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LIMRA and Equisoft report reveals 78% of global life insurers believe data readiness is the biggest challenge to getting value from AI

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Equisoft commissioned LIMRA to conduct research in collaboration with UCT to assess data readiness for AI in the life insurance industry. This report enables life insurance carriers to evaluate their data readiness and benchmark critical areas for data modernization investment and prioritization.

MONTREAL and PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 15, 2025 /CNW/ – Equisoft, a leading global digital solutions provider to the financial industry, and LIMRA, in collaboration with Universal Conversion Technologies (UCT), a global leader for insurance data services, published the findings of the Assessing Data Readiness for AI in the Life Insurance Industry report, which enables insurers to assess their data foundation and implement data strategies that will deliver significant organizational results.

The report found that 78% of respondents believe data readiness is the biggest challenge in getting value from artificial intelligence (AI) and that while most companies rank as “progressive” in terms of their data perceived readiness, 46% of respondents say they aren’t ready to implement AI.

“Data is foundational to everything a carrier does, now and in the future. But carriers aren’t necessarily data ready for AI because they haven’t yet considered a wholistic view of their data practices. Data quality and integrity are still work-in-progress,” said Mike Allee, President of UCT. “While insurers have done a good job building their data infrastructure and are making progress on aligning data strategy with business objectives, many have yet to realize AI’s vast potential because their data practices aren’t fully aligned with their AI strategy and therefore aren’t fully mature. You can’t be AI ready if you’re not also becoming data ready.”

At the heart of the report is the Global Data Readiness Benchmark, a data maturity model that analyzed carriers across six key dimensions: organizational alignment, infrastructure, sourcing and integration, quality and integrity, governance, and analytics. The model reveals the relative preparedness of life insurance carrier data for implementing AI solutions and enables carriers to assess and compare their position on the spectrum to their peers.

“High-quality data is the bedrock of any AI initiative, and without it, the outputs of AI systems will be fundamentally flawed. Bad data leads to bad AI,” said Kartik Sakthivel, Ph.D., Vice President & Chief Information Officer at LIMRA and LOMA. “It is imperative that organizations prioritize data governance, quality, and integrity to harness the full potential of AI and drive meaningful business outcomes.”

Other key global findings from the report include:

Global Maturity Score: Globally, carriers scored themselves “Progressive” in AI data readiness. Australian insurers led in their assessment of data readiness maturity across all dimensions, while North America scored somewhat lower than other regions.87% of respondents are currently using AI in some operational areas like underwriting, operations and new business. Machine Learning is the most widely adopted AI technology, with rapid future growth expected for Natural Language Processing and Large Language Models.Data governance is also a significant area of concern, with many reporting that governance guidelines have been created but adoption and accountability are low. This is clearly an opportunity for progress globally.Carriers that have already implemented AI solutions are encountering project challenges due to unexpected issues with technology, scaling challenges or the negative impact of erroneous assumptions made during planning.

Key regional findings from the report include:

Australia was a top performer across all dimensions, with 38% of carriers being “Optimal” in readiness.Latin America outperformed global benchmarks; 82% of carriers are “Progressive.”66% of United States life insurance carriers feel unready for AI, with organizational alignment as the strongest dimension and sourcing & integration as the weakest.Canada scored the lowest regionally with infrastructure as the strongest dimension, but sourcing & integration needs improvement.

Download the full Assessing Data Readiness for AI in the Life Insurance Industry report from Equisoft and UCT to learn more: https://hubs.li/Q032tX-q0 

LIMRA and LOMA
LIMRA and LOMA represent more than 700 members, including most of the world’s largest life insurance companies, in 71 countries worldwide. Together, they provide members with substantive, timely, and relevant research and education. LOMA is committed to business partnerships with over 700 members worldwide in the insurance and financial services industry. Their goal is to improve company management and operations through quality employee development, research, information sharing, and related products and services.

About Equisoft
Founded in 1994, Equisoft is a global provider of advanced insurance and investment digital solutions. Recognized as a valued partner by over 300 of the world’s leading financial institutions, Equisoft offers a complete ecosystem of solutions, from innovative front-end applications to extensive back-office services and unique data migration expertise. The firm’s flagship solutions include SaaS policy administration, CRM, financial needs analysis, financial planning, asset allocation, fund and portfolio analysis, quotes and illustrations, electronic application, agency management systems, as well as customer, agent and broker portals. Equisoft is also Oracle’s largest and most experienced partner for the OIPA platform. With its business-driven approach, deep industry knowledge, innovative technology, and multicultural team of experts based in North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, Equisoft helps its clients tackle any challenge in this era of digital disruption. For more information, please visit www.equisoft.com.

