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SAS and Commonwealth Secretariat to foster AI skills in small states

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$10 million donation of training and access to SAS AI software and computing capacity supports goal of training 10,000 higher education students and educators in AI

CARY, N.C., Aug. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Commonwealth Secretariat and data and AI leader SAS will collaborate to build a more diverse, global AI workforce by bringing AI software and computing resources to Commonwealth countries. A donation of SAS software, computing capacity and training, with a combined value of US$10 million, includes AI capabilities and content that will not only help higher education students learn how to use AI but also how to do so responsibly.

“Students will not only gain high-demand AI skills but will learn how to wield these powerful technologies ethically.”

The project is an initiative of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Commonwealth AI Consortium (CAIC), which aims to build technological capacity, with an emphasis on small states and young people.

Higher education students and educators in Commonwealth countries will have free access to SAS Viya for Learners. SAS Viya is a comprehensive, cloud-native platform that provides robust capabilities for data analytics, machine learning and AI. It is used by thousands of organizations in industries like banking, education, government, health care, insurance and retail. 

Students and educators will also have access to the digital learning environments SAS Skill Builder for Students and the SAS Educator Portal. These platforms offer digital courses, certification programs, and hands-on learning opportunities designed to build and validate analytics and AI skills. Additionally, the Educator Portal includes teaching materials that make it easy to integrate analytics content into curricula.   

The Commonwealth’s postsecondary institutions are also invited to participate in the Curiosity Cup – SAS’s global student data competition – and the SAS Hackathon. These free competitions provide an excellent opportunity for students to apply their analytical skills to real-world problems, collaborate with peers and gain recognition on a global stage. 

Suresh Yadav, Senior Director of AI, Trade, Oceans and Natural Resources at the Commonwealth Secretariat said:

“In our rapidly evolving digital landscape, we face not just a digital divide, but a critical infrastructure divide. If we fail to address this gap and make essential resources available to our youth, we risk losing an entire generation to technological inequality. This isn’t just about access to information; it’s about empowering young minds with the tools to innovate, create, and solve global challenges. If we do this right, we’re not just connecting students to technology – we’re connecting them to limitless possibilities.

Our partnership with SAS is a vital step towards ensuring that no young person in the Commonwealth is left behind in the digital revolution.”

There are 56 countries in the Commonwealth, including 33 small states. The SAS collaboration will initially focus on the Caribbean before expanding to other countries, with the goal of training 10,000 students and educators over five years. This supports the Commonwealth Secretariat’s priorities of promoting digital transformation and sustainable development and building a diverse global workforce capable of supporting AI-driven transformation.

For over 40 years, SAS has partnered with academic institutions, government organizations and corporations alike to unleash the power of data to improve decisions and transform organizations. SAS is used at more than 3,000 colleges and universities around the world, and through the company’s Global Academic Programs, it has university partnerships in Commonwealth countries in every region.

According to Statista, the AI market exceeded US$184 billion in 2024 and is projected to race past $826 billion by 2030.

“We have spent decades equipping educators with resources and students with the skills they need to seize the hottest jobs in the tech market,” said Sean O’Brien, SAS Senior Vice President, Education. “Those jobs are now in AI. We are excited to help students change their lives and grow the tech sectors in Commonwealth countries.”

Learning to use AI responsibly

The rise of powerful AI technologies presents incredible opportunities but has also stoked fears, and regulations are emerging around the world to address the ethical use of AI. The SAS commitment to responsible innovation is embedded in its culture and technology. Commonwealth students and educators will be able to use SAS Viya’s built-in trustworthy AI capabilities like bias detection, explainability, decision auditability, model monitoring, governance and accountability.

Reggie Townsend, SAS Vice President of Data Ethics, spoke at the Commonwealth launch event. “This collaboration will bring AI capacity to populations that haven’t always benefited from the technological advances that power the world’s largest economies,” said Townsend. “These students will not only gain AI skills coveted by employers around the world, but they will also learn how to wield these powerful technologies ethically in ways that benefit society.”

