Technology

A roadmap for protecting our democracies in the age of AI

Published

1 year ago

February 10, 2025

MONTREAL, February 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The year 2025 will be an important one for democracies worldwide: several dozen countries are due to hold national elections in a world profoundly transformed by artificial intelligence (AI). Recent cases – notably in Romania, Brazil, Gabon and the United States – illustrate the need for action to protect electoral integrity as the proliferation of fake news and growing use of deepfakes – in particular – are affecting public confidence and the quality of democratic debate.

To meet these challenges, academic experts from the North and the South have proposed actions aimed at supporting our institutions to better guard against the negative effects and risks generated by AI interference on elections and democratic processes.

This framework comprises four priority actions:

Modernizing regulatory frameworks with the adoption of clear rules framing the use of AI during elections.Adoption of codes of conduct for the use of AI by political parties.Establishment of independent teams to monitor electoral integrity and prepare public response plans in the event of AI-fueled threats to elections.Development of an International AI Electoral Trustkeepers and international legal assistance protocols to respond to cases of AI-based electoral interference.

A major global initiative

These recommendations have been developed as part of the Global Policy Briefs on AI, a new joint endeavour of IVADO, Canada’s leading AI research and knowledge mobilization consortium, and the University of Ottawa’s AI + Society Initiative. This project aims to provide policymakers with public policy recommendations to address today’s major global AI challenges.

For the first brief in this series – “AI in the Ballot Box: Four Actions to Safeguard Election Integrity and Uphold Democracy” – Prof. Catherine Régis (Université de Montréal and IVADO) and Prof. Florian Martin-Bariteau (University of Ottawa) brought together researchers representing North America, South America, Africa and Europe.

The brief is available on aisociety.ca and ivado.ca in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

“This mobilization reflects how important it is to take action, but also represents a unique opportunity to help shape the future of our democracies. By pooling academic expertise on an international scale, we can develop solutions that will preserve the integrity of democratic processes,” says Professor Catherine Régis, Director of Social Innovation and International Policy at IVADO.

“With our democracies under threat, AI-driven interference requires swift and concrete actions from leaders – both at the national and international level. Without a concerted global effort to align laws, build capacity, and develop processes to mitigate AI risks, Canada – and democracies around the world – remain vulnerable,” says Professor Florian Martin-Bariteau, Director of the AI + Society Initiative at the University of Ottawa.

Next steps

IVADO, the University of Ottawa AI + Society Initiative, and their partners will present the recommendations contained in this first brief at an event on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit on Monday, February 10, 2025 at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris.

A further retreat is scheduled for the end of 2025 to produce a global policy brief on another major challenge raised by AI.

The project was supported by the Fonds de recherche du Québec, the CEIMIA, the Canada-CIFAR Chair in AI and Human Rights at Mila, and the University of Ottawa Research Chair in Technology and Society. The week-long retreat was organized with the help of the Délégation du Québec à Rome and the Società Italiana per l’Organizzazione Internazionale. This research was supported in part by funding from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.

About IVADO

IVADO is an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral research and knowledge mobilization consortium whose mission is to develop and promote a robust, reasoning and responsible AI. Led by Université de Montréal with four university partners (Polytechnique Montréal, HEC Montréal, Université Laval and McGill University), IVADO brings together research centers, government bodies and industry members to co-build ambitious cross-sectoral initiatives with the goal of fostering a paradigm shift for AI and its adoption.

About the University of Ottawa AI + Society Initiative

The University of Ottawa AI + Society Initiative defines problems and identifies solutions to essential issues related to AI to support a better understanding and framing of the ethical, legal and societal implications of AI by leveraging a transdisciplinary approach. The Initiative promotes an inclusive research agenda with a specific focus on avoiding the amplification of global digital injustices through AI for affected communities. Led by the University Research Chair in Technology and Society, the Initiative is incubated at the University of Ottawa Centre for Law, Technology and Society, Canada’s premier research hub on technology law, ethics and policy, with the support of the Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue.

Contact: IVADO: Stéphanie Dufaud – stephanie.dufaud@ivado.ca; Université d’Ottawa: Paul Logothetis – plogothe@uottawa.ca

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Technology

Yon Raz-Fridman Joins Intrinsic Labs as Co-Founder and Partner

Published

2 hours ago

April 30, 2026

Most AI companies are selling software. Intrinsic is deploying AI workers into the core operations of mid-market companies – and just brought in a serial tech entrepreneur to help the firm scale across the Heartland.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Intrinsic Labs today announced that Yon Raz-Fridman has joined the firm as a Co-Founder and Partner.

Raz-Fridman has spent nearly two decades building across software, hardware, and platform businesses. Early in his career, he served as Chief of Staff to the President of Keter Group, a $1 billion-plus global consumer products manufacturer. He went on to co-found Kano, the award-winning educational computing company, and later founded Supersocial, the immersive gaming studio acquired by Super League Enterprises in 2025. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Technology Convergence Council.

He joins Intrinsic at a moment when mid-market companies are moving from AI experimentation to deployment. Intrinsic works with operators in logistics, construction, insurance, manufacturing, and industrial markets to deploy AI workers into the workflows that run the business – increasing throughput, reducing manual work, and expanding capacity without adding headcount.

The firm has built its reputation on practical deployments tied to real operating metrics. In one engagement with a national real estate brokerage, Intrinsic’s AI Accounting Agents reached 97% invoice coding accuracy, automated 90% of the AP workflow, and fully removed FTEs from the review flow.

