New Podcast Season Exposes the Hidden Local Costs of Big Tech's AI Data Center Boom
Thu, Apr 30, 2026 16:27 EDT
As the corporate race for artificial intelligence dominance accelerates, a new audio series is shining a light on the communities bearing the brunt of the physical infrastructure required to power it. Today marks the launch of the newest season of the Building Local Power podcast, titled "The Data Centers Are Coming." The series takes listeners on a cross-country journey to the hottest flashpoints of the data center boom, exposing how Big Tech is attempting to steamroll local communities through secrecy, legislative maneuvering, and shell companies. From the deafening noise pollution impacting the health of residents in Northern Virginia's "Data Center Alley" to the severe environmental and water-use threats facing Tucker County, West Virginia, the series goes beyond the technology to tell a deeply human story. Featuring interviews with agitated neighbors, tech correspondents, and experts on energy supply and the environment, "The Data Centers Are Coming" uncovers how this modern technological conflict is steeped in America's long legacy of monopoly corporations battling motivated local communities. "The data center story is as old or older than the 250-year history of America," says host Danny Caine. "It's a story about repeating that history." Key themes explored in the season include: The Loss of Local Control: How state legislation is stripping counties of their ability to regulate zoning, noise, and environmental impacts. Health and Environmental Tolls: The massive energy demands, water consumption, and pollution created by on-site microgrids and cooling systems. The Power of Resistance: A definitive look at why the corporate giants behind the data center boom should not underestimate the power of passionate, organized local resistance. "The Data Centers Are Coming" is available now on all major platforms. Find it here .
Ascendus CEO Paul Quintero Moderates Consumer Listening Session at Credit Builders Alliance Financial Empowerment Conversations in Harlem
Thu, Apr 30, 2026 15:07 EDT
Six Ascendus small business owners across four New York City boroughs share firsthand experiences with credit, family, and access to capital at the centerpiece convening on multigenerational credit building. NEW YORK, April 30, 2026 - Ascendus , a national Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) headquartered in New York City, today joined the Credit Builders Alliance (CBA) Financial Empowerment Conversations , an invitation-only convening of CDFIs, credit-building nonprofits, banks, foundations, and consumer advocates focused on multigenerational credit building. Ascendus Chief Executive Officer Paul Quintero moderated the day's centerpiece Consumer Listening Session at the Harlem Commonwealth Council, where seven Ascendus small business owners discussed how credit-challenged and underbanked consumers navigate the financial system across generations. The Consumer Listening Session, held from 10:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST, brought together entrepreneurs from four New York City boroughs - Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx - representing 10 loans and $313,750 in capital and credit deployed by Ascendus . Panelists span new owners with three years in business to a 21-year veteran, and represent industries from sign manufacturing and coffee roasting to educational technology, beauty services, CPR training, creative services, and laundromat operations. Most panelists are first-generation entrepreneurs or immigrants whose financial journeys span continents - a group whose lived experience anchors the day's theme. Credit, for the entrepreneurs in the room, is not a number on a screen. It is a story that begins at home, gets passed across generations, and shapes what is possible for entire families. Ascendus has built its work around that reality, recognizing that capital deployment alone cannot close generational financial gaps without the trust, education, and personalized coaching that turn a loan into a building block. The Financial Empowerment Conversations event opened with welcome remarks from CBA Chief Executive Officer Dara Duguay and a keynote on Reimagining Multigenerational Credit Building delivered by Mary Jo Halder , Director of CBA's Training Institute. Afternoon programming included a Dialogue with Nonprofit Practitioners - moderated by Duguay and featuring Ascendus New York Director of Lending José V. Made alongside representatives from Accompany Capital, Ariva, New York Legal Assistance Group, and REDC - and a Fireside Chat on Programs that Bridge Generations with LIFT New York. The day closes with reflections from Duguay. Through proprietary tools like the Ascendus Borrowing Index, the Financial Health Network FinHealth Score® and programs such as Get Ready Program and the Childcare Provider Initiative , Ascendus equips small business owners not only with financing but with the knowledge and confidence to grow, thrive, and build legacies across generations. The Financial Empowerment Conversations event continues through 4:00 p.m. EST today at the Harlem Commonwealth Council, 361 W 125th Street, New York, NY.
Area Farmers, Ranchers and Growers to Receive AgPack Benefits from JC Lewis Ford of Statesboro
Thu, Apr 30, 2026 14:04 EDT
- Farmers helping farmers find a return on their truck investment is how AgPack ® was born. Now, 12 years later, AgPack benefits to farmers and ranchers can quickly add up to $48,000* in real operational savings. JC Lewis Ford of Statesboro recently completed the stringent requirements to become a local Certified Agriculture Dealer ® making them eligible to now offer AgPack to their agriculture customers. This package provides a first ever "Return on an Agriculture Truck Investment." JC Lewis Ford's staff has recently completed stringent training to qualify as an official Certified Agriculture Dealership. The training will help the staff better understand the specific demands farmers, ranchers and growers have of their farm, grower & ranch vehicles. "Farmers run on tight margins. AgPack gives them real dollar savings on products they're already buying - we're talking up to $48,000 back in their operation," noted Stephen Staton, executive director at JC Lewis Ford. "That's not a perk; that's a return on investment." As part of their community activities, JC Lewis is a sponsor at the Statesboro Kiwanis Rodeo this week, Thursday through Saturday. You can meet the staff from JC Lewis, the newest Certified Agriculture Dealer in the country and learn more about the savings available from AgPack. AgPack is a collaboration of agricultural companies who, collectively, have organized a specialized package of discounts and rebates that farmers can't get anywhere else, on inputs farmers are already buying anyway. The process is quite simple: Register for your AgPack® ID Number at AgTruckTrader.com Provide your AgPack ID Number when ordering or purchasing any new or qualifying used truck or SUV at any Certified Agriculture Dealership sm Redeem your options! Approx. 1 week after your order or purchase, an AgPack Redemption Specialist will help you redeem any of the over $48,000 in additional valuable options with AgPack Partners "Believe it, or not, AgPack is complimentary with the purchase or lease of a new, or qualifying pre-owned, farm truck or SUV from a Certified Agriculture Dealership ," noted Pat Driscoll, CEO of The Certified Agriculture Group. "Plus, AgPack can be stacked on top of any incentive, rebate, fleet or VIP program the local dealer can offer." Below is a list of companies with products or services included in each AgPack: AgroLiquid Gallagher RealTruck, Inc American Hat Company GEN-Y Hitch Goodyear Farm Tires Reinke Irrigation Alkota Cleaning Systems Landleader Rhino Ag Bedrock Truck Bed Chute Help, Inc. Mil+Spec | FuelBox Tarter Farm & Ranch Equipment Dairyland Seed BF Goodrich Truck Tires Top Gun Blades Dixie Chopper Mystic Lubricant Valley Vet Supply DTN Outback Wrap Vanair Durango Boots PinUltimate Walkabout Mother Bin Ford Pros Raeco Builders Wrangler For a complete line-up of the current offers from AgPack partners, visit www.GetAgPack.com. Farmers and ranchers can cash in one AgPack offer or use them all, it is totally up to them. And they can take their time on any one, or all, as AgPack offers are valid for at