SYDNEY, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Running from Friday 22 May to Saturday 13 June, the 23‑day program brings together the full breadth of the city’s creative identity across Vivid Light, Vivid Music, Vivid Minds and Vivid Food. More than 80 per cent of the festival remains free, including the entire Vivid Light Walk, an unbroken 6.5‑kilometre journey featuring over 43 installations and projections created by acclaimed local and international artists.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said Vivid Sydney will be bigger and better than ever before.  

“No other city in the world can host Vivid, because no other city in the world has what Sydney has to offer. Vivid Sydney 2026 will redefine how we experience our city, delivering a bigger and bolder event program that will come to life both day and night.

“With more than 80 per cent of the program free to attend, Vivid Sydney is focused on making world-leading cultural experiences accessible to everyone. Whether it’s the entire 6.5km Vivid Light Walk, free live music at Tumbalong Nights or dynamic daytime programming, this year’s festival will bring colour and creativity to the city while delivering a significant boost to local businesses.”  

Vivid Sydney 2026 marks Brett Sheehy AO’s first year as Festival Director; a creative homecoming after two decades leading major festivals and arts companies across Australia.

Vivid Sydney Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO said this year’s program represents a bold new horizon for the event.

“For 2026 we are expanding our program into new artforms including aerial performance, daytime public art, theatre and dance. These join our vast Vivid Minds, Light, Music and Food offerings to now make your Vivid Sydney one of the great comprehensive arts festivals of the world. 

“This year we invite you to go beyond your previous expectations of Vivid Sydney into a bold new festival designed to surprise, delight, challenge, entertain, and fill you with joy.

“Whether you encounter Vivid Sydney as a happy observer, an eager participant, or someone keen to engage with one of our dozens of interactive opportunities, we can promise you a festival of a lifetime,” said Mr Sheehy.

Vivid Sydney Partners

Kia returns as a Major Partner for the fifth consecutive year in 2026, with a new installation set to feature along the Vivid Sydney Light Walk. Vivid Sydney’s Supporting Partners include City of Sydney, Event Engineering, Kennards Hire, Mandylights, The P.A. People, Technical Direction Company and Transdev.

Vivid Sydney’s Program Partners include Carriageworks, Sydney Opera House and Museum of Contemporary Art. Vivid Sydney’s Location Partners include Australian Maritime Museum, Cockle Bay Wharf, Placemaking NSW, Port Authority of New South Wales, and State Library of New South Wales.

Tickets for Vivid Sydney are on sale now. For more information and for a full list of events, go to vividsydney.com

SAN FRANCISCO and HANGZHOU, China, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As AI reshapes the digital world through cognitive and generative capabilities, a new frontier emerges: Physical AI — an intelligent system that perceives, reasons through, and acts in the physical world.

Today, Bota launches SAION AI, the first Physical AI platform for biomanufacturing.

SAION AI is not limited to in silico design. Instead, it is a full-stack Physical AI platform integrating cognition, orchestration, and closed-loop execution through end-to-end experimentation, and continuously optimizing biological discovery and biomanufacturing.

SAION AI is built on a three-layer architecture: Cognition, Orchestration, Execution.

Powered by large language models , the platform unifies scientific reasoning with real-world experimental execution. This architecture enables seamless orchestration from biological system understanding to laboratory experiments, forming a self-optimizing closed loop for biomanufacturing.

Cognition: Multi-Scale Biological Understanding

The Cognition Layer is built on data from Bota’s Cell2Cloud Biofoundry, integrating tens of millions of experimental data points, millions of scientific publications and patents, and public biological databases. Combined with leading AI4Science models, SAION AI develops multi-scale understanding across the gene–protein–cell–fermentation continuum, enabling systematic design and data-driven scientific decisions.

Orchestration: Intelligent Research Coordination

The Orchestration Layer centers on the Agent harness orchestration engine, powered by the LLM reasoning to coordinate multi-agent collaboration, tool invocation, and end-to-end scientific workflows.

