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Alibaba Cloud Announces New Availability Zones and Global Investment to Fuel AI Innovation

Gen-AI platform made available for international customers and enhanced partnerships announced for enriched eco-system to further support global customers


PARIS, FRANCE – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 May 2024 – Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, announced its plan to launch its first cloud region in Mexico, and to establish additional data centers in its key markets including Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and South Korea in the next three years. The new investment to build new cloud and AI infrastructure across key international markets also aims to enhance the cloud and AI product suite for its worldwide customers, while enhancing global partnership and fostering AI talent development to nurture future digital expertise.

“With the rapidly rising demand for AI across industries, we are reinforcing our commitment to expanding our AI infrastructure and enhancing our cloud capacities worldwide,” said Selina Yuan, President of International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, during the Alibaba Cloud Global Summit in Paris. “Meanwhile, our digital talent initiatives, in collaboration with global universities and local partners in our key markets, will further equip the upcoming generation with the requisite AI skills.”

Model Studio for International AI Development
To better enable enterprises and developers to develop AI models and applications, Alibaba Cloud’s premier generative AI development platform, Model Studio, will soon be available for international customers via its Availability Zones in Singapore.

Through Model Studio, customers can gain access to Alibaba Cloud’s large language model Qwen family – including both closed-source and open-source models, featuring multimodal capabilities with sizes that range from 0.5 billion to several hundred billion parameters – to facilitate the development of custom generative AI applications. Additional model finetuning and inferencing tools and services will be available in the second half of the year, fostering the development of more sophisticated AI tasks with greater cost-efficiency.

Enhanced Partnerships to Elevate Customer Experience
Alibaba Cloud announced it has deepened its collaboration with SAP[1] to launch a one-stop enterprise solution for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Asia to reap the benefits of digital transformation with rapid deployment and on-demand expansion capabilities.

By combining the holistic business management capabilities of SAP Business One with Alibaba Cloud’s scalable, secure and cost-efficient cloud infrastructure, this integrated cloud-based business management solution, is poised to provide SMEs in Asia with a powerful, scalable enterprise resource planning (ERP) system on the cloud without the need for substantial initial investment in IT infrastructure.

Leveraging Alibaba Cloud’s compute nest technology, the new solution offers more seamless integration of SAP Business One services with Alibaba Cloud, making it easier for SAP Business One partners to quickly deploy the solution for their customers on cloud. This synergy empowers SMEs to navigate market fluctuations with agility, optimize operational efficiency, and seize growth opportunities.

Given the increasing interest and demand from multinational companies operating in China, Alibaba Cloud is developing a Salesforce on Alibaba Cloud training course in China. The exclusive course is designed for multinational companies with a focus on using and mastering the Salesforce CRM platform, along with its integrated and localized features and products operating on and supported by Alibaba Cloud in China. Since its exclusive availability on Alibaba Cloud in China from the end of 2023, Salesforce has helped multinational brands meet the unique needs of the Chinese market while providing consistency for its global Salesforce products including Salesforce Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, and Salesforce Platform.

The training program offers customized offline sessions to teach essential skills and competences required for an administrator role on the platform of Salesforce on Alibaba Cloud. Tailored for beginners, the course is structured to ensure that participants become proficient in navigating and utilizing the system along with its localized features on Alibaba Cloud’s trusted cloud infrastructure. It enhances participants’ ability to migrate and integrate smoothly into the Salesforce ecosystem, thus driving more effective synergy and coordination within a global work environment. With the gradual rollout of the program widely, the program aims to equip over 10,000 participants with necessary skills to master the Salesforce platform in China by the end of 2025.

Digital Training with Global Education Institutes
Alibaba Cloud announced a new partnership with Demos Group, a leading corporate training provider in Europe. The two parties will launch a suite of Alibaba Cloud online courses, focusing on cloud computing, data analytics and AI, aimed at enhancing the digital competencies of Demos’ corporate clients’ workforce. Alibaba Cloud is also partnering with OxValue.AI, a deep-tech venture from the University of Oxford, to broaden the suite of Alibaba Cloud capabilities provided to end customers, including AI-driven valuation services.

Moreover, Alibaba Cloud is initiating collaborations with several international universities—University of Reading, Singapore University of Social Sciences, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Arovy University, University Saint Thomas Mozambique to introduce cloud computing and AI courses with the aim to cultivate a new generation of AI experts.