About Universal Conversion Technologies (UCT)
Founded in 1992, UCT is recognized as the only North American company dedicated to life insurance data migration. An Equisoft subsidiary, UCT is a one-stop partner and solution provider for data analysis and auditing, data cleansing, conversion, integration, balancing and reporting. The firm specializes in complex, high-volume data conversion projects that frequently involve multiple systems. UCT also offers its advanced proprietary data conversion toolset under licensing agreements. Having successfully completed over 350 data projects globally for hundreds of insurance companies and policy admin vendors, UCT has developed a unique expertise, methodology and technology stack that dramatically reduces the risk and cost associated with data projects. For more information, please visit www.uctcorp.com. 

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SOURCE Equisoft Inc.

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Tesla Owns Nearly 1 in 5 AI Answers About EVs. New 5W Index Ranks the Top 25 EV Brands by AI Citation Share.

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EV charging networks — Electrify America, EVgo, ChargePoint — are nearly invisible inside AI answers despite operating the infrastructure the entire category depends on.

MIAMI, July 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 5W AI Communications, the AI Communications Firm, today released the 5W AI Visibility Index — EV, ranking the top 25 EV brands by modeled AI citation share across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. Tesla anchors the category at 18.4% — more than the next three brands combined. Rivian is second at 8.2%. Ford is third at 6.4%.

The Index is Volume 07 in 5W’s 2026 Consumer AI Visibility Index series. The full report is available at https://www.5wpr.com/research/ev-ai-visibility-index/.

More than a third of U.S. consumers now begin product research with an AI engine — not Google. For the EV category — where purchase consideration windows stretch six to twelve months and buyers cross-reference range, charging, ownership cost, and long-term reliability across dozens of sources — the answers the engines return are shaping the shortlist before a buyer walks into a dealership.

The Findings

Tesla dominates at 18.4% citation share — cited on virtually every consumer EV query across all five engines. Brand, product, and CEO overlap produce a citation profile no peer can match.Rivian (8.2%) is the dominant adventure-EV authority. The R1T and R1S anchor truck and SUV electric citation.Ford (6.4%) leads legacy automakers. The F-150 Lightning owns EV-truck queries; the Mach-E anchors EV-SUV comparisons.Lucid (4.8%) and Hyundai Ioniq (4.4%) complete the Tier 1 leaders. The Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 over-index against U.S. brand recognition.GM sits at #6 with 3.8% — despite scale — because Bolt, Lyriq, and Hummer EV are cited separately rather than as one GM-EV narrative. Ford consolidated its story. GM did not.Toyota (#17) and Honda (#18) are the two largest legacy automakers furthest behind in EV citation. The bZ4X, Solterra, and Prologue cite at rates far below what brand recognition would predict.EV charging networks are absent from the top 25. Electrify America, EVgo, and ChargePoint operate the infrastructure the entire category depends on — and have not built consumer-facing brand citation to match. The category is open.

“Every EV buyer starts inside a chatbox now. Tesla owns nearly one in five answers. The next three brands combined don’t match it. That’s a citation moat measured in AI — not TV budgets, not showroom count,” said Ronn Torossian, Founder and Chairman, 5W AI Communications. “GM is bigger than Rivian by every commercial metric and half its size in the answer. That gap costs sales. The charging networks are the biggest miss in the category — whoever builds the dominant ‘where should I charge’ answer anchors a multi-decade growth curve. Right now, none of them own it.”

The Five Engines Do Not Return Identical Answers

ChatGPT: Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, Ford, Hyundai dominate. Conservative and brand-anchored.Claude: Recurrent and CleanTechnica over-index. Data-source preference. Lighter on enthusiast brands.Perplexity: Reddit EV subreddits dominant. Out of Spec YouTube data heavily cited. Freshness-favored.Google AI Overviews: Tesla, InsideEVs, Edmunds, Kelley Blue Book dominate. Closest to a SERP-mirror.Gemini: YouTube EV creators dominate — Out of Spec, Munro Live, MKBHD at the highest rates.

Engine-aware strategy matters. A brand absent from one engine but present in another needs a different program than a brand absent across the board.

Methodology
Modeled directional estimates derived from publicly available data, observed retrieval patterns, structural signals, and the corresponding Everything-PR Citation Share Study — EV (Issue No. 07). Twenty-five brands, five engines, sixty-plus consumer-prompt query patterns. Not the output of logged query runs across millions of prompts. Intended as a strategic framework — not a definitive search-engine measurement.

