Purpose-built to enable organizations to deploy their own secured, compliant and automated environments for AI-ready sovereign workloads

ARMONK, N.Y., Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced IBM Sovereign Core, the industry’s first AI-ready sovereign-enabled software for enterprises, governments and service providers to build, deploy and manage AI-ready sovereign environments. Organizations around the world are facing a growing imperative to exercise control over their technology infrastructure. Driven by evolving regulatory requirements, and the need for auditable governance, enterprises and governments are seeking self-managed environments where they maintain complete operational authority, particularly as they deploy AI workloads that amplify sovereignty concerns.

IBM Corporation logo.

Digital sovereignty goes beyond data residency. It encompasses who operates and controls the technology environment, how data is accessed and governed, where workloads execute, and under whose jurisdiction AI models run. Yet most organizations lack a destination to land, modernize, and re-host applications under sovereign control, including applications that will incorporate AI capabilities, and have continuous compliance reporting capabilities. “Gartner® predicts that more than 75% of all enterprises will have a digital sovereignty strategy by 2030, often sovereign cloud strategies¹.”

“Businesses are facing growing pressure to innovate while meeting tightening regulatory requirements and recognizing the importance of controlling how sensitive data and AI workloads are accessed and operated,” said Priya Srinivasan, General Manager, IBM Software Products. “This shift is creating an urgent need for sovereign solutions that deliver AI-ready environments. With IBM Sovereign Core, we are helping clients move faster and with confidence— combining openness, compliance, and operational autonomy to meet the demands of the AI era, without the need to sacrifice sovereignty requirements.”

Sovereignty as a Software Foundation

IBM Sovereign Core will help customers achieve verifiable sovereignty and full operational control. Sovereign Core is purpose-built software to build, deploy, and manage cloud-native and AI workloads under an organization’s own authority, within chosen jurisdictions, built on Red Hat’s open source foundation. Unlike approaches that layer sovereignty controls onto existing architectures, Sovereign Core makes sovereignty an inherent property of the software itself. Organizations can gain:

• Customer-operated control plane: organizations maintain direct operational authority over software operations, deployment decisions, and system configurations without intermediation from a vendor not in region.
• In-boundary identity and keys: all authentication, authorization, encryption keys, and access management remain within jurisdiction boundaries under customer control.
• Ongoing compliance enablement and generated evidence of continuous compliance: comprehensive operational data, system telemetry, and audit trails are generated, stored, and managed within the sovereign boundary, including automated identity.
• Governed AI inference: AI model deployment and hosting, local GPU clusters, local inference execution and agent operations occur under local governance with traceability and oversight, without exporting data to external providers.
• Ease of deployment: delivering sovereignty at scale with consistency and flexibility allowing organizations to stand up isolated environments with built-in multitenancy capabilities within a matter of days of deployment; choice of hardware and infrastructure.

“The sovereign AI conversation has focused on data residency, but that’s only part of the equation,” said Sanjeev Mohan, Principal, SanjMo. “IBM Sovereign Core addresses the harder question: who controls the system and can you prove it to regulators? IBM takes a holistic approach spanning data, operations, technology, and assurance, with continuous monitoring. As AI moves into production, that kind of ongoing accountability becomes non-negotiable.”

“AI is accelerating the pace at which sovereignty questions move from theory to daily operations,” said Erik Fish, Director of Geotechnology at Eurasia Group. “As geopolitics, regulation, and data governance increasingly converge, governments and enterprises must move while demonstrating clear control over critical data and infrastructure. The challenge is no longer a trade-off between openness and sovereignty, but governing data, access, and infrastructure amid growing regulatory and geopolitical constraints.” 

Operational Independence Through Environment Choice

Customers can deploy IBM Sovereign Core in the environment of their choice – whether in on-premises data centers, supported in-region cloud infrastructure or through IT Service Providers. IBM is collaborating with IT Service Providers globally, starting with an initial rollout in Europe with Cegeka in Belgium and the Netherlands and Computacenter in Germany. These partnerships allow local operational independence and compliance management, while enabling IT Service Providers to offer differentiated sovereign services to enterprises preparing for and running AI-scale workloads.

“As organizations navigate increasingly complex compliance and regulatory requirements, we’re seeing strong demand for digital platforms and software that allows sensitive data to remain within controlled, compliant boundaries,” said Gaetan Willems, VP Cloud & Digital Platforms, Cegeka. “Partnering with IBM to offer a pre-architected solution through our in-country environment enables us to deliver enterprise-ready software to our clients, while allowing them to address local compliance standards.”

“With IBM Sovereign Core, we can focus on configuring the software to each client’s specific use cases rather than spending months piecing together disparate components and validating sovereignty controls,” said Christian Schreiner, Unit Director Cloud, Computacenter. “It can significantly accelerate our time-to-value and let us help clients who previously couldn’t consider AI solutions at all.”

