Technology

SCAD’s New AI Insights Report Accelerates Creative Value

Published

5 months ago

June 4, 2026

SCADask Research Finds AI Is Shifting from Production to Direction — and SCAD Is Building the Curriculum to Match

SAVANNAH, Ga., June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is excited to present the SCAD AI Insights 2026 Report, developed by the university’s applied research unit, SCADask. Drawing on a pre-summit survey of more than 100 creative leaders across entertainment, technology, healthcare, and automotive sectors, and on summit proceedings featuring practitioners from NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, Netflix, Amazon, Canva, Deloitte Digital, The Coca-Cola Company, and others, the report argues that the most consequential challenge in creative practice today is directional.

Survey data anchors the case: AI is driving its biggest efficiency gains where work is generative: research and insights synthesis at 76%, content creation at 67%, ideation at 63%. But 63% of practitioners still define their primary KPI for AI success as time saved, while output quality, customer outcomes, and revenue growth together account for just 16%. The field, the report concludes, is measuring what’s easiest to count.

“This report confirms something we’ve been teaching at SCAD for several years: the most durable creative skill has never been production speed, its judgment,” said Nye Warburton, Dean of the School of Creative Technology at SCAD. “AI accelerates the making. It doesn’t replace the knowing. The designers, directors, and strategists who will lead in this moment are the ones who can look at what a machine generates and ask, ‘Does this feel right?’ Building on taste, context, and intention that’s what a creative education is for.”

Direction Over Fluency: What Creative Leaders Want
Across the summit, a consistent signal emerged: hiring is moving toward resilience and direction, not tool fluency. Creative direction and storytelling lead the human skills gaining most ground — at 61% and 56% respectively — followed by strategy at 44%, research synthesis at 40%, and data literacy at 33%. Prompt craft and technical integration ranks near the bottom. What practitioners are reaching for, the report finds, is interpretive. This moment represents a restructuring of how the industry looks at the creative role.

Students Building with OpenUSD and Omniverse: The Summit’s 48-Hour AI Jam
At this year’s summit, SCAD launched its first AI Summit Jam, a 48-hour sprint powered by NVIDIA. Eighteen teams of more than 70 students across disciplines were challenged to scale 3D content and simulation using digital twins, OpenUSD, and NVIDIA Omniverse, integrating directly into existing pipelines with access to SCAD’s Satellite AI Lab.

The solutions students produced spanned industries and scales: 2D documentation converted to 4D preservation, immersive worldbuilding, a digital twin of hospital foot traffic, a customizable coral reef, and rescue robot training simulations for collapsed interiors. The work that would take quarters to learn was compressed or eliminated by AI-driven platforms, allowing students with the least technical background to keep pace.

The winning team, Project R.E.M. (Remember Every Moment), built a system that lets people capture and step back inside their own memories — assembling a production pipeline across Blender, Unreal Engine 5, Luma AI, Meshy, and Figma within the 48-hour window. Integrating 3D Gaussian splats into Unreal Engine required engineering work-arounds; the team solved it and then went further, identifying a practical path to consumer adoption and use cases the brief hadn’t specified, including applications for individuals with visual or memory impairments.

Dan Schneider, Enterprise Platforms Product Specialist at NVIDIA, observed: “I’m amazed that the students were able to ideate and build such a memorable product in just 48 hours — all while learning new toolsets.”

The AI Jam is a direct expression of the report’s core argument. Multi-agent orchestration, identified by 31% of survey respondents as the emerging AI trend most likely to reshape their industry, is not a future skill. SCAD students are already building it.

How SCAD Is Responding
SCAD is building curriculum and studio infrastructure to develop the direction layer — not just tool fluency:

Bachelor of Design in Applied AI program: A first-of-its-kind program preparing students to steer emerging technologies with intention.Satellite AI Lab: Specialized R&D hubs where students and faculty prototype AI integrations with industry partners, building the organizational and technical fluency the report identifies as the next competitive edge.AI Jam Challenges: High-pressure studio environments that encourage students to move beyond prompting and into building complex, ethical technical pipelines with creativity and innovation in mind.SCAD AI Values: A university-wide framework emphasizing human creativity, ethical responsibility, transparency, and intentional human-AI collaboration across creative disciplines.

Human-AI collaboration studios lead university investment priorities at 65% across survey respondents, ahead of all other categories. SCAD is already there.

The SCAD AI Insights 2026 report is available now. To learn more about AI education at SCAD and the future of design, visit scad.edu.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs across locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow. SCAD enrolls approximately 18,500 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 100 countries. The future-minded SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and myriad advanced learning resources, affording students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university’s renowned research lab and prototype generator. SCAD has earned top rankings for degree programs in interior design, architecture, film, fashion, digital media, and more. Career success is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. A 2025 study found that 99% of recent SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 12 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more. Visit scad.edu.

