Connect with us

Technology

AI adoption accelerates across Asia Pacific, strategic data management remains key: New Digital Realty study

Published

on

Robust and sustainable infrastructure essential to maximize AI investments

SINGAPORE, Nov. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), the largest global provider of cloud and carrier-neutral data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions, today released the Asia Pacific findings of its 2024 Global Data Insights Survey, highlighting a significant surge in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption among enterprises in the region. The report is aimed at gaining insights into how enterprises are creating business strategies and redesigning legacy IT infrastructures to support their AI ambitions and goals.

The survey of 2,000 IT leaders across 21 countries including Australia, India, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea found that although many enterprises in Singapore (46%), South Korea (66%), and Hong Kong (45%) rate themselves as mature in AI adoption, only a quarter of enterprises in the region consider their current AI use to be transformative. This suggests a strong need for greater investment in digital infrastructure to unlock AI’s full potential.

IT leaders across Asia Pacific acknowledge the essential role of strategic data management in effectively unlocking the full value of AI. The survey revealed that 65% of companies in the region are actively executing a formal data strategy for their current or planned IT locations, with 77% of Asia Pacific companies adopting a distributed data approach to tackle data gravity challenges.

72% of enterprises are incorporating data location strategies into their AI plans, allowing them to place high-density storage and processing capacity in key locations to maximize AI’s performance. Additionally, 56% plan to expand their infrastructure in one to five more locations within the next two years. This expansion will enable adherence to data sovereignty regulations, and allow them to scale AI workloads crucial for their future digital infrastructure plans.

As organizations prioritize data-driven initiatives, further investment in digital infrastructure is necessary to fully harness the potential of AI. Infrastructure hurdles continue to impede the success of AI investments in the region, with over half (56%) of Asia Pacific enterprises lacking the digital infrastructure required for both data and AI success.

Key infrastructure challenges include:

Insufficient data storage for large AI datasets (64%)Inadequate computational power for AI processing (55%)Ensuring reliable connections to distributed data sources (49%)

To achieve data and AI success, IT leaders in Asia Pacific emphasize the need for data center providers to enable secure data exchange between users, networks, clouds, and IT providers on a single data center platform. Key requirements they shared include:

Infrastructure capable of managing AI’s power and energy demands for data storage, processing, and hosting (51%)Proximity of high-performing AI workloads to data and users (46%)Compliance with AI and data privacy regulations (45%)

Sustainability is also a top priority in Asia Pacific, with 59% of respondents stating that their sustainability goals are the most important factor impacting AI strategy.

Serene Nah, Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific for Digital Realty, commented, “In Asia Pacific, the race to harness AI’s power is accelerating. Businesses are realizing that AI is not just a buzzword, but a strategic imperative for driving innovation and growth. The key to success lies in a data-centric infrastructure that can seamlessly integrate data from various sources, deliver high-performance computing, and ensure robust connectivity. By prioritizing sustainability and leveraging cutting-edge technologies, organizations can unlock the full potential of AI while minimizing environmental impact.”

About Digital Realty
Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL®, the company’s global data center platform, provides customers with a secure data meeting place and a proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx®) solution methodology for powering innovation and efficiently managing Data Gravity challenges. Digital Realty gives its customers access to the connected data communities that matter to them with a global data center footprint of 300+ facilities in 50+ metros across 25+ countries on six continents. To learn more about Digital Realty, please visit digitalrealty.com or follow us on LinkedIn and X.

About the Global Data Insights Survey
Online survey of 34 questions conducted between October 30 and December 4, 2023, with targeted respondents in companies ranging from sub-$100 million small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to multinational corporations with over $1 billion in annual revenue, from 21 countries in the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.

