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Info-Tech Research Group Announces New Speakers to Share Transformative Strategies and Leadership Insights at Info-Tech LIVE 2024 Conference

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The upcoming Info-Tech LIVE 2024 conference is set to deliver transformative insights and strategies for today’s IT leaders. The expanded lineup of expert speakers for the September event in Las Vegas sets the stage for groundbreaking discussions on Exponential IT, leadership, and organizational transformation. Attendees will gain practical knowledge on managing technological change, cultivating next-gen IT leaders, and driving innovation to stay competitive in the digital age.

TORONTO, July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ – Info-Tech Research Group, a leading global IT research and advisory firm, has unveiled the next round of featured speakers for its upcoming Info-Tech LIVE 2024 conference. Taking place from September 17 to 19, 2024, at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, the highly anticipated annual industry event will bring together IT executives and professionals from around the world to explore the latest trends in technology and strategies for effective organizational transformation in the era of Exponential IT. The five newly announced speakers will join an already impressive lineup, including Founder & Executive Director of the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), Dr. Timnit Gebru, President of the Signal Foundation, Meredith Whittaker, and bestselling author Daniel Pink. Together, these thought leaders will provide valuable insights and strategies to drive innovation and leadership excellence.

“At Info-Tech LIVE 2024, our featured experts will delve into the transformative power of Exponential IT, providing attendees with actionable insights on driving effective organizational change and leadership,” says Gord Harrison, chief research officer at Info-Tech Research Group. “Our speakers will share strategies on successful transformation management, cultivating future IT leaders, and offering insights on leveraging advanced technologies to navigate the complexities of today’s tech landscape. This event is an unparalleled opportunity for IT leaders to equip themselves with the knowledge and tools needed to foster innovation and sustain growth in an increasingly competitive market.”

The latest featured experts announced for Info-Tech LIVE 2024 include:

Jack Hakimian, SVP, Research & Advisory Services
With over 30 years of experience in technology and management consulting, Jack Hakimian has served multi-billion-dollar organizations in various industries, including financial services, oil & gas, and telecommunications, as well as federal and state government institutions. Prior to joining Info-Tech, Jack worked for leading consulting firms such as Accenture, Deloitte, EY, and IBM. He has led digital business strategy engagements, corporate strategy, and M&A consulting services globally. Hakimian holds a master’s degree in computer engineering and an MBA from the ESCP European Business School.

Hakimian will give a feature keynote on the mainstage, titled “M&G 2.0: The Foundation to Exponential IT.”

He will also present two breakout sessions during the three-day event:

“Manage Mission-Critical Projects” for the Leadership Summit: Systematically Improve Your IT Department track.”M&G 2.0: What Has Changed” for the Exponential IT track.

Brittany Lutes, MSc. Research Director, CIO Practice
Brittany Lutes is a Research Director in the CIO Practice at Info-Tech Research Group. She collaborates with IT executives and functional IT leaders to develop visual representations of how their IT organizations will achieve strategic goals through an IT operating model and organizational structure. With a decade of experience in research, Lutes has contributed to various industry outlets such as CIO, InformationWeek, and Technology Magazine. She holds a Master of Science in Business and Economics from the University of Guelph and emphasizes a people-oriented approach within organizations.

Lutes is expected to present the keynote, “Crack the Code to Successful Transformation Management,” at LIVE 2024. This session will help IT leaders understand the change management process for transformations, the main challenges faced during a transformation, and key factors to succeed and realize the intended value.

She will also present the following breakout sessions:

“Building Strategic Relationships: The CIO’s Most Critical Role” for the Leadership Summit: Systematically Improve Your IT Department track.”Exponential IT: Discover Exponential IT’s Next-Generation Operating Model” for the Exponential IT track.

Carlene McCubbin, AVP, CIO Research
Carlene McCubbin is a skilled facilitator, researcher, and advisor, covering key topics in strategy, transformation, and leadership. She has worked with hundreds of clients across public and private sectors to design and execute effective IT organizational changes. Passionate about workforce development and the interconnectedness of employee, digital, and service experiences, McCubbin leads the research agenda at Info-Tech. She earned her Master of Communications Management from McGill University, focusing on internal and external communications, government relations, and change management.