SCADask
SCADask is an applied research studio that leverages the university’s collective expertise to facilitate and generate strategic insights for business and media partners. Our design-centered research identifies business opportunities that reveal the future of commerce, creativity, and culture. SCADask initiatives include the university’s annual Al Summit, an event that unites design and technology luminaries with SCAD leadership, faculty partners, and students to discuss Al’s impact on design, education, and creative careers. SCADask research and award-winning publications like The Future of the American Dream and the Al Insights 2024 and 2025 reports have been featured in USA Today, Fast Company, Paste Magazine, AP News, Yahoo! Finance, California Business Journal, and more. To partner with us on custom research, email research@scad.edu.

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SOURCE Savannah College of Art and Design

Technology

Halfpricesoft Releases ezW2 2026 to Simplify Federal E-Filing Compliance

Published

60 minutes ago

November 9, 2026

Updated tax preparation software supports IRS 10-return e-filing mandate and automates reporting for Forms W-2, W-3, 1099-NEC, and 1096 ahead of the 2027 filing deadlines.

REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Halfpricesoft.com has released ezW2 2026, an updated desktop application designed to help employers and tax professionals meet federal reporting requirements. Tailored for the IRS 10-return electronic filing mandate, the software streamlines preparing and submitting Forms W-2, W-3, 1099-NEC, and 1096 directly to the SSA and IRS.

Download the full-featured, 30-day evaluation version of ezW2 2026 with no upfront obligation and test system compatibility before the upcoming tax deadlines at Halfpricesoft.com.

Critical Statutory Deadlines for the Upcoming Tax Filing Year:

Employee Copy Distribution: Employers must furnish Copies B, C, and 2 of Form W-2 to employees no later than February 1, 2027 (adjusted because January 31, 2027, falls on a Sunday).SSA & IRS Submissions: The statutory deadline for transmitting Forms W-2 and W-3 to the SSA, as well as Form 1099-NEC to the IRS—whether utilizing paper documentation or electronic filing is February 1, 2027.What clients need to know before the 2027 tax filing year

Core Functional Capabilities

The ezW2 2026 suite provides technical tools designed to reduce administrative overhead and minimize transmission errors:

Direct Electronic Transmission: Offers both direct e-filing transmission and self-filing data generation protocols for SSA and IRS portals.Multi-Entity Processing: Accommodates unlimited form processing across multiple Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) per installation.Interoperability & Data Portability: Features integrated data import/export utilities compatible with spreadsheets and external accounting platforms.Network & Multi-User Support: Includes multi-installation deployment options that enable centralized data sharing across accounting teams.Evaluation Framework: A full-featured 30-day trial period is offered to allow organizations to verify system compatibility and workflow alignment prior to deployment.

“With the ezW2 2026 release, our development priority was delivering an accurate, secure e-filing and printing framework for businesses and accountants,” said Dr. Ge, Founder of Halfpricesoft.com. “By simplifying workflow steps and maintaining strict data validation checks, the software ensures employers can meet complex IRS and SSA filing mandates accurately and on schedule.”

Availability

The ezW2 2026 software is available immediately for Windows operating environments (Windows 11, Windows 10, and supported server editions). Organizations can access technical specifications and documentation directly at Halfpricesoft.com.

About Halfpricesoft.com

Halfpricesoft.com is a US developer of financial management and tax compliance software designed for small businesses, non-profit institutions, and accounting practices. Founded over two decades ago, the company’s product line includes desktop and cloud payroll systems, employee attendance management, automated check printing, ACH direct deposit software, and federal information reporting solutions (W-2, 1099, and 1095 forms).

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SOURCE Halfpricesoft.com

Technology

Chula Sees 150% Rise in Researchers Named Among World’s Top 2% Scientists

Published

60 minutes ago

November 9, 2026

BANGKOK, Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Chulalongkorn University researchers rank among the World’s Top 2% Scientists for 2026, a 150% increase over the previous year. They represent 25 faculties, institutes and schools, with expertise ranging from medicine and engineering to business and environmental research.

Those recognized include Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University, alongside faculty members, honorary and adjunct professors, and affiliated researchers. Their inclusion reflects the breadth of Chula’s research expertise and its international academic connections.

Published in the Elsevier Data Repository, the database assesses scientific impact using standardized citation indicators in two categories: career-long citation impact and single-year citation impact.

The latest edition draws on an August 2026 snapshot of Scopus author profiles. Career-long data cover the period through the end of 2025, while single-year data capture citations received during 2025. The assessment considers citations counts, co-authorship, and authorship positions to assess researchers’ influence on subsequent scholarship.

Chulalongkorn University congratulates all those recognized for their contributions to advancing knowledge and strengthening Thailand’s presence in the global research community.