least one full year from original date of the vehicle purchase. In select cases, the offers are valid even longer. In addition to AgPack, farmers and growers can benefit from additional programs available from their Certified Ag Dealer. These benefits include: AgWagon®: A specially-designed truck for farmers, ranchers, and rodeo, the AgWagon is built with rugged features to meet the demands of agricultural work. The official licensed agricultural truck of PRCA/ProRodeo, the AgWagon comes with 27 functional modifications to make it ag and rodeo capable. For more information on AgWagon, visit www.agwagon.com CADFi Ag Financing: Farmers and ranchers can secure payment terms on their ag trucks that match their operation's income cycle. No longer will they be confined to a monthly payment cycle. For more information visit www.GetCADFi.com CADProtect: Traditional protection plans often don't cover vehicles used for agricultural purposes. CADProtect safeguards against expensive repairs, ensuring minimal disruptions to your regular activities. All major components are covered, from powertrain to steering. For more information on CADProtect, visit www.CADProtect.com Becoming a Certified Agriculture Dealership lets the 32,831 Georgia farm and ranch families know the dealership understands the uniqueness of agriculture and is committed to providing the best total truck solution to meet their needs. "A farm truck doesn't clock out," added Staton. "Our farmers need a dealer they can count on long after the sale - for parts, service, and keeping that truck working as hard as they do." To learn more about the Certified Agriculture Dealership Program and AgPack go to: www.certifiedagdealer.com/ To stay connected and learn about new AgPack program enhancements Like us on Facebook . And when ready to purchase or lease the next farm truck or SUV, visit JC Lewis Ford at 6922 Veteran's Memorial Parkway, Statesboro GA 30458 or call Mike Johnson, general manager at 912-441-3037 to gain access to the complimentary AgPack benefits or visit online at: dealers.certifiedagdealer.com/certified-dealers/jclewis *Based on customer using every AgPack ® benefit to its maximum value. In 2025, AgPack redemption savings averaged $19,172 per truck that farmers and ranchers purchased. Visit GetAgPack.com for full program details. About Certified Agriculture Dealer Program - Certified Agriculture Dealerships know farming and ranching as their staff have successfully completed special agriculturally focused training to become a Certified agriculture business. Once Certified, only these dealers can exclusively offer AgPack, a special package of cost savings and rebates that if used to their maximum could save farmers and ranchers $48,000* in operating costs for supplies, services and equipment on their operations (*assuming they use every AgPack benefit to its maximum value). About Certified Agriculture Dealer's AgPack - A package of farm and ranch management tools available exclusively through Certified Agriculture Dealers that can give the agriculture customer an immediate return on their vehicle investment. These product savings are awarded to qualified vehicle buyers, with the purchase of a qualified vehicle, at no additional cost to the customer by several leading brands within the agriculture industry. To qualify for AgPack , the truck buyer simply needs to prove ownership interest in a farm or ranch. AgPack is stackable on top of any available OEM incentives, fleet or VIP offers and/or dealer discounts; awarded per vehicle, not per customer; and can be awarded on qualifying new truck orders, new truck purchases and used truck purchases. ###
Inkster Housing Commission Celebrates Milestone Redevelopment of Demby Terrace and Parkside Estates
Thu, Apr 30, 2026 11:46 EDT
The Inkster Housing Commission (IHC), in partnership with the Inkster Housing Redevelopment Corporation (IHRC), closed on the redevelopment of two properties in its portfolio, Demby Terrace and Parkside Estates, on April 10. This marks a significant step forward in its efforts to expand housing opportunities and support long-term community stability. "This redevelopment for Demby Terrace and Parkside Estates has been a long time in the making," said Sheena Wells, acting executive director of IHC. "Reaching this milestone is incredibly exciting, not just for our agency, but for the residents who call these communities home. It reflects the dedication and the tireless efforts of our staff, consultants and attorneys who worked relentlessly to bring this vision to life. We are proud to move forward in strengthening housing opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for the Inkster community." IHRC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and instrumentality of IHC, plays a key role in advancing affordable housing initiatives through property acquisition, redevelopment and the delivery of supportive services for residents. The redevelopment is expected to bring improvements to both properties, including updated living environments, infrastructure upgrades and enhanced services for residents. The combined redevelopment will house approximately 315 families across the two properties, contributing to continued residential growth in Inkster. The effort also aligns with broader city priorities, including neighborhood stabilization, economic activity and sustainable growth. "This partnership marks a new chapter for the families who call this community home. By combining Good Housing Partnership's mission‑driven approach with Galvan Development's deep expertise in public‑sector redevelopment, we are delivering a modern, resilient, and dignified housing community that reflects the future of housing in Inkster. Together, we are proving that redevelopment can be both equitable and transformative." Joseph Galvan, former HUD Midwest regional administrator. Mayor Byron Nolen said the project aligns with the City of Inkster's broader priorities for growth and revitalization, adding that "efforts like this help move Inkster forward by reinforcing our neighborhoods and creating opportunities for continued investment," calling it "an important part of building a stronger, more resilient city." The need to provide quality, affordable housing is monumental because the need for housing is greater than the existing infrastructure can provide. This massive investment in the community will directly impact those needs, but it's my hope and advocacy that this project plays an important role in supporting long-term community stability that energizes more affordable housing efforts, said Greg Gillette, chairman of the IHC board. Implementation efforts will begin in the coming weeks, including coordination with development partners, transition planning and resident engagement. Additional updates are expected as work progresses. For more information, please call (313) 561-2600 or visit our website www.inksterhousing.org . ### About Inkster Housing Commission The Inkster Housing Redevelopment Commission (IHRC) was created in 1950 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Initially, the IHRC was a municipal department of the City of Inkster, a small, urban, blue-collar community 20 miles from Detroit. In 2004, IHRC became an independent, self-sustaining, HUD-funded nonprofit agency, following a change in state law that made all housing authorities independent of municipalities. Inkster Housing Commission (IHC) is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners appointed by the Mayor of Inkster, Michigan, to 5-year staggered terms. IHC's mission is to be the premier affordable housing provider locally, regionally, and nationally that fosters diverse and vibrant communities including housing, education, and economic growth. IHC is devoted to enriching lives by building inclusive communities and empowering families for long-term economic success. About Inkster Housing Redevelopment Corporation (IHRC) As an instrumentality of the Inkster Housing Commission, the Inkster Housing Redevelopment Corporation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. IHRC acquires, constructs and redevelops affordable housing; manages housing properties; and develops supportive services for low-income families. The organization also receives donations and contributions to support these initiatives and is focused on expanding access to safe, affordable housing and services for residents in Inkster.
