Zoom Partners with Anthropic to Expand Federated Approach to AI

Zoom announces investment in Anthropic to support research roadmaps and build steerable AI systems; Anthropic’s AI model will help strengthen Zoom’s federated approach across its platform, including Zoom Contact Center integrations

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Zoom announced a strategic partnership with and investment in Anthropic, an AI safety and research company working to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. The collaboration with Anthropic will further bolster Zoom’s federated approach to AI by allowing Anthropic’s AI assistant, Claude, to be integrated with Zoom’s platform (which includes Team Chat, Meetings, Phone, Whiteboard, Zoom IQ), starting with Zoom Contact Center.

“Anthropic’s Constitutional AI model is primed to provide safe and responsible integrations for our next-generation innovations, beginning with the Zoom Contact Center portfolio. With Claude guiding agents toward trustworthy resolutions and powering self-service for end-users, companies will be able to take customer relationships to another level,” said Smita Hashim, chief product officer for Zoom. “Partnering with Anthropic also furthers our commitment to providing customers with our federated approach to AI, optimized to deliver outstanding customer experience outcomes. Additionally, with our investment, we are advancing leading-edge companies like Anthropic and helping to drive innovation in the Zoom ecosystem and beyond.”

“Partnering with a leading collaboration platform like Zoom allows us to put robust, steerable AI into the hands of more people and unlock its potential to help streamline everyday processes,” said Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic. “We look forward to working together to showcase Anthropic’s capabilities and our joint commitment to enhancing productivity through intelligent solutions.”

Zoom’s federated approach to AI leverages its own proprietary AI models, along with those from leading AI companies — such as Anthropic — and select customers’ models. With this flexibility to incorporate multiple types of models, Zoom can provide the most value for its customers’ diverse needs. Zoom will be able to customize these models to perform better for a customer, based on their specific business needs.

As the next step in evolving the Zoom Contact Center portfolio, (Zoom Virtual Agent, Zoom Contact Center, Zoom Workforce Management), Zoom plans to incorporate Anthropic AI throughout its suite, improving end-user outcomes and enabling superior agent experiences. The Zoom Contact Center suite of solutions elevates the quality of customer experiences through better self-service and the ability to accurately understand customer intent. It intelligently guides customers to the best resolution, surfaces actionable insights that managers can use to coach their agents, and improves productivity by providing a unified communications and contact center experience. In the near future, Zoom will also use AI to provide the right resources to agents, so customers receive exceptional service experiences regardless of their reason for calling.

Announced today, Zoom Ventures has made an investment in Anthropic, strengthening the relationship between both companies. Anthropic’s research and development aims to create steerable, trustworthy, and responsible large-scale AI systems. Zoom did not disclose the amount of the investment.

About Zoom
Zoom is an all-in-one intelligent collaboration platform that makes connecting easier, more immersive, and more dynamic for businesses and individuals. Zoom technology puts people at the center, enabling meaningful connections, facilitating modern collaboration, and driving human innovation through solutions like team chat, phone, meetings, omnichannel cloud contact center, smart recordings, whiteboard, and more, in one offering. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Get more info at zoom.com.

Zoom Public Relations
Lacretia Taylor
press@zoom.us

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8840480

Impulse Dynamics Announces 9,000th Patient Milestone Achieved With CCM® Therapy for Heart Failure

Momentum Continues as Depth of Clinical Experience Expands Worldwide

MARLTON, N.J., May 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Impulse Dynamics plc, a global medical device company dedicated to improving the lives of people with heart failure (HF), announced today a worldwide milestone achievement with the 9,000th patient receiving the Optimizer® system for the treatment of moderate HF. The Optimizer system is the only device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States to deliver CCM therapy. Dr. Steven Gubin, a cardiologist and the President of Stern Cardiovascular, is part of the care team that completed the procedure at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, offering CCM therapy to a patient living with the debilitating effects of HF. This milestone highlights the momentum building globally for CCM therapy, using the Optimizer platform to improve quality of life in HF patients.

“I am excited to have a new therapy option for heart failure patients,” said Dr. Gubin, who has been practicing for 30 years. “One of my heart failure patients, Aubretta Bean, who is a cancer survivor, continued to have symptoms despite her compliance with guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure. She let me know that she felt better almost immediately after receiving the implant and continues to improve daily. It has been extremely rewarding to see such improvement in her quality of life. Her lab work four weeks later showed her BNP (a common test to diagnose heart failure) decreased by 81%, which is consistent with improvement in her heart failure symptoms.”

“Before my CCM implant, I could not walk from one room to the other without gasping for air. It was like being underwater and trying to breathe through a straw,” said Aubretta Bean. “Heart failure changed my life so quickly. You might think housework is a chore, but when you can’t make your bed or do the dishes, you realize how quickly you would love to do that again. Now after my Optimizer implant, I can do all these things! I look forward to planning my days again and not just trying to get through them. I have eight grandkids and two great-grandkids that I can travel to see!”