For Additional Information

Media Contacts
Sin Huay Ho
Digital Realty
+65 8125 8380
shho@digitalrealty.com 

Investor Relations
Jordan Sadler / Jim Huseby
Digital Realty
+1 415 275 5344
InvestorRelations@digitalrealty.com 

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially, including the company’s strategy, the Asia-Pacific market, sustainability program and goals, the role of artificial intelligence, expected growth in digital transformation, and customer demand. For a list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/ai-adoption-accelerates-across-asia-pacific-strategic-data-management-remains-key-new-digital-realty-study-302294981.html

SOURCE Digital Realty

Continue Reading

Technology

Chelsea FC announces multi-year sleeve partnership with Sokin, the business payments and FX platform

Published

on

By

Chelsea FC name fast-growing fintech platform as Principal Partner

LONDON, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Chelsea Football Club has today announced a multi-year partnership with Sokin, the embedded finance and payments company used by businesses worldwide. Sokin will be named a Principal Partner and Official Business Payments and FX Partner of Chelsea FC and Chelsea FC Women.

As a Principal Partner, Sokin will be represented on the sleeves of the Chelsea FC men’s, women’s and academy home, away, and third kits from the 2026/27 season.

The partnership brings together two ambitious London-headquartered organisations with worldwide reach – a club with millions of fans across the world and a fintech platform through which businesses move more than $11 billion a year. A club of Chelsea’s scale works in many currencies every day, with partners, competitions and supporters around the world, and needs a financial partner built to handle that.

Sokin gives finance teams business payments, multi-currency accounts, foreign exchange, checkout and treasury in one place, so they spend less time juggling banks and providers and keep more of what they move.

As Official Business Payments and FX Partner, Sokin will simplify how Chelsea FC sends, receives and manages money in the currencies the club operates in.

The Sokin logo will feature on the sleeve of the Chelsea shirt for the first time [when the men’s team host Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 24th October.]

Jason Gannon, President at Chelsea FC said:

“At Chelsea, we seek to partner with organisations that share our ambition and innovative mindset. Sokin’s expertise in business payments, and their focus on making both simpler for the businesses they serve, makes them a natural fit for the Club. We are pleased to welcome Sokin to the Chelsea family and look forward to working together in the years ahead.”

Vroon Modgill, CEO and founder at Sokin said:

“Chelsea plays on the biggest stage in world football, and its business runs in dozens of currencies. Sokin was built for that with regulated, multi-currency payments and foreign exchange for organisations that operate internationally. We’re proud to be the platform behind the business payments and FX of one of the most iconic teams in football. Sokin’s platform serves businesses in more than 170 countries. We’re thrilled to be partners for the season ahead. An organisation as sophisticated as Chelsea doesn’t leave its finances to chance.”

About Sokin

Sokin is the financial layer global business runs on. Businesses can transact, convert and hold money in 70+ currencies across 170+ countries. Some businesses use Sokin to manage global finance in-house. Others build it into their products to power financial experiences for their customers. Businesses move more than $9 billion a year on licenses Sokin holds in 36+ countries and infrastructure Sokin owns. Founded in 2019, Sokin has raised over $100 million from investors including Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital and Prysm Capital.

About Chelsea Football Club

Chelsea Football Club is one of the biggest, most successful football clubs globally and our men’s team are reigning world champions, having won the four-yearly FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. Our women’s team, Chelsea Women, are also multiple trophy winners.

Founded in 1905, Chelsea is London’s most central football club, based at the iconic 40,000-capacity Stamford Bridge stadium. Nicknamed the Blues, the club lifted the Champions League for the first time in 2012 and domestically has won the Premier League five times, the FA Cup eight times, the Football League Cup five times and the Football League Championship once, in 1955.

The Chelsea Women’s team have enjoyed a huge amount of success and in 2025 won the FA Women’s Super League for a sixth consecutive year and the eighth time overall. The Women’s FA Cup has been won on six occasions. We have also captured the FA Women’s League Cup four times as well as reaching the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in 2021. In two seasons, 2020/21 and 2024/25, a domestic treble of trophies was secured.

The Chelsea Foundation boasts one of the most extensive community initiatives in sport, helping to improve the lives of children and young people all over the world.

