New AI Model Building Platform and a suite of innovative cloud products launched to cater for the surging demand among customers and developers

HANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach – 31 October 2023 – Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, today announced the launch of Tongyi Qianwen 2.0, its latest large language model (LLM), along with new industry-specific models at its annual flagship tech event Apsara Conference. This release signifies another significant progress in Alibaba Cloud’s pursuit of cutting-edge AI innovation and its ongoing commitment to fuel digital transformation in businesses.

In response to the surging demand for powerful infrastructure supporting generative AI development, Alibaba Cloud also unveiled an AI model training platform and a series of innovative cloud products. New initiatives to bolster the open-source AI model community and global AI startups were also unveiled during the Conference. These resources are designed to enable customers, partners, developers, startups, and the wider community to fully harness the potential of generative AI.

“Currently, 80% of China’s technology companies and half of large model companies run on Alibaba Cloud. We aim to be the most open cloud in the era of AI. We hope that through this cloud, it will become easier and affordable for everyone to develop and use AI, so we can help, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to turn AI into huge productivity,” said Joe Tsai, Chairman of Alibaba Group.

Tongyi Qianwen 2.0: A Leap Forward in LLMs

Tongyi Qianwen 2.0, a generic LLM with a few hundreds of billions of parameters, represents a substantial upgrade from its predecessor launched in April. The model successfully exceeds some leading LLMs in benchmarks across domains ranging from language understanding, arithmetic problem solving, to question-answering.

With an expanded model size and improved alignment technique, Tongyi Qianwen 2.0 demonstrates remarkable capabilities in understanding complex instructions, copywriting, reasoning, memorizing, and preventing hallucinations. The model is now accessible to the public via its website and mobile applications, and available for developers through APIs.

Industry-specific Models: AI for Enhanced Business Performance

In addition, Alibaba Cloud also released new industry-specific models to help businesses unlock the transformative potential of generative AI across sectors for enhanced business performance. These sectors include customer support, legal counselling, healthcare, finance, documentation management, audio & video management, code development, and character creation.

“Large language models hold immense potential to revolutionize industries. We’re committed to using cutting-edge technologies, including generative AI, to help our customers capture the growth momentum forward,” said Jingren Zhou, CTO of Alibaba Cloud. “To help businesses better reap the benefits of generative AI in a cost-effective way, we are launching a more powerful foundation model as well as industry-specific models to tackle domain-specific challenges. Through these initiatives, we hope that our proprietary models can deliver real values to our customers to improve operation efficiency and stay competitive.”

GenAI Service Platform: A Comprehensive AI Model Building Platform

To cater to the burgeoning demand for generative AI, Alibaba Cloud introduced GenAI Service Platform, an all-in-one AI model building platform aimed at streamlining the model development and application building process. The platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools for data management, model deployment and valuation, and prompt engineering, making it easier for enterprises of all sectors to develop their enterprise-specific AI models.

Innovative Cloud Products to Drive Generative AI Development

To support the increasing computing and data processing needs required in generative AI development, Alibaba Cloud has launched a series of innovative cloud products across machine learning, container and database.

• To improve efficiency of LLM models training and inference, Alibaba Cloud has upgraded its Platform for Artificial Intelligence (PAI), featuring enhanced computing power, network, storage, computing, container, model training and inference capabilities. AI and metaverse technology firm Futureverse has been training its text-to-music generation model on PAI leveraging its high performance and easy-to-scale capabilities to enhance effectiveness and efficiency.

• To expedite the process of building customized generative AI applications, Alibaba Cloud has enhanced its full range of database solutions – including cloud-native database PolarDB, cloud-native data warehouse AnalyticDB, and cloud-native multi-model database Lindorm – with its proprietary vector engine. It has also introduced LLM-powered database ecosystem tools, including the intelligent data analytics assistant Data Management Service (DMS) Data Copilot.

