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IFS: Utilities globally prioritize AI to drive digital transformation, but lack of collaboration a key factor preventing 80% from completing journey

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Organized data holds the key to successfully adopting AI while improved asset management emerges among top drivers of transformation

LONDON, July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — AI is at the forefront of digital transformation in the utilities sector, with 82% of executives recognizing it as essential to their strategy. However, despite widespread recognition of the importance of emerging technologies, only a fifth (20%) of companies have completed their digital transformation journey, with respondents split on where ownership should lie (22% reference CFO, while the same percentage cite the CTO).

That’s according to new research by IFS, the leading technology innovator in cloud and Industrial AI software, which polled 863 C-level executives and VPs from utilities companies around the world (UK, US, France, the Nordics, the Middle East, and Australia).

While 84% of organizations recognise data analytics as important to their digital transformation approach, the research highlights the complexity and challenges inherent in fully realizing digital strategies. The primary obstacles include the inability to measure value accurately from investments (32%), a lack of clarity on necessary resources and skills (25%), and a lack of consensus on priorities among leadership (23%).

Asset management has emerged as a critical factor in delivering new services and outcomes as part of a digital transformation, with 36% of respondents emphasizing its importance ensuring reliable and efficient service delivery. This focus is driven by aging infrastructure and increasing asset complexity. Many grid components are well past their intended lifespan and operate under conditions far more severe than they were originally designed for, while the shift to renewables and distributed energy resources adds further complexity.

Other operational areas are referenced in this context with resource optimization cited by 39%; 38% highlighting the need for a robust customer experience strategy, and 36% mentioning field service management.

Carol Johnston, VP of Energy, Utilities and Resources at IFS, commented: “The utilities sector is at a pivotal moment, where AI-driven digital transformation and sustainability are not just trends but imperatives. Our research proves the need for robust data management and AI capabilities to ensure companies make a success of their transformation. But utilities must also embrace a holistic approach, leveraging end-to-end digital tools and fostering strong partnerships to navigate this complex landscape.”

When it comes to executing on digital transformation strategies, composable enterprise platforms which empower businesses to mix and match/assemble different software modules to meet their specific needs are in high demand, with 38% of decision makers seeking such solutions to support their journey. This underlines the need for flexible and modular technology infrastructures as companies look to adapt quickly to changing requirements, while being able to integrate various applications more seamlessly.

Johnston added: “Composable platforms allow enterprises to bring in new functionality as and when required, providing a flexible approach to digital transformation. This reduces complexity and allows companies to adopt technology at their own pace, offering a streamlined solution that integrates various applications seamlessly.”

The research also reaffirmed sustainability as a top priority for utilities businesses, with 46% of respondents currently at the stage of setting timelines and goals for achieving sustainability targets. However, only 31%have hit their first milestones. The key strategies for meeting these goals include improving asset efficiency (43%) and investing in energy-efficient assets (42%).

Sustainability in the utilities sector involves more than just carbon reduction. It includes revenue models, workforce retention, and safe operations. Integrating sustainability across operations ensures resilience and compliance. Johnston added: “We don’t see sustainability as a trade-off, but as an opportunity to create value for our customers and society. Utilities also increasingly understand the importance of accurate data and reliable reports in measuring progress to key sustainability goals and avoiding greenwashing. Effective strategies include optimizing resource use, selecting sustainable suppliers, and engaging customers in programs like energy audits and solar panel installations.”

There is significant importance in connecting four of the core themes from this research: AI, digital transformation, asset management, and sustainability. “Utilities must recognize that these elements are interconnected. By leveraging AI and digital tools to optimize asset management, they can meet sustainability goals more effectively. This comprehensive approach ensures a balanced and strategic transformation journey,” concluded Carol Johnston.

Research conducted by Censuswide in April and May 2024. The research polled 863 C-level executives and VPs from utilities companies specializing in power generation, transmission, distribution, natural gas, and water/wastewater services. Conducted across the UK, US, France, the Nordics, the Middle East, and Australia, it explores critical trends, challenges, and strategic priorities, particularly in digital transformation, sustainability, and customer experience.