Drs. Eric Johnson, David Lan, and Chris Ingelmo are all electrophysiologists at Stern Cardiovascular that have treated ten patients at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis with CCM therapy since March 2023. Dr. Chris Ingelmo completed the milestone procedure for the 9,000th patient treated with CCM therapy. The results have been encouraging, with significant improvement in patient symptoms.

“We are inspired by such stories highlighting the potential for clinicians to use CCM therapy to make a positive impact on HF patients’ lives,” said Simos Kedikoglou, MD, CEO of Impulse Dynamics. “The growing cadence of implants and the emergence of such inspiring stories reinforces our commitment to delivering meaningful advances in CCM technology and clinical data.”

CCM therapy is now available in 44 countries, and the technology has continued to advance based on the needs of patients and physicians. The latest generation of Impulse Dynamic’s proprietary Optimizer platform is the Optimizer Smart Mini, which offers a rechargeable battery with 20-year battery life and a smaller size designed to make the implant procedure faster and easier for patients and physicians.

About the Optimizer® and CCM® Therapy

The Optimizer Smart system delivers CCM therapy — the company’s proprietary technology — to the heart. CCM therapy has been designed by Impulse Dynamics to significantly improve the heart’s contraction, allowing more oxygen-rich blood to be pushed out through the body. CCM therapy is indicated to improve the 6-minute hall walk, quality of life, and functional status of NYHA Class III heart failure patients who remain symptomatic despite guideline-directed medical therapy, are not indicated for CRT, and have a left ventricular ejection fraction ranging from 25 to 45 percent.

CCM is the brand name for cardiac contractility modulation — the non-excitatory electrical pulses delivered by the implantable Optimizer device to improve heart contraction. CCM therapy sends unique electrical pulses to the heart cells during the absolute refractory period. In doing so, CCM helps the heart contract more forcibly. Impulse Dynamics has completed numerous clinical studies, including several randomized controlled trials, and CCM therapy has been published in more than 120 peer-reviewed journal articles.

About Impulse Dynamics

Impulse Dynamics is dedicated to advancing the treatment of heart failure for patients and the healthcare providers who care for them. The company pioneered its proprietary CCM therapy, which uses the Optimizer platform to improve quality of life in heart failure patients. CCM therapy is delivered through the Optimizer system, which includes an IPG implanted in a minimally invasive procedure and approved for commercial use in the United States and 44 countries worldwide. CCM therapy has proven safe and effective for heart failure patients with debilitating symptoms who otherwise have few effective options available to them. To learn more, visit www.ImpulseDynamics.com or follow the company on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘will,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘target,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘contemplate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘predict,’’ ‘‘potential’’ or ‘‘continue’’ or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning potential benefits of CCM therapy, the continued momentum for the adoption of CCM therapy and use of the Optimizer Smart system globally; the ability for CCM therapy and our products and technology to fill a significant unmet medical need for patients with heart failure; and the short-term and long-term benefits of the Optimizer system and CCM therapy in patients with heart failure, as well as to the physicians treating those patients. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Other important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contemplated in this press release include, without limitation: the company’s future research and development costs, capital requirements and the company’s needs for additional financing; company’s ability to expand and grow its business into new geographic markets; commercial success and market acceptance of CCM therapy; the company’s ability to achieve and maintain adequate levels of coverage or reimbursement for its Optimizer systems or any future products the company may seek to commercialize; competitive companies and technologies in the industry; the company’s ability to expand its indications and develop and commercialize additional products and enhancements to its current products; the company’s business model and strategic plans for its products, technologies and business, including its implementation thereof; the company’s ability to expand, manage and maintain its direct sales and marketing organization; the company’s ability to commercialize or obtain regulatory approvals for CCM therapy and its products, or the effect of delays in commercializing or obtaining regulatory approvals; FDA or other U.S. or foreign regulatory actions affecting us or the healthcare industry generally, including healthcare reform measures in the United States and international markets; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals; and the company’s ability to establish and maintain intellectual property protection for CCM therapy and products or avoid claims of infringement. The company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements and expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Rohan More, Global Vice President of Marketing
Impulse Dynamics
856-642-9933
rmore@impulsedynamics.com

Harriss Currie, Chief Financial Officer
Impulse Dynamics
856-642-9933
hcurrie@impulsedynamics.com

Ian Segal, Public Relations Manager
Impulse Dynamics
856-642-9933
isegal@impulsedynamics.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8839792

Angola, Republic of Korea strengthen cooperation

The Republics of Angola and Korea have pledged to work on strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the areas of renewable energy, education and agriculture, the Korean ambassador to Angola, Kwangjin Choi said Tuesday in Luanda.

