Co-created with acclaimed hip hop sound creators, the new ULT TOWER lineup delivers deep bass, high sound pressure, and true-to-life party features in a bold new design.

ULT TOWER MAX delivers the most powerful bass yet in Sony’s ULT POWER SOUND series, combining deep bass and high sound pressure with DJ connectivity, karaoke features, and built-in wheels for easy transport.ULT TOWER 7 delivers powerful, room-filling sound with deep bass, DJ connectivity, and karaoke features, with built-in wheels making it easy to move wherever the party goes.ULT TOWER 5 packs impressive bass, DJ inputs, and karaoke features into a compact, portable design for smaller gatherings and easy on-the-go use.

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Electronics today unveils three new speakers to its ULT POWER SOUND1 series: ULT TOWER MAX, ULT TOWER 7, and ULT TOWER 5. Designed for music lovers who want to feel every beat, the new ULT POWER SOUND party speakers combine deep bass, high sound pressure, and party features to create an unforgettable party experience. Whether hosting a party, DJing, dancing, or singing karaoke, the lineup brings powerful sound to any occasion.

Built around newly developed large circular woofers, large capacity speaker cabinets, and ULT DUCT, the next generation ULT POWER SOUND series lineup delivers stronger low-frequency bass performance than ever before. The speakers’ bold new robust and versatile design brings the energy of a live event into any space.

Co-created with Hip-Hop Sound Creators

The new ULT TOWER lineup is refined through co-creation with acclaimed hip-hop sound creators, including Grammy-nominated producer Dot Da Genius; award-winning drummer, producer, and musical director Daru Jones; record producer, songwriter, and DJ Dready; and audio engineer and producer Dennis “ROC.am” Jones. Drawing on insights from these artists and producers, Sony tuned the speakers with their valuable feedback in mind. As a result, the speakers deliver deeper low frequencies, greater impact, and clearer vocals, helping listeners connect with the music the way it was meant to be heard.

Built for Parties, DJs, and Karaoke

From casual parties to professional DJ setups, the new ULT TOWER lineup offers flexible connectivity including XLR, RCA and USB-C®2 connections.

New lighting modes makes it easier to switch the mood for different settings. BEAT delivers high-energy lighting synchronized to the rhythm, WAVE creates dynamic ambient effects for social gatherings, and MELLOW offers slower lighting patterns for relaxed listening.

Karaoke fans can connect Sony’s optional ULTMIC13 microphone for an optimized vocal experience. Plus, the new Party Chain feature uses Auracast™4 broadcast to connect multiple compatible Sony speakers5 and synchronize both music and lighting for an unforgettable party experience.

For larger events, users can connect compatible speakers in a stereo configuration, creating wall-to-wall sound coverage.

Bigger Bass. Bigger Impact.

Every model features Sony’s signature ULT button, with ULT1, ULT2, FLAT, and LIVE6 – giving listeners instant access to multiple sound profiles:

ULT1 enhances deep bass for a rich, low frequency sound that makes your heart tremble.ULT2 boosts even greater power, delivering body shaking bass and strong sound pressure.FLAT reproduces music exactly as intended, delivering a true-to-source listening experience.LIVE recreates the spacious feel of a live performance while preserving vocal clarity.

For even more personalization, the sound can be fine-tuned with Custom EQ in the Sony | Sound Connect app.7

At the heart of the new lineup is Sony’s new circular woofer design, engineered to work with the large cabinet volume and ULT DUCT to produce deeper, more powerful bass and higher sound pressure.

The ULT TOWER MAX features three woofers — two front-facing and one rear-facing — for powerful bass and sound pressure that can be felt throughout the venue, supported by a high-powered amplifier. ULT TOWER 7 delivers powerful bass and sound pressure. ULT TOWER 5 delivers impressive bass and sound pressure from a compact design.