About IFS

IFS develops and delivers cloud enterprise software for companies around the world who manufacture and distribute goods, build, and maintain assets, and manage service-focused operations. Within our single platform, our industry specific products are innately connected to a single data model and use embedded digital innovation so that our customers can be their best when it really matters to their customers – at the Moment of Service™. The industry expertise of our people and of our growing ecosystem, together with a commitment to deliver value at every single step, has made IFS a recognized leader and the most recommended supplier in our sector. Our team of over 6,000 employees every day live our values of agility, trustworthiness, and collaboration in how we support our 6,500+ customers. Learn more about how our enterprise software solutions can help your business today at ifs.com.

IFS Recognition

IFS ranked #1 for EAM market share in the Gartner® Market Share: All Software Markets, Worldwide, 2023 report for third consecutive yearGartner® Peer Insights Customers’ Choice 2023 – Cloud ERPIFS named a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Field Service Management Solutions 2023-2024Top 100 Companies (3rd), The Software Report, 2023

IFS Press Contacts:

EUROPE / MEA / APJ: Adam Gillbe
IFS, Director of Corporate & Executive Communications
Email: press@ifs.com 
Phone: +44 7775 114 856

NORTH AMERICA / LATAM: Mairi Morgan
IFS, Director of Corporate & Executive Communications
Email: press@ifs.com
Phone: +44 7918 607 299

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/ifs/r/utilities-globally-prioritize-ai-to-drive-digital-transformation–but-lack-of-collaboration-a-key-fa,c4012876

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InfoComm Asia Returns to Bangkok as the Region’s Pro AV Super Connector Event from 15-17 July 2026

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Exclusive 15th May Sneak Peek: Smart Workplace & Education Environments Event to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

BANGKOK, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Now in its 6th edition, InfoComm Asia 2026 returns to Bangkok, Thailand, 15-17 July at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC). As the region’s Professional Audiovisual (Pro AV) industry super connector event, InfoComm Asia brings together exhibition, conference, and high-level networking into one powerful platform for the Pro AV and technology solutions ecosystem.

Designed as the central meeting point for solution providers, manufacturers, system integrators, consultants, and Pro AV and technology end users, InfoComm Asia enables meaningful connections across the entire value chain while providing an immersive stage to showcase fully integrated, real-world Pro AV applications.

Over 200 global brands are expected to participate in this year’s event, with prominent audio giants such as Yamaha, Soundking, SHURE, Audio Technica and leading visual, display and lighting brands including COLORLIGHT, LUMENS, VITEC, Fabulux, to networking and Pro AV integration stalwarts NETGEAR, Extron, AVCIT, and many more. New to join this year include Hemona (N-Labs) from India, Transtech from China, Yo-Tronics Technology, and Aimiciot Electronics, to name a few.  

InfoComm Asia also serves as the annual flagship gathering for AVIXA–the global Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association–chapters in Asia. The event hosts additional comprehensive AVIXA-led activities, including industry presentations, roundtables, AVIXA Xchange Live, experiential technology tours, networking sessions, mixers, and fireside chats. Combined with InfoComm Asia’s main stage summit conference hosting renowned Pro AV innovators and experts, networking events, and experiential activities, the InfoComm Asia experience fosters professional development, thought leadership, and peer-to-peer engagement, positioning it as the region’s most influential knowledge and relationship-building platform for Pro AV professionals.

Past testimonials and visitors to InfoComm Asia note:

“InfoComm Asia is the place to be! If you are in the AV industry, you must be here, and you cannot afford to miss it. We met with many consultants and integrators who help guide their end-user customers to make the right decisions on the choice of products, and lots of end-user customers who came with ready budgets.” 

Anand Hariharan, Director, Solutions Engineer from Cisco

“We see a good influx of visitors at InfoComm Asia. We met with buyers from the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and even those from China. We also attended to customers from Australia, South Korea and about ten times more customers from Japan.” 

Marthesh Nagendra, Senior Director, Enterprise APAC from Netgear

“InfoComm Asia has a unique regional flavor you don’t get elsewhere. It’s a great place to reconnect with familiar faces and explore what’s ahead for the Pro AV industry.”

Mitera Tsuyoshi, Director, Cerevo Inc.

“We came to check new products and new technologies that we can incorporate to our system and bring back to our projects and distribution in the Philippines. The technology we see here is advanced, such as the ultra-thin LED screens that can be installed on glass. That’s one of the many advanced technologies we are looking for at the show.”

Jeffrey Beloro, AV Technical Manager from AV Beyond Innovations, The Philippines

“This is a great place to see what the new technologies are and learn about them. I was pleasantly surprised by how expansive and well-represented the show was. It’s a fantastic platform to explore the latest AV technologies relevant to our projects in the region.”

Bruce Crompton, Director, Crompton Manufacturing Consultants Vietnam

“As creative technologists, we rely on both our artistic instincts and technology. Things are evolving at bullet-train speed — that’s why events like InfoComm Asia are so important. They help us keep up, connect, and stay ahead.”

Linda Lim, CEO & Co-Founder, Studio X Beyond Thailand

“I came here for better ideas and to source for devices. I was lucky to find at least seven matching products, and that has already exceeded my expectations.”

Tuan Khoi Nguyen, Founder and Director of AK Technologies, Vietnam

Regional Momentum: Sneak Peek in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Pro AV professionals can get a sneak peek of what is to come by attending the 15th May 2026 InfoComm Asia Pro AV Connect: Malaysia event. This roadshow themed “Rearchitecting Smart Workplace and Education Environments for the Next Decade” will present keynotes on Designing Intelligent Workplace and Learning Ecosystems, From Classrooms to Campuses and Offices: Converged Platforms in Action, and a panel discussion on AI, Data, and the Future of Collaboration and Learning Experiences. Participating Pro AV market leaders include Crestron.

Event Date: Friday, 15 May 2026

Time: 1:30pm – 5:30pm

Venue: Ballroom A, Level 2, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral  

Address: 5, Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, 50470, Kuala Lumpur

Complimentary Registration Details

By uniting innovation, collaboration, and strategic business development, InfoComm Asia empowers participants to demonstrate impact, discover opportunities, and accelerate growth across the region’s diverse industries.

Online pre-registration is now open via the InfoComm Asia’s Online Registration System

Remaining stand and sponsorship opportunities are available via our opportunities page

Inquiry and application to our invited guest program can be found here

About InfoCommAsia
InfoCommAsia Pte Ltd. extends its influence through three marquee shows: InfoComm Asia; InfoComm China, Beijing; and InfoComm India. Each show features an exhibition that showcases the world’s most cutting-edge and in-demand professional audiovisual and integrated experience technology solutions and a summit that presents learning opportunities. The shows bring together professional audiovisual industry players and top-level decision-makers from across different markets to tap into the vast potential presented by pro AV solutions.

For more information, visit:

infocomm-asia.com | infocomm-china.com | infocomm-india.com 

Global Media Enquiries:

Angie Eng
Director, Marketing, InfoCommAsia Pte Ltd
T: +65 8163 2109
E: media@infocommasia.comangieeng@infocommasia.com

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SOURCE InfoComm Asia

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Bonree Retains No.1 Position in China’s APMO Market Share, IDC Reports

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HONG KONG, SINGAPORE and BEIJING, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Recently, International Data Corporation (IDC) released its China IT Intelligent Operations Software Market Tracking Report, H2 2025 (the “Report”). According to the report, Bonree Data Technology Co., Ltd. (stock code: 688229) ranked first in China’s Application Performance Management and Observability (APMO) market, with a 17.6% market share in the second half of 2025. For the full year, the company achieved a 19.8% market share, further strengthening its position in the market. This performance reflects strong market recognition of Bonree’s product capabilities, technological innovation, and service quality, as well as sustained demand for intelligent observability and operations solutions across industries. It also underscores the company’s long-term commitment to the observability and intelligent operations space, built over more than 18 years of continuous innovation and customer-focused development.

As the first publicly listed company in China’s Application Performance Management (APM) and observability market, Bonree is advancing its globalisation strategy with established operations in Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, and Malaysia. The company has already secured multi-million deals across Hong Kong SAR and Malaysia. Bonree complies with internationally recognised standards, including SOC 2 Type II and CMMI Level 5. Its self-developed LLM-powered observability platform has been selected for Huawei Cloud’s international baseline solution library, reflecting recognition from global cloud ecosystems and supporting its expansion with a “global deployment, local compliance” approach.

Bonree serves over 1,000 leading clients worldwide with system monitoring, performance optimisation, and intelligent operations solutions. Leveraging proprietary unsupervised knowledge graph root cause analysis technology and AI-driven intelligent analytics, Bonree delivers plug-and-play monitoring and fully managed adaptive alerting systems that detect anomalies quickly and accurately with minimal noise. Bonree holds 56 authorised invention patents and 135 software copyrights, and reports an NPS of 79 and a client satisfaction rate of 95%, reflecting strong customer trust across global markets. With these core strengths, Bonree continues to lead in global fintech and digital operations, helping clients ensure business continuity and digital transformation while striving to become a leading global player in APM and observability.

CONTACT: Xiaohan Yao, yaoxiaohan@bonree.com, +8618210189324

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SOURCE Bonree Data Technology Co., Ltd.

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KuCoin and Lightnet Explore Collaboration to Advance Digital Asset and Payment Infrastructure Across Southeast Asia

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PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — KuCoin, a leading global crypto platform built on trust, announced it is exploring potential collaboration with Southeast Asia-based fintech company Lightnet. By combining KuCoin’s global digital asset trading ecosystem with Lightnet’s cross-border payment infrastructure and fintech expertise, the two parties aim to explore long-term opportunities in the digital asset space across Southeast Asia.

The collaboration is dedicated to exploring potential synergies in the region. It is designed to integrate both parties’ capabilities to establish a forward-looking ecosystem for digital financial services, and to enhance digital asset infrastructure development across the region. It also reflects a shared vision to support the broader adoption of blockchain-based solutions in emerging markets.

Lightnet is a fintech company operating a licensed global settlement network and global payment infrastructure, leveraging blockchain technology to improve the efficiency and transparency of cross-border transactions.

BC Wong, CEO of KuCoin, commented:

“Southeast Asia represents one of the most dynamic regions for digital financial innovation. Through our collaboration with Lightnet, we aim to combine our respective strengths in digital asset trading and cross-border payments to explore more efficient and sustainable financial solutions. This partnership reflects KuCoin’s continued commitment to advancing trusted and compliant infrastructure on a global scale.”

Tridbodi Arunanondchai, Group CEO, Lightnet, added:

“We see strong synergies between Lightnet’s cross-border payment infrastructure and KuCoin’s global ecosystem. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to efficient financial solutions across Southeast Asia. We look forward to exploring opportunities together within appropriate regulatory frameworks.”

Both parties stated that they will continue to explore collaboration opportunities within appropriate regulatory frameworks, contributing to the development of a more accessible, efficient, and inclusive digital financial ecosystem in the regions.

About KuCoin

Founded in 2017, KuCoin is a leading global crypto platform built on trust, serving over 40 million users across 200+ countries and regions. Known for its reliability and user-first approach, the platform combines advanced technology, deep liquidity, and strong security safeguards to deliver a seamless trading experience. KuCoin provides access to 1,500+ digital assets through a broad product suite and remains committed to building transparent, compliant, and user-centric digital asset infrastructure for the future of finance, backed by SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, and ISO/IEC 27701:2019 Certifications. In recent years, we have built a strong global compliance foundation, marked by key milestones including AUSTRAC registration in Australia, a MiCA license in Europe, and regulatory progress in other markets.

Learn more at www.kucoin.com.

About Lightnet

Lightnet is a Southeast Asia-based fintech company operating under a multi-jurisdiction regulatory framework. It has operations across over 150 countries with deep local partnerships throughout Asia and expanding globally. Lightnet provides fast cross-border settlement, on/off ramps and liquidity services for both fiats and digital assets to banks, fintechs and web 3 businesses.

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SOURCE KuCoin

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