The Layer decomposes complex objectives into structured tasks and integrates 316 specialized scientific tools, enabling dynamic routing and automated research workflows with fault tolerance.

Execution: Autonomous Experimental Operation

Through Bota’s proprietary Biological Protocol Language, SAION AI converts experimental designs into standardized instructions that directly drive laboratory hardware, feeding real-world data back into the Cognition Layer, enabling continuous model improvement and R&D acceleration.

Real-world Performance

SAION AI has demonstrated SOTA performance across multiple life science AI benchmarks, validating its capabilities as an AI Scientist system.

Key Results

• Literature Comprehension: 70.7% on LitQA+SuppQA — surpassing leading general-purpose models
• Sequence Reasoning: 88.2% on SeqQA across DNA, RNA and protein tasks.
• Genetic Engineering: 84.9% on gene editing and cloning benchmarks.
• Scientific Discovery: 89.6% on BAIS-SD benchmark.

Real-world validation confirms SAION AI can autonomously complete full research — from literature review to wet-lab assembly — with >90% accuracy.

Toward Autonomous Biomanufacturing

SAION AI’s launch moves biomanufacturing beyond traditional trial-and-error experimentation toward an intelligent engineering discipline, where AI and physical laboratories interact to accelerate discovery and industrial scale-up.

SAION AI DEMO

Contact us: bota.pr@bota.bio

In the news release, Ridgewood Infrastructure Acquires Sierra Railroad Company, issued 09-Mar-2026 by Ridgewood Infrastructure over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the contact address should read “527 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor” rather than “34 East 51st Street, 9th Floor” as originally issued inadvertently. The complete, corrected release follows:

Ridgewood Infrastructure Acquires Sierra Railroad Company

NEW YORK, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ridgewood Infrastructure, a leading investment firm focused on essential infrastructure in the United States, today announced that it has acquired a controlling interest in Sierra Railroad Company (“Sierra”), a California-based shortline rail platform providing freight rail, switching, storage, and transloading services to a diversified customer base across key essential industrial, agricultural, and energy supply chains. Simultaneously with Ridgewood’s investment Sierra is acquiring Central Valley Ag Transport (“CVAT”) an agricultural products transload facility owner and operator serving customers along Sierra’s rail network.

Sierra’s operating subsidiaries include Sierra Northern Railway (“Sierra Northern”), which owns and operates the freight rail business and provides switching, storage, and transloading services across approximately 130 miles of track in California. Sierra Northern’s network is strategically located near core dairy and agricultural regions, major West Coast ports, and industrial demand centers, enabling critical last-mile connectivity across essential supply chains.

Sierra Northern benefits from strategically located Class I interchanges, including access to both Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway, providing customers with enhanced network redundancy, routing flexibility, and connectivity to national rail markets.

The transaction also includes Sierra’s subsidiary Railpower, Inc., which owns and operates the only Federal Railroad Administration (“FRA”)–approved hydrogen-powered locomotive in the United States, reflecting Sierra’s leadership in rail innovation and zero-emissions locomotive technology.

The acquisition of CVAT strengthens Sierra’s platform by vertically integrating agricultural transload capabilities that are essential to California’s dairy and broader agricultural industry. CVAT provides specialized transloading services along Sierra Northern’s network, enabling efficient movement of feed and agricultural products while deepening customer relationships and increasing rail utilization.

“Sierra is a high-quality shortline rail platform with strong fundamentals, a diversified customer base, and a strategic footprint in some of California’s most important industrial and agricultural corridors,” said Ryan Stewart, Partner at Ridgewood Infrastructure. “Our team brings deep experience owning and operating shortline and other railroad businesses across the United States, and we see meaningful opportunities to build on Sierra’s strong foundation by driving additional freight volumes for both existing customers and new customers, expanding transload capabilities, and supporting innovation across the platform.”

