AiThority’s Weekly AI Buzz for the Week Ending July 26th: Major AI Updates To Read About

Dive into the world of AI, tech, and innovation as we bring you the latest and most viral stories buzzing across the digital and AI arena, top thought leadership insights, and more.

From breakthroughs in AI and Machine learning to advancements across the tech domain, our curation keeps you informed and updated. Whether it’s a glimpse into the future of AI or a spotlight on ground-breaking research, these highlights will give you the overall tech industry updates.

Explore the frontiers of AI technology, one headline at a time.

1.Commvault Appoints Pranay Ahlawat as Chief Technology and AI Officer  

Commvault has appointed Pranay Ahlawat as its first Chief Technology and AI Officer. Ahlawat will lead Commvault’s product development, focusing on improving cyber resilience with modern AI technologies. He will report to Rajiv Kottomtharayil, the Chief Product Officer. Ahlawat brings extensive experience in AI, cloud, and infrastructure software from his previous roles at Boston Consulting Group, where he advised SaaS companies on product innovation. Ahlawat aims to create cutting-edge cyber resilience solutions to tackle security challenges. Rajiv Kottomtharayil stated that Ahlawat’s expertise will help Commvault develop advanced AI-driven solutions for their Data Management and Cyber Recovery Platform.

2.Accenture Pioneers Custom Llama LLM Models with NVIDIA AI Foundry  

Accenture has launched the AI Refinery framework using NVIDIA AI Foundry to help clients build custom Large Language Models (LLMs) with Meta’s Llama 3.1 models. This framework allows enterprises to refine LLMs with their data and processes, creating AI systems that fit their specific needs. It represents a significant advancement in generative AI for businesses, enabling them to develop domain-specific knowledge and deploy powerful AI solutions tailored to their industries. Accenture’s CEO, Julie Sweet, highlights the transformative potential of generative AI, while NVIDIA’s CEO, Jensen Huang, emphasizes the framework’s role in driving business growth and innovation.

3.Snowflake Teams Up with Meta to Host and Optimize New Flagship Model Family in Snowflake Cortex AI  

Snowflake hosts Meta’s Llama 3.1 models in its Cortex AI, enabling enterprises to build and scale custom AI applications. The Llama 3.1 405B model will benefit from Snowflake’s optimized inference and fine-tuning systems, offering real-time, high-throughput performance on a single GPU. This makes advanced AI accessible without complex infrastructure. Snowflake’s AI Research Team has also open-sourced its optimization stack, enhancing Llama models’ efficiency. Snowflake ensures AI safety with Cortex Guard, which protects against harmful content. The framework supports businesses in creating tailored, powerful AI solutions while ensuring trust and safety in their AI applications.

4.ServiceNow Acquires Raytion to Boost AI-Powered Search and Knowledge Management  

ServiceNow has acquired Raytion to boost its GenAI-powered search and knowledge management on the Now Platform. Raytion’s advanced information retrieval tech will enable real-time, unified access to critical data across various sources. This integration will enhance ServiceNow’s AI search capabilities, making it easier for users to find relevant information without knowing its exact location. The combined technology aims to improve data accessibility, personalize search results, and support efficient problem-solving across enterprises. This acquisition supports ServiceNow’s goal of transforming business processes and enhancing the user experience with smarter, more integrated AI solutions.

5.Shaip Launches AI Platform for Application Evaluation and Monitoring  

Shaip has launched its Generative AI Platform to tackle issues in data quality, model performance, scalability, and regulatory compliance. This platform supports the entire lifecycle of Large Language Model (LLM) development, from ethical data generation to real-time system monitoring. It offers high-quality, diverse data, tools for experimentation and evaluation with automated metrics, and real-time performance tracking. Key features include support for synthetic and user-provided data, model comparison, and compliance with ethical standards. The platform is designed for various AI applications and provides flexible cloud and on-premise integration options.

6.Hitachi Vantara Releases Hitachi iQ and AI Discovery Service  

Hitachi Vantara has launched the Hitachi iQ portfolio, which includes AI-ready infrastructure, solutions, and services. The first offering, certified by NVIDIA DGX BasePOD, ensures high performance and reliability for AI applications. Hitachi iQ features the Hitachi Content Software for File, providing speed and efficiency to accelerate insights and drive business outcomes. With many organizations prioritizing generative AI, Hitachi Vantara’s solutions meet rigorous standards for handling demanding AI workloads. Additionally, the company offers an AI Discovery Service to help customers identify valuable AI use cases, assess data readiness, and develop a strategic AI implementation roadmap.

AI Trends Spotlight: Weekly Expert Perspectives on AI

AiThority Interview with Vikram Murali, VP of Software Development, Application Modernization, and IT Automation at IBM 

AIThority: Voice of the Week

Vikram, Vice President of Software Development at IBM Automation, has nearly two decades of experience at IBM. He previously led the development of Watsonx.data and now oversees software solutions in IT and Network Automation. IBM Concert helps application owners by transforming siloed data into actionable insights, improving efficiency and outcomes through AI. Generative AI (GenAI) is advancing business productivity and customization. IBM Concert aids IT teams in managing compliance and application performance, addressing myths about AI skill gaps. Vikram suggests using AI to augment human intelligence, ensuring transparency in AI interactions, and providing employee training for effective AI integration.

AiThority Interview with Steve Womer, SVP of Engineering at Interface Systems  

Steve’s technology career began with an internship at Educate Online, evolving into roles at Industry Retail Group and a startup focused on SD-WAN. At Interface Systems, he enhances sales engineering and integrates AI with video and security technologies. Interface manages network infrastructure by standardizing physical installations and using redundant connections. Cloud and AI technologies streamline operations and improve client services, like advanced video analytics and AI-driven insights. A recent success involved streamlining technology for a Car Wash chain, enhancing their efficiency. Looking ahead, Steve envisions AI handling routine tasks and improving compliance through real-time analytics, though complex safety scenarios remain AI’s future challenge.

Essential Reads You Can’t Miss

Building a Content Supply Chain in the Era of Generative AI  

Must-catch Staff Article

Executives are eager to use generative AI due to the rapid growth in content demand, projected to rise 5-20X in two years. This technology helps meet the demand efficiently and cost-effectively. However, it also introduces risks, like violating enterprise style guides that ensure content consistency and compliance. Style guides are crucial for maintaining tone, avoiding legal issues, and protecting brand reputation. As content volume grows, scaling production safely requires a structured content supply chain with quality assurance. Automating content scoring and alignment with style guides can help manage this scale and maintain high standards.

Understanding Shadow AI: Key steps to Protect your Business  

AI is now a part of daily life, with 55% of Americans using it daily and 27% almost constantly. This includes workplaces, leading to “Shadow AI”—employees using AI tools without company approval. While Shadow AI can boost productivity, it also introduces risks such as security breaches, privacy issues, and compliance problems. Unlike Shadow IT, which involves unauthorized software use, Shadow AI specifically refers to unsanctioned AI tools. These unmonitored tools can compromise data security, quality, and operational consistency, and may lead to legal and compliance challenges. Companies must address these risks to safely integrate AI technologies.

This Week’s Insightful AI Quotes

“Outsourcing offshore has helped continue to push the cost model down, the next level is outsourcing to AI. There are a few areas where I see this coming into focus. “ – Steve Womer, SVP of Engineering at Interface Systems

“AI-powered tools can help organizations fulfill compliance requirements by helping them effectively manage application performance and security certificates ” –Vikram Murali, VP of Software Development, Application Modernization, and IT Automation at IBM

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