360° Party Sound – Powerful Surround Sound that Fills the Room

ULT TOWER MAX and ULT TOWER 7 feature 360° Party Sound, projecting powerful audio all around the space so everyone can enjoy clear vocals and powerful bass no matter where they are in the room. On the ULT TOWER MAX, four tweeters, mid-range speakers, and rear woofer work together to deliver rich, room-filling sound with deep, impactful bass.

Flexible Placement and Optimized Sound in Any Environment

Enhanced Sound Field Optimization analyzes both speaker placement and surrounding noise levels, then adjusts the overall sound balance across the full frequency range, not just the bass, to maintain clear, balanced sound wherever the party takes place.

The new range of ULT TOWER speakers also supports flexible positioning, whether placed vertically or horizontally.

Easier to Move, Easier to Party for Longer

Designed with portability in mind, the new speakers feature carry handles with a more comfortable grip. ULT TOWER MAX and ULT TOWER 7 also receive upgraded wheels with wider treads, making them easier to move across a variety of surfaces. ULT TOWER 7 and ULT TOWER 5 also feature an IPX4 rating8 in a vertical position, making them perfect to use outdoors. With up to 30 hours battery life on the ULT TOWER 79 and up to 20 hours on the ULT TOWER 510, users can keep the party going wherever they are.

Supporting the Next Generation of Music and Dance

Sony has reached an agreement with Red Bull for sponsorship of Red Bull Dance Your Style 2026. Based on this sponsorship, Sony will support Red Bull Dance Your Style events, including the National Final USA in September 2026 and the World Final in Switzerland in October 2026, as an official wireless speaker partner. Through this partnership, Sony will contribute to the growth and development of the dance community.

Sony is also supporting aspiring DJs through its partnership with Your Shot. As the program’s official audio partner, Sony will provide ULT POWER SOUND speakers and headphones to help participants develop their skills, express their creativity, and connect with audiences through music.

Environment in Mind

Our products also take the environment into consideration. Approximately 35% of the total plastic used in the ULT TOWER MAX is recycled plastic, incorporated into multiple parts of the speaker body, while approximately 20% of the total plastic used in each of the ULT TOWER 7 and ULT TOWER 5 is recycled plastic11. This reflects how Sony strives to reduce the environmental impact of our products.

Pricing and availability

ULT TOWER MAX is available from September 2026 with a suggested retailed price of $1,499.99 USD / $2,099 CAD at Sony.com, Best Buy, Amazon, and other authorized dealers.ULT TOWER 7 is available from September 2026 with a suggested retailed price of $649.99 USD / $799.99 CAD at Sony.com, Best Buy, Amazon, and other authorized dealers.ULT TOWER 5 is available from September 2026 with a suggested retailed price of $449.99 USD / $599.99 CAD at Sony.com, Best Buy, Amazon, and other authorized dealers.

About Sony Electronics, Inc.

Sony Electronics is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America and an affiliate of Sony Group Corporation, one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world, with a portfolio that encompasses electronics, music, motion pictures, mobile, gaming, robotics and financial services. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Sony Electronics is a leader in electronics for the consumer and professional markets. Operations include research and development, engineering, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service. Sony Electronics creates products that innovate and inspire generations, such as the award-winning Alpha Interchangeable Lens Cameras and revolutionary high-resolution audio products. Sony is also a leading manufacturer of end-to-end solutions from 4K professional broadcast and A/V equipment to industry leading 4K and 8K Ultra HD TVs.