Thriving Collaboration to Support Global Customers
Alibaba Cloud has been chosen by a growing base of international customers for its trusted cloud computing capabilities and proven AI technologies, which play a pivotal role in their accelerated digital transformation journey and the pursuit of AI innovation:

  • LVMH Group, the world leader in high-quality products, and Alibaba Group announced an extended partnership to push further the boundary of luxury experience in China, leveraging Alibaba’s cloud technologies, through AI-powered innovations in retail and on-line with Tmall. In its pursuit of relentless innovation, LVMH has begun integrating Alibaba Cloud’s generative AI capabilities, including Qwen, Alibaba’s proprietary large language model, and Model Studio. This integration has paved the way for the creation of novel applications and services that underscore the luxury Maison’s commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation, harnessing cutting-edge technology to elevate its luxury offerings for global consumers, and fostering innovation-led growth within its global retail businesses.
  • FathomX, a digital health AI company emerging from the National University of Singapore, has utilized Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure to support its AI-driven breast cancer detection system. The partnership has led to a 27.6% annual reduction in infrastructure costs. This efficiency boost enables FathomX to expand operations and deliver sophisticated healthcare solutions worldwide.
  • International Canoe Federation (ICF): Alibaba Cloud has been helping the ICF to find ways to measure and improve the sustainability of its events around the world since they signed a strategic collaboration last year. Extending the strategic partnership, the ICF will explore the potential of employing Alibaba Cloud’s AI-driven ESG solutions to reduce environmental impact and carbon footprint at its events and jointly organise sustainable activities to promote collaborative efforts.


[1] SAP and SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries.

Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

Hashtag: #AlibabaCloud

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, big data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) services. Alibaba has been named the leading IaaS provider in Asia Pacific by revenue in U.S. dollars since 2018, according to Gartner. It has also maintained its position as one of the world’s leading public cloud IaaS service providers since 2018, according to IDC.

Surge in Cross-Border Tourism: Thailand Welcomes Over 300,000 Lao Nationals in Early 2024

Phuket, a famous tourist destination in Thailand. (Lets Phuket)

In a surge of cross-border tourism, Thailand welcomed over 300,000 Lao nationals in the first three months of this year. This influx has placed Laos among the top 10 countries for foreign tourist arrivals in Thailand, as reported by Thai media.

Constitutional Court of Thailand Agrees to Hear Case That Could Imperil Prime Minister

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin (Photo: AP)

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s Constitutional Court accepted a petition Thursday, 23 May, from members of the country’s outgoing Senate to begin an ethics probe against the prime minister over his appointment of a Cabinet member.

Inflation in Laos to Remain High All Year Long, Bank of Laos Says

Bank of the Lao PDR

Inflation will remain high through the end of 2024, making it impossible to reduce the inflation rate to a single-digit figure within this year, according to Bounleua Sinxayvoravong, the governor of the Bank of Laos (BOL).

‘Sheer Terror’: Passengers Describe Turbulence-Hit Flight That Put 20 in Intensive Care

‘Sheer Terror’: Passengers Describe Turbulence-Hit Flight That Put 20 in Intensive Care
The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft of Singapore Airlines, is parked after the SQ321 London-Singapore flight, that encountered severe turbulence, at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, near Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The Singapore Airlines flight descended 6,000 feet (around 1,800 meters) in about three minutes, the carrier said Tuesday. A British man died and authorities said dozens of passengers were injured, some severely. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

BANGKOK (AP) — Passengers on the Singapore Airlines flight that descended sharply after hitting severe turbulence described the “sheer terror” of the aircraft shuddering, loose items flying, and people wrenched so badly that 20 remained Wednesday in intensive care.

De Beers Group Reports on Progress Towards ‘Building Forever’ Sustainability Goals

2023 sustainability report communicates progress across key priority areas, focused on creating a positive impact in host countries and throughout the diamond value chain


HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 May 2024 – De Beers Group recently announced the progress towards its ‘Building Forever’ sustainability goals, with key highlights including achieving a target to engage 5,000 women and girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) two years early, agreeing to establish a flagship Diamonds For Development Fund in Botswana, progressing key renewable energy projects in support of recently-validated science-based emission reduction targets, and scaling the development of Tracr, the pioneering diamond traceability platform.

