site.

Buffalo remains essential to HSBC's everyday operations, said president and CEO of HSBC North America Holdings.

National Grid is looking fora big increasein residential electric rates.

The Hauptman-Woodward research institute ismerging with UB.

HSBC says its Buffalo Niagaraoffice consolidationis complete.

Shake Shack iscoming to Amherst.

Schumer is worried about a Canadian immigration policysnarling bridge traffic.

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1.43North winner Bounce Imaging earns a shot at more work with Department of Defense.

2. Where is all the steel for the new Buffalo Bills stadiumcoming from?

3.'It's terrible':Family Dollar closures will erase six stores from the East Side.

4.Do personal seat licenses hold their value?Here's what's happened in other NFL markets.

5. How one SUNY schoolstands outfor its efforts to get students who dropped out of college to come back to class.

The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the regions economic revitalization. Email tips tobuffalonext@buffnews.comor reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.

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How automation is transforming manufacturing - Buffalo News

LONDON & ALAMEDA, Calif., June 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jitterbit, a global leader in empowering business transformation through automation and application development, today announced developments regarding its AI innovation and product vision at AI Accelerate: London 2024.

During the invite-only event, Jitterbit provided previews of its pioneering advancements in AI application development, integration and automation, while demonstrating three new AI product capabilities the company will beta this year. Jitterbit President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Conner was joined by Chief Technology Officer Manoj Chaudhary to demonstrate the power of its AI capabilities in real time to a full-capacity audience.

The future of application development, orchestration and automation is based on an AI evolution, not a revolution, said Conner. Even the most agile organizations need a smart, measured approach to infusing AI capabilities into their business and infrastructure doing so at their own choice and pace. They shouldnt be forced to ditch their investments and start new. Its an unnecessary risk.

Jitterbit Shows Off Innovation in AI Application Development, Automation The session highlight was Chaudharys demo of the latest in AI-powered application development and automation, as well as the announcement of three upcoming AI-powered product betas:

Invites for the AI beta programs will be shared later in the year to select Jitterbit customers.

The relationship gap between humans and computers is closing at a rapid pace, said Chaudhary. The commoditization of AI is bringing complex problem-solving to a whole new level and doing so by narrowing communication barriers through natural language capabilities.

AI Unlocks Hidden Knowledge in Organizations Antonio Cispeernino, CISO and Professor of Computer Science at the University of Pisa, joined AI expert Andrew Grill, Nick Loughran, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Integra, and Iain Janssens, Head of Business Systems Support & Testing of M Group Services, during an engaging panel to discuss AIs impact on the changing business landscape.

Cispeernino noted, AI has the potential to revolutionize data integration and automation. IT allows a completely new form of human-machine interaction to deliver a new spectrum of capabilities to zero-code automation. Jitterbit brings enterprise discipline for this brave new era. Enterprises should start thinking about organizing and empowering knowledge. AI is about taking general knowledge from the model and adding enterprise knowledge and feeding this into AI to deliver the best results tailored for the organization. AI can unlock hidden knowledge from within an organization."

New Jitterbit Leadership Appointments Drive Go-to-Market Change To accelerate Jitterbits go-to-market strategy, including executing its AI vision, the company announced key additions to its leadership team, including:

New Premier Support Delivers Global Phone Access, Live 24/7 Agents Jitterbits new Premier Support service is designed to address customer issues with urgency, quality and precision. As a leader in iPaaS and connectivity, Jitterbit recognizes each customers environment is meaningfully different.

Premier Support customers, whether using Harmony iPaaS, Vinyl, eiCloud or Wevo offerings, will minimize downtime and maintain business continuity with customized support tailored to their needs.

The program is segmented into three distinct tiers Premier, Premier Plus and Premier Enterprise allowing businesses to select the level of support that best fits their requirements. Premier and Premier Plus tiers launched globally this month for eastern time zones and will expand globally to other time zones in October 2024. Availability of the Premier Enterprise tier is coming later in 2024.

About Jitterbit, Inc. Jitterbit empowers business transformation with low-code enterprise solutions for integration and application development. Jitterbit combines and simplifies the power of iPaaS, APIM, EDI, and LCAP to amplify the value of on-premise, cloud-based, and SaaS systems and accelerate the digital journey. Organizations around the globe rely on Jitterbits experience and expertise to help them automate critical business processes and build applications to future proof their business. Learn how Jitterbit helps people work happier at http://www.jitterbit.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact: Brittni Borrero Gabriel Marketing Group (for Jitterbit) Email: brittnib@gabrielmarketing.com Telephone: 248-931-3418

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Jitterbit Unveils Future of AI Automation at AI Accelerate: London 2024 Event - GlobeNewswire

Experts at IP firm Finnegan discuss if the pharmaceutical industry is ready for the innovation and technologies that digitalisation and automation will bring, and whether these advances are a threat or ally to intellectual property rights in the sector.

Friend or foe? Pharmaceutical companies ask themselves this question before embracing the latest technologies because every innovation comes with both opportunities and risks. Today, technological advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), digitalisation, and robotic manufacturing automation solutions stand to revolutionise R&D, clinical trials, and manufacturing in the pharmaceutical industry. According to recent estimates, the opportunity from generative AI alone could produce up to $110 billion in annual value across the pharmaceutical industry value chain.1

But while digitalisation and artificial intelligence offer extraordinary benefits, they also involve legal pitfalls. In this article, we discuss how embracing these technologies might thus be possible for the pharmaceutical industry.

AI and ML offer tremendous promise throughout the lifecycle of drugs, including in R&D, manufacturing, QA/QC, and post marketing surveillance. In drug discovery, AI systems can predict drug-protein interaction, conduct de novo drug design, and screen drug activities (bioactivity, toxicity) and other properties. AI in drug discovery thus may significantly reduce costs in preclinical research and lead to discovery of valuable new therapies. By some estimates, AI and ML could lead to an additional 50 novel therapies over a 10-year period (a $50-billion market opportunity).2 And AIs use in clinical studies promises to reduce costs and increase success rates.

Robots can be used in combination with AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and live digital data analytics to create a connected and proactive manufacturing system

Once a drug has been proven safe and effective and marketing authorisation is granted, the ramp-up to commercial rollout often requires manufacturing output to be increased drastically to reach peak sales as quickly as possible. This requires effective scale-up or scale-out strategies. Emerging technologies may provide useful solutions. Manufacturing robots can handle process steps and often require lower cleanroom classes and reduced man-hours. Robots can be used in combination with AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and live digital data analytics to create a connected and proactive manufacturing system.

The possibility to collect, store, and share data digitally has led to the development of numerous applications in clinical drug development. Electronic case report forms, electronic patient reported outcome forms and electronic patient diaries allow to collect, track, and evaluate digital data in real time. This provides several advantages, such as improved data quality by real-time validation and verification, improved accessibility and traceability, reduced costs and time, and the opportunity to regularly check whether the trial is keeping up with set timelines.

While these technologies offer exceptional opportunities, users must also be aware of potential intellectual property hurdles they create. Fortunately, effective patent strategies can help overcome these hurdles and allow companies to maximise the value from digital innovation.

AI can play a major role in drug R&D. But can AI-generated innovations be protected under patent laws? Most jurisdictions have answered no. This issue was tested by Stephen Thaler, who filed patent applications in multiple countries, naming the AI system Device for the Autonomous Bootstrapping of Unified Sentience (DABUS) as the sole inventor. The European Patent Office (EPO), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the UK Intellectual Property Office, and several other jurisdictions refused to grant the patent, concluding that the inventor must be a natural person and cannot be an AI system.

But many inventorship issues remain, however. In the US, the USPTO has explained that a human must have significantly contributed to each claim. Companies thus must carefully identify human inventors and focus on human contributions to an invention. In some cases, this may include the people who trained an AI system to perform its work. Companies therefore must assess the role an AI system played in an invention and ensure that the correct human inventors are identified for each claim.

AI and digital innovationscreate new IP challenges which historically [pharma has] not had to grapple with the shifting legal landscape

AI and digital innovations also raise critical questions of patent eligibility and patentability. These technologies create new IP challenges in the pharmaceutical industry, which historically have not had to grapple with the shifting legal landscape that affects software and computer-implemented inventions.