1 ULT POWER SOUND is a trademark of Sony Corporation.
2 USB Type-C® and USB-C® are registered trademarks of USB Implementers Forum.
3 ULTMIC1 is sold separately.
4 The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. The Auracast TM word mark and logos are trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Any use of such marks by Sony Group Corporation and its subsidiaries is under license.
5 For compatible models, visit: https://www.sony.net/partychain/
6 The IPX4 water resistance rating of this product applies only when the waterproof port cover is properly closed, and the unit is installed in a vertical orientation.
7 When ULT1/2 is ON, Vol.17, and lighting is OFF. Actual performance may vary from the listed time due to the volume, songs played, surrounding temperature, and usage conditions.
8 LIVE can be selected or assigned to the ULT button via Sony | Sound Connect app.
9 Update in Sony | Sound Connect app is required to use DJ Control, Party Light and Karaoke functions. Download Sony | Sound Connect app at Google Play and the App Store. Network services, content, and operating system and software subject to terms and conditions and may be changed, interrupted or discontinued at any time and may require fees, registration and credit card information.  Some services may not be available in certain countries/region.
10 When ULT1/2 is ON, Vol.16, and lighting is OFF. Actual performance may vary from the listed time due to the volume, songs played, surrounding temperature, and usage conditions.
11 The recycled material rate is estimated based on weight. Excluding packaging and instruction manuals.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sony-electronics-expands-its-ult-power-sound-series-lineup-with-three-new-bass-powered-party-speakers-302865965.html

SOURCE Sony Electronics, Inc.

What happens when AI starts investigating its own ideas? AutoResearch is an open-source attempt to bring AI agents one step closer to answering that question through experiments, evidence and iteration.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — EvoMap, an open infrastructure project for AI self-evolution, has open-sourced AutoResearch, a system that lets AI agents take research ideas from hypothesis to experiment and use the results to determine what happens next.

The Research Verification Problem

AI models are getting better at proposing ideas, writing code and analyzing results. But does a plausible answer actually hold up when put to the test?

AutoResearch starts from a simple premise: a model’s confidence is not evidence of success.

The system uses multiple AI models to independently generate and cross-review research ideas, then converts accepted ideas into executable research plans with defined metrics, success criteria, resource budgets and evaluation procedures. During execution, specialized agents handle planning, implementation, experimentation, analysis and review.

Research state, code, experiment logs, metrics, failures and decisions are preserved in a persistent workspace, allowing the system to continue unfinished research rather than restarting from scratch. Independent and blind review is also used to challenge conclusions before a research direction can be closed.

Evidence Determines What Happens Next

One of the more important design choices in AutoResearch is that failure is not treated as the end of a research path.

A partial result can lead to a revised hypothesis. An external test can expose a problem and trigger another round of experiments. And when repeated experiments stop producing meaningful gains, the system can stop pursuing the idea while retaining what was learned.

The approach was tested on a real Django issue from SWE-bench Lite. AutoResearch initially scored 2/7 and then 4/7 on official new-feature tests. Rather than stopping after the partial improvement, it continued investigating the underlying problem and ultimately reached 7/7, while maintaining 203/203 regression tests.

On the RSICD benchmark, an AutoResearch-generated research idea improved mean Recall from 32.84 to 34.69, demonstrating that the system could turn an AI-generated research hypothesis into a measurable improvement through iterative experimentation.

From AI Research to AI4AI

What happens when AI starts researching AI itself?

AI can already help researchers search the literature, identify promising directions, formulate hypotheses and even design experiments. The harder problem is what comes after that: can AI actually test the ideas it comes up with, and let the results determine whether those ideas are worth pursuing?

In AI research, this could mean agents exploring model architectures, training methods, optimization algorithms, agent designs and evaluation techniques, then running experiments to test their hypotheses and using the results to shape the next round of research. Moving from “this might work” to “let’s find out whether it actually works” is a critical step toward more autonomous research.

The same principle could eventually extend beyond AI to areas such as drug discovery, materials science and engineering, where research ideas can be evaluated through simulations or physical experiments. The potential is not simply to have AI assist with more of the research process, but to give it a way to learn from what happens when its ideas meet evidence.

That is the direction AutoResearch is designed to explore: turning research ideas into executable experiments, experiments into evidence, and evidence into the next research decision.

Open-Source Research Infrastructure

AutoResearch is now available as an open-source project for researchers and developers working on AI scientists, autonomous agents and AI4AI systems. The accompanying paper, “AutoResearch: Insight In, Hallucination Out,” is available on arXiv.

GitHub: github.com/EvoMap/AutoResearch
Research paper: arXiv: AutoResearch: Insight In, Hallucination Out
Technical research: EvoMap Research: AutoResearch Evidence Loop

About EvoMap

EvoMap is an open infrastructure project for AI self-evolution. The company is building systems that allow AI agents to learn from experience, share validated capabilities and improve across tasks and environments. EvoMap’s work spans AI agent infrastructure, reusable AI capabilities and autonomous AI research, with representative projects including the Genome Evolution Protocol (GEP), EvoX Agent and AutoResearch.

Learn more at evomap.ai.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evomap-open-sources-autoresearch-giving-ai-agents-a-way-to-test-their-own-research-ideas-302863058.html

SOURCE EvoMap

NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) today announced the completion of the divestment of its geoscience and petroleum engineering software portfolio to Schlumberger (SLB), a global technology company driving energy innovation across more than 100 countries.

As part of the transaction, S&P Global Energy will continue to distribute its leading proprietary data through the divested geoscience and petroleum engineering workflow tools. 

“With this transaction complete, S&P Global Energy’s upstream business will remain sharply focused on delivering world-class data and insights to global energy markets,” said Dave Ernsberger, President, S&P Global Energy. “Our strategic alliance with SLB means our customers can continue to access S&P Global Energy data through the tools they use every day, and the launch of Titan, our AI-powered upstream data platform, will set a new standard for how the industry discovers, analyzes, and acts on data.”

The transaction, originally announced in April 2026, establishes a strategic alliance that ensures customers will continue to benefit from S&P Global Energy’s comprehensive data and insights within the workflows they rely on daily.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, and the divestiture is not expected to have a material impact on the financial results of S&P Global, or the Energy division.

Media Contacts:

Josh Goldstein
S&P Global Energy
+1 954-254-4900
josh.goldstein@spglobal.com 

Orla O’Brien
S&P Global
+1 857-407-8559
orla.obrien@spglobal.com

About S&P Global
S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) enables businesses, governments, and individuals with trusted data, expertise and technology to make decisions with conviction. We are Advancing Essential Intelligence through world-leading benchmarks, data, and insights that customers need in order to plan confidently, act decisively and thrive in a rapidly changing global landscape.

From helping our customers assess new investments across the capital and commodities markets to navigating the energy expansion, acceleration of artificial intelligence, and evolution of public and private markets, we enable the world’s leading organizations to unlock opportunities, solve challenges and plan for tomorrow – today. Learn more at www.spglobal.com.

About S&P Global Energy
At S&P Global Energy (formerly S&P Global Commodity Insights), our comprehensive view of global energy and commodities markets enables our customers to make superior decisions and create long-term, sustainable value. Our four core capabilities are: Platts for pricing and news; CERA for research and advisory; Horizons for energy expansion and sustainability solutions; and Events for industry collaboration. S&P Global Energy is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). Learn more at www.spglobal.com/energy.

About SLB
SLB is a global technology company that has driven energy innovation for 100 years. With a global presence in more than 100 countries and employees representing almost twice as many nationalities, we work each day on innovating oil and gas, delivering digital at scale, decarbonizing industries, and developing and scaling new energy systems that accelerate the energy transition.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, which express management’s current views concerning future events, trends, contingencies or results, appear at various places in this press release and use words like “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “strategy,” “target” and similar terms, and future or conditional tense verbs like “could,” “may,” “might,” “should,” “will” and “would.” For example, management may use forward-looking statements when addressing topics such as: the outcome of contingencies; future actions by regulators; changes in the Company’s business strategies and methods of generating revenue; the development and performance of the Company’s services and products; the expected impact of acquisitions and dispositions; the Company’s effective tax rates; and the Company’s cost structure, dividend policy, cash flows or liquidity.

Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements include, among other things:

worldwide economic, financial, political, regulatory, and geopolitical conditions (including slower GDP growth or recession, restrictions on trade (e.g., tariffs and disruptions to shipping in connection with the military conflict in the Middle East), instability in the banking sector and inflation), and factors that contribute to uncertainty and volatility (e.g., supply chain risk), geopolitical uncertainty (including military conflict), natural and man-made disasters, civil unrest, public health crises (e.g., pandemics), and conditions that result from legislative, regulatory, trade and policy changes, including from the U.S. administration;the volatility and health of debt, equity, commodities and energy markets, including credit quality and spreads, the composition and mix of credit maturity profiles, the level of liquidity and future debt issuances, equity flows from active to passive, fluctuations in average asset prices in global equities, demand for investment products that track indices and assessments and trading volumes of certain exchange traded derivatives;the demand and market for credit ratings in and across the sectors and geographies where the Company operates;the Company’s ability to maintain adequate physical, technical and administrative safeguards to protect the security of confidential information and data, or protect against a system or network disruption that results in regulatory penalties and remedial costs or improper disclosure of confidential information or data;the outcome of litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries;concerns in the marketplace affecting the Company’s credibility or otherwise affecting market perceptions of the integrity or utility of independent credit ratings, benchmarks, indices and other services;the level of merger and acquisition activity in the United States and abroad;the level of the Company’s future cash flows and capital investments;the effect of competitive products (including those incorporating artificial intelligence (“AI”)) and pricing, including the level of success of new product developments and global expansion;the impact of customer cost-cutting pressures;a decline in the demand for our products and services by our customers and other market participants;our ability to develop new products or technologies, to integrate our products with new technologies (e.g., AI), or to compete with new products or technologies offered by new or existing competitors;the introduction of competing products (including those developed by AI) or technologies by other companies; our ability to protect our intellectual property from unauthorized use and infringement, including by others using AI technologies, and to operate our business without violating third-party intellectual property rights, including through our own use of AI in our products and services;our ability to attract, incentivize and retain key employees, especially in a competitive business environment;our ability to successfully navigate key organizational changes;the continuously evolving regulatory environment in Europe, the United States and elsewhere around the globe affecting each of our businesses and the products they offer, and our compliance therewith;the Company’s exposure to potential criminal sanctions or civil penalties for noncompliance with foreign and U.S. laws and regulations that are applicable in the jurisdictions in which it operates, including sanctions laws relating to countries such as Iran, Russia and Venezuela, anti-corruption laws such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act of 2010, and local laws prohibiting corrupt payments to government officials, as well as import and export restrictions;the Company’s ability to make acquisitions and dispositions and successfully integrate the businesses we acquire;consolidation of the Company’s customers, suppliers or competitors;the ability of the Company, and its third-party service providers, to maintain adequate physical and technological infrastructure;the Company’s ability to successfully recover from a disaster or other business continuity problem, such as an earthquake, hurricane, flood, civil unrest, protests, military conflict, terrorist attack, outbreak of pandemic or contagious diseases, security breach, cyber attack, data breach, power loss, telecommunications failure or other natural or man-made event;the impact on the Company’s revenue and net income caused by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;the impact of changes in applicable tax or accounting requirements on the Company;the ability of the separation of Mobility Global to qualify for tax-free treatment for U.S. federal income tax purposes;any disruption to the Company’s business in connection with the separation of Mobility Global; andany loss of synergies from separating the businesses of Mobility Global and the Company that adversely impact the results of operations of both businesses, or the companies resulting from the separation of Mobility Global not realizing all of the expected benefits of the separation.

The factors noted above are not exhaustive. The Company and its subsidiaries operate in a dynamic business environment in which new risks emerge frequently. Accordingly, the Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which it is made, except as required by applicable law. Further information about the Company’s businesses, including information about factors that could materially affect its results of operations and financial condition, is contained in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including Item 1A, Risk Factors in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sp-global-completes-divestiture-of-upstream-energy-software-portfolio-to-slb-302866534.html

SOURCE S&P Global