The diplomat was speaking to journalists at the end of a meeting with the head of the Committee for Foreign Relations, International Cooperation and Angolan Communities Abroad of the National Assembly, Alcides Sakala Simões.

On the occasion, he assured that starting this year the two countries will revive the cooperation relations that date back to more than 30 years.

The Korean diplomat took the opportunity to congratulate Angola on the holding, in October this year, of the 147th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Angola and Korea have maintained a consistent relationship since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992.

Both countries meet regularly in various areas to hold high-level Joint Commission and Exchange Sessions.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

Angola makes arrangement for IPU General Assembly

The 147th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), scheduled for October this year in Luanda, Angola, will take place under the motto “Parliamentary Action for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”.

The event will gather around 1,400 MPs from 172 countries and 150 Speaker of parliaments from around the world, with the organising commission busy creating conditions for the successful holding of the event.

The information was released Tuesday by the president of the IPU National Monitoring Group, Idalina Valente in Luanda.

The official was speaking at the end of a meeting with the organising committee of the event and a multi-sector delegation, headed by Minister of State and Head of the Civil Affairs Office to the President of the Republic, Adão de Almeida.

The spokesperson for the event said that they reviewed information that must be provided soon to all participants in the event, who will be invited by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira.

She assured that the invitation letters will start being distributed on the 25th of this month.

The heads of various ministerial departments and the governor of the province of Luanda, Manuel Homem, attended the meeting.

The IPU, seen as the pioneering international political organisation, has more than 170 affiliated national parliaments and 12 associated regional parliamentary assemblies

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

Fuel subsidies absorb kz 1.9 billion from State

Fuel subsidies consumed, from the State coffers, kz 1.9 billion in 2022, an increase of kz 752.46 million compared to 2021.

The total costs incurred with the acquisition of oil by-products stood at Kz 2.58 billion, against Kz 1.7 billion in 2021, an increase of kz 859.77 million compared to 2021.

In that period, the country acquired 4,667 million metric tons of oil by-products, compared to 3.995 million in 2021, according to the 2022 annual report, published on the portal of the Institute of Management and State Assets (IGAPE), attached to the Ministry of Finance reached ANGOP.

The source states that this is the subsidy of 3.038 million metric tons (MT) of diesel, 1.182 million MT of gasoline, 307 million MT of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and 68.97 million of kerosene.

These are the quantities internally and externally acquired and sold in 2022.

IGAPE’s mission is to support the Executive in coordinating income policy, subsidy prices.

The Angolan Government continues to study the social impact of withdrawing fuel subsidies.

In December 2022, the minister of Finance, Vera Daves, said that the country is negotiating with international partners adequate compensation for the removal of state subsidies on fuel prices, a political decision that has not yet been taken.

A liter of gasoline in Angola is being sold for 160 kwanzas, while diesel costs Kz 135, the lowest in the SADC region.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

Minister defends AICEP’s convening role in CPLP’s digital agenda

The Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication Mário Oliveira has urged the International Association of Portuguese-Speaking Communications (AICEP) to continue to act as convening agent in the implementation of the CPLP’s digital agenda.

Mário Oliveira said so on Tuesday in Luanda while speaking at the opening of the XXX AICEP Forum on Lusophone Communications 2023.

The minister said this digital agenda is based on four structural pillars: electronic communications infrastructure, digital services, digital security and training.

According to him, Angola has contributed to the implementation of the said agenda, which is perfectly aligned with the strategy for the country’s digital transformation (the ICT Policy white paper, 2019-2022).

In the field of infrastructure, the official highlighted the entry into operation of international submarine cables MONET and SACS (the first connection from Africa to the Americas, from the South Atlantic) and the expansion of the national terrestrial fiber optic network.

Also Mário Oliveira referred to the completion of the construction, placement into orbit and operational of the ANGOSAT 2 satellite and the kick-off of the National Center for Monitoring the Radio Electric Spectrum.

The minister also highlighted, within the scope of expansion and digital inclusion, the gradual expansion across the national territory of the Angola Media Library Network, as well as the N`gola Digital and Angola Online projects.

As for the training, the minister said that Angola has strengthened training institutions in the field of telecommunications and electronic communications.

As regards training, the minister referred that Angola has strengthened training institutions in the field of telecommunications and electronic communications.

As an example, Mário Oliveira noted that his sector signed, a few days ago, a memorandum of understanding that will result in the creation of the first Cybersecurity Academy center in Angola.

The four panels discussed tTopics such as “communications security”, “the CEO’s cockpit: digital nations”, “the future of networks”, as well as “internationalization: what is changing”, were discussed.

AICEP comprises Angola, Brazil, Portugal, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau and Macau.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)