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Keys Inc. Launches AI-Powered Nationwide Key Distribution Network for Locksmiths

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Keys Inc. connects locksmiths directly with participating key distributors – helping identify the correct key, compare nearby supply, order instantly and acquire inventory faster

TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Keys Inc., the AI-powered operating system and marketplace serving the U.S. locksmith and roadside service industry, today announced the continued expansion of its Keys Distribution Network, a nationwide sourcing and commerce infrastructure designed to connect locksmiths directly with automotive key distributors through Keys.App.

The system is currently being implemented and represents a major expansion of the Keys ecosystem.

Rather than simply showing locksmiths where a product may be available, Keys® is being built to support the entire procurement event.

Identify the job.
Identify the correct key, fob, lock or hardware.
Let Keys AI match the exact product.
Find the nearest available distributors.
Compare price, availability and speed.
Order directly through Keys®
Ship it or pick it up locally.
Acquire it fast. Complete the job.

Keys Inc. is also implementing local pickup functionality, giving participating distributors the ability to make eligible inventory available for pickup when proximity and availability make that the fastest option.

“The goal is not to tell the locksmith where a key might be and then send them somewhere else to figure it out,” said Loay Jamal Alyousfi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Keys Inc. “We want the locksmith to find the correct key, see who has it, choose the best source and order it directly through Keys.App -One connected transaction.”

AI Identifies the Key the Locksmith Needs

Automotive key sourcing is highly vehicle-specific.

The correct key or fob can depend on vehicle year, make, model, VIN information, FCC ID, frequency, transponder type, blade configuration, programming requirements and other compatibility factors.

Choosing the wrong product can mean wasted time, returns and – most importantly – a lost customer.

Keys Inc. is applying AI to reduce that uncertainty.

A locksmith can begin with the vehicle information, and Keys technology can help identify the appropriate key or fob before matching that product against participating distributor inventory.

The system is designed to surface both OEM and aftermarket options where applicable.

“There should not be a guessing game,” Alyousfi said. “If our technology has the vehicle information, our AI will help identify the key the locksmith needs and connect that exact demand with distributors that can fulfill it.”

From Search to Purchase in a Click

The Keys Distribution Network is being developed as an integrated shopping experience inside Keys.App.

Locksmiths will be able to shop participating distributors without leaving the platform.

Instead of opening multiple distributor websites, calling suppliers or manually searching catalogs one by one, the locksmith can move from identifying the product to ordering it through the Keys ecosystem.

The experience is designed around speed:

AI-assisted key and fob identificationVehicle-specific compatibility matchingOEM and aftermarket optionsParticipating distributor inventoryNearby distributor discoveryPrice comparisonProduct availabilityDirect ordering through Keys.AppFast fulfillment optionsLocal pickup as the feature rolls out

“We’re building toward a future where a locksmith doesn’t have to think about where the key is coming from – they simply need to know that Keys can help get them to the right product, from the right source, at the right moment,” Alyousfi said. “The opportunity is bigger than ecommerce. It is about turning a fragmented industry into connected infrastructure.”

The Nearest Available Distributor

Location is one of the most important elements of the network.

A locksmith may routinely purchase inventory from a distributor hundreds or thousands of miles away without realizing another qualified distributor has the same product nearby.

In some cases, the needed inventory could already be available within the locksmith’s own city.

Keys Inc. intends to make that supply visible.

The platform is being designed to match the requested product with participating distributors based on factors including availability, location, price and fulfillment speed.

“Locksmiths may be surprised to discover that the key they need is sitting at a distributor five or ten miles away,” Alyousfi said. “That distributor may have always been there. What was missing was the technology connecting the locksmith to that inventory.”

Pickup Could Turn Days Into Minutes

Keys Inc. is also implementing a pickup feature within the Distribution Network.

Where supported by a participating distributor, a locksmith could identify the correct key, purchase it through Keys.App and select local pickup instead of waiting for shipment.

That capability becomes particularly important in automotive locksmithing, where the end customer may already be waiting for service.

A locksmith who can acquire a key locally may be able to preserve a job that otherwise would have been delayed or lost.

“When somebody is standing beside a vehicle and needs a key, two-day shipping may not solve the problem,” Alyousfi said. “If that product is available across town, the locksmith should know that. And if they can purchase it immediately and go pick it up, that changes the entire service event.”

Price Watch Meets Availability

Keys Inc. is also incorporating price-watch and comparison capabilities into the Distribution Network.

But the company believes price cannot be considered in isolation.

The least expensive product may not be the most valuable option if shipping delays cause the locksmith to lose the service call.

The platform is therefore being designed to give professionals visibility into the combination of:

Price. Availability. Distance. Speed.

A locksmith could compare an inexpensive product shipping from another state with a slightly different option available for immediate pickup nearby.

That gives the professional the information necessary to make the decision that makes sense for that particular customer and job.

“Sometimes the best price wins. Sometimes the fastest option wins,” Alyousfi said. “Keys should give the locksmith enough intelligence to make that decision instantly.”

Built From What Keys Learned Inside the Industry

Keys Inc. has previously worked with a major automotive key manufacturer and has learned firsthand how key manufacturers and distributors manage inventory availability.

One important lesson was that even major companies sometimes rely on one another when specific keys become difficult to source.

If one organization is running low on a particular product, inventory may be sourced through another participant in the industry.

That experience reinforced Keys Inc.’s belief that automotive key distribution is already a network—it simply lacks a unified technology layer connecting that network to locksmith demand.

“Something I learned from working around major manufacturers is that even they source from each other when inventory gets tight,” Alyousfi said. “That tells you something important. The industry is already interconnected. Keys is building the infrastructure to make those connections faster, smarter and accessible to the locksmith who actually needs the product.”

Not Another Key Warehouse

Keys Inc. does not intend for the Keys Distribution Network to operate as a single centralized warehouse competing against established distributors.

Its strategy is to work with them.

Participating distributors can make their products available through Keys.App and gain another direct channel into professional locksmith demand.

“We want to partner with the best distributors in this industry,” Alyousfi said. “They already have the inventory, expertise and relationships. Keys brings the technology, the locksmith network and the ability to connect demand with the right supply.”

The model is designed to allow inventory to remain distributed while making access to that inventory more intelligent.

The product does not have to be sitting in a Keys warehouse.

It needs to be sitting somewhere the locksmith can get it.

Keys technology is designed to find where that is.

Dedicated Distributor Portal

Keys Inc. has already developed a dedicated distributor login and portal for companies participating in the network.

Participating distributors will be able to connect with the Keys ecosystem and make products available to locksmiths using Keys.App.

Keys Inc. is actively working behind the scenes with industry participants and preparing to present the expanded network to additional leading automotive key manufacturers and distributors across the country.

Distributor Portal:
https://keys.app/LogIn?role=distributor

Distributor and Manufacturer Partnership Inquiries:
admin@keys.app

Connecting the Entire Transaction

The long-term power of the Keys Distribution Network comes from its connection to the larger Keys infrastructure.

A customer requests service.

A locksmith receives the opportunity.

The vehicle is identified.

Keys AI identifies the appropriate key.

Available distributors are matched.

Prices and proximity can be compared.

The locksmith orders the product.

The product can be shipped—or, where available, prepared for local pickup.

The locksmith acquires the key.

The service is completed.

Customer → Locksmith → Vehicle → AI → Key → Distributor → Order → Fulfillment.

All within one connected ecosystem.

“This is what excites me most,” Alyousfi said. “We’re connecting demand, intelligence, inventory and fulfillment in a way this industry has never had before. When the locksmith, the product and the distributor can move through one intelligent network, you are no longer just building an app – you are building infrastructure for how the industry operates.”

Keys® Positioned at the Center of the Locksmith Ecosystem

Keys Inc. has spent years building technology around professional locksmith operations.

The Keys Distribution Network adds another critical component: supply.

Customers create demand.

Locksmiths provide the service.

Manufacturers produce the products.

Distributors make those products available.

Keys.App can connect the transaction between them.

“We have spent years putting these pieces together, and it is amazing to see the power of what is now being built,” Alyousfi said. “The locksmith, the correct key, the distributor and the customer can all become part of the same transaction. I believe Keys Inc. and Keys.App are positioned for greatness.”

Join the Keys Distribution Network

Keys Inc. is inviting established automotive key distributors and manufacturers to participate in the expanding Keys Distribution Network.

Distributor Portal:
https://keys.app/LogIn?role=distributor

Distributor & Manufacturer Inquiries:
admin@keys.app

Keys.App

About Keys Inc.

Keys Inc. is an AI-powered operating system, marketplace and technology platform serving the U.S. locksmith and roadside service industry.

Keys.App connects consumers, businesses and automotive organizations with a nationwide network of vetted locksmith professionals while providing locksmiths with technology for dispatching, service management, invoicing, payments, inventory, customer communication, procurement and business growth.

Keys Inc. supports more than 1,000 locksmith professionals across all 50 states and has received consecutive ALOA Best New Product Awards in 2022 and 2023.

Through the Keys Distribution Network, Keys Inc. is expanding its infrastructure to connect locksmith professionals directly with the distributors, products and manufacturers required to complete their work.

Learn more at Keys.App.

Media Contact

Keys Inc. Media Relations
press@keys.app
Keys.App

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SOURCE Keys Inc.

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Tripo AI Releases Latest Model Tripo P2.0, Advancing AI 3D Generation with Production-Ready Assets

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September 22, 2026

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tripo AI unveiled Tripo P2.0, its latest 3D-native foundation model enabling high-fidelity 3D assets generation with quad topology, marking a major breakthrough in generative 3D.

As an upgrade from Tripo Smart Mesh P1.0, P2.0 brings native quad mesh generation, a first for the AI 3D industry, representing a major advance in AI-powered 3D content creation. The model allows 3D creators to move AI-generated 3D content seamlessly into production, addressing one of the longstanding challenges in AI 3D generation.

Following the release of P2.0 Preview in August, the official launch of P2.0 added two new features: multiple versions generation per prompt and Mesh Edit. The model makes it easier than ever for creators to edit, rig, animate and integrate AI generated characters and props into production pipelines.

“Topology has been the wall between AI-generated 3D and real production: game and film pipelines are built on quad meshes, and until now AI got there only through slow, unstable retopology. P2.0 can quickly generate quad-dominant meshes natively, with clean part separation and the edge flow an artist would lay out manually. Production-ready is today’s bar; the longer-term goal for Tripo is to build models that understand, generate and interact with 3D environments,” says Dr. Yanpei Cao, Chief Scientist of Tripo AI.

The model supports both triangle- and quad-based 3D assets generation, offering up to 50,000 faces for triangle topology and up to 25,000 faces for quad topology. With one single prompt, P2.0 allows generation of a maximum of four versions of the same asset with different face counts, giving creators greater flexibility to produce assets with varying levels of complexity and details.

The newly added Mesh Edit feature gives creators direct control over the result. They can select and regenerate any region of a mesh without altering the rest of the asset. Instead of regenerating the whole asset and hoping for a better outcome, creators can refine the asset more precisely, step by step.

The model offers front, back, left and right views of the generated assets, allowing them to closely match users’ intentions.

P2.0 also supports Smart UV which enables creators to unwrap 3D assets into a 2D layout with a single click, making it easier for texturing and further editing.

Designed for games and interactive experiences, Smart Mesh P2.0 helps 3D artists, technical artists and game developers create assets ready for production. It is particularly well suited to generating game characters, hard surface objects such as vehicles, props and buildings, as well as creating 3D assets at scale.

About Tripo AI

Tripo AI is a global leader in the development of 3D-native foundation models and world models. Founded in 2023 by leading scientists in AI and computer graphics, the company has developed a comprehensive end-to-end product ecosystem, built around its proprietary 3D-native foundation models and world models. With Tripo Studio and Tripo API, Tripo AI has transformed 3D generation. Powered by a world-class AI 3D research team, the company is advancing AI toward understanding, generating, and interacting with 3D environments.

Tripo AI’s models and products have been widely adopted by individual users and enterprises globally, serving industries including intelligent manufacturing, virtual reality, interactive entertainment, and embodied AI, empowering enterprises to unlock new productivity and scale applications of generative 3D.

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Xinhua Silk Road: Chinese solutions for meteorological early-warning help more countries tackle climate challenges

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September 22, 2026

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BEIJING, Sept. 21, 2026 /CNW/ — For millennia, as her believers believe, the traditional Chinese sea goddess Mazu has been blessing safe voyages. Now, Chinese meteorological early-warning solutions named after her are helping more countries prevent meteorological disasters.

“MAZU”, released by the China Meteorological Administration at the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), is a set of China’s homegrown AI-enabled meteorological solutions featuring universal multi-hazard early warning, alerting and zero-gap coverage.

Supporting cloud-based trials in more than 40 countries, “MAZU” has been applied in countries including Pakistan, Ethiopia, the Solomon Islands, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Djibouti, rapidly expanding its global presence.

As the first set of solutions under the UN Early Warnings for All initiative, “MAZU” integrates AI-based meteorological early-warning models, Fengyun meteorological satellite data, multi-source monitoring products and cloud computing power.

In May this year, “MAZU” was recommended by the World Meteorological Organization at the 11th Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals held at UN headquarters in New York.

Unsurprisingly, “MAZU” caters to the demand for both menu-style solution offerings and highly flexible customized solutions to help relevant countries prevent meteorological disasters caused by climate change.

In Pakistan, where monsoons and rainstorms usually cause torrential floods, an early-warning system co-developed by China and Pakistan was formally embedded in relevant platforms of Pakistan’s meteorological authority.

In Ethiopia, Chinese experts leveraged the integration of data from China’s Fengyun meteorological satellites and local meteorological stations to help local weather forecasters generate high-precision nowcasts via the Fenglei and Fengqing AI models.

In Sri Lanka, the meteorological bureau of southeast China’s Fujian Province is assisting the country in achieving high spatiotemporal resolution precipitation and temperature forecasting.

Apart from the application cases of “MAZU”, nearly 1,000 people from more than 100 developing countries and regions have come to China to receive technology training focused on early warning.

As China is a crucial partner of the Early Warnings for All initiative, its platforms, satellites and AI models have helped dozens of countries enhance their early-warning capacities, noted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the 2026 WAIC.

Such a mode of cooperation, involving technology transfer, joint R&D and local capacity building to help developing countries better protect their people, is exactly what the world needs now, added Guterres.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/352292.html

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Xinhua Silk Road: “My City, My Home” global visual submission campaign kicks off in Fuzhou for World Cities Day

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September 22, 2026

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BEIJING, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A global call for “My City, My Home” visual submission campaign for the upcoming World Cities Day has officially kicked off in Fuzhou, southeast China’s Fujian Province, inviting people around the world to submit photos and short videos to share stories of urban development.

World Cities Day, celebrated annually on October 31 since 2014, is the first UN-designated international day dedicated to cities. Fuzhou will host the Global Observance of World Cities Day 2026.

As part of the Observance, the “My City, My Home” campaign aims to enhance the global influence of World Cities Day, encourage greater public participation, and promote the concept of sustainable urban development through a campaign open to everyone.

According to the announcement for the campaign, individuals, families, communities, schools, social organizations and other groups are all welcome to participate. The submissions should closely reflect the annual theme of this year’s World Cities Day — Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All.

Participants should form a square frame with the thumbs and index fingers of both hands to frame scenes that showcase the livability and renewal of their cities, and then take photos or short videos. This signature gesture symbolizes houses that shelter people, evokes the outline of early walled cities, and represents a perspective through which to capture the beauty of cities.

Participants are encouraged to start their videos with opening lines such as “This is my city”. They are also encouraged to include in their photos and videos an introduction to the city and the filming location, the reasons why the selected scene reflects urban regeneration or livability, and personal stories related to the city.

The submission period runs from the date of publication until 11:59 p.m. on October 14 (Beijing Time). Photos and videos may be submitted via Douyin or to the designated email address Mycitymyhome@outlook.com .

Photos and videos may be submitted in either 9:16 vertical or 16:9 horizontal format. Each video should be at least 5 seconds long.

Outstanding submissions will be selected for inclusion in the official campaign video, which will be presented at the opening ceremony of the Global Observance of World Cities Day 2026 in Fuzhou on October 31.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/352298.html

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