In March 2024, the European Parliament adopted theEuropean AI Act, which is expected to enter into force in May or June 2024. The European Commission had detected a need for AI support in several areas, including the health sector, but also considered AI to impose new risks to be addressed by the AI Act. It thus provides, for example, a classification for AI systems with different requirements and obligations on a risk-based approach. Depending on an AI systems individual risk category, its providers and deployers would need to comply with certain requirements. It is thus key for AI providers to make themselves familiar with the new requirements.It is a tradition under European laws that patent protection is reserved for technical creations. Accordingly, certain provisions exclude programmes for computers from being eligible for patenting (see eg, Art. 52 (2) c European Patent Convention (EPC) or Sec. 1 (3) of the German Patent Act (GPA)). This exclusion can be overcome, however, if a computer programme is capable of bringing about a technical effect beyond the usual physical interaction between soft- and hardware.

The US Supreme Courts Alice decision and subsequent patent-eligibility cases under 35 USC 101 have made it harder to obtain patents covering software- and computer-implemented inventions. Under Alices two-part test, claims that are directed to a patent-ineligible abstract idea, law of nature, or natural phenomenon are only patent eligible if they contain an inventive concept sufficient to transform the underlying idea or law of nature into something more than the underlying idea itself.

Companies seeking to patent AI systems or software should draft claims that clearly reflect a technological improvement on conventional technology, with written description detailing how the invention achieves that improvement and the resulting benefits.

Many pharmaceutical companies lack the expertise in software and computer systems necessary to develop or implement AI and automated or digitalised processes. Rather than develop this capacity in-house, many companies enter into agreements with third-party AI developers or acquire companies with these capabilities. As a result, collaborations and acquisitions related to AI have drastically increased in the pharmaceutical industry in recent years.

While these collaborations and acquisitions offer many advantages, they also raise IP risks because they inevitably require sharing confidential or trade secret information with third parties. Companies should evaluate these risks as soon as possible to ensure they adequately protect their existing IP in any third-party agreements, including nondisclosure agreements, joint development agreements, and formal collaboration agreements.

For example, companies should require partners to treat confidential or trade secret information with the same (or higher) level of secrecy that a company requires of its own employees. Agreements should also require third parties to acknowledge the value of any trade secret information they may access during a collaboration.

Agreements should also address ownership of any IP generated during a collaboration, including improvements to one partners existing IP, as well as the parties rights to the IP upon termination of the collaboration. Careful drafting and resolving issues up front can prevent disputes later.

Pharmaceutical companies must carefully consider [GDPR] requirements when implementing new digital and AI-based technologies, which will use these sensitive health data in new ways and require new data-protection protocols

As the use of digital devices and processes becomes increasingly common in clinical drug development, companies must also ensure that data are sufficiently protected.

In Europe, companies must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which aims to strengthen the rights of individuals to be informed and controls how their personal data are used. Data related to health falls within the scope of sensitive data, for which the GDPR sets very strict guidelines in terms of its processing. While the US does not have a comprehensive data-privacy law like GDPR, various federal and state laws do impose privacy restrictions that companies must follow.

Pharmaceutical companies must carefully consider these requirements when implementing new digital and AI-based technologies, which will use these sensitive health data in new ways and require new data-protection protocols.

The rapidly evolving landscape of AI, ML, and digitalisation offers a wide range of benefits to the pharmaceutical industry, but also raise new risks and legal challenges. Legislators are trying to keep pace with this rapid innovation to ensure that continued growth is as safe as possible. Pharmaceutical companies implementing new digital technologies must therefore not only address existing IP and data-privacy challenges, but also closely monitor the constantly changing legal framework to understand their obligations and risks. Companies that do so stand to reap the rewards of these innovations and eclipse competitors that are slow to adopt digital technologies.

Antje Brambrink is partner at IP firm Finnegan.

Marco Thurneris European- and German Patent Attorney Trainee at IP firm Finnegan.

