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XSparks Introduces the AI Operating Model, Turning AI From a Pilot into How the Business Runs

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PITTSBURGH, July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XSparks, a global AI transformation firm, today introduced the AI Operating Model, or AIOM, its approach to taking a company past AI pilots and copilots to AI that runs the operation. AIOM is not a product and not a platform. It is the model XSparks deploys to rebuild how a business runs, so AI does the work and people direct it.

Most companies now use AI, and most have little to show for it on the P&L. In a recent survey, 56% of CEOs reported no financial benefit from their AI investment (PwC, 2026), and Gartner expects more than 40% of agentic AI projects to be canceled by the end of 2027. The pattern is consistent. AI works inside the company, in a copilot here and a pilot there, but the company does not run on it. The reason is structural: adding AI on top of the existing operation leaves the workflow, the data, and the accountability unchanged, so nothing moves.

AIOM changes what AI is attached to. Rather than add tools to the old operating model, XSparks rebuilds the operating model itself, composed of three pillars. The AIOM Tech Stack is a seven-layer architecture that connects to the data and systems a company already runs and orchestrates across foundation models from providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, so the business is never locked to one vendor’s roadmap. The AIOM Consulting Stack redesigns how the work runs, with two streams of practice, business and technical, moving in parallel through the Think. Build. Operate. sequence. The AIOM Operations Stack is the control plane that keeps the system honest in production: governance, human-in-the-loop controls, observability, and compliance. AI working in production is the starting line. The Operations Stack is what turns it into AI that runs the operation.

“AI working inside a company is not the same as a company running on AI,” said Harbinder Khera, Co-Founder and CEO of XSparks. “A copilot makes a person faster. It does not change how the business operates. AIOM does. We rebuild the operating model so the work runs on AI and the people move up to directing it. That is the difference between a demo that impresses the board and a business that compounds.”

AIOM is instrumented from the first day. XSparks measures every engagement against six categories of business value, cost, revenue, time, capacity, quality, and risk, and reports the result to one quarterly number, the AI Return Multiple. The number is what the CEO takes to the board as proof the rebuild paid off, and XSparks stays accountable for it after launch, the phase most firms never own.

“Companies have spent two years proving AI can work. The question now is whether it runs the business,” said Cosmo Mariano, Chief Client Outcomes Officer at XSparks. “AIOM is how you get there. We redesign the workflow, build on the right infrastructure, and keep people in the loop operating it. The work leaves your people’s hands, and the margin shows up on the P&L.”

AIOM is available now to operators ready to move past pilots. XSparks begins each engagement with a 60-minute Operations Briefing that maps the highest-impact use case and defines what it would take to put the firm’s name on the result.

About XSparks

Founded in 2023, XSparks is a global AI transformation firm. The firm rebuilds operations so AI runs the work, using one methodology, Think. Build. Operate., and stays accountable through the AI Operating Model and a quarterly measure of business value. XSparks runs seven offices across four continents, with operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, and works across leading AI, cloud, and enterprise technology ecosystems. No AI Theater. Accountable from Idea to Outcome. Learn more at xsparks.ai.

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SOURCE Xsparks.ai

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NEO high schools, more coverage than ever expected in 26-27, powered by uReport

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CLEVELAND, July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Since its recent announcement, over 50 Cleveland DMA high schools have signed on to experience a rebirth in coverage for all school athletics and activities, with dozens more planning the onboarding process. DistrictWON is fully funding this effort for the entire 26-27 academic year for every high school in the 20 County DMA, representing over 270 high schools.

“Schools will now be able to publish real-time stories about everything from freshman basketball games, to marching band performances, to every other sport and activity. We look forward to students participating in this process and gaining incredible experiences through active journalism, media, tech and much more,” says Peter Fitzpatrick, CEO of DistrictWON & uReport.

uReport has earned important recognition with 1EdTech TrustedED Apps Certification for Data Privacy. This recognition highlights uReport’s commitment to safeguarding student and educator data while providing schools with a trusted platform for storytelling, communication, and responsible AI use. This adds to uReport’s existing listing within the ISTE Learning Technology Directory (International Society for Transforming Education).

“School leaders are paying attention to what is happening in Northeast Ohio. It is special to bring back coverage to thousands of events long forgotten and to provide exposure to activities that have never experienced the limelight. Their stories need to be heard and are important to get into the community,” says Peter Fitzpatrick, CEO of DistrictWON. “The platform is best-in-class, and schools can get their students involved in the coverage of everything, providing real-life experience and having lots of fun along the way.”