“This partnership with Ridgewood marks an important next step for Sierra,” said Kennan H. Beard III, Chief Executive Officer of Sierra Northern. “Ridgewood’s experience operating rail and infrastructure businesses, combined with their investment approach, gives us the resources and support to accelerate execution across the platform. We are focused on growing volumes, expanding transload capacity, and continuing to serve our customers with the reliability and responsiveness they expect.”

“In selecting a partner for Sierra, it was critical to find an investor with the sector expertise, aligned strategic perspective, and financial capacity to support the company’s next phase of growth,” said Mike Hart, Founder of Sierra Railroad Corporation who has led the company since its acquisition in 1995. “Sierra had reached a point where meaningful near-term investment was required to pursue identified opportunities.”

“Ridgewood stood apart as a differentiated, value-added partner with a deep understanding of the rail industry and a proven track record of building lower middle-market infrastructure businesses,” Mr. Hart added. “Their experience and approach made them the right long-term owner for Sierra, and I am pleased to remain a significant investor alongside Ridgewood.”

Ridgewood was advised by King & Spalding and Truist Securities. Sierra was advised by Northborne Partners. Debt financing for the transaction was provided by Brookfield Infrastructure Credit.

About Ridgewood Infrastructure

Ridgewood Infrastructure invests in essential infrastructure businesses across the transportation, energy, utilities, and industrial sectors. The firm focuses on assets that provide critical services, exhibit durable demand, and offer opportunities for value creation through operational improvement and strategic growth.

About Sierra Railroad Company

Sierra Railroad Company is a California-based rail platform whose subsidiaries include Sierra Northern Railway, a shortline freight rail operator providing switching, storage, and transloading services across approximately 130 miles of track; and Railpower, Inc., a hydrogen locomotive business.

About Central Valley Ag Transport

Central Valley Ag Transport is an agricultural products transload operator serving dairy farmers and agricultural customers along Sierra Northern Railroad’s network.

Contact info:  
For More Information:  
Ridgewood Infrastructure  
527 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor  
New York, NY 10022  
Phone: (212) 867-0050  
Inquiries@RidgewoodInfrastructure.com

Logo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ridgewood_logo-1.jpg 

TEANECK, N.J., March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) released new research showing that companies pursuing AI adoption overwhelmingly prefer IT services firms – such as “AI Builder” firms, a new services model defined by designing and building custom, full stack AI solutions – to deliver real enterprise value from AI.

New research from Cognizant shows plug-and-play with AI is a myth.

The research, based on a quantitative study of 600 AI decision makers and qualitative interviews with 38 senior executives, finds that organizations rank custom solutions and flexible engagement models as the most important factor when selecting an AI partner, ahead of pricing and time to value. Pricing and proven AI case studies remain important, but rank below capabilities that enable AI to be embedded directly into business operations and value chains.

At the same time, enterprises cite generic, off-the-shelf AI solutions as a leading reason to reject an AI provider, along with lack of industry-specific expertise, inability to integrate into existing technology stacks, and inadequate support and maintenance. According to the research, the top three challenges organizations face in enterprise AI adoption are regulatory and compliance concerns, difficulty demonstrating return on investment and lack of clear AI strategy and vision.

“AI success is not about deploying isolated models—it’s about engineering intelligence into the enterprise with purpose-built solutions,” said Ravi Kumar S, CEO of Cognizant. “The most trusted path to an AI future is working with an AI Builder—one that brings deep industry context, systems engineering expertise, and operational accountability. At Cognizant, we focus on building the bridge from AI experimentation to measurable enterprise value.”

Key findings from the study include:

Enterprises face a “messy middle” in scaling AI: AI builders can create the bridge to enterprise value — solving complex, real-world problems:

• 63% of enterprises report moderate-to-large gaps between their AI ambitions and current capabilities.
• The biggest barriers to scaling AI are operational and organizational:
  • 33% cite regulatory and compliance challenges
  • 31% struggle to demonstrate ROI
  • 27% report shortages in talent
  • 27% report inadequate data readiness

AI investment is long term, not experimental: Enterprises are committing sustained capital to AI, signaling long-term infrastructure building rather than speculative investment:

• 84% of enterprises maintain formal AI budgets
• 91% expect AI budgets to grow in the next two years
• 50% anticipate double-digit increases in AI budgets over the next two years
• 52% are already investing $10M or more annually on AI initiatives

AI is augmenting human workforces, not replacing them: Enterprise leaders are not forecasting workforce collapse, they’re forecasting redesign of workflows for human-AI collaboration.

• Across 13 enterprise functions, the highest expected level of full automation is only 20% (in sales)
• Even in customer service, where 76% of leaders expect workflows to become AI-dominant, only 9% believe they will be fully automated.

In qualitative interviews conducted as part of the research, enterprise leaders said “out‑of‑the‑box” AI is inadequate; they want tailored solutions AI builders can develop and tune.

A Vice President in the UK banking sector shared, “A lot of vendors come in thinking that the off-the-shelf solutions they have would fit our needs, but often enough they find that that’s not the case. And it takes them a number of years, more than they planned, and a lot of money, both from us … to get those software working. And these are not just AI software.”

A US-based insurance industry CIO stated, “It depends on where I’m inserting this particular ingredient in our value. And so sometimes I want a builder and an engineer, sometimes I want an integrator, sometimes I want an activator. Because they’re playing more of a coordinating function—a weaving, stitching-together function.”

Together, these research insights underscore a clear shift in enterprise expectations: from experimenting with AI tools to partnering with AI Builders that can design, build, integrate, and operate AI systems at scale— in alignment with client governance, security, and risk‑management frameworks and with lasting business impact.

These findings align with recent remarks by Babak Hodjat, Chief AI Officer at Cognizant, who noted that enterprises are far from being able to rely on AI “out of the box.” In interviews with Fortune and Reuters, Hodjat emphasized that while agentic and generative AI systems are advancing rapidly, organizations still need significant help engineering, integrating, governing, and operating these systems in ways that support client safety, reliability and governance requirements within complex enterprise environments.

AI decision makers rated IT services firms like AI builders highest in their ability to assist with their AI adoption (ahead of SaaS providers, cloud providers, AI model companies, AI startups and management consultancies). The research also finds that IT services firms are trusted across the AI adoption lifecycle—especially in ongoing management of AI-enabled systems, but also in AI strategy, custom AI solution development, increasing organizational productivity and scaling AI across the enterprise. IT services firms have a 23% trust advantage over management consultancies in AI adoption. While management consultancies benefit from strong brand recognition, they are seen as less credible in hands-on AI implementation.

About the Research
Cognizant’s research findings are based on quantitative research conducted in November 2025 with 600 AI decision makers, and qualitative interviews conducted in October 2025 with 38 business and technology leaders in the United States, Germany, Singapore and Australia with AI decision making responsibility. The full report can be found here: How ai is reshaping business & empowering workforces | Cognizant

About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is an AI builder and technology services provider, building the bridge between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for our clients. Our deep industry, process and engineering expertise enables us to build an organization’s unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, realize tangible returns and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at www.cognizant.com or @cognizant.

For more information, contact:

U.S.
Name: Gabrielle Gugliocciello
Email: gabrielle.gugliocciello@cognizant.com 

Europe / APAC
Name: Sarah Douglas
Email: sarah.douglas@cognizant.com 

India
Name: Vipin Nair
Email: Vipin.Nair@cognizant.com

Editor’s Summary

• The Acer TravelMate P4 14 AI, TravelMate P4 Spin 14 AI, TravelMate P2 16 AI, and TravelMate P2 14 AI business laptops empower organizations of all sizes to deploy AI on up to the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors with Intel vPro, enabling on-device AI experiences on Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs and with Acer AI solutions.
• The four new TravelMate models offer AI-ready performance; connected productivity with Wi‑Fi 7, Thunderbolt 4, and Acer smart videoconferencing tools; and Intel vPro options to simplify fleet management and deliver enterprise-grade security.
• Featuring a sleek, lightweight aluminum chassis, the TravelMate P4 Spin 14 AI offers the versatility of a convertible device, while the TravelMate P4 14 AI delivers the same premium portability in a stylish clamshell design.
• The clamshell 14-inch TravelMate P2 14 AI and the 16-inch TravelMate P2 16 AI provide a full suite of business-ready features designed to boost workforce productivity and operational efficiency with long-lasting battery life.

MILAN, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Acer today unveiled a new lineup of TravelMate Copilot+ PCs that empower organizations of all sizes to unleash the full potential of AI. The new TravelMate P4 14 AI, TravelMate P4 Spin 14 AI, TravelMate P2 16 AI, and TravelMate P2 14 AI business laptops are powered by up to the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors with Intel vPro^[1][2], delivering real-world performance, long battery life, enterprise-grade security, and simplified manageability.

From SMBs to the public sector, the new lineup delivers a combination of performance, productivity, and security. The devices also represent the first Copilot+ PCs in the TravelMate P4 and P2 series, underscoring Acer’s commitment to offering a robust commercial portfolio of AI-ready devices^[3].

James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, Acer Inc., remarked: “As IT and operations departments across sectors explore how AI can help their organization, Acer is committed to offering a dedicated product portfolio and leveraging our commercial expertise to accelerate AI transformation in the way that is right for them. To accomplish this, Acer’s new TravelMate Copilot+ PCs are purpose-built for AI-powered performance, streamlined productivity, and multilayered enterprise-grade security.”

Jen Larson, General Manager, Commercial Client Segments, Intel, commented: “This new Acer TravelMate lineup leverages Intel’s most advanced Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors with Intel vPro to offer commercial PC experiences that are purpose-built for business, not repurposed for it. Crafted for real-world performance, the new platform delivers enterprise-grade security for PCs, simplified IT management, and optimized diagnostics and AI-enhanced support features right out of the box, ready for businesses to scale across the fleet, and into the future.”

Delivering Performance, Productivity, and Security to Modern Businesses

Top performance of enterprise technology, synchronized across departments, is a prerequisite for modern businesses staying ahead. Powered by up to Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors with Intel vPro, the new TravelMate business laptops deliver advanced on‑device AI capabilities that accelerate AI‑driven workflows while providing fast, stable, and quiet performance, along with long-lasting battery life in a thin and lightweight chassis.

IT decision-makers seek AI tools that drive productivity without disrupting established team dynamics or ecosystems. Teams at every level are prioritizing the elimination of low-value, repetitive tasks to unlock time for creative problem-solving. To cater to everyone, the new lineup leverages the innovation and efficiency of Windows 11 Copilot+ PC experiences, including intelligent tools that save time and reduce friction in everyday work. To accommodate working even in less-than-ideal environments, AI-enhanced features like Acer PurifiedVoice with AI noise reduction and Acer PurifiedView ensure clearer audio and video. Workers also have greater mobile working range with fast charging capabilities^[4] via Thunderbolt 4 and TravelMateSense for optimizing battery usage, while the speed of Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 facilitate collaboration and real-time file sharing.

To maintain stakeholder trust and uphold their reputations, modern businesses must also ensure uncompromising security. Every Copilot+ PC is a Secured-core PC, offering the highest level of Windows protection across hardware, firmware, and the operating system. For safeguarding data and devices, the new laptops feature a comprehensive suite of stringent protections — including Acer’s new Chassis Intrusion Alarm, an optional feature that notifies a user if their device casing was opened without authorization. The lineup also offers a discrete Trusted Platform Module, fingerprint sensor, built‑in camera shutter, and Kensington Nano lock.

The new TravelMate laptops are further equipped with Commercial BIOS and the complementary Acer Office Manager (AOM), delivering efficient fleet management and reliable performance for small and medium-sized businesses that need to manage remote devices effortlessly, even with limited IT support. Certified according to the MILSTD 810H military grade standard, the new devices are engineered to endure the demands of frequent travel and dynamic, complex work environments. They are also available in TCO^[5] certified models, supporting organizations in meeting their sustainability goals.