SCI Cosmetology Operator Students to Attend "Work the Runway" Fashion Show
Thu, Apr 30, 2026 11:39 EDT
Brownsville, TX - Southern Careers Institute (SCI) is proud to announce that its Cosmetology Operator students from the SCI Brownsville Branch Campus will be attending Goodwill's Work the Runway Fashion Show on May 7th at 5:30 PM at the McAllen Convention Center located at 700 Convention Center Blvd. McAllen, TX 78501. This exciting opportunity reflects SCI's commitment to providing students with meaningful, hands-on experiences that extend beyond the classroom. Our Cosmetology Operator students don't just learn the basics-they obtain exposure to high-end, red carpet-level experiences that help provide real-world skills, confidence, and professionalism. As part of the event, students will compete for three scholarships totaling $5,000-demonstrating how creativity, style, and innovation can open doors and change lives. Work the Runway is a ticketed event, with all proceeds supporting Goodwill's mission to change lives through the power of work. The event brings together fashion, community, and purpose for an impactful evening. Participation in events like Work the Runway offers students a glimpse into what their future in the beauty industry can look like, while also allowing them to engage with the local community and industry professionals. For more information about this extraordinary event, please visit: https://www.worktherunwaystx.com/ Southern Careers Institute remains dedicated to creating opportunities that support student growth while strengthening community connections across Texas. Press Contact: Alyssa Luna Southern Careers Institute alyssa.luna@scitexas.edu About Southern Careers Institute Founded in 1960, Southern Careers Institute (SCI) has been dedicated to empowering Texas students through career-focused education. With eight campuses conveniently located in Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Pharr, San Antonio North, San Antonio South, and Waco, SCI offers a diverse array of programs designed to prepare students for successful careers and meaningful community contributions. Our training programs encompass various fields, including Business, Beauty, Allied Health, Technology, and Trades, with options for hybrid and online learning to accommodate different learning styles. Please note that not all programs are available at every campus. The Southern Careers Institute Austin Main campus is located at 1701 W Ben White Blvd, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78704. Phone: 512-432-1400 Website: scitexas.edu
May Learning Opportunities and Events at the American Marketing Association
Thu, Apr 30, 2026 10:15 EDT
For Immediate Release: April 30, 2026 Contact: Amy Gwiazdowski, agwiazdowski@ama.org May Learning Opportunities and Events at the American Marketing Association May learning opportunities: Social media analytics, digital marketing copywriting, email strategy, and brand authenticity Chicago, IL -This May, the American Marketing Association (AMA) is hosting new learning opportunities for marketers. AMA's professional development offerings are designed to meet marketers where they are, whether it's looking to deepen expertise or explore the latest trends shaping the future of marketing, the goal is to enable marketers to expand their knowledge base in accessible ways. For additional information and registration details for virtual trainings, bootcamps, and conferences, visit AMA.org . If you have questions about any of AMA's learning opportunities, please reach out for more information. Virtual Trainings, Bootcamps & Webinars Interpreting and Presenting Your Social Media Analytics May 6, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT Virtual Training | 2 Hours | Intermediate When it comes to social media analytics, it is easy to get caught up in all of the metrics and forget about the story. What are the metrics telling you and how can and should you use this information to guide your future planning and decisions? In this session, learn how to effectively analyze social media data and extract meaningful insights to better communicate key findings in a clear, concise, and actionable manner to your various stakeholders. AI-Powered ABM That Targets Accounts Ready to Buy May 6, 2026 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT Sponsored Webinar Firmographic filters tell you who looks like a customer. They do not tell you who is actively researching, comparing vendors, or ready to engage right now. That gap is where ABM budget goes to die, and when conversion rates suffer, sales stops trusting the list entirely. If sales is ignoring your account lists and your campaign ROI is hard to defend, the problem is not your strategy. It is the data underneath it. We will show you exactly how buyer intent signals transform ABM from a targeting exercise into a revenue engine, covering everything from account selection to activation timing to messaging that meets buyers where they are. Digital Marketing Copywriting - May 2026 May 7 - June 18, 2026 Small Group Learning | Online | 6 Weeks This small-group online training will help you build your writing skills by exploring the latest techniques and best practices in copywriting for the web - specifically social media, blogs and email. You'll learn how to drive action by using powerful, emotive copy and how to explain complicated or technical details of your products in accessible ways. We'll look at how today's leading companies use words to shape their brand, convey their purpose and motivate people to become customers. Plus, you'll leave ready to write the perfect headline and produce content people actually want to read. How Should We Teach AI Marketing? May 12, 2026 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT Sponsored Webinar This session offers a practical framework for the AI competencies that matter most in marketing today-drawn from both academic and industry perspectives-and three concrete approaches for building them into your courses next semester. The session includes a live demo of an AI marketing simulation. Mailed It! An Email Strategy Workshop May 13, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT Virtual Training | Online | 2 Hours Email is still one of the most personal and actionable tools we have, but only when we write with the reader in mind. This session teaches participants what it takes to break through crowded inboxes. Join strategy experts to create content people actually want as well as proven writing techniques that improve clarity, increase engagement, and support real action. We'll cover everything from subject lines and from-names to simple language, structure, visual hierarchy, and links. You'll leave with a repeatable system for crafting emails that people want, understand, and respond to. Magazine Sneak Peek: What "Human or AI?" Looks Like in Practice May 13, 2026 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT Sponsored Webinar The "AI will change everything" conversation isn't useful anymore. Marketers know change is coming. What they need is a clearer picture of what to do with that. The Customer Engagement Magazine: Human or AI? is a new print magazine exploring one of the defining questions in modern marketing, across three lenses: data, personalization, and risk. Before Issue 1 ships in June, we're hosting a live webinar with two guests who are living this conversation from very different angles: an ex-Forrester analyst who has spent over a decade advising enterprise brands on data strategy, and a senior marketing practitioner at a Fortune 500 brand who is navigating AI adoption from inside the firewall. Turn Brand Authenticity Into Marketing Performance May 14, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT Virtual Training | 2 Hours Being purpose-driven is a strategic advantage for brands looking to build trust, loyalty, and long-term impact. In this interactive webinar, participants will learn how to define, articulate, and activate their brand's purpose in a way that feels authentic and aligned with business goals. We will explore how purpose shows up across messaging, content, campaigns, and customer experience without feeling performative or forced. Through real-world examples and practical exercises, this session will help marketers move beyond surface-level storytelling and into purpose-led marketing that connects and converts. Using AI Personas to Accelerate Market Research May 20, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT Virtual Training | 2 Hours Traditional marketing research often cannot keep pace with the speed of campaign development, creative testing, and product innovation. This two-hour virtual workshop explores how AI-powered synthetic personas and focus groups enable marketers to generate faster, lower-cost, and more scalable insights. Participants will learn how to build synthetic personas, simulate focus group discussions, test ad creative, and generate and evaluate AI-generated product concepts before committing to full research investments. The session highlights the strategic benefits of synthetic research, including speed, cost efficiency, and emerging evidence of strong alignment with human responses in early-stage, text-based research. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for integrating AI-enabled research into everyday marketing, creative, and innovation workflows. The Brief Is Broken: How to Get What You Actually Need From Internal Teams May 20, 2026 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT Sponsored Webinar Most marketing teams don't have a creativity problem, they have a clarity problem. Vague briefs, last-minute requests, and endless revisions are slowing everything down and frustrating everyone involved. In this session, we'll break down why the traditional marketing brief fails and what high-performing teams do instead to get better inputs, faster approvals, and stronger outcomes. The Marketer's Quick Start Guide to Claude May 27, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT Virtual Training | 2 Hours As the AI tool every marketer is talking about, Claude has seen significant feature growth and capabilities. Now is the perfect time to realize the enhanced benefits of using this platform beyond basic prompts and put it to proper use. In this two-hour interactive session, you will be guided through Claude's most useful features, starting with the fundamentals and quickly progressing to the tools that deliver the biggest productivity gains. Learn how to give Claude persistent memory of your brand, teach it your processes, and connect it to the tools you already use. The session will focus on Projects, Skills, and Cowork: the features that turn Claude from a simple chatbot into an always-on AI colleague. After this session, you will have Claude actively working on content production, research, campaign management, reporting, and admin. You will also leave with a downloadable PDF guide that recaps everything covered, so you can implement it all straight away. Seamless on Paper, Fractured in Practice: Building Omnichannel for Where Marketing Is Going May 28, 2026 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT Online | AMA Members Only Event In this members-only webinar, academic researchers and industry practitioners will explore what it takes to build and evolve an omnichannel strategy in a landscape that won't hold still. The conversation will move from the challenges practitioners are navigating today - measurement gaps, channel investment decisions, organizational alignment - to the questions that will define omnichannel marketing in the years ahead, including the role of AI, the future of identity resolution, and how to lead through uncertainty without waiting for perfect data. Attendees will leave with sharper frameworks for the decisions they're already facing and a clearer view of where to focus next. LinkedIn Learning Generative AI for Marketing Professional Certificate by the AMA Online | 4 Hours | Beginner AMA's Generative AI for Marketing Professionals Certificate course is available on the LinkedIn Learning platform. Generative AI is revolutionizing marketing and content creation. This new learning path equips marketers with the essential skills they need to harness AI tools responsibly, from prompt engineering fundamentals to creating authentic content and developing strategic AI implementation plans. Learners will acquire practical applications that will help boost productivity and drive innovation in their work. Upcoming Conference 2026 AMA Marketing and Public Policy Conference May 16-18, 2026 in Ottawa, Ontario Theme-Global Voices, Shared Challenges: Marketing and Policy Beyond Borders Around the world, marketing scholars, policymakers, and societal decision-makers are grappling with complex, interdependent challenges-from climate change and health inequities to data privacy and financial inclusion. These issues cross national, disciplinary, and institutional borders, and addressing them requires a collective, boundary-spanning approach. Recognizing and challenging these boundaries is essential to fostering more inclusive, innovative, and impactful research. Explore research that examines the scope of marketing & public policy scholarship and reflects a diverse range of voices, disciplines, contexts and methodologies to address shared challenges and drive impactful marketing and public policy solutions. Join us in Ottawa, Ontario-the first time this conference has been held outside the United States-May 16-18, 2026, to amplify global voices, address shared challenges, and increase the impact of marketing and policy research. Register for the 2026 Marketing & Public Policy Conference Why learn with the AMA? The AMA is the premier community for marketing professionals offering training, research, and industry guidance. Continue your journey with Digital Marketing courses and professional credentials . The AMA is dedicated to helping marketers advance their careers through expert-led courses that deliver the latest trends, insights, and actionable skills. Our courses offer the flexibility and depth marketers need to thrive in an ever-evolving industry. Explore more AMA learning opportunities .
Keeper Security Launches Agent Kit to Secure AI-Driven Developer Workflows
Thu, Apr 30, 2026 07:23 EDT
New integration enables AI coding agents to securely retrieve secrets and manage infrastructure without exposing credentials in chat history or source control Keeper Security , the leading zero-trust and zero-knowledge identity security and Privileged Access Management (PAM) platform, today announces the launch of its Keeper Agent Kit . This new suite of specialised AI skills integrates Keeper Secrets Manager and Keeper Commander directly with industry-leading AI coding agents, including Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and GitHub Copilot, to safely automate complex security and administrative workflows. As organisations rapidly embed Agentic AI into their development lifecycles, they face a critical security gap: the exposure of privileged credentials within AI prompt history. Traditionally, for an AI agent to interact with protected infrastructure, developers have had to manually provide API keys or database credentials within the chat interface, inadvertently storing sensitive data in third-party logs and training sets. The Keeper Agent Kit eliminates this risk by enabling AI agents to interact directly with Keeper's hardened Command Line Interface (CLI) tools, Keeper Commander and Keeper Secrets Manager CLI . "The Keeper Agent Kit provides a definitive framework for how AI agents interact with sensitive enterprise data," said Craig Lurey, CTO and Co-founder of Keeper Security. "By equipping these agents with instructions to use our encrypted CLI tools locally, we ensure the agent runs commands within the developer's own authenticated session. This architecture maintains our zero-knowledge standard while allowing developers to leverage the full speed of AI without leaving the vault door open." The Keeper Agent Kit is optimised for the modern developer workflow, offering: Secure Secret Retrieval : Agents use the keeper-secrets skill to inject credentials into local runtimes, ensuring the raw secret never appears in the chat UI. Automated Vault Administration : Through the keeper-admin skill, agents manage users, teams and audit resources via Keeper Commander. Streamlined Configuration : The keeper-setup skill automates the configuration of Keeper's security tools, establishing a secure environment for new projects from the first command. For teams operating in hosted or orchestrated AI environments, Keeper also offers a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server integration (available in Docker and Node configurations), that enables agent platforms to retrieve secrets via a running MCP server process rather than local CLI tools. When an AI agent uses Keeper's CLI tools, every action taken by the agent is governed by the same rigorous role-based access controls and audit logging as a human user accessing systems through Keeper. "Security teams should not have to trade velocity for operational safety," said Jeremy London, Director of Engineering, AI and Threat Analytics for Keeper Security. "With the Agent Kit, we are transforming AI from a conversational assistant into a secure partner that respects the organisational security perimeter. By allowing agents to resolve secrets at runtime without ever seeing the raw credential, we help close one of the most dangerous exposure points in the modern developer stack." The Keeper Agent Kit is now available as an open-source repository under the Apache 2.0 license. Developers can access the kit via the official Keeper Security GitHub . ### About Keeper Security Keeper Security is one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity software companies that protects thousands of organisations and millions of people in over 150 countries. Keeper is a pioneer of zero-knowledge and zero-trust security built for any IT environment. Its core offering, KeeperPAM®, is an AI-enabled, cloud-native platform that protects all users, devices and infrastructure from cyber attacks. Recognised for its innovation in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Privileged Access Management (PAM), Keeper secures passwords and passkeys, infrastructure secrets, remote connections and endpoints with role-based enforcement policies, least privilege and just-in-time access. Learn why Keeper is trusted by leading organisations to defend against modern adversaries at KeeperSecurity.com . Learn more: KeeperSecurity.com Follow Keeper: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn X YouTube TikTok
Why Warehouse Handovers Are a Hidden Risk to Productivity
Thu, Apr 30, 2026 03:52 EDT
Shift handovers are a routine part of warehouse operations, but they can become a weak point in performance. As many facilities move to longer operating hours or even round-the-clock activity, the moments where one team hands over to another are having a bigger impact than many realise. Inefficiencies during handovers are often overlooked because they happen in short windows. However, repeated daily, they can disrupt flow, create duplication of work and reduce throughput across the warehouse. In theory, handovers should be straightforward. Tasks are passed on, equipment is ready to go, and the next shift continues without interruption. In practice, the reality can be less smooth. Pallets may be left mid-process, staging areas become unclear, and incoming teams often spend valuable time working out priorities before they can fully get moving. Phil Chesworth, Managing Director at Midland Pallet Trucks, said these gaps can add up quickly. "A ten-minute delay at the start of a shift doesn't sound like much," he explained. "But when it happens multiple times a day, across different areas of the warehouse, it starts to have a noticeable impact." Handling equipment plays a surprisingly important role in this transition. Equipment pallet trucks , stacker trucks and lift tables are frequently left wherever the previous task ended, sometimes with partially completed loads or in positions that are not immediately useful for the next team. This can lead to unnecessary repositioning and a slower start to operations. There is also the question of communication equipment condition. If a pallet truck has developed a fault or is not performing as expected, that issue may be discovered by the next shift rather than addressed immediately, as workers may be unwilling to pause their work to report what they see as a relatively minor issue. This creates delays at the point where teams are trying to build momentum. Chesworth added, "The challenge is that handovers rarely receive the same attention as other parts of warehouse planning - but they relly should," he said. "When equipment is reliable and easy to use, it removes one layer of uncertainty during handovers, and it helps eliminate a source of inefficiency that has, until now, largely gone unnoticed." For more information, visit https://www.midlandpallettrucks.com .