For this year’s event, McCubbin will be giving two keynotes, including “Cultivating the Next Generation of IT Leaders” and “Build a Data-Driven Workforce Plan.”

She will also present the following sessions:

“Manage and Improve Core IT Capabilities” breakout session for the Exponential IT track.”AI Talent Debate: Should AI Skills Be Built Internally or Bought Externally?” expert panel for the AI Marketplace track.

Allison Straker, Research Advisory Director
Allison Straker brings two decades of experience in aligning business and IT through relationship management, user experience, business analysis, and consulting roles. She assists IT leaders and executives in better connecting IT and business, focusing on business relationship management, organizational design, experience design, and governance. Straker holds an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Human-Computer Interaction from the University of Toronto and advocates for the importance of understanding people when implementing technology.

Straker will speak on several panels at the conference, including:

“Bridging the Divide: Business Relationship Management for IT Leaders,” a client panel for the Value-Driven IT track.”Leading in Uncertainty: Navigating the Glass Cliff,” a client panel for the Black Professionals in IT track.

Tom Zehren, Chief Executive Officer
Tom Zehren, the chief executive officer of Info-Tech Research Group, initially joined the firm as chief product officer in 2022. Before joining Info-Tech, he spent a decade with McKinsey & Company. Zehren holds a summa cum laude Ph.D. and has served as faculty in Technology Management at the Technical University of Dortmund, Germany. He has also been a pro bono advisor to Ashoka Globalizer Summit Fellows and other fast-growing technology firms and VC funds across the US, Canada, and Germany.

At LIVE 2024, Zehren will present the feature keynote, “Exponential IT in Motion: Transform Your Organization by Transforming IT,” where he will share the firm’s findings on the impact of recent technological change on the IT capability stack and insights on how IT departments can keep pace with the law of accelerating returns.

To view full session descriptions and to register for Info-Tech Research Group’s annual IT conference, visit Info-Tech LIVE 2024.

Updates and new details about speakers, agendas, and exclusive event experiences can also be found via LinkedIn and X over the coming weeks.

Other Recent Speaker Announcements for Info-Tech LIVE 2024

Info-Tech Research Group Reveals Dr. Timnit Gebru and Meredith Whittaker to Be Keynote Speakers at LIVE 2024 IT ConferenceInfo-Tech LIVE 2024: Featured Experts Announced to Unveil Key 2025 AI, Next-Gen IT, and Tech Trends at September Event in Las VegasBestselling Author Daniel Pink to Keynote at Info-Tech LIVE 2024, Highlighting Behavioral Science and Creativity in IT Transformation

Media Passes for Info-Tech LIVE 2024

Taking place September 17 to 19, 2024, at the iconic Bellagio in Las Vegas, this premier event offers journalists, podcasters, and media influencers access to exclusive content, the latest IT research and trends, and the opportunity to interview industry experts, analysts, and speakers. To apply for media passes to cover the insights presented at Info-Tech LIVE or to gain access to research and expert insights on trending topics, please contact pr@infotech.com.

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world’s leading research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 professionals. The company produces unbiased, highly relevant research and provides advisory services to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

To learn more about Info-Tech’s divisions, visit McLean & Company for HR research and advisory services and SoftwareReviews for software-buying insights. 

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.

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SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group

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Zifo Transforms Ontology Engineering with AI-Powered Intelligent Automation

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Advanced AI solution speeds up ontology creation by 80%, generating structured, interoperable knowledge models for science-driven organizations.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and CAMBRIDGE, England, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Zifo, the leading global enabler of AI and data-driven enterprise informatics for science-driven organizations, has developed an Intelligent Automation solution for Ontology Engineering, which is designed to seamlessly generate structured, interoperable knowledge models while accelerating ontology creation by 80%.

Overcoming the Bottlenecks of Manual Ontology Creation

Manual ontology creation in the biopharma industry has traditionally been a time-consuming process that requires specialized expertise. Organizations frequently struggle with semantic ambiguity, complex integration challenges, and limited scalability, resulting in workflows that can take weeks to complete. Zifo’s AI-powered automation tackles these challenges head-on by eliminating 80% of the manual work through automated class generation, description creation, and precise IRI mapping.