• To enable a more scalable and efficient cloud infrastructure for application development, Alibaba Cloud unveiled Alibaba Cloud Container Compute Service (ACS), a pioneering serverless solution that integrates container services with its cloud computing resources. ACS enables businesses and developers to deploy the resources of Kubernetes, a container-centric management software, in a more cost-effective and user-friendly way.

Community Programs to Foster AI Development
In a bid to support the broader AI community, Alibaba Cloud has pledged to contribute more to open-source communities, including ModelScope, the company-initiated AI community with over 100 million model downloads since its inception a year ago. The cloud pioneer plans to opensource its 72 billion-parameter version of Tongyi Qianwen later this year.

Alibaba Cloud also announced the Alibaba Cloud Startup Catalyst Program, offering cloud computing resources, including cloud credit support of up to USD $120,000, free online learning memberships, and networking opportunities to promising global startups including AI companies.

Hashtag: #alibabacloud #tongyiqianwen

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Alibaba Cloud

Established in 2009, Alibaba Cloud (www.alibabacloud.com) is the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. It offers a complete suite of cloud services to customers worldwide, including elastic computing, database, storage, network virtualization services, large-scale computing, security, management and application services, big data analytics, a machine learning platform and IoT services. Alibaba maintained its position as the third leading public cloud IaaS service provider globally since 2018, according to IDC. Alibaba is the world’s third leading and Asia Pacific’s leading IaaS provider by revenue in U.S. dollars since 2018, according to Gartner.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 31 October 2023 – Hongkong Land and American Express today announced a strategic partnership that will see the two companies create exclusive privileges and luxury lifestyle experiences for American Express Cardmembers at LANDMARK in Central, Hong Kong.

The partnership will provide American Express Cardmembers in the most premium segment with access to unique privileges at LANDMARK, the pre-eminent luxury shopping destination in the heart of Hong Kong. The exceptional offerings will include a series of specially curated experiential engagements involving luxury fashion, watches and jewellery, arts and lifestyle, and international fine dining. Additionally, it will draw on the premium amenities of Hongkong Land’s market-leading regional hospitality and loyalty programme, BESPOKE.

This marks a unique strategic partnership between American Express and a commercial property landlord in Hong Kong. It demonstrates the commitment of both companies to delivering exceptional experiences to their customers and underscores a shared vision of Central in Hong Kong as a leading international luxury shopping destination and business centre.

“We are delighted to launch this innovative partnership with American Express, a brand that aligns with LANDMARK’s passion for bringing luxury experiences in fashion, dining, art and culture to discerning customers,” said Mr Alexander Li, Chief Retail Officer at Hongkong Land.

“I am confident that, together, we will elevate client experiences to a level unmatched anywhere on the global stage. In turn, this will reinforce LANDMARK and Hong Kong as one of the world’s most sophisticated and desirable locations to visit, shop and dine,” he added.

“We are always looking for ways to create new value and bring premium experiences to American Express Cardmembers. Drawing on the renowned heritage of American Express and Hongkong Land in providing exceptional services and experiences, our closer collaboration will open the door to new prestigious perks and lifestyle services for our premium customers,” said Mr Walter Liu, Head of Asia Region at American Express.

“This is a well-timed partnership as international visitor numbers to Hong Kong continue to climb and consumption activity among high-end consumers gathers pace,” he concluded.

Hashtag: #HongkongLand

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Hongkong Land

Hongkong Land is a major listed property investment, management and development group. Founded in 1889, Hongkong Land’s business is built on excellence, integrity and partnership.

The Group owns and manages more than 850,000 sq. m. of prime office and luxury retail property in key Asian cities, principally Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and Jakarta. Its properties attract the world’s foremost companies and luxury brands.

The Group’s Central Hong Kong portfolio represents some 450,000 sq. m. of prime property. It has a further 165,000 sq. m. of prestigious office space in Singapore mainly held through joint ventures, four retail centres on the Chinese mainland, including a luxury retail centre at Wangfujing in Beijing, and a 50% interest in a leading office complex in Central Jakarta. The Group also has a number of high-quality residential, commercial and mixed-use projects under development in cities across China and Southeast Asia, including a 43% interest in a 1.1 million sq. m. mixed-use project in West Bund, Shanghai. Its subsidiary, MCL Land, is a well-established residential developer in Singapore.

Hongkong Land Holdings Limited is incorporated in Bermuda and has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Bermuda and Singapore. The Group’s assets and investments are managed from Hong Kong by Hongkong Land Limited. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

LANDMARK

LANDMARK represents the epitome of top-tier luxury shopping and lifestyle experiences. Drawing from a rich heritage which began in 1904 – LANDMARK today is the luxury shopping destination of Hongkong Land’s Central portfolio including 4 iconic connected buildings, LANDMARK ATRIUM, LANDMARK ALEXANDRA, LANDMARK CHATER and LANDMARK PRINCE’S. LANDMARK offers approximately 208 of the finest stores and restaurants, all seamlessly linked by pedestrian bridges. From high fashion and accessories to watches and jewellery, from luxury living to beauty and grooming, from international cuisine to authentic gourmet dining, LANDMARK brings the ultimate shopping experience to the discerning customer.

Official Website: https://www.landmark.hk/en
Official Facebook: facebook.com/Landmark.hk/
Official Instagram: @landmarkhk
Official Xiaohongshu: landmark_hk

American Express

American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com/hk and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpresshongkong, instagram.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products, services and corporate responsibility information: charge and credit cards, business and corporate cards, travel cheques, merchant services, business travel, insurance, diversity and inclusion, corporate sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance reports.

Accelerating Hong Kong’s $250 Million USD market opportunity in digitisation services with the use of AI

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 31 October 2023 – Capture^TM Hong Kong, a leading service provider of analogue media digitisation, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jason Law as the company’s Chief Product Officer. This strategic hire comes as Capture.HK seeks to capitalise on the rapidly expanding market opportunity with the design and development of product and services which use AI and machine learning. Capture projects that the Hong Kong market will require $250 million USD in digitisation services in the next ten years.

A Visionary Leader in Product Development

Jason Law, Chief Product Officer at Capture.HK, is a product visionary known for his strategic foresight and user-centric design principles. With a strong track record in product development, Jason has focused on attacked large markets where a new consumer experience and technology could solve scale issues.

@MelloMoney tackling the global issue of teaching 5-13 year old children how to develop healthy financial habits.

@Automate addressing the $7.7 billion USD insurance industry in Hong Kong using app engagement and AI based bots to dramatically speed up the insurance quotation process by 3X and offering it 24/7.

“The only way to scale and to provide products and services to delight customer is with the use of AI.” Says Jason Law, Capture.HK Chief Product Officer. “My fascination as a designer is to build products that can scale and showcase a brand’s value. There is an opportunity in every industry to harness the Golden Age of AI that we are experiencing, especially in consumer services.”

Capture.HK Products and the Use of AI

• Photo Modernisation
  With Capture’s AI technology, the beauty and nostalgia of old photographs are meticulously preserved for generations to come. Through advanced algorithms and machine learning, the AI system intelligently analyses and modernises each image, effectively bringing faded and yellowed photos back to present day.

  A customer had previously digitised 25 photo albums, digitising the photos into digital format. She was highly satisfied with Capture.HK’s service and mentioned that the digitised photos by Capture.HK were of better quality than the original ones.

• Photo Album Image Cropping – extracting the value from an album
  With the use of machine learning, Capture.HK is now able to scan entire albums in high quality and extract just the most important parts of a photo album. Customers can of course manually remove each photo and scan them, but this is a time-consuming process that 95% of customers will never do.