The dominant outlets shaping EV citation are InsideEVs, Electrek, Recurrent, Edmunds EV, Car and Driver EV, CleanTechnica, and the Reddit-and-YouTube creator layer. Brand citation share is built primarily through presence inside that specific outlet set — and through Recurrent battery-data partnership for used-EV citation.

About 5W AI Communications
5W is the AI Communications Firm, building brand authority across the platforms where decisions now happen — ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews — alongside earned media, digital, and influencer channels. 5W combines public relations, digital marketing, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and proprietary AI visibility research to help clients measure and grow their presence in AI-driven buyer research. Founded in 2003, 5W is recognized as a Top U.S. PR Agency by O’Dwyer’s, named Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards®, honored as a 2026 Top Place to Work in Communications by Ragan, and named to Digiday’s WorkLife Employer of the Year list. 5W serves clients across B2C sectors — Beauty & Fashion, Consumer Brands, Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Travel & Hospitality, Technology, and Nonprofit — and B2B specialties including Corporate Communications, Reputation Management, Public Affairs, Crisis Communications, and Digital Marketing across Social, Influencer, Paid Media, GEO, and SEO. Learn more at 5wpr.com.

Media Contact
press@5wpr.com

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SOURCE 5W Public Relations

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TECNO Unveiled as Title Sponsor of The SAFF Championship Bangladesh 2026, Bringing AI Innovation to South Asian Football

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As Official Title Sponsor, TECNO joins hands with SAFF to inspire the next generation through football, innovation, and meaningful fan experiences.

DHAKA, Bangladesh, July 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TECNO, an AI-driven innovative technology brand, officially announced its title sponsorship of the SAFF Championship Bangladesh 2026, South Asia’s premier international football tournament, during the tournament’s official launch ceremony in Dhaka.

Scheduled to take place from 4–17 November 2026, the championship will bring together South Asia’s leading national teams, celebrating the region’s passion for football while strengthening friendship, sporting excellence, and regional unity.

The partnership marks another milestone in TECNO’s global football journey while reinforcing the brand’s long-term commitment to South Asia—one of its most important strategic markets. Guided by its brand spirit, “Stop At Nothing,” TECNO believes football embodies the same values that define the brand: ambition, resilience, innovation, and the courage to pursue every dream.

A New Chapter for South Asian Football

The title sponsorship was officially announced during the SAFF Championship Bangladesh 2026 Official Launch Press Conference held in Dhaka. The event brought together representatives from the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), TECNO’s global and Bangladesh leadership teams, SAFF Member Associations, national team representatives, members of the diplomatic community, media, and digital creators to celebrate the official launch of the championship and TECNO’s role as its Title Sponsor.

Mr. Purushottam Kattel, General Secretary of SAFF, said: “The SAFF Championship represents the highest stage of football in South Asia, bringing together our Member Associations through competition, friendship, and a shared passion for the game. Today, as we unveil the identity of the SAFF Championship Bangladesh 2026, we are delighted to welcome TECNO as our Title Sponsor. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to elevating football across the region, and together we look forward to delivering a championship that inspires millions of supporters and creates lasting memories for South Asian football.”

Following the official logo unveiling ceremony, SAFF and TECNO exchanged the Title Sponsorship Agreement, formally launching their collaboration for the SAFF Championship Bangladesh 2026 and reaffirming their shared commitment to delivering an outstanding football experience for fans across South Asia.

A Shared Vision for Football

Delivering a recorded message during the ceremony, Guo Lei, General Manager of TECNO, reaffirmed the brand’s belief that football is a powerful platform for inspiring young people, connecting communities, and bringing innovation closer to fans.

“South Asia is home to one of the world’s youngest and most passionate football communities. Football has the unique power to bring people together beyond borders and cultures. We are proud to continue TECNO’s football journey through the SAFF Championship Bangladesh 2026 and look forward to working with SAFF to create unforgettable experiences for millions of football fans across the region.”

Speaking on behalf of TECNO Bangladesh, Rezwanul Hoque, CEO of Ismartu Technology BD Limited, said: “Football has become an important part of TECNO’s global journey because it reflects the values we believe in: passion, resilience, and the courage to dream bigger. Following our partnership with the Bangladesh Football Federation during the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, we are honoured to continue that journey as the Title Sponsor of the SAFF Championship Bangladesh 2026. Guided by our brand spirit, ‘Stop At Nothing,’ we look forward to working with SAFF and BFF to create a championship that inspires players, unites communities, and leaves a lasting legacy for football across South Asia.”

Welcoming the championship to Bangladesh, Mr. Fahad Karim, Vice President of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), highlighted Bangladesh’s role as the host nation and officially marked the beginning of the journey toward the championship this November.