Construction pivots to marketing investment as economic clouds gather
Wed, Apr 29, 2026 11:48 EDT
The fourth edition of Horizon, an analysis of trends in construction marketing is pointing to an increased investment of 11% more in marketing by construction companies, with 89% of construction marketers working with consistent or increased budgets during 2026. Horizon is an annual survey of sentiment, strategy and investment priorities among construction marketers, is produced by [Manchester-based] Construction Marketing Awards agency league toppers, SLG Agency. Over the past four years the report has identified trends such as the increasing move towards brand recognition to generate leads and construction marketers abandoning high-volume activity in favour of fewer, more impactful campaigns. With most major projects in the UK construction sector being driven by government initiatives in infrastructure and affordable housing and in priority sectors such as education and healthcare, the results from the 2026 research points to construction companies throughout the supply chain recognising the need for a more targeted approach to their marketing. The Horizon research for 2026 found that: Marketing budgets for companies in construction are expected to be 11% higher than available budget in 2025. Good news following a mean 3% rise only 2 years ago in 2024. In addition, 89% of construction marketers are maintaining or increasing their budget in 2026 43% of construction marketers now describe marketing as a core part of strategic decision-making in their organisation. This figure is rising from a position where many marketers were still fighting to be at the table at all. For the first time in four years of Horizon, 100% of construction marketers say they can evidence and demonstrate the commercial value of their function to their leadership team. This is the single most striking stat in the report. It's a landmark number - unambiguous, unprecedented in the series, and directly relevant to anyone making the case for marketing investment internally. Ryan Jones, managing director of SLG Agency, said: "Amid global volatility, tough market conditions that have lasted close to two years, and a buying environment with growing complexity - from navigating new legislation and regulations to evolving routes to market - a marketer's job is getting harder. However, our data suggests that this is how marketing in construction demonstrates its worth, by evidencing commercial value to company leadership and taking a role in strategic decision making. "The overarching narrative over this period has been of marketers working within the construction sector looking for new ways to tackle constantly evolving and complex challenges, with construction leaders turning more to the marketing and communications teams to find solutions." There is caution rather than complacency found in the data and survey responses. Positive sentiment about the future of marketing has fallen to 62.5%, a four-year low, with negative responses to the outlook appearing for the first time, while 67% of respondents have said that direct-to-client engagement has become more challenging, which is a huge issue for those focused on specification stage marketing activity. The full report is available to download at: https://www.slg.agency/horizon/2026-2/
Prairie Farms Family of Companies Introduces Red, White & Boom Ice Cream
Wed, Apr 29, 2026 08:55 EDT
The Heroes Edition flavor celebrates America's 250th and supports the company's commitment to Folds of Honor In celebration of America's 250th anniversary, the Prairie Farms Family of Companies is proud to introduce Red, White & Boom Ice Cream, a heroes edition offering available from both Prairie Farms and Hiland Dairy. More than a seasonal flavor, Red, White & Boom reflects the company's ongoing commitment to Folds of Honor, with a pledge to fund fifty, $5,000 academic scholarships for the families of America's fallen or disabled military and first responders. Red, White & Boom also represents an important step forward in the company's commitment to eliminating artificial colors, aligning with growing consumer preference for more natural ingredients and clean label products. Featuring strawberry, vanilla, and blueberry flavored real ice cream, Red, White & Boom is a fun, colorful mix of sweet flavors that feels made for hot days and cold scoops. Available for a limited time, the product is meant to be part of meaningful moments, from Memorial Day and Independence Day to everyday gatherings with family and friends. "Red, White & Boom is a fun, nostalgic flavor that captures the spirit of summer while reinforcing our commitment to eliminating artificial colors in our ice cream products," said Ryan Murphy, Vice President of Marketing & Communication for Prairie Farms. "We are proud to honor our heroes, celebrate America's 250 th , and enhance our support of Folds of Honor and their mission." Red, White & Boom Ice Cream will be available at participating retailers throughout Prairie Farms and Hiland Dairy markets beginning in May. For more information about the companies' partnership with Folds of Honor, please visit prairiefarms.com/foh or hilanddairy.com/foh .
The Hidden Cost of Narrow Aisles: Are Warehouses Sacrificing Efficiency for Density?
Wed, Apr 29, 2026 03:33 EDT
Pallet Truck Shop, the UK's largest supplier of pallet and sack trucks, is warning that the drive to maximise warehouse space is creating unintended operational challenges, as increasingly narrow aisle layouts begin to restrict movement and reduce efficiency. With storage costs rising and demand for space remaining high, many operators are reconfiguring facilities to increase pallet density. Narrower aisles allow for more racking and higher storage capacity, but Pallet Truck Shop says this approach can come at a hidden cost if movement through the warehouse becomes constrained. In high-density layouts, handling becomes more complex. Turning space is reduced, manoeuvring requires greater precision, and even routine tasks such as repositioning stock or accessing pallets can take longer. Over time, these small delays accumulate, impacting overall throughput. According to Phil Chesworth, Managing Director at Pallet Truck Shop, the balance between storage and movement is often overlooked. "Maximising space makes sense on paper, but warehouses don't just store goods - they move them constantly," he explained. "If aisles become too tight, you start to see friction in day-to-day operations. What's gained in storage capacity can be quickly lost in handling efficiency." Chesworth added that equipment suitability is a key factor in making narrow layouts work. "One of the most common issues we see is equipment that isn't designed for restricted spaces," he said. "Pallet trucks with larger turning circles or longer forks can struggle in tight aisles, leading to slower movements and increased risk of knocks or damage." Pallet Truck Shop advises operators to consider materials handling alongside layout design, rather than as a secondary concern. In many cases, selecting more compact, responsive equipment - such as high-quality pallet trucks , stackers and table trucks - can help offset the challenges created by reduced aisle width. "There's nothing wrong with optimising space," Chesworth continued. "But it must be done in a way that supports how the warehouse operates. Movement is just as important as storage, and the two need to work together." To find out more about Pallet Truck Shop, visit: www.pallettruckshop.co.uk .