About the Commonwealth AI Consortium
The Commonwealth Secretariat, together with a consortium of global firms, start-ups, universities and non-profits, have come together to bridge the digital divide, including the artificial intelligence (AI) gap, to help empower Commonwealth citizens, with a particular focus on the association’s 33 small states. The consortium includes world-leading technology companies, governments and academic partners.

About SAS
SAS is a global leader in data and AI. With SAS software and industry-specific solutions, organizations transform data into trusted decisions. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2024 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved. 

Editorial Contact:
Trent Smith
trent.smith@sas.com
919-531-4726
sas.com/news

 

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SOURCE SAS

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TELUS announces election of directors

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VANCOUVER, BC, May 8, 2026 /CNW/ – TELUS Corporation (TELUS) (TSX: T) (NYSE: TU) announced today that the nominees listed in TELUS’ 2026 information circular were elected as directors of TELUS. The detailed results of the vote for the election of directors held at TELUS’ annual meeting on May 8, 2026 (the Meeting) are set out below.

Each of the following 14 nominees proposed by management was elected as a director of TELUS:

Nominee

Votes For  

% Votes For  

Votes Withheld  

% Votes Withheld 

Raymond T. Chan

592,322,965

97.91

12,667,245

2.09

Hazel Claxton

599,400,953

99.08

5,589,256

0.92

Lisa De Wilde

583,361,107

96.42

21,629,103

3.58

Victor Dodig

593,352,117

98.08

11,638,092

1.92

Darren Entwistle

586,791,970

96.99

18,198,239

3.01

Thomas Flynn

596,684,564

98.63

8,305,646

1.37

Mary Jo Haddad

577,841,419

95.51

27,148,791

4.49

Martha Hall Findlay     

595,075,545

98.36

9,914,665

1.64

Christine Magee

597,282,615

98.73

7,707,595

1.27

John Manley

579,845,538

95.84

25,144,672

4.16

David Mowat

592,867,380

98.00

12,122,830

2.00

Marc Parent

577,961,748

95.53

27,028,461

4.47

Denise Pickett

596,211,746

98.55

8,778,464

1.45

W. Sean Willy

595,898,668

98.50

9,091,541

1.50

Final voting results on all matters voted on at the Meeting will be published shortly on telus.com/agm, and filed with the Canadian and U.S. securities regulators.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a world-leading communications technology company operating in more than 45 countries and generating over $20 billion in annual revenue with more than 21 million customer connections through our advanced suite of broadband services for consumers, businesses and the public sector. We are committed to leveraging our technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. TELUS is passionate about putting our customers and communities first, leading the way globally in client service excellence and social capitalism. TELUS Health is enhancing approximately 170 million lives across 200 countries and territories through innovative preventive medicine and well-being technologies. TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods utilizes digital technologies and data insights to optimize the connection between producers and consumers. TELUS Digital specializes in digital customer experiences and future-focused digital transformations that deliver value for their global clients. Guided by our enduring ‘give where we live’ philosophy, TELUS continues to invest in initiatives that support education, health and community well-being. In 2023, we launched the TELUS Student Bursary, which strives to ensure that every young person in Canada who wants a postsecondary education has the opportunity to pursue one. To date, the program has distributed over $6 million in bursaries to 2,000 students and counting. Since 2000, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $1.85 billion in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs, including 2.5 million days of service–earning TELUS the distinction of the world’s most giving company.

For more information, visit telus.com or follow @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

For more information, please contact:

Jacinthe Beaulieu
TELUS Media Relations
Jacinthe.Beaulieu@telus.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/telus-announces-election-of-directors-302767404.html

SOURCE TELUS Communications Inc.

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CTK BIO SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN NGEN’S $62.7M ADVANCED MANUFACTURING INITIATIVE

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VANCOUVER, BC, May 8, 2026 /CNW/ – CTK Bio Canada today announced its selection as a participant in a Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen)-supported advanced manufacturing project, part of a $62.7 million national initiative backing 14 high-impact projects across Canada.

The initiative, recently announced by NGen, represents one of Canada’s most significant investments in advanced manufacturing, supporting collaborations between leading industry and technology partners to accelerate commercialization and strengthen global competitiveness. NGen’s project selection process is highly competitive, prioritizing initiatives with strong technical innovation, commercialization potential, and industry impact.

