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Extropic Signs $75 Million Letter of Intent with U.S. Department of Commerce to Scale and Onshore Thermodynamic Computing

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3 months ago

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Planned CHIPS R&D funding to scale Extropic’s Thermodynamic Sampling Units for AI workloads and fabricate them at an American foundry.

SAN FRANCISCO and WALTHAM, Mass., July 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Extropic, the American company pioneering thermodynamic computing hardware, today announced the signing of a letter of intent with the U.S. Department of Commerce for up to $75 million in funding through the CHIPS Research and Development Office (CRDO). The planned funding is expected to accelerate the development of Thermodynamic Sampling Units (TSUs), an entirely new category of semiconductor purpose-built for probabilistic AI workloads, and qualify a domestic manufacturing path for the technology.

TSUs use the natural thermodynamic fluctuations of standard CMOS transistors to sample directly from programmable probability distributions in a power-efficient manner, a capability useful for generative AI, simulations of biology, markets, and beyond. The same capability extends to probabilistic inference for physical intelligence and defense, where robots, autonomous systems, and sensor platforms must reason under uncertainty in real time on tight power budgets. On key generative-AI workloads, TSUs can achieve energy-efficiency gains of orders of magnitude over conventional GPUs.

“The current era of AI is one of exponential acceleration, and energy is its binding constraint. Brute-forcing the digital, deterministic paradigm to unfathomable scale cannot be the endgame,” said Guillaume Verdon, founder and CEO of Extropic. “TSUs harness the inherent randomness of nature to deliver more intelligence per watt. And because they run on mature nodes, we can build them here, in American fabs, without waiting in line for anyone else’s capacity. We are proud to partner with the Trump Administration, Secretary Lutnick, and Executive Director Frauenhofer to manufacture this new category of compute on American soil and help return the United States to compute dominance.”

Replaying the playbook that built Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley was built on public-private partnerships: the first integrated circuits found their earliest volume customers in federal programs, and the government acting as first customer and first investor is how the American semiconductor industry was built up. Six decades later, Extropic is reinventing how the transistor is used for the generative AI era, moving beyond deterministic digital logic into stochastic electronics and thermodynamic computation. Once again the federal government is acting as a key partner to bridge the gap from working prototype to production scale and accelerating the scaling and diffusion of this technology into the market. Thermodynamic computing will fundamentally change how we compute from the ground up, enabling new capabilities, unparalleled energy efficiency and greater access to AI at lower costs for all Americans.

Scaling American AI output

AI’s overall growth, accessibility, and costs are running up against the limits of the power grid: both power production and energy efficiency have become limiting factors for American compute. In the age of AI, a nation’s strength will be measured by its total intelligence production: the watts it generates, multiplied by the intelligence it extracts from every watt.

While America secures the watts through a new American nuclear renaissance, spurred by the President’s May 2025 executive orders on nuclear energy, power efficiency will determine whether artificial intelligence is ubiquitously and cost-efficiently accessible at scale. This investment in thermodynamic computing will push the frontier of how much intelligence per watt one can get from American silicon, unlocking a path to potentially orders of magnitude greater total intelligence output at a national scale. More intelligence output means more discovery, more industry, and more abundance, compounding directly into American economic strength and the prosperity of every American.

Building the first large-scale thermodynamic computing system

For Extropic, the bridge from prototype to production runs from the X0, the prototype silicon chip that took thermodynamic computing from zero to one, to the Z1, its first production-scale TSU. Under the letter of intent, the planned R&D funding would support bringing the first Z1 clusters online and demonstrating chip performance on generative-AI benchmarks. Much of the frontier of this work lies beyond the chip itself, in the systems around it: the infrastructure to control TSUs, connect them to one another, and integrate them with conventional forms of computing at rack scale.

The systems scaling work supported by this award will allow for Z1 clusters large enough to begin exploring thermodynamic AI algorithms at scales impractical to simulate on GPUs today. This will in turn enable the discovery of novel algorithms native to this hardware paradigm. Accelerating that algorithmic development is key to migrating generative AI workloads from traditional accelerators to the more power-efficient substrate that is the TSU.

Bringing the thermodynamic computing supply chain home

Extropic’s TSU chips are unique in that they extract more computation from orders of magnitude fewer transistors by operating them probabilistically, achieving dramatic power efficiency gains without requiring the smallest transistors from the cutting edge process nodes. As a result, TSUs can be manufactured on mature process nodes with substantial capacity available in the United States today, without competing for the predominantly offshore leading-edge wafers on which the world’s supply of digital accelerators depends.