“Hosting the SAFF Championship 2026 is a proud moment for Bangladesh and an important milestone for football in our country. Today marks the beginning of our journey toward November, and we look forward to welcoming our fellow South Asian nations to Bangladesh for a championship that celebrates football, friendship, and regional unity. We are delighted to welcome TECNO as the Title Sponsor, and together with SAFF, our Member Associations, and our partners, we look forward to making this a memorable tournament for players, supporters, and the entire South Asian football community.”

TECNO’s Global Football Journey Continues

Football has been at the heart of TECNO’s global brand journey for nearly a decade. Through partnerships with Manchester City Football Club, the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, and the AFC Club Competitions, TECNO has consistently used football as a platform to inspire young people, connect communities, and celebrate the power of sport.

In Bangladesh, TECNO strengthened that commitment through its title sponsorship of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in partnership with the Bangladesh Football Federation. The overwhelming passion shown by Bangladeshi supporters reaffirmed the country’s vibrant football culture and inspired TECNO to deepen its engagement with the sport.

The SAFF Championship Bangladesh 2026 represents the next chapter in TECNO’s football journey, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to South Asia and its rapidly growing community of young football fans.

Growing Together with Bangladesh

Bangladesh continues to be one of TECNO’s most important strategic markets. Alongside its growing smartphone business, the brand is expanding its AI ecosystem and strengthening long-term investments in retail, innovation, and local partnerships—reflecting its confidence in the country’s digital future and youthful consumer base.

Beyond technology, TECNO remains committed to empowering the next generation by supporting platforms that encourage ambition, creativity, and meaningful human connection.

Football Meets AI Innovation

Throughout the championship, TECNO plans to showcase AI-powered experiences designed to bring fans closer to the game. Powered by Ella, TECNO’s AI assistant, these experiences are intended to demonstrate how intelligent technology can enrich football engagement through interactive match information, smarter fan interactions, and immersive digital experiences.

By combining the emotional power of football with accessible AI innovation, TECNO and SAFF share a common vision of inspiring young people, strengthening communities, and creating richer experiences for football fans across South Asia.

As the countdown to November 2026 begins, TECNO, SAFF, and the Bangladesh Football Federation share a common ambition—to deliver a championship that celebrates the passion of South Asian football while inspiring the next generation through innovation, partnership, and the enduring spirit of “Stop At Nothing.”

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Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2724870/TECNO_Logo.jpg

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Tony Jaa Becomes GAC’s 30-Millionth Customer – GAC Wins Global Trust with “True Craftsmanship”

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GUANGZHOU, China, July 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On July 16, at the roll-off ceremony for GAC’s 30-millionth vehicle, Feng Xingya, Chairman of GAC Group, handed over the key to the right-hand-drive GAC M8 PHEV (named GN8 overseas) to Tony Jaa. The milestone vehicle is headed straight for overseas markets.

Thai action superstar Tony Jaa’s choice reflects the trust of 30 million customers worldwide. That trust is built not on showmanship, but on GAC’s solid manufacturing “true craftsmanship.”

From Guangzhou to the world, there are no shortcuts – quality speaks for itself. While the industry runs standard “three-high” tests, GAC pushes further with “five-high, one-mountain, one-dust” extreme vehicle trials. New models undergo at least “two winters and one summer” of validation – a minimum 18 months of real-world road testing, covering 12 major categories and over 1,500 sub-items across wind tunnel labs and proving grounds.

For each overseas market, GAC conducts additional adaptive testing for local climate and road conditions – from Middle Eastern desert heat to Southeast Asia’s humidity and heavy rains.

Quality consistency starts at the smart manufacturing front. GAC’s AION Intelligent Eco-Plant is the world’s first “Lighthouse Factory” for new energy vehicles, featuring full-process digital quality monitoring. Automated robots with AI vision systems deliver millisecond response and millimeter-level precision – ensuring uniform quality whether vehicles roll off lines in Guangzhou or overseas plants.

Safety comes first. GAC’s magazine battery has been deployed in 1.5 million vehicles, accumulating over 160 billion kilometers of safe driving. The Starlink Safety Protection System serves nearly 2 million users, preventing 6.28 million potential incidents.

With this commitment to quality and safety, GAC has established a presence in 110 countries and won the trust of 30 million users. Standing at this new milestone, GAC will continue to refine its craftsmanship and deliver worry-free, high-quality mobility experiences to every customer worldwide.

For further information about GAC, please visit: https://www.gacgroup.com/en or follow us on social media.

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