• Facial Recognition and Organisation
  Through a partnership with Google, one of the eminent AI and Cloud company in the world all of Capture.HK’s digitised photos and videos are uploaded to Google Photos. Using AI, Google Photos will identify organise collections based on customers’ faces. This functionality allows you to easily organise and search for photos based on the people present in them. Future Capture.HK products are being developed to take advantage of this powerful organisational tool.

Preserving Memories in the Digital Age with Capture.HK

Capture.HK is dedicated to safeguarding cherished memories in the digital era. With a comprehensive range of analogue media digitisation services includes photo albums, photographs, videotapes, digital media, and slides. Since its launch in 2022, Capture.HK has successfully fulfilled 100’s of orders, experiencing a remarkable growth rate of 139% in the number of orders Q/Q. This growth is a testament to the trust and satisfaction of our customers who have entrusted us with their invaluable memories.

“Jason’s exceptional product vision will play a critical role in driving our AI product development efforts, ensuring that we continue to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers and enhance our operational productivity especially on photo album pre-cropping,” says Michael Chang, CEO of Capture.HK.

Capture.HK ensures that every analogue media is digitised into high-quality digital format, safeguarding them from deterioration and loss. Our team of memory specialists will utilise AI technology and advanced modernisation techniques to revive the true essence of your memories.

Learn more about Capture.HK:
Website: https://www.capture.hk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaptureLimited
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Capture_HongKong/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9npy9yWNsH9qG-ZcaxfC7A
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/CaptureLimited/

Hashtag: #CaptureLimited #expandsteam

https://www.linkedin.com/company/capturelimited/
https://www.facebook.com/CaptureLimited
https://www.instagram.com/capture_hongkong/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9npy9yWNsH9qG-ZcaxfC7A

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Capture Limited

Capture.HK is the leading analogue media digitisation service provider in Hong Kong. We digitise analogue media (photo albums, photographs, videotapes, digital media like USB Flash Drive, Compact Flash, DVD, etc) and slides, using our proprietary technology. Capture.HK is the only service that saves memories directly to Google Photos through secure Google authentication. In the USA, we have cooperated with Fujifilm, Google and retail giants like Walmart and Costco, to help more than 12 million families and organisations to safeguard their memories.

TOKYO, JAPAN – Media OutReach – 31 October 2023 – THXNET, a Japan-based Web3-as-a-Service Blockchain Infrastructure firm, and AsiaTokenFund Group, a leading web3 conglomerate based in Asia today announced a strategic partnership with a focus on extending the reach of THXNET’s ground-breaking blockchain technology infrastructure services into the broader Asian market.

Founded just four years ago, THXNET has made significant strides in the blockchain realm. a pioneer in blockchain technology, proudly unveils its offering centered around its own dedicated Layer 1 (L1) infrastructure, meticulously empowered by the robust THXNET Layer 0 (L0) Rootchain. This innovative foundation is underpinned by the state-of-the-art Substrate framework, refined to perfection by the seasoned experts at THXLAB, the development company behind THXNET.

Its Layer 1 Blockchain achieved a pivotal milestone by going main-net this past June. Crafted with a singular vision to act as a bridge between the traditional digital landscape (web2) and the decentralized web3 future, THXNET serves as a Web3-As-A-Service provider. This approach offers web2 companies a hassle-free gateway to tap into the burgeoning world of web3.

“THXNET’s success is not just theoretical. We have two operational Layer 1 chains running on our main-net, demonstrating real-world viability and adoption,” says Aro Kondo, the CEO & Co-Founder of THXNET. At present, THXNET has already amassed multiple use-cases and clients building on top of its framework including gaming, digital asset wallet, lifestyle application etc.

Furthermore , adding to its portfolio of successes, its parent company BANQ has established a joint venture in Japan with a financial media company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, specializing in Web3 business. Leveraging THXNET as a platform, they are concurrently working on Web3 marketing, sports-related and carbon credit trading projects. The joint venture is also in discussions with several major group companies focused on finance and e-commerce.

It’s worth highlighting that THXNET’s innovative approach has already begun generating revenue from its Layer 0 and Layer 1 chain users. This revenue stream has positioned the firm as a self-sustaining entity in the competitive blockchain market.

But the innovations don’t stop there. THXNET is on the cusp of launching its new mobile application – the world’s first super-app designed specifically for developers. This ground-breaking app offers developers the unique ability to create, connect, build, and explore functionalities of the THXNET blockchain all within a singular interface.

“We recognize the challenges developers face in navigating the decentralized world. Our super-app is not just a tool; it’s a comprehensive solution, bringing all the functionalities they need to their fingertips, simplifying their journey in the blockchain space,” elaborates Aro.

The alliance with AsiaTokenFund Group is poised to be a game-changer. “This partnership melds our technical expertise with AsiaTokenFund’s deep market insights and presence. Together, we are not just aiming to make waves but to reshape the digital landscape across Asia,” comments Ken Nizam, the Co-Founder of AsiaTokenFund Group. This strategic partnership also sees the appointment and onboarding of Ken Nizam as THXNET Advisor and CMO, leading the go-to-market strategies in the Asian markets.

The collaboration between these two giants promises to push the boundaries of what’s achievable in the web3 realm, ensuring that the transition from web2 to web3 for companies is not just possible, but seamless and efficient.

For more information, visit THXNET website at https://thxnet.org/ and social media channels at https://twitter.com/THXNET_WEB3aaS

Hashtag: #thxlab #asiatokenfund

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About THXNET

At THXNEX, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of Web3 technology, offering a comprehensive suite of services tailored to meet the demands of the modern digital landscape. Our core proposition revolves around the concept of Web3-as-a-Service (Web3aaS), embodying the next evolution in online experiences. Central to our offering is a dedicated Layer 1 (L1) infrastructure, meticulously facilitated by the robust THXNET Layer 0 (L0) Rootchain. This foundation is powered by the cutting-edge Substrate framework, fine-tuned to perfection by the experts at THXLAB.

About AsiaTokenFund Group

AsiaTokenFund Group (ATF) is an Asia-based powerhouse with a global reach, dedicated to championing the web3 ecosystem. Originating in 2017 as a blockchain media entity, ATF has magnificently evolved into a dominant Southeast Asian blockchain media source. Its metamorphosis encompasses a web3 marketing agency, technical development prowess, event mastery, an accelerator for web3 startups, while investing fervently in the web3 frontier. ATF’s core mission extends beyond innovation; it seeks to orchestrate a complete web3 ecosystem that draws in the next billion participants.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 31 October 2023 – Octa analyses the likelihood of the BNM keeping the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) unchanged at 3% at the upcoming Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on 1 – 2 November. Learn about the potential impact on the Malaysian ringgit.

Key Takeaways

• Headline inflation in Malaysia declined to 1.9% in September.
• The Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) is unlikely to be raised at the next meeting, given the recent decline in headline inflation to below 2%.
• The pause in the OPR change will continue to hurt the ringgit, and the probability of USDMYR rising above 5.0000 remains high.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) will meet on 1 – 2 November to decide on monetary policy. An overnight policy rate (OPR) increase may no longer be relevant, given the recent decline in headline inflation.

Notably, Malaysia’s current OPR currently stands at 3%, while Malaysia’s headline inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), eased to a 1.9% increase in September 2023, the lowest over the last two and a half years. The inflation rate for September 2023 was slightly below the consensus forecast of economists polled by Reuters and Bloomberg, at 2.2% and 2.1%, respectively. The forecast number considers significant external and internal risks to domestic inflation that should be monitored closely in the near term, namely rising energy prices and the ringgit falling.

‘In a low inflation environment, the decision to change the OPR is no longer relevant’, said Kar Yong Ang, the Octa financial market analyst. ‘This situation will continue to hurt the ringgit, which may eventually provoke a return to the monetary tightening strategy’, he added.