Casino Del Sol Adds High-Energy Regional Mexican Showcase to 2026 AVA Amphitheater Lineup: Banda El Recodo, Los Recoditos and Banda El Mexicano to perform May 30
Tue, Apr 28, 2026 13:00 EDT
Casino Del Sol continues to expand its 2026 AVA Amphitheater lineup with a major regional Mexican booking as Banda El Recodo, Los Recoditos and Banda El Mexicano take the stage on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Headlined by Banda El Recodo - founded in 1938 by Don Cruz Lizárraga and named for El Recodo, Sinaloa - the bill brings substantial legacy value to the date while reinforcing AVA Amphitheater's ability to program established, culturally resonant acts. The lineup also includes Los Recoditos, founded in Mazatlán in 1989 by musicians tied to Banda El Recodo, and Mi Banda El Mexicano, the Mazatlán-rooted act whose history traces back to 1973 and a later rebrand that helped define its identity in the technobanda era. The three-act concert brings together established audience appeal, strong cultural resonance and a format well-positioned for Southern Arizona's regional Mexican market. With AVA Amphitheater serving as a 5,000-seat open-air venue for nationally recognized touring acts, the booking reinforces Casino Del Sol's entertainment strategy of delivering diverse programming that connects with Tucson's core audiences while strengthening the property's broader resort appeal. The show also represents another strong Latin music addition to AVA's 2026 calendar, helping sustain the venue's role as a key entertainment asset for the property and a consistent draw for local and regional concertgoers. Tickets are on sale now. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.casinodelsol.com/event/banda-el-recodo-banda-los-recoditos-banda-el-mexicano
Midnite becomes first betting app to place a bet in space
Tue, Apr 28, 2026 12:42 EDT
Midnite is the one of the fastest growing UK betting companies Bet placed from 124,000 feet, in a show of digital exploration Midnite's Built Different ethos exemplified by space launch England and Premier League legend Gareth Barry backs England to win the World Cup Midnite to donate £10,000 to Bobby Moore Fund as part of the campaign Midnite, one of the fastest-growing betting and casino companies in the world, has today proven that it really is BUILT DIFFERENT, by becoming the first betting app to place a bet in space. In a campaign which exemplifies the company's digital innovation, Midnite sent a device to space . Reaching the staggering heights of 124,000 feet, the Midnite app then proceeded to showcase its digital prowess, by successfully placing a bet. The space craft, which featured a mechanically functioning astronaut hand, successfully placed the wager, making history in the process, as the first betting app to place a bet in space. The bet in question backed England to win the World Cup, which players can get at odds of 6/1 via Midnite's sportsbook app. Supported by former England midfielder Gareth Barry , the campaign has been created to demonstrate Midnite's other worldly ambition, while showcasing the user-friendliness of the app itself. Callum Wilson, Senior PR Manager at Midnite, said: "By sending our app to space, we are showing our customers that we are truly Built Different. We have big ambitions at Midnite to separate ourselves from the rest, and becoming the first app to place a bet in space seemed a pretty good way of doing that. "Our design and product team are very proud of the app we have created, and to showcase its prowess in another stratosphere is a representation of where Midnite aims to be. "The World Cup is of course a massive moment for sports fans across the globe, and the excitement is rising, whether at home, abroad, or even in space! It was great to work with Gareth Barry, whose confidence in Tuchel's side led him to back England to win the World Cup, and if that bet comes in, Midnite will be donating £10,000 to the Bobby Moore fund as part of this campaign." Gareth Barry, former England midfielder who represented his country at the 2010 World Cup, added: "I have confidence that this England side has what it takes to win the World Cup. They have the major tournament experience now, and they have a world class manager to take the next step. Much like Midnite, I think this side is Built Different, and I wanted to back them in a way that hasn't been done before. "To get the chance to place a charity bet on England winning is great, but to see Midnite actually make it happen in space is amazing. "I couldn't believe it, watching the thumb move to place the bet in such a stunning setting. "The app is clearly built different, working at such a height. I think England are too, which is why I think they can win the World Cup." "Midnite are making waves in the industry, and to be involved in a campaign like this where they continue to push the boundaries is something I'm really pleased about." Midnite partnered with Sent Into Space, whose mission is to make space more accessible than ever by creating high-impact journeys. Midnite continues to cement themselves as the most innovative betting and gaming app in the UK. To read more about Midnite in Space, visit https://www.midnite.com/blog/we-sent-our-app-to-space
MDaudit Launches "Revenue Integrity Redefined" Campaign to Help Healthcare Organizations Reclaim Financial Control
Tue, Apr 28, 2026 11:25 EDT
Revenue risk no longer begins and ends with managing denials. It now touches every stage of the revenue cycle - from documentation, charge capture, and coding to billing and denials management - and healthcare organizations relying on reactive, manual, and siloed oversight approaches are paying the price. In an environment defined by financial pressure, heightened regulatory scrutiny, and increasingly AI-powered payer behavior, reactive approaches are no longer enough. Today, MDaudit , an award-winning, AI-powered continuous risk-monitoring platform, launches " Revenue Integrity Redefined ," a campaign that charts a clear path forward for revenue cycle leaders navigating today's financial uncertainty. The campaign, available here , launches with a flagship video and a suite of supporting resources, including an assessment tool that helps organizations benchmark their revenue integrity maturity across denial prevention, audit readiness, cross-functional alignment, and technology enablement. Why It Matters: The Stakes Have Never Been Higher The financial pressures facing healthcare providers are not abstract - they are measurable, accelerating, and compounding. MDaudit's 2025 annual Benchmark Report documents the scale of the challenge: Coding-related denials increased by as much as 26% Medicare Advantage average denied amounts rose 20% Medical necessity and RFI denial amounts increased by 70% Payer audit volume and dollars at risk rose 30% Initial response times for claims take more than a month across all claim types These trends reach far beyond the revenue cycle team. They affect operating margins, forecasting accuracy, workforce planning, and capital investment decisions - making revenue integrity a C-suite and board-level concern. "Denials are rising, payer audits are expanding, and reimbursement timelines are longer than ever," said Ritesh Ramesh, Chief Executive Officer of MDaudit. "The weight these realities place on everyone who touches the revenue cycle is enormous. The path forward is integrity in compliance documentation, coding, and billing practices, enabled by real-time data and AI-powered technologies, and trusted partnerships chosen to support revenue cycle teams." Compounding these pressures is an accelerating AI arms race between payers and providers. Payers are automating denials faster than ever, while providers scramble to keep pace. Health system CFOs across the country are confronting the same paradox: AI is simultaneously the problem and the solution with the highest potential. How quickly organizations can move past theoretical conversations and execute actions to deliver ROI with AI may define their financial health for years to come. MDaudit's Answer: Meaningful, Not Artificial, AI MDaudit was built for this moment. Rather than layering AI on as an afterthought, MDaudit embeds intelligence as a horizontal layer woven throughout the platform. The result is the Meaningful AI framework - a deliberate, outcomes-driven approach designed to deliver measurable ROI, not automation for its own sake. MDaudit's AI-powered solutions below delivered more than $500 million in ROI across its customer base in 2025. These solutions have done the heavy analytical lifting and leveraging of automation, while keeping humans in the loop. These solutions include: Payer Audit Workflow automatically extracts and organizes information needed from Additional Documentation Requests (ADRs) with SmartScan.ai, which compresses a process that once took days into minutes - accelerating provider response times and reducing administrative strain. Customers retained over 375 million in total revenues in 2025 by responding to payers in a timely and efficient manner eValuator applies AI-powered rules to interrogate pre-bill charges across facilities, specialties, and multiple EHR and billing systems - surfacing encounters that require correction before a claim is ever submitted. The result: net revenue capture, stronger compliance posture, and costly denials prevented before they start. Customers have driven a total financial impact of more than 140 million in 2025 by taking a proactive approach with eValuator to ensure coding integrity AI Assist democratizes access to strategic insights across the entire organization. Users at every level - including the C-suite - can ask questions in plain English and receive answers instantly, without reliance on report writers or technical interpreters. Data-driven decision-making becomes accessible to everyone who needs it. "The most important questions for health systems implementing AI are: Is this technology reliable, secure, and meaningful to drive ROI? MDaudit has taken a first principles approach to these questions while developing our solutions," said Ramesh. Revenue Integrity Redefined: From Reactive to Confident Control Modern revenue integrity unites revenue growth and risk mitigation into a single, connected framework. With real-time data, AI, and automated workflows, leaders gain early visibility into risk, clearer performance insights, and the ability to intervene before issues escalate into financial loss or regulatory exposure. The strongest outcomes emerge when silos between compliance, coding, revenue cycle, and clinical teams are broken down, and when objective data drives prioritization, accountability, and cross-functional alignment. MDaudit case studies across multiple health systems consistently demonstrate what that looks like in practice: expanded audit coverage without proportional staffing increases, measurable improvements in coding accuracy, significant reductions in denials, early identification of multimillion-dollar risk exposure, and increased executive visibility through defensible benchmarking. This is revenue integrity redefined . "Organizations that treat revenue integrity as a mission-critical capability supported by continuous monitoring and intelligent automation are better positioned to navigate payer complexity, workforce shortages, and regulatory expansion," said Ramesh. "By moving from reacting to denials to anticipating risk, from defending audits to preventing them, and from fragmented oversight to confident control, MDaudit empowers revenue cycle teams to achieve outcomes that matter."
From Peak to Plateau: What Happens to Warehouse Efficiency After the Busy Season Ends?
Tue, Apr 28, 2026 06:17 EDT
When the intensity of peak trading fades, many UK warehouses enter a quieter phase that appears, on the surface, to offer relief. However, Pallet Trucks UK is warning that this transition from peak to plateau can mask underlying inefficiencies that, if left unaddressed, may impact performance in the months ahead. During peak periods, operations are often pushed to their limits. Extended shifts, increased volumes and constant pressure to meet deadlines mean that processes are adapted on the fly. Equipment is used continuously, layouts are adjusted for speed, and temporary fixes are introduced to keep goods moving. While effective in the moment, these changes are rarely revisited once activity slows. As volumes stabilise, the urgency that drove rapid decision-making begins to ease. Yet the operational compromises made during peak often remain in place. Pallet trucks, stackers and lift tables that have been heavily used may show signs of wear, while layouts designed for short-term throughput can create inefficiencies in day-to-day operations. Over time, these factors can lead to slower handling, unnecessary movement and increased strain on staff. Pallet Trucks UK believes that the post-peak plateau should not be seen as downtime, but as a valuable opportunity. Phil Chesworth, Managing Director at Pallet Trucks UK, said, "There is a tendency to see the end of peak as a time to simply carry on, but that can mean carrying forward problems that built up under pressure. The plateau period is one of the best opportunities to take stock and make improvements. "Equipment often works harder than ever during peak, and that wear doesn't disappear when volumes drop. If pallet trucks are starting to struggle, or if workflows feel more complicated than they should, it's worth addressing those issues before the next busy period comes around." The company is calling for warehouse operators to use this quieter window to review both equipment and processes. Servicing or replacing worn pallet trucks, reassessing layouts and addressing inefficiencies introduced during peak can help restore smoother operations and reduce long-term disruption. For more information, please visit: www.pallettrucksuk.co.uk .
Shapiro Family Foundation commits additional $40,000 to advance hunger relief and educational access in New Orleans
Tue, Apr 28, 2026 00:25 EDT
Building on a legacy of community investment, the Shapiro Family Foundation announced today a $40,000 investment into New Orleans nonprofits working at the intersection of hunger relief and educational access, marking the launch of its second grant cycle. Applications will open May 1. Individual grants will be awarded to nonprofits that serve low-income and under-resourced populations. The funding is designed to back programs that move beyond short-term assistance and instead address the root causes of inequity through scalable, measurable solutions. "We are incredibly proud to reinvest in the visionaries moving our city forward," says Allison Shapiro Dandry, executive director of the Shapiro Family Foundation. "By focusing on hunger and education, we are addressing two of the most critical pillars of a healthy community. These grants ensure that local organizations have the sustained resources to turn their missions into measurable impact." The Foundation's inaugural 2025 grant cycle funded a cohort of high-impact organizations, including unCommon Construction, Early Partners, Raintree Children & Family Services and Lantern Light. The Foundation also recognized Toups Family Meal and Clover as Community Impact Award honorees. Applications will be accepted from May 1 through June 1. Grant recipients will be announced in late June for a 12-month funding period. For eligibility requirements and application details, visit shapirofamilyfoundation.org .
Dru Hill Brings Iconic R&B Sound to AVA Amphitheater
Mon, Apr 27, 2026 16:03 EDT
One of R&B's most recognizable hitmaking groups is headed to Southern Arizona this summer as Dru Hill takes the stage at AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol on Friday, July 10, 2026. Known for fan-favorite hits such as "In My Bed," "Never Make a Promise" and "How Deep Is Your Love," Dru Hill helped define late-'90s and early-2000s R&B and will bring its signature harmonies, smooth vocals and high-energy stage presence to Tucson for a night built for longtime fans and a new generation of listeners alike. Set against the backdrop of one of the region's premier outdoor concert venues, the show adds another crowd-pleasing performance to AVA Amphitheater's 2026 lineup and gives guests another reason to make Casino Del Sol part of their summer plans. "Dru Hill is the kind of group that instantly connects with audiences through songs people know and love," said Amanda Lomayesva, Casino Del Sol Interim CEO. "This is a fun summer booking for AVA Amphitheater and another chance for fans to experience an unforgettable night of live music at Casino Del Sol." Tickets go on sale Friday, April 24, 2026. Additional ticketing details and show information will be available at casinodelsol.com AVA Amphitheater continues to attract major national touring acts while offering guests a full entertainment experience at Casino Del Sol, including dining, gaming, resort amenities and more.
Sumeru AI Ships Geometry-First AI as a Business, Not a Research Demo
Mon, Apr 27, 2026 09:17 EDT
The world model race needs a foundation. Sumeru AI has poured the concrete. OpenAI shut down Sora's web and app experiences on April 26, 2026, after media and analyst estimates placed its peak compute burn as high as $15 million per day against roughly $2.1 million in tracked revenue. The market just delivered its verdict on whether flat video can be the foundation for world models. It cannot. The Structural Problem Video Cannot Fix Sora's shutdown exposed why video fails as spatial AI infrastructure: every frame demands fresh inference, then disappears. A 3D asset is permanent-generate once, re-render infinitely. Even if the end goal is video, the optimal path is to generate the 3D asset first, then render. Sora skipped that step entirely. Not a product failure. A structural dead end. While OpenAI generated pixels, Sumeru AI generated geometry. Mugen3D outputs depth, scale, reflectance and collision bounds-what robots, simulations and spatial platforms actually need. Video generates illusions. Mugen3D generates navigable reality. The Capital Contrast World Labs has raised over $1 billion pursuing spatial intelligence at a reported $5 billion valuation. Microsoft's Trellis requires A100 or H100 enterprise GPUs and remains best understood as a research/open-source 3D generation model. Sumeru AI reached production across more than 10 institutions on a ten-million-yuan angel round (~$1.46M USD) , with live interaction running on a smartphone . Less capital. More compute efficiency. Already in classrooms. The Economics That Make It Real Training: Eight consumer RTX 5090s versus the enterprise GPU clusters Microsoft and comparable 3D companies require. Generation: One RTX 5090 per model. Roughly 1/100th the cost of video-based approaches of equivalent visual quality. Same output. Fraction of the cost. Interaction: Where video platforms incur continuous generation cost for every frame of output, a Mugen3D asset is generated once and runs indefinitely at zero marginal cost . No regeneration. No ongoing server fees. Free for individual users. Enterprise clients priced per project. The Numbers That Rewrote the Rulebook True 1:1 reconstruction in a single pass -the only platform that exactly replicates the source image in 3D One image to full HD 3D animation -stable, view-consistent from every angle 150ms inference latency -fast enough for live conversation Unified pipeline -humans, objects and scenes generated simultaneously Physics-aware exports -ready for robotics, spatial computing and simulation platforms Real-World Deployment More than 10 universities already using the platform include Beijing Institute of Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shenzhen University, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Nearly 1,000 educators and tens of thousands of students are using it daily. The same platform powers digital humans across psychological counseling, professional training, and other verticals. One infrastructure, multiple applications, each paired with a domain-specific language model. Fei-Fei Li's World Labs and Microsoft's Trellis command the headlines. Sumeru AI has already moved geometry-first AI into daily production environments. Built by Physicists, Not Pivots Dr. Cheng Feng, CEO - physicist PhD, University of Leicester, built a computer vision company to a 1.5 billion RMB valuation. Dr. Tomohiro Nagasaka, CTO - Mathematics PhD, Kyoto University. International Mathematical Olympiad medalist. Built China's first optical motion capture system. Six and a half years of R&D before the world model conversation even started. The Answer Was Never Video Sora's shutdown is a market verdict, not a product story. The industry is pivoting to geometry. Sumeru AI is the only platform combining highest-fidelity 3D reconstruction with the lowest total cost structure, making geometry-first AI a viable business at scale. World Labs has $1 billion. Sumeru AI has a product, paying enterprise clients and nearly 1,000 educators using it daily. That is not a research paper. That is a business. And geometry, unlike a hallucination, does not shut down on April 26th. Dr. Cheng Feng is available for interviews. Comparative demo and media assets available on request. Test it free at sumeruai.us/mugen3d