IBM Sovereign Core Availability

Starting in February, IBM Sovereign Core will be available in tech preview, with full general availability planned for mid-year 2026. At GA, additional capabilities will be introduced.

To learn more about IBM Sovereign Core, read our blog here, and join us virtually for the IBM Tech Summit, January 27, register here.  To join the waitlist for IBM Sovereign Core Tech Preview, visit here.

IBM’s statements regarding its plans, directions, and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice at IBM’s sole discretion. Information regarding potential future products is intended to outline our general product direction and it should not be relied on in making a purchasing decision.

About IBM

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

¹ Gartner, The Future of Cloud in 2030: AI-Enabling Cloud Services. 6 August 2025, Dennis Smith. Al. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Contact:
Michele Brancati
mbrancati@ibm.com

Cognizant’s study shows AI is accelerating faster than projected, with 93% of jobs potentially affected today

Findings also point to the limits of AI’s impact, with skilling and human judgment playing a critical role in how organizations capture AI’s full value

TEANECK, N.J., Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cognizant today announced the release of “New Work, New World 2026,” providing fresh analysis on how artificial intelligence (AI) will impact work and jobs. Building on the original report’s release in 2024, the new research reveals AI is changing the workforce faster than previously reported: it’s now capable of handling $4.5 trillion in U.S. work tasks and impacting potentially 93% of jobs today. However, the report also underscores that AI is not a blanket solution for advancing labor productivity: human involvement and adaptable operations continue to be vital to capturing the full value potential of AI.

Cognizant’s new research reveals AI is changing the workforce faster than previously reported, but humans are still essential.

Cognizant’s analysis for New Work, New World 2026 is based on a reassessment of 18,000 tasks and 1,000 jobs in the O*NET labor database, with a focus on how jobs and tasks could be assisted or automated by AI. Specifically, the new study points to an accelerated pace of change in “exposure scores”—the degree to which a job can be assisted or automated by AI—and highlights how those evolving changes can influence labor and enterprise success.

“We’re seeing significant capital flow into AI, and the rapid adoption of these technologies is reshaping the workplace,” says Ravi Kumar S, CEO of Cognizant. “Our research shows that enterprises could unleash $4.5 trillion in labor productivity today. However, turning that investment into meaningful results takes more than raw technology power. Businesses must also integrate contextual intelligence, build flexible systems that can absorb new AI capabilities, and prioritize human learning and development alongside technological advancements. Companies that focus on these essentials will unlock the true value of AI.”

Kumar continues: “Human skilling becomes the bridge through which today’s AI spending translates into tomorrow’s tangible results. AI’s promise is realized when we empower our workforce with digital fluency, adaptability and continuous learning, while ensuring AI solutions are deeply contextualized to unique business challenges. As a result, new job roles will emerge to harness this opportunity.”

Cognizant’s “New Work, New World 2026” report reaffirms that human knowledge and judgment remain essential to harnessing AI’s full potential. It emphasizes that much of AI’s value potential remains untapped without the power of human intelligence and involvement. There is still much work left to be done by human hands across job tasks that AI may never assist with, let alone automate. The potential of AI resides in skilling workers and freeing them up for higher order thinking—creative agility, fresh thinking and novel ideas that can transform business operations. 

Other key highlights from the report’s findings include:

• AI is changing theworkforce far more quickly than projected: The report finds the average exposure score across jobs is 39% today, which is 30% higher than what the original forecast was for 2032. This means more tasks can be assisted or automated by AI, sooner than originally predicted. These exposure scores are also now increasing by 9% annually, compared with 2% in the original research. Some notable changes in exposure scores across jobs include legal (from 9% to 63%), education (from 11% to 49%), healthcare practitioners (from 10% to 39%) and C-suite roles, including CEO (from 25% to 60%).
• Knowledge work is not disappearing, nor is manual work completely insulated: The impact of AI is evolving across sectors. Roles in computer and mathematics, once seen as highly exposed to AI, no longer top the report’s exposure scores – indicating rapid advancements in AI may have reached their limits in some knowledge work areas. Meanwhile, the research reveals AI could significantly impact manual labor jobs at a faster rate than previously understood. For example, the exposure score for transportation rose from 6% to 25%, and in construction it rose from 4% to 12%.
• All told, AI can perform $4.5T in labor productivity today across a wide variety of roles: Through increased automation, AI has the potential to deliver significant value to businesses and the economy today. According to the new report, fewer tasks are left untouched by automation. The percentage of tasks that are non-automatable by AI has plummeted, from 57% on average across tasks in 2023 to 32% today.
• Simultaneously, realizing full AI value from labor is not a one-size-fits-all strategy: The report revealed AI is unable to automate upwards of 40% of management, business/ financial operations and administrative tasks, signaling a critical reality: AI alone can’t fully replace humans, and human expertise and collaboration remain indispensable. To tap into the $4.5T in labor productivity, businesses must create flexible operating models that can adapt to new and evolving AI capabilities. They must also treat workforce learning as a rapid response mechanism so employees can continuously keep pace with change and effectively leverage AI to deliver meaningful growth.

To read the full report, visit the website here.

About Cognizant:
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) engineers modern businesses. We help our clients modernize technology, reimagine processes and transform experiences so they can stay ahead in our fast-changing world. Together, we’re improving everyday life. See how at www.cognizant.com or @cognizant.

Cognizant remains committed to empowering the next generation of talent through its Synapse program, which aims to reach two million individuals globally by 2030, creating new pathways to opportunity and preparing the workforce for the jobs of the future. To learn more about Cognizant’s Synapse skilling initiative, visit the website here.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes statements that may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied forward-looking statements relating to the adoption of AI and the labor value of such adoption, the effects and speed of impact of AI on the workforce and the economy and the effectiveness of businesses’ efforts to capture the full potential of AI through skilling and human involvement. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are the findings of the studies discussed above and remain subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Factors that could cause outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied include general economic conditions, the impact of technological development and competition, the competitive and rapidly changing nature of the markets we compete in, the competitive marketplace for talent and its impact on employee recruitment and retention, and the other factors discussed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cognizant undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities law.

For more information, contact:

HSINCHU, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — oToBrite is showcasing its Vision-AI–based automotive solutions at Automotive World Tokyo 2026, highlighting intelligent perception technologies that support ADAS and autonomous driving applications, while continuing to enhance passenger safety.

At the exhibition, oToBrite presents its 1–8MP automotive-grade GMSL2 camera module portfolio, designed to address imaging requirements across commercial vehicles, passenger cars, unmanned vehicles, and robotics.

On the system level, oToBrite showcases its advanced Level 4 Vision-AI technologies for closed environments, integrating non-semantic and semantic VSLAM to support a wide range of parking environments, including both indoor and outdoor parking facilities. Through this fusion approach, the system enables memory-based mapping, vehicle localization, and vehicle summon functions, demonstrating Vision-AI as a core technological advantage in intelligent parking and autonomous driving applications.

A key highlight at the booth is SafeZone, oToBrite’s CES Innovation Award–winning Vision-AI anti-pinch sensing system for bus doors, which extends Vision-AI applications from vehicle safety into real-world passenger environments.

Designed specifically to enhance bus door safety, SafeZone uses AI-based image recognition to accurately detect passengers even in crowded conditions, when umbrellas are present, or when only parts of the body are visible. The system effectively reduces the risk of door-related injuries and has already been deployed by public bus operators in Taiwan.

Among other system solutions, oToGuard 2.0 is the world’s first single-platform solution capable of fully supporting Level 0 to Level 2+ ADAS, while complying with major international regulations, including UN R130, R151, R158, R159, and UN R79 (CSF, ACSF-B1, ESF, ACSF-C). The solution delivers comprehensive safety and intelligent driving capabilities for commercial fleets, heavy-duty vehicles, and electric buses.

For robotics and unmanned vehicle applications, oToSLAM enables high-precision positioning and 3D environmental perception using Vision-AI technology with four Around View Monitoring (AVM) camera modules and a single ECU, effectively accelerating autonomous driving deployment in specialized application scenarios.

Notably, in the passenger vehicle segment, oToParking integrates both the mass-produced Automated Parking Assist (APA) function and the fully developed Autonomous Valet Parking (AVP) function into its solution, enabling Level 4 autonomous driving in low-speed, closed environments.

As autonomous driving continues to evolve, and as visual perception demands increase across passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, unmanned vehicles, and robotics, all featured products and Vision-AI technologies are on display at Automotive World Tokyo 2026, Booth W5-41.

SINGAPORE, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Visa, a world leader in digital payments, announced its support for Chinese Visa cardholders to pay with Apple Pay. Together with Apple, Visa will enable Chinese cardholders to add Visa cards^[1] from participating banks to Apple Pay and make payments at overseas Visa-accepting merchants, in-store, in-app and online. Today, 79 percent^[2] of in-person transactions globally are made contactlessly with NFC.

Yin Xiaolong, General Manager at Visa Mainland China, said: “As global digital payments develop rapidly, consumers increasingly expect mobile payment solutions that are smartphone-based and interoperable. Visa has long been committed to providing Chinese cardholders with diverse payment options, enabling them to enjoy a secure and seamless payment experience wherever they are. Upholding our long‑standing commitment to the Chinese market and to our cardholders, Visa is increasing its investments in data and payment security, launching tokenization services and taking the lead in enabling their use in cross‑border scenarios. We are delighted to work with Apple and financial institutions to bring Chinese cardholders a safer and more convenient new mobile payment experience.”

The first batch of supporting issuing banks includes Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of Communications, China Merchants Bank, China CITIC Bank, Ping An Bank and Industrial Bank. Visa and Apple are working closely with more banking partners, including Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, China Construction Bank, China Minsheng Bank and China Everbright Bank, and related features will be rolled out in the future.

Easy Payments Online and Offline

When using Apple Pay for in-store payments, consumers simply double-click the side button, authenticate, and hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the payment terminal for contactless payment. Every Apple Pay transaction requires secure authentication using Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode, and the result is sent to the issuing bank as a one-time dynamic security transaction code, putting transaction security firmly in the hands of the consumer.

Consumers can also use Apple Pay on iPhone and iPad for faster, more convenient payments in overseas mobile apps or online websites, without the need to create accounts or repeatedly entering contact information, card numbers, shipping, and billing details.

Built-in Privacy and Security Protection

Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. When adding Visa cards, the actual card number is neither stored on the device nor on Apple’s servers. Instead, the system assigns a unique Device Account Number generated using Visa’s tokenization technology, encrypts it, and stores it securely in the device’s Secure Element. This is an industry-standard certified chip designed specifically to securely store payment information on the device.

Quick Setup, Easy to add  Visa Cards

Setting up Apple Pay is simple. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone, tap the plus sign, then follow the prompts to navigate to your bank’s app and add your Visa card, or add your Visa card directly to Apple Wallet via your bank’s app. Once the card is added to your iPhone, Apple Watch, or iPad, you can immediately start using Apple Pay on that device.

Cardholders continue to enjoy the same rewards and benefits as with their physical cards. In addition, Visa has launched exclusive offers such as first-time binding bonuses and transportation perks, covering travel abroad and overseas living scenarios. Cardholders can visit the Visa “V Select” WeChat Mini Program for more information on benefits.

For more information about Visa, please visit: www.visa.cn/pay-with-visa/featured-technologies/applepay.html

For more information about Apple Pay, please visit: https://www.apple.com/cn/apple-pay/

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, sellers, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.cn.

SHANGHAI, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CLO Virtual Fashion (“CLO”), a leading provider of 3D fashion technology and end-to-end digital solutions, today announced that it has obtained a final and binding judgment from the Zhejiang Provincial High People’s Court in a computer software copyright infringement lawsuit against Zhejiang Lingdi Digital Technology Co. Ltd. (“Linctex”), the company behind Style3D. This ruling brings closure to a multi-year legal dispute, providing robust judicial protection for CLO’s core intellectual property. It underscores China’s firm commitment to strengthening IP protection and improving the business environment, while setting a significant industry benchmark for fair competition.

According to the final judgment by the Zhejiang Provincial High People’s Court, after thorough examination, the court clearly established that Linctex engaged in willful infringement by “prolonged, large-scale, and frequent” use of cracked versions of CLO software in its commercial operations. This activity directly infringed upon CLO’s legally protected computer software copyright. The court lawfully dismissed Linctex’s “fair use” defense, clarifying that the use had a direct commercial purpose. The judgment is now legally effective, providing final and comprehensive judicial protection for CLO’s legitimate rights and interests.

“We sincerely respect and thank the Chinese judicial authorities affirming the severity of the violations. This outcome fully reflects the importance China places on intellectual property protection. It sends a crucial signal to the entire industry about respecting and adhering to the rules, and it strengthens our convictions about deepening our commitment to the Chinese market,” said Simon Kim, CEO of CLO Virtual Fashion. “We pursued this case to protect not only our own innovations but the stability of the entire digital fashion ecosystem. Brands and companies need to know that the tools they rely on are stable, secure, and built on sound foundations.”

Kim further emphasized, “CLO’s commitment to the Chinese market is long-term and steadfast. Moving forward, we will continue to empower the digital transformation of China’s fashion industry through localized product development, responsive technical support, and deep collaboration with ecosystem partners.”

Linctex has been ordered to immediately cease all infringing activities and compensate CLO. CLO remains committed to its global anti-piracy efforts, ensuring a fair, competitive, and secure environment for all creators and enterprises in the digital fashion space.

About CLO Virtual Fashion

Evolved from the word “clothing”, CLO Virtual Fashion has been transforming and innovating the way people communicate and consume fashion since its launch in 2009. With more than 15 years of research and development in garment simulation, the company is leading the market by digitally merging, consolidating, and converging all components related to digital garments through its state-of-the-art 3D Cloth Simulation Algorithm. From 3D garment design software, digital asset management and design development collaborative platforms, all of CLO Virtual Fashion’s products and services are interconnected to provide clients and users with a more consolidated experience.