Charles Collins-Chaseis partner at IP firm Finnegan.

Excerpt from:

Regulation and legislation in the era of automation and digitalisation - European Pharmaceutical Review

Shipments of autonomous industrial lift trucks are expected to double from 2024 to 2025 in North America and Europe, driven by a declining industrial workforce and related demand for automated and tech-connected equipment, according to data from global technology research firm ABI Research. The research points to electrification, automation, and connectivity as rising trends in the fork truck market. Pallet-picking operations have lagged when it comes to automation, with most warehouse automation coming in the form of smaller form Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) for case and item picking, Ryan Wiggin, senior analyst at ABI Research, said in a statement announcing the reports findings. This is mostly because of the additional complexity and safety concerns associated with heavy pallet handling requirements. But more organizations are now exploring how they can optimize their industrial lift truck fleets through better management by adding telematics systems and exploring autonomous models for certain tasks. Growing adoption is expected to cannibalize shipments of standard industrial lift trucks in the medium term, with the effect most pronounced in North America and Europe, according to the report. The desire for better fleet management is fueling a rise in the adoption of telematics systems for industrial trucks, as well. The report said the need to track and analyze movements, ensure worker safety, and orchestrate mixed fleets will drive shipments of telematics systems to this part of the market. A declining workforce in industrial settings is forcing companies to consider adopting automated industrial trucks to conduct repetitive put-away and shunting activities, such as trailer unloading/loading and moving pallets from one part of a warehouse to another, Wiggins also said. Fleets will become an increasing blend of automation and manual operation alongside growing investment in telematics systems to support safety and management. Significant opportunities exist for all three sides of the market (OEMs, aftermarket telematics, and robotics providers) with several partnerships and new players expected in the coming years.

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Demand for automated forklifts to grow as warehouse labor issues persist - DC Velocity

07/06/2024 Rockwell Automation

Virtual event honors distributors, system integrators, and OEMsthroughout the EMEA region

Rockwell Automation, Inc., the worlds largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, has announced the winners of its PartnerNetwork EMEA Awards during its virtual PartnerNetwork Conference EMEA 2024 event.

The invite-only event, held on May 21stand 22nd, was attended by more than 250 members of Rockwell Automations comprehensive PartnerNetwork ecosystem from more than 50 countries. These system integrators, OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), distributors and technology partners recognize the power that effective partnerships have in the mission to help industrial companies realize important operational and business outcomes.

OurPartnerNetwork ecosystemis fueled by the mutual desire to deliver the best possible customer experiences, said Christian Reuter, regional vice president, market access, Europe, Middle East and Africa, at Rockwell Automation. The combination of technologies, services, and support that we can deliver together surpasses anything we can do individually.Congratulationsto all our winners. You truly show how we are better together.

Distributor of the Year Award

System Integrator of the Year Award

OEM of the Year Award

Innovation Award

Sustainability Award

Process and Control Today are not responsible for the content of submitted or externally produced articles and images. Click here to email us about any errors or omissions contained within this article.

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Rockwell Automation recognizes business excellence, technological innovation, and class-leading sustainability in ... - Process & Control Today

IBM has showcased a range of innovations in generative AI at its annual Think conference, demonstrating how these technologies are set to fundamentally transform automation across various business functions. According to IBM Research, these advancements aim to simplify and enhance efficiency in work processes.

At Think 2024, IBM introduced groundbreaking tools designed to streamline software development. Among these is the open-sourced Granite code model, which offers capabilities such as bug fixing, code translation, and detailed explanations. By making these tools accessible, IBM aims to support both legacy and modern systems, ensuring long-term sustainability for developers.

Additionally, IBM announced the watsonx Code Assistant for Enterprise Java Applications. This new assistant can summarize existing Java code, make recommendations, execute upgrades, and generate unit tests. According to IBM Research, the automated test generator framework can increase testing coverage by up to 50%, making it a valuable asset for developers.

IBM is also focusing on automating IT operations to enhance system reliability. Site reliability engineers (SREs) are often overwhelmed by the complexity of modern IT systems. IBM's updates to its IT automation portfolio, including intelligent remediation for Instana and GPU optimization for Turbonomic, aim to alleviate these challenges. The new generative AI technologies can summarize IT issues, identify probable causes, and recommend actionable solutions.