The full list of recognized researchers is available at https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/429212/

Media Contact:
Chula Communication Center
Email: Pataraporn.r@chula.ac.th

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SOURCE Chulalongkorn University Communication Center

Technology

Joybuy Launches Annual Singles’ Day Campaign with Product Selections

Published

60 minutes ago

November 9, 2026

From premium beauty and skincare to the latest technology, Joybuy’s Singles’ Day is the perfect excuse to treat yourself to something specialDiscover deals you’ll love, with savings of up to 50% on selected gifts, exclusive coupons and additional Joybuy Points rewardsRunning from 9 to 11 November, the event offers three days of savings before the Christmas shopping season gets into full swingJoybuy brings together leading premium and everyday brands, including Apple, Samsung, Sony, Nintendo, Dyson, Ninja, De’Longhi, L’Oréal Paris, LEGO

LONDON, Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This Singles’ Day, Joybuy, the new online shopping destination, is bringing three days of special offers on premium brands, gifts, and everyday indulgences. Running from 9 to 11 November, Singles’ Day on Joybuy highlights the simple pleasure of treating yourself. Whether it’s a luxury skincare set, a new gadget you’ve had your eye on, or an upgrade for your home, now is the perfect time to indulge.

Singles’ Day is fast becoming one of the biggest shopping days of the year, bringing big savings to shoppers across Europe. Joybuy is helping customers find a little joy during these darker November days, before the rush of Christmas shopping begins. Customers can explore deals across electronics, smart devices, health and beauty, food and drink, home appliances, and home and living.

A Joybuy spokesperson said: “Singles’ Day is a wonderful excuse to put yourself first. With Christmas just around the corner, November can quickly become all about shopping for everyone else, so we wanted to create an opportunity for customers to enjoy something for themselves. Whether it’s a premium beauty set, the latest technology or simply a little treat to brighten a November evening, we’re inviting customers to discover deals they’ll love.”

From beauty must-haves to the latest technology

Customers looking for inspiration can discover a wide range of products on Joybuy, from premium beauty and skincare to cutting-edge technology and home upgrades. Highlights include:

Tech and gaming: Discover the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro.Robotics: Explore futuristic technology including the Unitree Go2 Pro robotic dog and the TENNIIX AI Tennis Robot.Beauty: Indulge in L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Filler skincare sets and cult-favourite Korean beauty products from Beauty of Joseon and Medicube.Home: Upgrade everyday living with the Cosori Dual Blaze Smart Air Fryer and the Dyson V8 Cyclone cordless vacuum cleaner.

Joybuy brings together leading international and household brands across its shopping categories, including Apple, Samsung, Sony, Nintendo, Dyson, Ninja, De’Longhi, L’Oréal Paris, LEGO and more. From everyday essentials to premium purchases, customers can explore a full range of high-quality products in one place.

Discover deals you’ll love this Singles’ Day

Alongside special offers on leading brands, Joybuy is giving customers even more ways to save throughout the three-day event.

Top deals with savings of up to 50%: Customers can discover selected gifts and products with savings of up to 50% on selected products, from beauty and skincare favourites to food and home essentials.Exclusive daily coupons: Shoppers can claim coupons offering £5/€5 off eligible orders of £49/€49 or more, and £30/€30 off eligible orders of £199/€199 or more. Coupons can be claimed and used daily between 9 and 11 November, subject to the promotional terms and conditions.Additional Joybuy Points rewards: Customers can earn between 1% and 5% back in Joybuy Points on eligible products during the three-day period. JoyPlus members receive an additional 1% in points on eligible purchases, giving them even more value.

The event is available to shoppers in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, with offers available through the Joybuy app and website.

Singles’ Day is just the beginning of a month of special offers at Joybuy.

Joybuy will soon announce Black Friday, which will feature deals and savings of up to 50% on leading brands and selected products.

For shoppers planning ahead, special coupon packs will be available to purchase from 9 November, with redemption dates detailed in each product description.

Joybuy is also bringing joy beyond the shopping basket this festive season, as the Presenting Partner of The Real Ice Slide at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. From 19 November 2026 until 3 January 2027, visitors can experience the multi-lane ice attraction, powered by Joybuy, alongside special competitions and activities planned throughout the season. The partnership marks the first year of a three-year collaboration with one of London’s best-loved festive destinations.

Whether customers are treating themselves for Singles’ Day, getting ahead with Christmas gifts or preparing for Black Friday, Joybuy is helping make November shopping more rewarding.

And with Joybuy’s Double 11 delivery service, customers in eligible areas can enjoy same-day delivery when ordering before 11am, or next-day delivery when ordering before 11pm. Delivery is free on eligible orders of £29/€29 or more, with no additional charge for faster delivery.

To explore Singles’ Day offers and discover deals you’ll love, visit Joybuy online or download the Joybuy app.

Joybuy Newsroom: about.joybuy.com

About Joybuy

Joybuy is JD.com’s new online retail business in Europe, offering high-quality brands, at great prices, delivered from its own warehouses to the customer’s doorstep, through a speedy and reliable network. Joybuy is a brand-led platform, with products from leading international, European and local brands, available across technology, appliances, beauty, home, grocery and everyday essentials.

Its unique Double 11 delivery service means that if shoppers order by 11am, eligible orders will arrive before 11pm the same day, or if they order before 11pm, they will arrive the next day, subject to eligibility. Joybuy places the customer at the heart of everything it does and offers 24/7 customer service.

The Joybuy slogan, “Don’t just buy, Joybuy”, perfectly captures its mission to fulfil customers’ needs and provide a service that is easy, convenient and enjoyable. Officially launched in Europe in March 2026, Joybuy operates in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

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