The capstone of the project is a new thermodynamic chip: Z1.5, an iteration over Z1, but now fabricated at a U.S. foundry, establishing onshore production capability for thermodynamic computing for the first time. Extropic has already demonstrated the fab-portability of its probabilistic primitive IP, with two X0 variants taped out and successfully tested at two different fabs.

“With today’s compute supply chain investments, the Trump Administration is accelerating America’s innovation engine,” said Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. “These strategic investments will enhance our country’s domestic capabilities, create high-paying jobs and keep America at the forefront of the semiconductor industry.”

Stochastic electronics represent the future of computing for AI, and they have different fabrication requirements than digital. This award will ensure U.S. foundries create the manufacturing know-how to begin optimizing the American supply chain for the next generation of computing. Onshoring that supply chain is essential to American sovereignty and national security as computing transitions to its next substrate.

“The CHIPS R&D incentives will support a breakthrough in compute architecture to power next-generation AI and scientific discoveries,” said Bill Frauenhofer, the Executive Director for Semiconductor Innovation and Investment at the Department of Commerce. “Accelerating R&D for probabilistic compute provides American industry the energy efficiency to scale complex AI workloads securely and rapidly.”

The company will share a comprehensive technical update on its full thermodynamic computing stack, spanning hardware, software, and API access, in the coming days.

The letter of intent is non-binding, and the planned funding remains subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements with the Department of Commerce and the achievement of project milestones.

About Extropic

Extropic co-designs full stack thermodynamic computing systems that are radically more energy efficient than GPUs. Its Thermodynamic Sampling Units (TSUs) deliver more intelligence per watt, per square millimeter, and per second. The company’s stack spans silicon, systems, compilers and stochastic programming frameworks. Extropic is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, with offices in San Francisco. Learn more at extropic.ai.

Media Contact

contact@extropic.ai

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SOURCE Extropic Corp.

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Toku launches Makimoto Flows, a visual builder for speech AI pipelines, taking its open-source initiative beyond transcription

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10 minutes ago

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October 21, 2026

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Developers can chain transcription, summarisation and call tagging on one canvas, test each step and export the pipeline as code, with every step processed in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Toku Ltd. (SGX: TKU), a Singapore-headquartered AI-powered customer experience (CX) platform, has launched Makimoto Flows (“Flows”), a visual builder within its open-source conversational AI initiative where developers assemble speech AI pipelines block by block and test each stage on a recorded call. Flows is now live at makimoto.ai.

On the Flows canvas, developers connect blocks to build a speech AI pipeline and test each step individually. The Transcribe block converts audio into text using Kawa, the Summarise block generates a topic and short summary from the transcript, and the Tags block classifies each call across seven categories, including customer sentiment. Developers can see how audio moves from transcription to analysis, and control how each stage connects and runs. Every block runs in Singapore, so audio, transcripts and the resulting analysis stay in-country.

The Chained Analysis starter template puts these blocks together in one click, and developers can adjust any block and rerun it to compare results. Each block maps to a Makimoto API endpoint, and any flow can be exported as ready-to-run Python code, so developers can take the same capabilities into their own code for applications such as call recaps and call triage.

“Developers should have control over how their voice AI works, from the models they use to the way each stage connects. That is the principle behind Makimoto. Flows puts the orchestration layer in front of them: they can build a pipeline, run a recorded call through it and see what each step produces before anything reaches their customers. Models will keep changing. The ability to compose them, and to know where they run, is what lasts,” said Thomas Laboulle, Founder and CEO at Toku.

Flows builds on the composable architecture Toku set out when it introduced Makimoto in April 2026, and takes the initiative beyond transcription. Kawa, released on schedule on 1 July 2026, established the transcription layer through a Singapore-hosted API; summarisation and tagging endpoints followed in September; Flows now lets developers compose them visually. Next, Makimoto plans to add audio preparation blocks, starting with noise filtering, giving developers more control over how recordings are processed before transcription.

By pairing open-source development with enterprise-grade deployment, Makimoto complements Toku’s existing customer experience platform and supports long-term innovation opportunities across the Group’s AI roadmap.

Developers can create a free account at makimoto.ai, open the Chained Analysis template and run a sample recording, or one of their own call recordings, through it; each account includes 1,000 free minutes. Feedback reaches the Makimoto team directly from the portal.

About Toku

Headquartered in Singapore, Toku Ltd. (SGX Catalist: TKU) is a cloud-native, AI-powered customer experience platform purpose-built for enterprises operating in complex, multi-market environments. With deep roots in the APAC region and an expanding global footprint, Toku’s modular 360° CX Platform orchestrates customer interactions across voice, chat, email and digital channels while managing regulatory, linguistic and infrastructure complexity at scale.

Built on end-to-end ownership of its technology stack, from carrier-grade connectivity to AI applications, Toku delivers enterprise-grade security, reliability and deployment flexibility in commercial cloud, private data centres and hybrid environments. Its AI capabilities include transcription, summarisation, sentiment analysis, conversation analytics and governed virtual agents, designed to integrate seamlessly with enterprise systems and customer data.

Trusted by leading enterprises and public-sector organisations, Toku helps organisations streamline operations, scale customer engagement and deliver consistent experiences in fragmented markets worldwide.

For more information about Toku, visit toku.co.

About Makimoto

Makimoto is Toku’s open-source initiative, operated through Makimoto Technology Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Toku Group, dedicated to building composable conversational AI infrastructure for Asia-Pacific. Its releases include Makimoto Kawa, a Singapore-hosted transcription API; summarisation and tagging endpoints; and Makimoto Flows, a visual builder for composing speech AI pipelines. For more information about Makimoto, visit makimoto.ai.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Toku’s expansion plans, business strategy and planned product releases. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Toku undertakes no obligation to update these statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Sponsor’s Statement

Toku Ltd. (the “Company”) was listed on Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the “Exchange”) on 22 January 2026. The initial public offering of the Company was sponsored by PrimePartners Corporate Finance Pte. Ltd. (the “Sponsor”). This press release has been reviewed by the Sponsor. It has not been examined or approved by the Exchange and the Exchange assumes no responsibility for the contents of this press release, including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this press release. The contact person for the Sponsor is Ms. Ng Shi Qing, 16 Collyer Quay, #10-00 Collyer Quay Centre, Singapore 049318, sponsorship@ppcf.com.sg.

Investor Relations Contact:
investor.relations@toku.co

Developers and Partners:
contact@makimoto.ai  

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SOURCE Toku Ltd.

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Conscious Spark LLC Launches Alphimiya® Neuro-Recalibration Framework Designed to Resolve C-Suite Revenue Plateaus

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10 minutes ago

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October 21, 2026

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New research-backed neuro-recalibration framework targets the autonomic nervous system’s threat response to managing high financial amounts, offering enterprise leaders a biological pathway to scaling.

ANTALYA, Turkey and ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Conscious Spark LLC, a research and advisory firm specializing in applied neuroscience for executive leadership, today announced the official launch of Alphimiya®, a proprietary C-suite neuro-recalibration framework designed to resolve corporate revenue plateaus by upgrading the biological capacity of enterprise decision-makers.

Developed to address the root causes of stalled enterprise growth, the Alphimiya® framework targets the human autonomic nervous system’s subconscious threat response to managing high financial amounts. When commercial leaders and CEOs attempt to scale past historical capital thresholds without recalibrating their stress response, the body’s natural survival mechanism triggers decision fatigue, strategic risk aversion, and systemic self-sabotage. Alphimiya® recalibrates this biological safety brake, enabling executive teams to hold, absorb, and scale larger financial volumes without physiological or operational friction.

“A corporate revenue plateau is rarely an operational or marketing failure; it is a biological safety brake embedded within executive leadership,” stated Dr. Ahmed Al-Nashi, Founder of Conscious Spark LLC. “When managing high financial amounts triggers an underlying physical stress response, the enterprise subconsciously contracts to remain in its perceived safe zone. Alphimiya® removes that biological friction, allowing C-level leaders to multiply revenue with calm, biological authority.”

The Alphimiya® framework restructures executive performance across three core operational pillars:

Sovereign Enterprise Scaling: Expands the nervous system’s tolerance for high-stakes capital, allowing leadership teams to scale revenue without experiencing executive burnout.

High-Value Deal Execution: Regulates autonomic stress responses during multi-million-dollar negotiations and volatile market entries, eliminating hesitation under pressure.

Restored Strategic Clarity: Removes chronic decision fatigue across C-suite teams, restoring mental focus and strategic presence inside and outside the boardroom.

By recalibrating the autonomic nervous system’s response to high capital exposure, Alphimiya® removes the subconscious biological brakes that lock corporate revenue at a standstill. Senior C-level executives and enterprise leadership teams seeking to evaluate their organization’s biological capacity can access the official executive briefing, case studies, and framework assessment directly at https://alphimiya.co/.

About Conscious Spark LLC

Conscious Spark LLC is a U.S.-registered firm specializing in executive education, training, and strategic performance consulting. Pioneering applied neuroscience for C-level leaders, founders, and commercial decision-makers, the firm utilizes its proprietary Alphimiya® methodology to enable leadership teams to recalibrate biological stress responses, resolve revenue ceilings, and build scalable corporations.

Media Relations Team
Conscious Spark LLC
Email: hello@consciousspark.online 
Website: https://alphimiya.co/

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SOURCE Conscious Spark LLC

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Daffodil Software Brings Multilingual Conversational AI to Aadhaar’s Udai Mascot

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10 minutes ago

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October 21, 2026

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GURUGRAM, India, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Daffodil Software showcased an AI-powered conversational experience featuring UIDAI’s Udai mascot at Aadhaar Samvaad 2026. Developed by Daffodil Software, the assistant is designed to help users access Aadhaar-related information through natural conversation, using official UIDAI as its reference knowledge base.

Daffodil Software has developed Udai, an AI-powered virtual mascot that helps users get clear, reliable answers about Aadhaar simply by talking to it. The assistant was showcased at Aadhaar Samvaad 2026, held in Kolkata on 29 September, coinciding with the 17th Aadhaar Day, where visitors watched it listen, respond, and gesture in real time in their own language.

For most people, questions about Aadhaar come up in daily life, and they usually need answers fast. Which documents do I need for an address change? How much does an update cost? How do I link Aadhaar to my bank account or mobile number? The answers exist, but finding them usually means working through long help pages and documents.

 Udai is designed to answer exactly these questions in a natural conversation, without anyone having to search through long help pages.

A conversation in the user’s own language

Udai speaks and understands 11 languages: Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Odia, and English. A user simply asks a question. Udai listens, works out the answer, and replies in the same language, with natural speech, matching lip movements and expressive hand gestures.

What sets Udai apart is how it is built. AI avatars rely on expensive, specialised graphics hardware to bring a face to life. Udai takes a simpler route. The character is created from pre-filmed footage, and its lip movements are matched to its speech in real time using lightweight processing that runs in a web browser.

The result is a smooth experience at 24 frames per second on ordinary servers, at a fraction of the usual cost per user. For a programme that serves hundreds of millions of people, that efficiency is what turns a nationwide rollout from an ambition into a practical plan.

“Our focus with Udai was to make Aadhaar-related information easier to access through natural conversation. Combining multilingual voice interaction with official reference content allowed our team to build an experience that is practical, approachable, and useful to users,” said Yogesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO, Daffodil Software.

Answers drawn only from official sources

The assistant uses official UIDAI material as its reference knowledge base: frequently asked questions, provisions of the Aadhaar Act, and government policy documents on Aadhaar services. It covers the topics users ask about most:

Enrolment and registrationAddress and demographic updatesFees, required documents and eligibilityeKYC and Virtual IDLinking Aadhaar with bank accounts, PAN and mobile numbersmAadhaar servicesGrievance redressal

Users don’t need to phrase their questions in any particular way. Udai understands everyday language, whether a question is spoken in English, Hindi, or asked in a mix of both, and finds the most relevant official information to answer it.

Built to be accurate, respectful, and secure

When a public service speaks directly to users, trust matters as much as convenience. Udai is protected by three layers of safeguards.

Accuracy first. Udai answers only from its verified knowledge base. Responses are grounded in a curated knowledge base of official UIDAI material. If a question falls outside Aadhaar, it guides the user back rather than offering an answer it cannot stand behind.

Respectful conversations. A screening layer catches abusive or offensive language in English, Hindi, and Hinglish before it reaches the assistant. Screening is designed to identify abusive language while supporting legitimate queries

Protection against misuse. Udai cannot be talked into abandoning its role, pretending to be someone else, revealing its internal setup, or answering beyond its approved scope. These checks work almost instantly, so users experience no delay.

What comes next?

Udai is planned to roll out in two phases.

In the first phase, the mascot will be placed in Aadhaar Centres. Visitors will be able to check information and understand processes on their own, such as which documents they need for an address change. This frees centre staff to focus on their core work instead of answering the same questions again and again.

In the second phase, Udai will come to the Aadhaar website and mobile app, taking the place of the current text-based chatbot, which was also built by Daffodil.

About Daffodil Software

Daffodil Software is a software engineering and AI solutions company serving businesses across industries. Its services span software consulting, product engineering, UI/UX design, AI/ML development, quality assurance, cloud and DevOps, and maintenance. The company serves sectors including healthcare, fintech, banking, technology, and digital commerce. Its client portfolio includes organizations such as the Reserve Bank of India, Mount Sinai Hospital, Maruti, Samsung, Pramerica Insurance, and Dangote Group. Daffodil Software has also been featured in industry research and recognition by Gartner, Everest Group, Zinnov, and Frost & Sullivan. For more information, visit https://www.daffodilsw.com

Media contact

Kunwar Pal Singh
media-relations@daffodilsw.com

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