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CGI deepens partnership with Google to foster responsible generative AI adoption
CGI and Google have announced that they’re teaming up to help clients accelerate their time-to-value from new generative AI use cases specific to their industries.
As part of the agreement, CGI will leverage Google Cloud Platform to enhance the abilities of its CGI PulseAI solution, an AI-powered automation, conversational, and decision engine platform.
“AI continues to be at the top of discussion agendas with clients around the world seeking trusted advice from CGI for how to responsibly move from AI experimentation to implementation — while accelerating their return on investment,” said CGI president and chief executive officer, George D. Schindler. “Our expanded partnership with Google is one of the key global alliances that will help us develop and deliver new AI-based services and solutions for clients, as well as expanded skills development opportunities for our consultants.”
The partnership will also include the following opportunities:
Google’s Vertex AI to enable CGI PulseAI to build trusted industry-specific large language models
CGI plans to explore Google’s MedPaLM2 model for transforming medical claims processing and validation.
CGI PulseAI clients can manage all computing and memory requirements on Google Cloud infrastructure, increasing the solution’s customization capabilities.
CGI will launch Google AI training globally as an addition to the AI curriculum in its “CGI Academia” online university.
The two companies will develop AI sandboxes using Google Cloud technologies to support AI development.
Canadian fintech company and American Express partner to facilitate payments between merchants and customers
Montreal-based Nuvei has announced that its U.K. customers can now use Pay with Bank transfer (PwBt), a payment method powered by American Express, allowing consumers to complete transactions from their bank accounts without having to enter card details or complete additional authentication checks.
Nuvei customers will be able to integrate PwBt directly into their online checkout through their existing connection to Nuvei technology.
“Our mission is to enable our customers to get closer to their customers through payments, wherever they are and however they want to pay,” said Philip Fayer, Nuvei chair and CEO. “Powered by American Express, but available to anyone with a U.K. bank account, we know Pay with Bank transfer goes above and beyond to ensure a secure, yet frictionless, service that is available to everyone, and we’re delighted to be working together to bring these benefits to a new customer base.”
Revenue for AI software to reach $279 billion in 2027: IDC
According to a recent International Data Corporation (IDC) report, the worldwide artificial intelligence (AI) software market will grow from US$64 billion in 2022 to nearly US$251 billion in 2027.
The forecast encompasses AI platforms, applications, AI system infrastructure software (SIS), and AI application development and deployment (AD&D) software. However, it does not include generative AI platforms and applications.
AI applications and platforms are the first and second largest software categories in terms of revenue, followed by AI SIS and AD&D software.
In the next 12 months, roughly a third of respondents believe that organizations will prefer to buy AI software from a vendor, or use in-house support alongside vendor-supplied AI software, for specific use cases or application areas, a recent survey from IDC revealed.
“The momentum behind investments in AI and automation technologies remains unwavering despite economic uncertainty and shifting market dynamics,” said Raghunandhan Kuppuswamy, research manager, AI and Automation at IDC. “Businesses are realizing that utilizing cutting-edge technology is not only a strategic necessity but also a crucial factor in achieving long-term success. Despite potential challenges and risks, organizations are confident that adopting AI will continue to be crucial for future proofing their business operations and remaining ahead of the competition.”
Full report is available to purchase here.
All Nova Scotians to have access to free virtual care
Virtual healthcare platform Maple has announced it has partnered with the Nova Scotia government to provide free virtual care to all of the province’s residents via the newly introduced YourHealthNS app.
The initiative, designed initially to assist 145,000 Nova Scotians and now expanded to over one million people, was launched in May 2021 to support residents without a family doctor.
Today, 6.5 million Canadians remain without a family doctor, highlighting the importance of initiatives like these to reinforce Canada’s broader healthcare system.
But the program also now supports Nova Scotians with a family doctor, with the aim to improve healthcare access, and reduce the strain on Nova Scotia’s healthcare system and emergency rooms.