To learn more about DistrictWON’s plan to provide coverage, see this video: NEO High Schools – Full Coverage

School administrators can start immediately here: Easy Account Access

For more information, contact uReport Director of Customer Success, Dan McGrath: 216-647-3857; dmcgrath@districtwon.com

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SOURCE DistrictWON

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ChatGPT is now in Viber

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Rakuten Viber and OpenAI Partner to Bring ChatGPT Directly into Messaging

SAN MATEO, Calif. and LONDON, July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rakuten Viber is bringing ChatGPT directly to your fingertips. Through a new global partnership with OpenAI, Viber users can now access ChatGPT-powered tools for free and without leaving the app.

You don’t need to be a tech expert to use these tools in Viber. They are designed to make AI accessible to everyone, even if you have never used an AI assistant before. Whether you need to edit a photo, draft the perfect message, or find inspiration for a new recipe, these new features are just a tap away (usage limits apply).

Features to Help You Every Day

The following functionality, powered by ChatGPT, is now available to Viber users globally on iOS and Android, with desktop support coming soon:

ChatGPT in Viber as a dedicated contact and tab: Get a ChatGPT experience in a dedicated Viber chat. Ask or search anything, get help with a task, or think something through whenever you need to, without opening another app. You do not need a ChatGPT account to get started, but you can create one or log in to connect and get higher limits.Tag ChatGPT in any conversation: Bring ChatGPT into a conversation. Need ideas on where to watch the match? Ask @ChatGPT in a private or group chat to make suggestions. Type “@” and select ChatGPT as the first option in the menu to ask a question. Everyone in the chat can reply to ChatGPT’s response, so the conversation keeps moving. ChatGPT responses are visually distinct from other participants’ messages, so it’s always clear when a message comes from ChatGPT. Only the specific message you send or recent messages that mention ChatGPT are shared with ChatGPT, not any context from the rest of your conversation.Image Remix: Reimagine your photos. Powered by ChatGPT Images, you can now edit and personalize photos directly in your 1:1 and group chats. Change the style, add a twist, or turn a regular photo into something that marks a special occasion. Viber also added a set of ready-made templates to get you started instantly. Select the Remix button and let your imagination run wild.Link Summary: ChatGPT can summarize the key points from a shared article, blog post, or document – just tap the button under a link. This feature is enabled by default in all group chats.Chat Summary: Easily catch up on busy chats. With one tap, you receive a private summary of the conversation – visible only to you – to help you stay on top of important details or agreed actions, whether you are planning a school trip or catching up on work updates.Polish Messages: Not sure how to say something important? Tap the pen icon in any chat, community or channel (excluding comment threads), to rewrite your message for the right tone and clarity before you send it. Rest assured: others will not see that you used the polish tool.Translate Message: Break down language barriers instantly. Whether you are chatting with a local business while on holiday or sending a birthday wish to a colleague in their native language, translation is just a tap on the pen icon away.

To start using these features, update your Viber app to the latest version. To use Image Remix, simply log in to ChatGPT within the app, or create a free account within the app with a quick and easy, one-time process (no paid subscription required). All other tools are ready to use immediately with no registration or sign-up needed.

“We want to make everyday communication easier and more creative,” says Ofir Eyal, CEO at Rakuten Viber. “Partnering with OpenAI means we can bring ChatGPT to our users to add real, day-to-day value – even if they would never have sought it out on their own. Whether you’re drafting the perfect message, remixing an image, or just exploring a new idea, this is now built into the app people already use every day.”

Torben Severson, VP and Head of Global Business Development, OpenAI said: “Messaging is where so much of everyday life happens. With ChatGPT in Viber, people can get helpful, creative support right in the moment, from finding the right words to catching up on busy chats or remixing a photo. We’re excited to partner with Rakuten Viber to bring these tools into an app people already use every day.”

This partnership is part of Rakuten Viber’s ongoing commitment to using AI to simplify your daily life. It also supports the Rakuten Group’s ‘Triple 20’ initiative, which focuses on using AI to improve service efficiency and deliver a better experience for users everywhere.

Notes to Editors

Privacy and security remain at the heart of the Viber experience. Viber’s core features – including one-to-one calls and messages, group messages, private media sharing and linked devices – are protected by end-to-end encryption so conversations between Viber users stay private and can’t be read by Viber. Users also stay in control when they use an AI feature, and their explicit consent to OpenAI’s terms and policies is required before their first use.