The ringgit depreciation is also affected by such factors as expectations that the U.S. federal funds rate remains high without clear signals of its decline. In addition, Chinese economic indicators were weaker than expected, and the easing of the People’s Bank of China’s monetary policy negatively impacted investor sentiment in the region. The probability of USDMYR growth above 5.0000 remains high.
Hashtag: #Octa

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Octa

Octa is an international broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and various services already utilised by clients from 180 countries with more than 42 million trading accounts. Free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools they provide help clients reach their investment goals.

The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including the improvement of educational infrastructure and short-notice relief projects supporting local communities.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 31 October 2023 – Southco Asia Ltd., a subsidiary of Southco Inc., a leading global provider of engineered access solutions such as locks, latches, captive fasteners, electronic access solutions and hinges/ positioning technology has expanded its line of electronic rotary latches with a new version that facilitates equipment security upgrades. Southco’s new R4-05 Electronic Rotary Latch is designed to be used with a mechanical multipoint latching system or other combination of swinghandles and flat, round or hex rod solutions commonly used to drive multiple latching points to secure large cabinet doors.

With the rollout of 5G technology, Telecom operators are increasing the value and quantity of their equipment, which is often added to existing network enclosures located in remote outdoor areas. The R4-05 Electronic Rotary Latch can be easily added to existing systems in the field without having to disassemble the mechanical latching system, allowing operators to retrofit existing hardware in the field and enhance security with minimal effort. Constructed of corrosion resistant stainless steel, the R4-05 Electronic Rotary Latch is sealed to IP67 and suitable for outdoor use.

The R4-05 Electronic Rotary Latch combines a mechanical rotary latch with an electronic actuator for enhanced security and remote access control. It can be easily integrated with an existing mechanical multipoint latching system by installing the R4-05 latch on the door, next to the rod. When the striker is engaged with the lock, the rods cannot move, preventing operators from actuating the latch from outside of the enclosure. To access the door, a signal is sent to the R4-05 Electronic Rotary Latch from either an existing access control system or a standalone access controller, like a Bluetooth or RFID card reader. It then releases the striker, but remains in a closed, but unlocked position until the latch is operated normally from the outside of the enclosure. If the latch is not opened from the outside of the door, it moves back to the locked state, providing an added layer of security.

When combined with the R4-05 Electronic Rotary Latch, Southco Multi-Point Latch Systems provide a comprehensive solution for large door security applications. A simple handle turn of the multipoint locking system can secure multiple latch points along large doors. A wide range of locking security and handle styles, along with optional sealing features, make them suitable for most large door applications. When used as a standalone latch, the R4-05 Electronic Rotary Latch provides a concealed, push-to-close access control solution for a wide variety of industry applications where space is at a premium and remote access is needed.

Commercial Product Manager Todd Schwanger adds, “The R4-05 Electronic Rotary Latch makes it easy to upgrade the security of Telecom enclosures and other valuable equipment. With a drop in assembly designed to fit most cabinet types and rod styles, the R4-05 Electronic Rotary Latch is ideal for quick field retrofits.”

For more information about the R4-05 Electronic Rotary Latch, please visit www.southco.com/R4-05 or email the 24/7 customer service at info@southco.com.

Hashtag: #southco #rotarylatch #electronicsolutions #enclosure

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Southco

Southco, Inc. is the leading global designer and manufacturer of engineered access solutions. From quality and performance to aesthetics and ergonomics, we understand that first impressions are lasting impressions in product design. For over 70 years, Southco has helped the world’s most recognized brands create value for their customers with innovative access solutions designed to enhance the touch points of their products in transportation and industrial applications, medical equipment, data centers and more. With unrivalled engineering resources, innovative products and a dedicated global team, Southco delivers the broadest portfolio of premium access solutions available to equipment designers throughout the world.