Addressing the Complexities of Semantic Knowledge

Developing comprehensive knowledge models often demands deep domain expertise to define relationships and align terminology. Zifo’s intelligent solution overcomes this by providing an AI-guided workflow featuring an intuitive interface, meaning specialized ontology engineering knowledge is no longer required. By leveraging LLM-powered generation, the solution creates precise definitions with a deep understanding of domain-specific context, while generating standardized synonyms and establishing controlled vocabulary alignment to eliminate inconsistent terminology.

A Solution Designed for Scalable Scientific Data Modeling

The AI-powered solution addresses critical format compatibility and integration points in ontology management:

Seamless Integration: Automated mapping connects directly to established ontologies, including NCIT, CHEBI, OBI, and EFO, via BioPortal and OLS APIs.Massive Scalability: Parallel processing and batch operations empower teams to execute large-scale ontology projects without performance limitations.Automated Hierarchies: The AI autonomously generates semantic relationships and parent-child hierarchies based on domain context and predefined relation vocabularies.Format Compatibility: The solution produces direct OWL/RDF exports with proper URIs, ensuring seamless downstream integration.

Unique Features include:

Multi-Source Integration: The solution combines BioPortal, OLS, and EMBL-EBI APIs to guarantee comprehensive ontology coverage.Intelligent Ranking System: The system uses AI-powered relevance scoring and justification for precise ontology mappings.Precise IRI Mapping: It ensures that each generated class is linked to the correct IRI, directly promoting semantic web compatibility.Human-in-the-Loop Design: The solution automates repetitive tasks while maintaining vital expert oversight.End-to-End Workflow: Users are guided through a complete pipeline, from initial domain knowledge input straight to exportable OWL files.Visual Knowledge Graph: An interactive graph visualization allows for intuitive relationship exploration and validation.Multi-Format Exports: Provides seamless export options in CSV, OWL, or HTML Ontograph formats for downstream use, collaboration, and visualization.

Strategic Value Across the Scientific Chain

This solution breaks down the traditional barriers of data structuring. Built on a robust backend of Python, LangChain, and leading LLM models, alongside a frontend framework using Next.js 15 and Cytoscape.js for graph visualization, the solution is highly adaptable. Furthermore, future optimization enhancements will include provisions for uploading user-defined classes or semi-ready ontologies.

About Zifo

Zifo is the leading global enabler of AI and data-driven enterprise informatics for science-driven organizations. With expertise spanning research, development, manufacturing, and clinical domains, Zifo serves a diverse range of industries including Pharma, Biotech, Chemicals, Food and Beverage, and more. Trusted by over 190 organizations worldwide, Zifo is the partner of choice for advancing digital scientific innovation.

For more information, visit www.zifornd.comhttps://zifornd.com/practical-ai-blueprints/

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2731415/Zifo_Technologies_Logo.jpg

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zifo-transforms-ontology-engineering-with-ai-powered-intelligent-automation-302758975.html

SOURCE Zifo Technologies

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UNC-Chapel Hill establishes ‘Carolina in the Capital’ with new Washington, D.C. office

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C., April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has opened a new office in Washington, D.C., establishing an expanded presence for the University in the nation’s capital and creating exciting opportunities for students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Located at 101 Constitution Avenue NW, the 10,861-square-foot space – coined “Carolina in the Capital” – will support a variety of functions, including educational programming for undergraduate and graduate students, alumni relations and engagement with government partners.

As a leading R1 university, UNC-Chapel Hill annually attracts more than $1.6 billion to the state’s economy to fund research that creates a better quality of life for all its citizens. More than 60% of UNC-Chapel Hill’s total research funding comes from federal sponsors with the majority of that federal funding coming from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is based in the Washington area.

“Carolina in the Capital is a state-of-the-art facility that reflects our commitment to creating experiential learning opportunities for our students and faculty,” said Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. “The space is designed as an immersive learning environment where students can translate classroom knowledge into hands-on experience, which has never been more important. The facility also strengthens our ability to support engagement between our staff, alumni, policymakers and partners.”

Supporting students participating in Carolina’s Washington-based academic programs is a priority. For years, students and faculty have relied on temporary or borrowed spaces across the city. The new office provides a permanent home where students can gather, learn and build community while living and studying in Washington. A robust schedule of classes and events will fill the space throughout the year.

The Washington, D.C. region is home to the largest concentration of out-of-state Carolina alumni anywhere in the country. The new office creates a dedicated space to strengthen those connections and support networking, mentorship, professional development and community-building among D.C.-based Tar Heels.