“ChatGPT in Viber” chats are handled by OpenAI under the OpenAI Terms and Privacy Policy. If a user connects their ChatGPT account, their ChatGPT in Viber activity will be linked to that account and handled under OpenAI’s standard retention policies. For all other features, only the specific text, image, or request users choose is sent securely to OpenAI for processing – never account data or the rest of a chat. This data is only retained for a limited time period and is not shared or used to train OpenAI’s models.  ChatGPT-powered features are also subject to OpenAI’s Usage Policies, and OpenAI may review content for safety.

ChatGPT in Viber is available to Viber users in most countries where ChatGPT is supported. The experience is not available in a small number of countries where roll-out is not planned initially due to local priorities, or where ChatGPT is not currently available due to local regulations.

About Rakuten Viber
Rakuten Viber is one of the most trusted and downloaded apps in the world. We create meaningful connections, bringing people together safely, so they can enjoy precious moments with their families and friends, manage their business relations, or pursue their passions, in one place – we do it all! As a super app, we give our users services that cover every aspect of their day-to-day needs and make their lives easier.

Rakuten Viber is part of Rakuten Group, Inc., a global technology leader in e-commerce, fintech, digital content, and communications services.

About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits everyone. For more information, please visit openai.com.

Media Contact:
Robert Roessler
Rakuten
robert.roessler@viber.com

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SOURCE Rakuten Viber

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Luminate Bank® Named New Jersey’s #1 Large Company Top Workplace

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MINNEAPOLIS, July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Luminate Bank has been named the #1 Large Company in the 2026 New Jersey Top Workplaces awards, presented by NJ.com in partnership with employee survey company Energage.

Employees cited Luminate Bank’s culture of trust, autonomy, collaboration, and purpose as key reasons the organization earned the top ranking.

As reported by NJ.com, one surveyed employee shared:

“I love my job because it lets me show up as both a problem-solver and a human. Every day brings a new challenge, a new story, and a chance to make something complicated feel manageable for someone else. I get to work alongside people who care, who collaborate, and who want to do things the right way, not the easy way. There’s real purpose in helping others move forward with confidence, and that sense of impact, mixed with trust, teamwork, and a little momentum, is what makes me genuinely excited to do this work every day.”

Luminate Bank’s roots trace back to a Minnesota state-chartered bank established in 1937. In 2020, Taryn Reuter, Eric Lovins, and Thomas Payne acquired the bank and a mortgage company, ushering in a new chapter built around the Luminate name, inspired by the Latin root for “light.” With a shared commitment to helping people navigate complex financial decisions with clarity, transparency, and care, the two businesses came together over the following years and ultimately unified in 2025 under a single brand: Luminate Bank. Together with CEO Marc Campbell, the leadership team continues building a future-focused banking experience that combines innovative digital solutions with deeply personal customer relationships.

Over the past five years, Luminate Bank has grown its assets from $62 million to $500 million. Mortgage originations, meanwhile, have expanded from $22 million to more than $4 billion in just over a decade, as the company has grown from a six-person operation into a nationwide organization of over 700 professionals.

“This award reflects the kind of organization our people choose to build every day,” said Marc Campbell, CEO. “We are united by a shared mission and a genuine commitment to one another. Our team brings integrity, determination, and openness to their work, and that alignment between people, purpose, and values is what truly sets Luminate Bank apart.”

The New Jersey Top Workplaces program recognizes employers based entirely on confidential employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by Energage. The survey measures key aspects of workplace culture, including employees’ feelings of being respected and supported, opportunities for growth, empowerment to execute, and confidence in leadership.

Luminate Bank’s recognition as New Jersey’s top-ranked large employer reflects the organization’s continued investment in building a workplace where employees are empowered to thrive while delivering exceptional service to customers and communities.

About Luminate Bank®

At Luminate Bank®, We Open Doors—empowering individuals and families to achieve their financial dreams through personalized service and innovative digital solutions. As a nationwide bank headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, we are committed to helping our clients meet their financial goals with a blend of modern technology, traditional values, and the trusted guidance of experienced professionals. Known for our exceptional commitment to customers, we take pride in delivering a seamless, supportive experience for every step of the journey.

Our dedicated mortgage division has branches and a team of loan originators across the U.S., making expert home financing solutions accessible to communities nationwide.

Luminate Bank® is committed to safeguarding your money and accounts with FDIC insurance coverage up to applicable limits. Learn more at www.luminate.bank.

About Energage
Making the world a better place to work together.™

Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 20 years of culture research and the results from 30 million employees surveyed across more than 80,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

Media Contact
Debbie Schwake, CMO
debbie.schwake@luminate.bank
952-698-3300

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SOURCE Luminate Bank

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