The trace-based reinforcement learning technique applied for probable cause analysis has shown significant improvements, increasing the true positive rate by a factor of 1.6 and reducing false positives by a factor of 200 compared to traditional tools.

In the manufacturing sector, IBM's generative AI is poised to revolutionize plant operations. The Maximo Application Suite now features automated work order intelligence, which predicts work order failure codes using models that generate synthetic data. IBM estimates that this could save approximately 10,000 hours of productivity annually.

IBMs open-source Granite time-series models are another significant advancement. The tiny time mixer (TTM) model, based on an encoder-decoder architecture, has shown a 3% to 40% accuracy improvement over other state-of-the-art models. This model enables better continuous monitoring of assets and processes, reducing false positives and enhancing operational efficiency.

IBM is extending the benefits of automation to everyday office tasks. The watsonx Orchestrate Assistant Builder, unveiled at Think 2024, helps businesses create assistants tailored to specific tasks in various departments such as HR, sales, and procurement. This tool allows for the quick building, enhancement, and validation of automation skills, transforming the user experience.

Generative interfaces for automation tasks are also in development, enabling users to describe their needs in plain English. These systems can invoke APIs, sequence multiple APIs, query databases, and summarize retrieved content using IBMs Granite LLM. Early adopters like Sports Clips have already seen significant reductions in time to execute HR tasks, from hours to mere minutes.

The advancements presented at Think 2024 highlight IBM's commitment to leveraging generative AI to enhance business automation. As the technology continues to evolve, it promises to bring about unprecedented efficiencies and capabilities across various sectors.

. . .

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IBM Showcases Generative AI's Potential to Revolutionize Automation at Think 2024 - Blockchain.News

A "cobot" a collaborative robot that is designed to work alongside a human is used in the lab at the Northland Workforce Training Center.

Manufacturers have their share of concerns when it comes to embracing automation and warding off cyberattacks.

But it's not something they should shy away from. That was the message from panelists at a recent Buffalo Niagara Partnership panel on the topic.

Manufacturers shouldn't assume they are immune to a cyberattack that could expose customer information or company research, said Elizabeth Callahan, director of external relations and special programs for EWI, which operates Buffalo Manufacturing Works.

"It's a lot of layers of protection and thinking about all those things, but we need to be one or two steps ahead," Callahan said.

Federal agencies like the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy often have cyber-related requirements to be part of their supply chains, she said. If manufacturers don't meet those standards, they risk missing out on business opportunities.

Manufacturers should consider taking small steps into automation, instead of a big, expensive plunge at the outset, said Scott Pallotta, CEO of Zehnder Rittling, a heating and cooling products company in Buffalo.

"It doesn't need to be, 'Hey, we're going to automate this production line,' or, 'We're going to replace 10 people with robots,' " Pallotta said. "It's not that. It can be very, very small. It's putting in a scanner here. It doesn't seem like a lot, but all of a sudden it's like, 'We have all this information, what do we do with it?'"

When manufacturers introduce automation to the workplace, explain to employees what it will mean for them, said Dave Kegler, director of manufacturing at Sealing Devices in Lancaster.

"They hear the word 'automation,' they hear the word 'change,' they immediately go to defensive mode: Am I going to lose my job, am I going to be put somewhere else, is my job going to get harder?" Kegler said. "We put a lot of focus on having them know, this is about, how do we make your job easier?"

The semiconductor industry will need people with four-year degrees, such as engineers, but there will be plenty of other jobs that don't require that level of formal education, said Stephen Tucker, president and CEO of the Northland Workforce Training Center.

"You're going to need the folks to manufacture the actual components," he said.

Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse are trying to create a "semiconductor corridor," with manufacturers and other employers serving that high-tech industry. The strategy is central to their bid for $54 million in federal funding in the tech hub competition.

The region needs to raise awareness of the job opportunities that are coming, Tucker said."As a region, we have to do a better job of telling our story as it relates to manufacturing. We have great companies and products."