Caption

Established in 2020, ‘Building Forever’ is De Beers Group’s blueprint seeking to create a positive and sustainable impact for the people and places where its diamonds are discovered, closely aligned with stakeholder priorities. It encompasses four key focus areas where the company is working to support meaningful progress within its partner countries and the wider natural diamond value chain: leading ethical practices, partnering for thriving communities, protecting the natural world, and accelerating equal opportunity.

During 2023, De Beers continued to strengthen its relationships with government partners and a wide range of non-governmental organisations to support sustainable development outcomes in host communities. A major achievement was announcing a shared commitment with the Government of Botswana to set up a Diamonds for Development Fund as part of the agreement on a new 10-year sales agreement. With De Beers pledging an initial one billion Pula (~US$75 million), the Fund aims to support the country’s emerging knowledge-based economy and accelerate its long-term economic diversification.

Recognising the potential for increased gender parity to support economic growth, productivity, and resilience within host communities, De Beers also made significant strides towards advancing women and girls in its partner countries. This included achieving an interim target – two years early – of engaging 5,000 young women and girls in STEM activities through school workshops, undergraduate fellowships, scholarships and mentoring by 2025. The EntreprenHER programme, which aims to support women entrepreneurs in southern Africa to grow their businesses, also continued during 2023. The programme has supported 2,645 women business owners since launching in 2018 and a three-year extension of the programme was also approved.

In confronting pressing climate-related priorities, De Beers also progressed key renewable energy projects in line with its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, which were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) during 2023. This included working with Envusa Energy (a joint venture between Anglo American plc and EDF Renewables) to develop renewable energy infrastructure to provide 48 MW of power to the company’s Venetia mine in South Africa from 2025 and progressing planning for a 34 MW wind farm in Namibia. De Beers also held its inaugural Scope 3 supplier summit, mandating carbon reporting for the company’s Sightholders and securing commitments with key suppliers to work on aligned GHG reduction roadmaps.

In addition, De Beers continues to enhance its efforts on diamond provenance and traceability, a critical priority for the company, consumers and the industry at large. In 2023, De Beers expanded the pioneering blockchain platform, Tracr, opening it up to the wider industry and enabling participants to record a diamond’s journey from source to store. De Beers is now registering more than two-thirds of its global production by value on the platform, with 1.5 million individual diamonds registered during 2023, bringing the total registered on Tracr to two million. A range of key industry businesses also joined the platform in 2023.

Al Cook, Chief Executive Officer of De Beers Group, said: “Every stage of a natural diamond’s journey presents an opportunity to create a positive impact. We’ve long understood this at De Beers and it’s why our sustainability efforts are so closely aligned with the sustainable development priorities of our partner countries. Natural diamonds are a vital source of economic development for many millions of people. Through Building Forever, we’re working to ensure that every diamond we discover benefits the people and place it came from, with a priority focus on supporting community resilience, advancing women and girls and protecting nature.

“We continue our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint in line with our recently validated science-based emission reduction targets and are progressing investments in renewable energy to power our operations. Our leadership in diamond transparency and traceability also continued throughout 2023, underpinned by leading technologies, so that we can increasingly connect consumers with the provenance of their natural diamond and all the benefits it has delivered along its journey.”

De Beers Group’s full 2023 sustainability report is available to read here.

Hashtag: #DeBeers #NaturalDiamonds #buildingforever





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

About De Beers Group

Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services via De Beers Institute of Diamonds and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology systems via De Beers Group Ignite. De Beers Group is committed to ‘,’ a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; where communities thrive and the environment is protected; and where there are equal opportunities for all. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit .

Laos Expands Telecommunications Network, Reaching Remote Villages

Telecommunication tower (Photo: ECCIL EuroCham Laos)

Laos has achieved a big step in its telecommunications system by adding fiber optic cable that stretches 98,524 kilometers. This means more villages across the country can now get mobile phone signals.

Over 90 Lives Lost in April to Road Accidents, Drunk Driving Remains Major Factor

Road accidents (Photo: Traffic Police Department)

A total of 96 individuals lost their lives in road accidents across Laos in April, with a significant number of these collisions attributed to drunk driving. The Traffic Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security’s latest report highlighted a worrying trend, revealing 710 accidents in April alone—a notable increase from the previous month.