Unlocking Limitless Productivity with Acer TravelMate P4 Spin 14 AI and TravelMate P4 14 AI

Housed in a sleek aluminum chassis, the TravelMate P4 Spin 14 AI (TMP414RN-76, TMP414RN-56, TMP414RN-76-TCO, TMP414RN-56-TCO) and TravelMate P4 14 AI (TMP414-76-TCO, TMP414-56-TCO, TMP414-56, TMP414-76) are thinner and lighter than the previous generation, offering a distinctive balance of performance, power efficiency, and portability. To cater to various types of work, both models offer stunning visuals on either a WUXGA or a 3K (WQXGA+, 2880×1800 and 100% sRGB coverage) display. Each screen’s 16:10 aspect ratio provides expanded vertical workspace for boosting productivity, further enhanced by support for multiple 4K external displays through dual USB‑C ports and an HDMI port.

The 360-degree convertible TravelMate P4 Spin 14 AI offers a touchscreen and includes a garaged stylus, bringing the intuitive workflows of a tablet experience to creative work and collaboration. As light as 1.19 kg^[6], the clamshell TravelMate P4 14 AI boosts AI-powered productivity in an ultraportable design ideal for frequent business travelers and hybrid workers seeking the perfect blend of performance and lightweight mobility. Both models come with a built-in fingerprint sensor and backlit keyboard.

Empowering Workforces with AI‑Ready Business Laptops: Acer TravelMate P2 16 AI and TravelMate P2 14 AI

Built for productivity anywhere, the TravelMate P2 16 AI (TMP216-52, TMP216-72, TMP216-52-TCO, TMP216-72-TCO) and TravelMate P2 14 AI (TMP214-57, TMP214-57-TCO, TMP214-77, TMP214-77-TCO) stand out for offering high-performance experiences unique to Copilot+ PCs while maintaining long-lasting battery life. Rapid fast‑charging technology fills the battery to up to 80% in just an hour, or 50% in 30 minutes, and a 16:10 WUXGA IPS display with narrow bezels offers crisp, clear visuals with greater power efficiency. The TravelMate P2 16 AI offers the additional screen real estate of a 16‑inch panel, making it ideal for creators and professionals creating content, multitasking, or handling data‑heavy workloads.

For organizations supporting remote work from virtually anywhere, optional LTE connectivity on both models ensures continuous online access beyond Wi‑Fi coverage, and a fingerprint sensor and backlit keyboard are also available as add-ons.

Availability

The TravelMate P4 14 AI will be available in North America from June 2026; in EMEA from June 2026; and in Australia from May 2026.

The TravelMate P4 Spin 14 AI will be available in North America from June 2026; in EMEA from June 2026; and in Australia from May 2026.

The TravelMate P2 16 AI will be available in North America from June 2026; in EMEA from June 2026; and in Australia from May 2026.

The TravelMate P2 14 AI will be available in North America from June 2026; in EMEA from May 2026; and in Australia from May 2026.

Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.

Specifications

About Acer
Founded in 1976, Acer is one of the world’s top technology companies with a presence in more than 160 countries. The company continues to evolve by embracing innovation across its offerings, which include computers and displays, while branching out to new businesses. Acer is also committed to sustainable growth, exploring new opportunities that align with its environmental and social responsibilities. The Acer Group employs nearly 12,000 employees that contribute to the research, design, marketing, sales and support of products, solutions, and services that break barriers between people and technology. Visit www.acer.com for more information.

© 2026 Acer Inc. All rights reserved. Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or service marks, indicated or otherwise, are the property of their respective owners. All offers subject to change without notice or obligation and may not be available through all sales channels. Prices listed are manufacturer suggested retail prices and may vary by location. Applicable sales tax extra.

© Intel, the Intel logo and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.