Technology will be essential for manufacturers, because there aren't enough new workers coming along to replace all the employees who are retiring, saidAlan Rae, director of the University at Buffalo's Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics.

"We're going to have to use all the tools we can get whether it be cobots or AI to leverage the people we can get in manufacturing," Rae said.

The New York Power Authority will collaborate with Say Yes Buffalo on an initiative to support development of the clean energy workforce.

The Power Authority will provide $600,000 to the Say Yes Buffalo Youth Apprenticeship Program. The program places recent high school graduates in one- to three-year, structured work-based learning apprenticeships at industry partners in high-demand sectors.

"The number of students served will depend on variables, including the number of companies that agree to participate in the program," said Paul DeMichele, a Power Authority spokesman.

Gov. Kathy Hochul's office said the expectation is the program will grow to serve as many as 200 high school students, as it develops.

Want to know more? Three stories to catch you up:

Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News will bring you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com.

Perry's Ice Cream wrapped up an $18 million expansion.

Labatt USA is ditching its offices in the Cobblestone District.

A South Buffalo cannabis facility is getting a new operator.

ACV Auctions' CEO touts the value of a support system for startups.

A new look is coming to the Old Editions bookstore.

Two local community colleges have new presidents.

A Brookings report predicts strong growth for Buffalo Niagara manufacturers.

The senior vice president of marketing strategy and public relations is leaving her position at 43 North.

Rainbow Air is making progress on Niagara Falls helicopter tourism facility.

West Seneca presses Pyramid to sell Seneca Mall site.

Buffalo remains essential to HSBC's everyday operations, said president and CEO of HSBC North America Holdings.

National Grid is looking fora big increasein residential electric rates.

The Hauptman-Woodward research institute ismerging with UB.

HSBC says its Buffalo Niagaraoffice consolidationis complete.

Shake Shack iscoming to Amherst.

Schumer is worried about a Canadian immigration policysnarling bridge traffic.

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1.43North winner Bounce Imaging earns a shot at more work with Department of Defense.

2. Where is all the steel for the new Buffalo Bills stadiumcoming from?

3.'It's terrible':Family Dollar closures will erase six stores from the East Side.

4.Do personal seat licenses hold their value?Here's what's happened in other NFL markets.

5. How one SUNY schoolstands outfor its efforts to get students who dropped out of college to come back to class.

The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the regions economic revitalization. Email tips tobuffalonext@buffnews.comor reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.

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Buffalo Next: How automation is transforming manufacturing - Buffalo News

A revolution is on the card in the world of sports broadcasting, if believed to a Swedish startup Spiideo. It has lately secured a funding of $20 million and is set to bring automated sports streaming to a broader audience by using advanced AI camera system.

At the heart of its offerings is an AI model that is well trained to emulate professional camera operators. Spiideo CEO and co-founder Patrik Olsson said they have trained the tools for 15 sports that they support to properly capture the nuances of each one. The sophisticated AI directs the movements of panoramic cameras and simultaneously allow the system to fully automate the broadcasting and streaming of sports events.

As of now, the technology of Spiideo is in use at over 6,000 venues and by more than 4,000 teams globally. Some to name here are football clubs from Englands Premier League, Italys Serie A, and Germanys Bundesliga. They are also covering NBA basketball teams and NHL ice hockey franchises.

The global value of sports media rights hit a record high of nearly $56 billion in 2023 as reported by SportBusiness. Spiideo offers rights-holders new avenues to scale their investments by automating production. they can monetize content that was previously too costly to produce.

The latest round of funding was led by Munich-based growth equity firm Cipio Partners. It brings the total funding of the startup to $40 million. The financial boost is learned to be accelerating the its mission to eliminate the need for manual video production.

The vision of Spiideo is ambitious and clear as well. It is to democratize sports broadcasting through cutting-edge AI technology. The company is trying to revolutionize the sports broadcasting by reducing the costs and complexities associated with traditional production methods.

Continued here:

Spiideo Revolutionizes Sports Broadcasting with Ambitious AI Automation Goals - TechiExpert.com