Media Contacts:

Taina Biggs
taina.biggs@sokin.com 

Nerissa Chesterfield
nerissa.chesterfield@chelseafc.com 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/chelsea-fc-announces-multi-year-sleeve-partnership-with-sokin-the-business-payments-and-fx-platform-302918466.html

Continue Reading

Technology

Amy Johnson Appointed President of GDIT

Published

on

By

RESTON, Va., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) announced today that Amy Johnson has been appointed as president of GDIT, effective November 3.

Johnson is a 27-year veteran of General Dynamics Mission Systems, where she held increasingly senior roles in engineering, engineering management and business leadership across cybersecurity, defense electronics, space and intelligence systems, most recently as vice president and general manager for Space, Cyber and Intelligence. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science and computer systems engineering. 

“Amy has a proven track record of leading teams to solve complex and highly technical challenges for our customers,” said Phebe Novakovic, CEO of General Dynamics. “I am confident that her dynamic leadership, operational rigor and deep commitment to our values and culture will deliver value to our customers, employees and shareholders.”

GDIT delivers digital modernization, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and software development solutions to the U.S. federal government, defense, intelligence agencies and other customers. It is a business unit of General Dynamics, a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 120,000 people worldwide and generated $52.6 billion in revenue in 2025. More information is available at gd.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amy-johnson-appointed-president-of-gdit-302918411.html

SOURCE General Dynamics

Continue Reading

Technology

Yazan Al Homsi Invests US$500,000 in Toronto Drone Maker Arcanus Aerial Systems

Published

on

By

Private investment comes as Arcanus builds out Canadian manufacturing capacity for autonomous aerial systems

DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Yazan Al Homsi, a UAE-based investor and managing partner of Catalyst Communications DMCC, has invested US$500,000 in Arcanus Aerial Systems Inc., a Toronto-headquartered developer and manufacturer of unmanned aerial systems for defence, public safety and critical infrastructure customers. Al Homsi is an investor only and holds no operational, advisory or board role with the company. Other terms were not disclosed.

Arcanus is a Canadian-controlled company. It currently lists more than 15 platforms across heavy-lift, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), cargo, strike and counter-drone missions. According to the company, its published line-up includes:

AB 516e: a long-endurance vertical take-off fixed-wing aircraft rated for three hours of flight.AE 401: a counter-drone interceptor with a top speed of 300 km/h.AC 5250: a cargo platform with a 250 kg payload and a range of more than 2,300 km.

Alongside defence, Arcanus markets its systems for wildfire detection, search and rescue, Arctic sovereignty, border and maritime patrol, and pipeline and power line monitoring.

The company has spent 2026 assembling its domestic production base. In April, Arcanus signed a binding term sheet with Portugal-based Beyond Vision, granting it rights to manufacture, commercialize and support Beyond Vision’s unmanned aerial systems in Canada.

In June, Arcanus announced a five-year agreement appointing FeralX Systems Inc. as a non-exclusive Canadian contract manufacturer for several of its platforms.

“Canada has the engineering talent to build these systems at home, and recent years have shown how much depends on having that capacity domestically,” said Yazan Al Homsi. “What stood out to me about Arcanus was the manufacturing groundwork already in place: licensing, a production partner, and a range of aircraft that serves wildfire crews and search-and-rescue teams alongside defence customers.”

About Yazan Al Homsi

Yazan Al Homsi is a UAE-based investor and managing partner of Catalyst Communications DMCC, which he founded in Dubai in 2018. He was previously based in Vancouver, where he founded Founders Round Capital in 2017 and built a track record of investments in early-stage and small-cap companies. He earned a finance degree from McGill University in 2004 and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Before turning to investing, he spent more than a decade with PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Middle East, rising to director and focusing on transaction due diligence and valuation.

Media Contact
Catalyst Communications DMCC
catalyst-wire@protonmail.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yazan-al-homsi-invests-us500-000-in-toronto-drone-maker-arcanus-aerial-systems-302918414.html

SOURCE Yazan Al Homsi

Continue Reading

Trending