The space will also serve as a platform to bring Carolina’s research and academic expertise into closer conversation with policymakers, industry leaders and member organizations. Carolina is the nation’s 11th largest university in the country based on research volume with primary federal funding coming from NIH and the National Science Foundation (NSF), both based in the D.C. area. Carolina is a proud member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public & Land Grant Universities (APLU), which are both based in Washington.

The office is funded entirely through the UNC-Chapel Hill Foundation and does not use any state appropriations.

You can view additional photos of the space here.

Media Contact: UNC Media Relations, 919-445-8555, mediarelations@unc.edu

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SOURCE University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Office of Communications

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Investing.com Acquires Stonki to Accelerate Its Entry into the Agentic AI Era

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The acquisition strengthens Investing.com’s AI capabilities, advancing a next-generation research assistant that can analyze markets, generate insights, and guide investors in real time

NEW YORK, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Investing.com, one of the world’s largest financial platforms used by more than 60 million investors each month, today announced the acquisition of Stonki, an AI-powered investing assistant designed to help traders turn ideas into structured, actionable trading plans.

The move marks a major step in the company’s evolution toward agentic AI, strengthening its ability to deliver faster, deeper, and more actionable market insights to a growing base of more than 300,000 paying subscribers across its InvestingPro suite, the company’s premium subscription offering for advanced market data, tools, and AI-driven insights.

Over the past 12 months, nearly 3 million users have used WarrenAI, Investing.com’s AI-powered financial research assistant launched last year, to perform market analysis, making AI a central entry point into the platform’s ecosystem. With the addition of Stonki, the company is moving beyond traditional AI tools toward agentic systems that can proactively guide users through the investment process.

“We’re entering the age of agentic AI, where the technology moves beyond just answering questions to actively helping investors think, analyze, and act,” said Omer Shvili, CEO of Investing.com. “Bringing Stonki.ai into the fold accelerates our goal of building an agentic platform that will serve as a 24/7 analyst for our users. We are developing this to be more than just a tool; it will be a partner that identifies opportunities, tracks unfolding situations, and surfaces trade ideas even when the user isn’t active—giving our users the kind of edge that was previously only available to professional investors.”

Founded in 2025, Stonki is developing a new category of ‘agentic’ AI for investing, enabling users to turn investment ideas into fully defined strategies with entry and exit conditions, risk management rules, and continuous monitoring.

“We started Stonki because, as investors and traders ourselves, we knew how much time and focus it takes to stay on top of the market and properly manage a day trade, a swing trade, an investment idea, or a portfolio,” said Ulas Bilgenoglu and Itay Verkh, co-founders of Stonki. “We set out to build AI that could carry part of that load by continuously monitoring the market, turning ideas into structured strategies, and helping users make better decisions with clear entry and exit conditions, disciplined risk management, and ongoing tracking. Joining Investing.com gives us the scale, data, reach, and strong AI foundation to accelerate that vision. Together, we can create an experience where AI helps users stay ahead of the market, manage risk, and act with greater confidence.”

The acquisition expands Investing.com’s AI capabilities across both technical and fundamental investing workflows. Stonki’s technology is built around persistent, real-time intelligence, continuously monitoring markets, tracking user-defined strategies, and alerting investors when conditions align, rather than relying on one-off prompts or static analysis.

For active traders, the platform is evolving into a real-time analysis engine designed to support high-frequency decision-making with precision and speed. For long-term investors, it is becoming a central hub for research, enabling users to evaluate opportunities, set personalized alerts, and monitor portfolios based on their individual investment strategies.

Users will be able to define specific conditions, such as a stock crossing a long-term moving average, and have the AI continuously monitor the market, analyze relevant signals, and surface actionable insights in real time. The system will also review portfolios on an ongoing basis, helping investors avoid potential losses and uncover new opportunities aligned with their strategy.

This latest step builds on Investing.com’s broader strategy of expanding its AI-powered suite, including WarrenAI, ProPicks AI, and its recently launched AI Chart Analysis, all aimed at delivering faster, more accurate and more actionable insights to investors.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/investingcom-acquires-stonki-to-accelerate-its-entry-into-the-agentic-ai-era-302756588.html

SOURCE Investing.com

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