“Yon understands what it takes to build and scale in the real world,” said Jon Slemp, Managing Partner at Intrinsic Labs. “Our clients aren’t buying flashy agents, they’re buying outcomes and reliable labor. They need agentic systems that take work off their teams, perform reliably, and produce measurable gains in throughput and capacity. That’s what we build.”

As Co-Founder, Raz-Fridman will oversee Intrinsic’s expansion – designing the channel relationships, institutional partnerships, and market positioning that take the firm from a proven Ohio model to the defining AI workforce platform for America’s industrial middle market.

“The companies that win over the next decade will be the ones that figure out how to staff AI into their operations and manage it like a workforce. Intrinsic is doing that work now, inside real businesses, tied to real outputs. The Heartland is exactly the right place to prove this model, and Intrinsic is exactly the right team to do it.” — Yon Raz-Fridman

About Intrinsic Labs LLC
Intrinsic Labs helps mid-market companies deploy AI workers into the workflows that run their business. The firm focuses on logistics, construction, insurance, manufacturing, and industrial markets, where manual work, fragmented systems, and labor constraints create clear opportunities for leverage. Intrinsic works with clients to put AI workers into production, tie them to operating KPIs, and help teams scale output without scaling headcount. https://www.intrinsic-labs.ai/

About Team Yon LLC
Team Yon LLC is a management company founded by Yon Raz-Fridman that incubates new ventures, provides executive leadership, and makes strategic investments at the intersection of emerging technology and human advancement. Through Team Yon LLC, Raz-Fridman partners with founders and operators across healthcare, AI, and frontier technology – including his role as co-founder and Partner at Intrinsic Labs. https://teamyon.org

Media Contact:hello@intrinsic-labs.ai

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Technology

Wipfli to complete CompliancePoint transaction and add associates, expanding capabilities

Published

2 hours ago

April 30, 2026

MILWAUKEE, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wipfli, a top 25 national advisory and accounting firm, announced today it has entered into an agreement with CompliancePoint Inc., a provider of risk management services focused on information security, data privacy and regulatory compliance. 2 partners and 52 associates will join the firm as a result of the transaction.

Based in Duluth, Georgia, CompliancePoint brings specialization across cybersecurity, privacy and compliance, serving clients across a wide variety of industries. The addition strengthens Wipfli’s risk management offerings and expands its ability to help organizations navigate regulatory scrutiny, evolving cybersecurity threats and complex data protection requirements.

“Organizations today are under more pressure than ever to protect sensitive information and operate responsibly in an evolving regulatory environment,” said Kurt Gresens, CEO at Wipfli Advisory, LLC. “The team at CompliancePoint brings specialized experience and a strong, people-first approach that enhances how we support clients navigating today’s risk landscape.”

CompliancePoint has built its reputation on helping organizations manage risk across the full data lifecycle, with a holistic approach that recognizes how privacy, security and compliance intersect. The combined professional teams from CompliancePoint and Wipfli will deliver expanded, integrated advisory solutions designed to help clients proactively manage risk while supporting long-term growth and operational resilience.

“Wipfli shares our commitment to practical, client-focused solutions and long-term relationships,” said Greg Sparrow, CompliancePoint president. “Together, we’re expanding the resources available to our clients while continuing to deliver the specialized experience and trusted relationships they rely on.”

The addition of the CompliancePoint team also supports Wipfli’s continued investment in talent and innovation. CompliancePoint associates will join a national firm that emphasizes collaboration, professional development and meaningful client impact, while maintaining the specialized focus that has defined their work.

The transaction is expected to become effective on May 1st, 2026

About Wipfli

Wipfli is a leading national advisory and accounting firm with nearly 100 years of experience serving ambitious middle-market organizations. We understand our clients’ unique challenges and help them succeed on their terms through assurance, tax, advisory, outsourcing and technology services. With 3,000+ associates and global alliances, we combine national capabilities with local relationships. Wipfli operates under an alternative practice structure: Wipfli LLP, a licensed CPA firm, provides attest services, while Wipfli Advisory LLC, a non-CPA firm, delivers business advisory and non-attest services. Learn more at wipfli.com or contact Alicia O’Connell at alicia.oconnell@wipfli.com.

Media Contact

Alicia O’Connell
Wipfli
alicia.oconnell@wipfli.com

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Technology

Ginkgo Bioworks Announces Date of First Quarter 2026 Results Presentation

Published

2 hours ago

April 30, 2026

Presentation and Q&A session scheduled for post-market on Thursday, May 7, 2026

BOSTON, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DNA, “Ginkgo”) today announced that it plans to host a presentation and Q&A session reviewing business performance for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026, on Thursday, May 7, 2026, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET.

The presentation details and webcast link will be available on Ginkgo’s investor relations website at https://investors.ginkgobioworks.com, and a replay will be made available.

To ask a question ahead of the presentation, please submit them to @Ginkgo on X (hashtag #GinkgoResults) or by sending an e-mail to investors@ginkgobioworks.com.

About Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo Bioworks builds the tools that make biology easier to engineer for everyone. The company offers autonomous laboratories that replace manual laboratory work with robotics in the lab, greatly improving the productivity of scientists. Ginkgo’s in-house autonomous lab is also available as a “cloud lab” through our Datapoints and Solutions contract research services. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com and ginkgobiosecurity.com, read our blog, or follow us on social media channels such as X (@Ginkgo and @Ginkgo_Biosec), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks), or LinkedIn.

Ginkgo Bioworks Contacts:

INVESTOR CONTACT:

investors@ginkgobioworks.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

press@ginkgobioworks.com

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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks