Technology

Sedgwick optimizes claim workflows with AI application Sidekick and Microsoft integration

Published

12 months ago

April 29, 2025

Integration of generative and agentic AI capabilities and decades of claims experience signifies future of the industry

MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sedgwick, the world’s leading risk and claims administration partner, has launched a new evolution of its proprietary tool through an ongoing technology collaboration with Microsoft, using Azure OpenAI Service and Azure AI Document Intelligence. The tool, known as Sidekick Agent, is set to continue transforming the claims administration process by integrating generative AI, agentic AI orchestration and data science into Sedgwick’s global claims management systems.

“Enhancing and evolving Sidekick Agent to support clients and the needs of their customers and policyholders around the globe reinforces our position as the claim industry leader in leveraging AI,” said Mike Arbour, CEO at Sedgwick. “The foundational pillars of our technology strategy — unparalleled AI advancements, more than 50 years of real-world expertise and the industry’s richest data set — ensure our colleagues have the innovative tools needed to provide thoughtful, results-oriented solutions and address real-world challenges.”

While the claims process has evolved incrementally over time, examiners’ workflows have remained largely unchanged. Sedgwick is driving a transformative shift forward with the introduction of Sidekick Agent, a new suite of agentic AI insights and capabilities providing real-time guidance to claims professionals at the desk level. Sidekick Agent promotes understanding of data science models, analytics around claim durations and reserves, and guidance into key next steps of the claim life cycle. It introduces efficiencies that streamline decision-making and lead to optimal claimant experiences, cost-effectiveness and claim outcomes.

“Thanks to our collaboration with Microsoft in developing Sidekick Agent, our colleagues can now devote their time to material and higher-level tasks that make a meaningful difference in the claims process,” said Leah Cooper, Global Chief Digital Officer at Sedgwick. “This latest advancement in GenAI provides real-time insights, mirrors the expertise of our stellar claims professionals, and further cements our position as the world’s premier claims administration partner.”

Sidekick Agent has been integrated into the workflows and user interfaces of Sedgwick’s proprietary systems — giving examiners rapid claim insights, understanding of the day’s top priorities and forecasts of anticipated trajectories. This integration of Microsoft’s generative AI services, on the back of Sedgwick’s previous integration of Sidekick with ChatGPT technology, positions Agent as a key resource for claims professionals in responding to client requests and needs at a time when speed and efficiency are top priorities.

“Our collaboration with Sedgwick on Sidekick Agent showcases how generative AI can integrate with industry expertise to create smarter, more efficient tools for professionals,” said Bill Borden, Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Financial Services at Microsoft. “Combining Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, Azure AI Document Intelligence, and Sedgwick’s knowledge base streamlines processes and sets a new precedent for AI-driven advancements in claims and risk management.”

A key aspect of Sidekick Agent, powered by agentic AI, is enhanced quality assurance, which is vital for ensuring consistency and compliance in the claims process. Further, as the insurance and risk management industry grapples with talent shortages, knowledge gaps and the retirement of seasoned experts, Sidekick is positioned to attract and support the next generation of claims professionals with real-time, AI-driven guidance that will prepare them for long-term success.

Sidekick integrates with the Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to support and enhance Sedgwick’s established claim management tools, as well as redefine claims processing by delivering unmatched efficiency and insights to claims professionals, claimants and clients.

About Sedgwick
Sedgwick is the world’s leading risk and claims administration partner, helping clients thrive by navigating the unexpected. The company’s expertise, combined with the most advanced AI-enabled technology available, sets the standard for solutions in claims administration, loss adjusting, benefits administration and product recall. With over 33,000 colleagues and 10,000 clients across 80 countries, Sedgwick provides unmatched perspective, caring that counts, and solutions for the rapidly changing and complex risk landscape. Sedgwick’s majority shareholder is The Carlyle Group; Stone Point Capital LLC, Altas Partners, CDPQ, Onex and other management investors are minority shareholders. For more, see sedgwick.com.

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SOURCE Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.

Technology

Baidu to Report First Quarter 2026 Financial Results on May 18, 2026

Published

55 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

BEIJING, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Baidu, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIDU; HKEX: 9888 (HKD Counter) and 89888 (RMB Counter)) (“Baidu” or the “Company”), a leading AI company with strong Internet foundation, today announced that it will report its financial results for the First Quarter 2026 ended March 31, 2026, before the U.S. market opens on May 18, 2026. Baidu’s management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 AM on May 18, 2026, U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 PM on May 18, 2026, Beijing Time).

Please register in advance of the conference call using the link provided below. It will automatically direct you to the registration page of “Baidu Inc. Q1 2026 Earnings Conference Call”. Please follow the steps to enter your registration details, then click “Register”. Upon registering, you will then be provided with the dial-in number, the passcode, and your unique access PIN. This information will also be emailed to you as a calendar invite.

For pre-registration, please click:
https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10054331-iu876y.html

In the 10 minutes prior to the call start time, you may use the conference access information (including dial-in number(s), the passcode and unique access PIN) provided in the calendar invite that you have received following your pre-registration.

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of this conference call will be available at https://ir.baidu.com.

A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following number until May 25, 2026:
US: 1 855 883 1031
Reply PIN: 10054331

About Baidu

Founded in 2000, Baidu’s mission is to make the complicated world simpler through technology. Baidu is a leading AI company with strong Internet foundation, trading on Nasdaq under “BIDU” and the HKEX under “9888.” One Baidu ADS represents eight Class A ordinary shares.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baidu-to-report-first-quarter-2026-financial-results-on-may-18-2026-302751204.html

SOURCE Baidu, Inc.

Technology

Phase 1 of 139th Canton Fair Introduces New Dedicated Product Zones as Emerging Technologies Take Center Stage

Published

55 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

GUANGZHOU, China, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The 139th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) has further optimized its exhibition landscape with nine new dedicated product zones, reflecting ongoing structural shifts in global trade and the continued upgrading of China’s export portfolio.

Among the most closely watched additions in Phase 1 are the consumer and agricultural drone zones, both making their debut at the Canton Fair and offering a focused showcase of applications in the low‑altitude economy. The consumer drone zone showcases progress in flight control, AI‑based obstacle avoidance and energy efficiency across imaging, tourism, emergency response and patrol. The agricultural drone zone highlights precision farming, with spraying, seeding and field‑management demonstrations showing terrain‑following, intelligent route planning, and precise payload control.

On day one, a Shandong‑based drone manufacturer welcomed buyers from 30+ countries, with over 50 strong leads. One buyer, after seeing load and wind‑resistance demonstrations, immediately confirmed three sample units and even proposed becoming a regional distributor.

Display technology is another focal point of Phase 1, highlighting advances in color accuracy, energy efficiency, and overall visual performance. Developments in fine‑grained control, expanded color gamut, and reduced power consumption point to a clear trend toward immersive viewing experiences combined with sustainability gains.

The smart wearables zone underscores how intelligent devices are becoming key interfaces for human‑machine interaction. From real‑time language translation and adaptive noise cancellation to long‑term health monitoring and AI‑enabled eyewear, wearables are evolving from standalone products into integrated systems that support communication, well‑being, and productivity across daily and professional settings.

The service robots zone further illustrates how artificial intelligence is moving from conceptual exploration to large‑scale deployment. Advanced robots showcased across industrial, commercial, medical, and public‑service scenarios demonstrate growing autonomy, multi‑sensory perception, and closer human-robot collaboration.

By bringing emerging technologies into clearer focus through dedicated zones, the 139th Canton Fair is reinforcing its function as a platform where trade trends take shape, innovation meets application, and global buyers gain early insights into cutting-edge technologies.

For pre-registration, please click: https://buyer.cantonfair.org.cn/register/buyer/email?source_type=16

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2963958/1.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/phase-1-of-139th-canton-fair-introduces-new-dedicated-product-zones-as-emerging-technologies-take-center-stage-302751520.html

Technology

OZMOSI Announces Strategic Partnership with Planview to Advance AI-Driven Planning in Pharmaceutical R&D

Published

55 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

By combining structured clinical intelligence with AI-driven portfolio planning, the partnership gives pharmaceutical teams a faster, clearer way to make high-stakes R&D decisions

SPRING LAKE HEIGHTS, N.J., April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — OZMOSI, a leading provider of structured pharmaceutical development intelligence, today announced a strategic partnership with Planview, the leading AI-powered end-to-end platform for Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) and Digital Product Delivery (DPD).

By integrating OZMOSI’s machine-readable clinical datasets directly into Planview’s AI-driven portfolio planning platform, external scientific data is now connected to internal R&D planning in one system, helping pharmaceutical organizations better predict market shifts, prioritize R&D investments, and make faster, more confident decisions.

This integration brings external clinical reality into internal R&D decision-making, so teams can plan based on what’s actually happening, not just on what they hope will happen.

The two organizations combine deep expertise in complementary areas, united by a shared focus on improving the quality and usability of data for strategic decision-making. OZMOSI provides structured, machine-readable intelligence across clinical trials, drug development programs, regulatory activity, and scientific literature, built on a consistent taxonomy that standardizes how data is connected and understood. Planview’s platform enables organizations to model complex investment scenarios, align initiatives with corporate strategy, and optimize resource allocation.

Together, these capabilities give teams a clearer, more complete view of the R&D landscape, grounded in clean, standardized data and strengthened by AI-driven analysis.

“AI is only as powerful as the data that fuels it,” said Beau Bush, President and Founder of OZMOSI. “Pharmaceutical organizations have no shortage of data, but too often it’s fragmented, inconsistent, and difficult to operationalize. By bringing OZMOSI’s structured data foundation together with Planview’s AI-driven planning capabilities, we’re enabling teams to move beyond disconnected analysis and toward truly integrated, forward-looking decision-making.”

“Strategic planning in pharmaceutical R&D is becoming increasingly dependent on advanced analytics and AI,” said Louise Allen, Chief Product Officer at Planview. “Integrating OZMOSI’s clinical intelligence into Planview’s platform enables pharmaceutical leaders to make better decisions by combining trusted external data with AI-driven planning

OZMOSI’s dataset spans more than 800,000 clinical trials, over 35,000 drugs, and 4,000 diseases and conditions. It brings together insights from clinical trial registries, regulatory filings, scientific literature, company disclosures, and industry announcements into a unified, structured dataset.

When integrated into Planview’s platform, this intelligence enables pharmaceutical and biotech organizations to evaluate competitive landscapes, identify emerging clinical trends, and simulate portfolio outcomes with unprecedented precision.

Together, OZMOSI and Planview are redefining how pharmaceutical organizations approach R&D strategy, ensuring that investment decisions are guided by accurate, standardized, and AI-ready data. By combining internal portfolio visibility with a continuously updated external view of the market, the partnership helps leaders not only understand what they have, but what to do next.

About OZMOSI

Founded in 2013, OZMOSI specializes in transforming complex pharmaceutical R&D intelligence into structured, machine-readable data. The company provides the foundation needed for accurate competitive analysis, product forecasting, and portfolio strategy. Through its proprietary taxonomy and semantic layer, OZMOSI connects fragmented data across the pharmaceutical ecosystem, enabling faster, more confident decision-making for global pharma, biotech, and investment teams.

Based in Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey, OZMOSI is focused on making pharmaceutical intelligence clear, usable, and ready for the future of AI-driven strategy. Learn more at www.ozmosi.com.

About Planview

Planview is the leading end-to-end platform for Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) and Digital Product Delivery (DPD), powered by advanced AI capabilities that give business and technology leaders the strategic foresight to prioritize investments and initiatives, make plans real within constraints, and pivot with certainty when things change. Our AI-driven connected platform of solutions underpins the business and digital transformations of more than 3,000 customers and 3.1 million users globally. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Planview has over 1,500 employees worldwide. Learn more at www.planview.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ozmosi-announces-strategic-partnership-with-planview-to-advance-ai-driven-planning-in-pharmaceutical-rd-302750944.html

SOURCE Ozmosi Company