“The expansion of virtual care to all Nova Scotians highlights a mutual commitment to immediate and high-quality care for all,” said Dr. Brett Belchetz, CEO of Maple. “With VirtualCareNS, we’re addressing the healthcare needs of Nova Scotians by tapping into unused capacity in our healthcare system, providing a blueprint for future integrated care initiatives across Canada.”
Maple is also providing virtual care to residents of PEI and New Brunswick.
CyberCatch launches solution to strengthen SMBs’ security guardrails
California-based security company CyberCatch has launched a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution to help small and medium businesses (SMBs) thwart the two primary ways attackers break in: installing ransomware and stealing data.
The new solution consists of:
CyberXray, which simulates an attacker’s scan and automatically and continuously detects vulnerabilities in websites and internet-facing IT assets, and shows how to fix it before an attacker can find and exploit.
CyberSavvyIQ, which teaches employees how attackers think, behave, and exploit vulnerabilities and human errors, via an immersive virtual reality learning game based on recent actual cyberattacks
“CyberCatch is once again at the forefront with an innovative solution. The solution is highly effective by precisely targeting the two weaknesses that attackers are exploiting and enables SMBs to become cyber smart, gain the upper hand and mitigate cyber risk effectively,” said Sai Huda, CEO, CyberCatch. “We have also made the solution most affordable for SMBs.”
More to explore
Ransomware gang continues to publish data stolen from Ontario hospitals
The Daxin Team ransomware group has released its third tranche of data stolen from southwestern Ontario hospitals that share an IT services provider because it can’t get a penny from the institutions.
Thomson Reuters to spend more than $100 million annually on generative AI
Thomson Reuters has started rolling out generative AI into its products, notably in its flagship Westlaw Precision, and has doubled down on its promise to spend more than US$100 million annually on artificial intelligence capabilities.
Snowflake says Cortex launch puts LLM, GenAI in ‘hands of all users’
Data cloud company Snowflake this week launched Snowflake Cortex, a managed service which it said enables organizations to more easily discover, analyze and build artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
Ericsson unveils software toolkit to bolster 5G network capabilities
Ericsson has launched a new software toolkit designed to help communications service providers (CSPs) cater to greater demands on network capacity and performance, as mobile user expectations on the quality of 5G skyrocket.
A cautionary tale: The tragic case of two Danish hosting firms who lost all their clients’ data
Cybersecurity incidents of all kinds happen frequently, but one of the most extreme occurred in mid-August, when two Danish cloud hosting firms – CloudNordic and AzeroCloud – paid the ultimate price following a ransomware attack: both organizations ceased to exist.
Is Canada’s AI potential getting lost in legislative process? Critics weigh in at Data Effect 2023
The Canadian AI and Data Act (AIDA), one of the world’s first pieces of AI legislation, is now in Committee, more than a year after it was tabled, and is mired in classic Canadian legislative brouhaha.
Webex integrates AI everywhere
At its annual WebexOne conference last week, Cisco unveiled additional artificial intelligence (AI) features in its Webex suite that build on those it announced in March, all of which aim, it said, to improve both hybrid work and customer experience.
Staying informed is a constant challenge. There’s so much to do, and so little time. But we have you covered. Grab a coffee and take five while you nibble on these tidbits.
Listen to the latest episode of Hashtag Trending
Hashtag Trending Nov.7-Sam Altman announces groundbreaking features to ChatGPT at developer conference; Elon Musk unveils Grok AI chatbot; Do chatbots perform better when you say please and thank you?
Listen to the latest episode of Cybersecurity Today
Cyber Security Today, Nov. 6, 2023 – Okta employee is faulted for a hack, another US school board’s data stolen, and more
Listen to the latest episode of Hashtag Tendances
If you live in Québec, or prefer to consume the latest technology news in French, our sister publication Direction Informatique has you covered. Follow them on Twitter as well.
The post Coffee Briefing Nov. 7 – CGI teams up with Google, CyberCatch protects SMBs against ransomware and data theft; All Nova Scotians to have access to free virtual healthcare; and more first appeared on IT World Canada.