Researchers Now Use Multiple Tools Per Project - And It's Slowing Them Down
Mon, Apr 27, 2026 09:03 EDT
Researchers today have more digital tools at their disposal than ever before - and on the surface, this may seem an advantage. From literature search engines and reference managers to AI writing assistants, note-taking apps and collaboration platforms, the modern research workflow is increasingly fragmented. While each tool promises efficiency, the cumulative effect is becoming hard to ignore; context-switching, duplicated effort and not-so-hidden productivity loss. According to recent data, the average higher education student now uses approximately 2.1 dedicated AI tools in their academic work. In specialised sectors such as healthcare, researchers use an average of 6.3 digital platforms daily - a figure that has tripled since 2020. Meanwhile, the average K-12 school district in the United States managed 2,739 different educational technology tools during the 2023-2024 academic year, an 8 per cent increase on the previous year. The rapid expansion is partly fuelled by the explosive growth of AI in education. With the market projected to exceed $112 billion by 2034 and 86 per cent of education organisations now using generative AI - the highest adoption rate of any industry - new tools continue to enter already crowded workflows. Yet more technology has not automatically translated into greater efficiency: 36 per cent of organisations now identify a complex tech stack as a primary inhibitor to productivity. Researchers cite siloed data, duplicated effort and the constant friction of switching between platforms as major barriers to progress. Studies suggest that professionals lose between 3.6 and 4 hours per week due to tool-related inefficiencies alone. A separate study from the University of California, Irvine found that it takes more than 23 minutes to regain full focus after a significant interruption, such as moving between applications. ResearchCollab.ai, a purpose-built research platform engineered to streamline the entire research workflow, argues that the problem is not artificial intelligence itself, but fragmentation. "AI absolutely has the potential to accelerate research," said Imran Chughtai, Founder and CEO of ResearchCollab.ai. "But without thoughtful workflow design, adding more tools simply creates more noise. Researchers are losing hours every week to context switching and disconnected systems. The real opportunity isn't yet another app: it's integration." ResearchCollab.ai functions as a unified research operating system, consolidating search, document analysis, structured note-taking, AI-assisted synthesis, drafting and collaboration within a single environment. Its unified search spans more than 250 million papers, while built-in cross-validation and visual topic exploration help researchers move from discovery to structured insight without leaving the platform. By reducing the need to juggle multiple applications, the platform aims to protect cognitive flow - a critical ingredient in complex problem-solving and, ultimately, progress. For more information, visit researchcollab.ai .
Keeper Security Introduces Verify Mode and New Browser Controls to Prevent Phishing and Credential Misuse
Mon, Apr 27, 2026 07:51 EDT
New feature validates credential use at the point of entry, helping enterprises stop phishing attacks before credentials are exposed Keeper Security , the leading zero-trust and zero-knowledge identity security and Privileged Access Management (PAM) platform, today announces the release of Verify Mode, a new anti-phishing capability in version 17.8 of its browser extension. Verify Mode provides real-time validation of where credentials are being entered, helping prevent users from entering passwords into malicious or unrecognised websites. As phishing attacks continue to grow in sophistication and frequency, credential theft remains one of the most effective paths for unauthorised access into enterprise systems. According to research from Verizon , 60% of breaches involved a human element, such as credential abuse or phishing scams. Modern organisations operating across cloud, hybrid and remote environments face increasing exposure to these threats. The new, optional Verify Mode introduces an active control at the point of credential entry, reducing reliance on user judgment alone. "Phishing attacks succeed by targeting the moment that users enter their credentials," said Darren Guccione, CEO and Co-founder of Keeper Security. "Even well-trained employees can be deceived by convincing, malicious websites. Verify Mode changes that by validating credential use in real time, ensuring passwords are only entered on trusted domains. It shifts credential security from passive storage to active protection." Real-Time Protection Against Credential Misuse Verify Mode monitors password paste activity in the browser and verifies that the destination site matches the corresponding record stored in the user's Keeper Vault. If a mismatch is detected, users receive an immediate warning before credentials are submitted, with clear details and the option to proceed or cancel. Verify Mode includes configurable protection levels to align with organisational risk tolerance: Medium : Alerts users when credentials copied from the vault are pasted into a different site than the one saved High : Warns users when a password is pasted into any site not stored in the vault Maximum : Requires confirmation before pasting passwords on any site, including trusted ones These controls allow security teams to balance strong protection with a seamless user experience across roles and environments. Extending Zero Trust To Credential Usage Verify Mode extends Keeper's zero-trust approach beyond credential storage to real-time enforcement of credential usage. By validating every interaction, organisations gain stronger control over how and where credentials are used. Key enterprise benefits include: Reduced risk of credential-based attacks : Stops phishing at the point of entry Stronger security posture : Enforces continuous validation aligned with zero-trust principles Enhanced compliance readiness : Demonstrates enforcement of secure credential practices Reduced human error : Mitigates one of the leading causes of breaches Verify Mode further bolsters Keeper's unified identity security platform, which combines password management, secrets management, endpoint privilege management, AI-powered threat detection and privileged access controls into a single, cloud-based solution designed for modern enterprise environments. As identity-based attacks continue to target users across SaaS applications, cloud and remote environments, organisations need real-time controls. Verify Mode delivers this protection directly at the point of credential use without disrupting the user experience. Other features in Browser Extension release 17.8 include prompting users to disable the built-in browser password manager and support for custom fields. Upon first login or installation of the KeeperFill Browser Extension, a prompt will appear asking users to set Keeper as their default password manager. This optional step prevents interference from the browser's native password manager, guaranteeing the best possible autofill experience without requiring manual adjustments. Users can now also add custom fields directly to records from the browser extension, no longer requiring a switch to the web vault for editing. An unlimited number of custom fields can be added and easily reordered using drag-and-drop, similar to the existing feature on web and mobile vaults. These fields can store sensitive information, like security questions, PINs or private notes regarding logins, and are masked by default for privacy. Verify Mode is now available in the Keeper browser extension for enterprise users. Administrators can enable and configure protection levels through the Keeper Admin Console. To learn more, visit KeeperSecurity.com. ### About Keeper Security Keeper Security is one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity software companies that protects thousands of organisations and millions of people in over 150 countries. Keeper is a pioneer of zero-knowledge and zero-trust security built for any IT environment. Its core offering, KeeperPAM®, is an AI-enabled, cloud-native platform that protects all users, devices and infrastructure from cyber attacks. Recognised for its innovation in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Privileged Access Management (PAM), Keeper secures passwords and passkeys, infrastructure secrets, remote connections and endpoints with role-based enforcement policies, least privilege and just-in-time access. Learn why Keeper is trusted by leading organisations to defend against modern adversaries at KeeperSecurity.com . Learn more: KeeperSecurity.com Follow Keeper: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn X YouTube TikTok