CTK Bio will contribute to the project titled “Streamlining Cosmetics Packaging with AI Powered Materials Informatics,” which uses artificial intelligence to guide the formulation and validation of packaging materials, ensuring compatibility with cosmetic products while meeting performance and regulatory requirements.

ADVANCING AI-DRIVEN MATERIALS INNOVATION
Through this project, CTK Bio is advancing an AI-powered materials informatics approach that improves how packaging materials are formulated, validated, and scaled for cosmetic applications.

By shifting from traditional trial-and-error methods to predictive, data-driven formulation, CTK Bio aims to:

Increase the success rate of new material developmentReduce formulation and validation timelinesLower development costsAccelerate commercialization of innovative and sustainable packaging solutions

EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY
JK Park, CEO
“This project unlocks synergies between CTK Bio and CTK Clip, where we already have an established global presence in the cosmetics market. By combining advanced materials innovation with existing market access, we can accelerate the commercialization of next-generation packaging solutions.”

ABOUT CTK BIO
CTK Bio Canada is focused on advancing next-generation biomaterials and manufacturing technologies, developing innovative solutions that enable more efficient, sustainable, and scalable production across global industries.

ABOUT NGEN
Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) is the industry-led organization spearheading Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing. NGen brings together industry, academia, and technology partners to drive innovation, accelerate commercialization, and enhance Canada’s global competitiveness.

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctkbiocanada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ctkbiocanada
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ctk-bio-canada

For more information, visit www.ctkbio.com or call (604) 372-4200.

SOURCE CTK Bio

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During Small Business Month, Reform CIPA Coalition Says Best Way to Support Small Businesses Is to Reform CIPA

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Coalition now includes more than 30 small businesses and nearly 40 organizations representing small business interests statewide

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — One of the best ways to celebrate and support small businesses this May is to protect them from abusive litigation tied to outdated interpretations of a 1960s law. In recognition of Small Business Month, the Reform CIPA Coalition today called on California policymakers  to modernize the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), by passing SB 690. The Reform CIPA Coalition continues to grow. Among its 146 coalition members, more than 30 individual small businesses and over 40 organizations representing small business interests across California have joined the movement. Coalition members say momentum is building around the need to clarify that commonplace online tools already regulated under California’s consumer privacy laws should not trigger predatory lawsuits.

“An outdated 1960s law should not be weaponized against businesses using everyday technologies like chat features, appointment scheduling, or analytics tools. These lawsuits drive up costs, discourage investment, and make it harder for small businesses to grow. Senate Bill 690 offers a commonsense fix, and that’s why support for reform continues to expand,” said Michael Hedges, President of the California Small Business Association.

Coalition leaders said reform is not only about legal clarity, but affordability.

“This is an affordability issue caused by a legal issue. When small businesses, like many here in Los Angeles, are forced to spend money defending meritless lawsuits, those costs ripple through the economy. They affect jobs, prices, and local communities. A growing coalition of business leaders is coming together because California needs clear, modern rules that protect privacy without punishing responsible businesses,” said Mitchell Vieyra, Executive Vice President of the Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed).

A coalition small business member added:

“California’s small businesses are already navigating rising costs, labor pressures, and economic uncertainty. Being hit with lawsuits over routine website tools that help us communicate with customers and stay competitive is deeply unfair. Reforming CIPA is about protecting small businesses from abusive litigation while preserving strong privacy protections. That’s why more business owners are joining the Reform CIPA Coalition.” — Michelle Leopold, Owner/CMO, Stan’s Ace Hardware

Supporters say the best way to celebrate Small Business Month is to enact reforms that help small businesses survive and grow, not leave them vulnerable to costly lawsuits over routine technologies used every day to serve customers.

Senate Bill 690 would clarify that activities already governed under the California Consumer Privacy Act are not grounds for opportunistic CIPA claims, while maintaining strong privacy protections for consumers.

As Small Business Month continues, Reform CIPA Coalition members urged lawmakers to stand with local employers, entrepreneurs and job creators by advancing common sense reform.

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SOURCE Reform CIPA

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