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These Two Assets Historically Limited To Ultra-Wealthy Investors Have Seen Triple Digit Returns Over The Past Decade – Vint Expands Access With Latest Fund

Benzinga

By Meg Flippin, Benzinga Invest in long-term appreciation opportunities through fine wine and rare whisky here. Great taste and a nice buzz aren’t the only things you can toast when it comes to fine wine and rare whisky. There’s also the potential for a nice return on them as asset classes. Over the past few years, fine wine and rare whisky prices have witnessed growth as investors turn to them as a way to diversify and hedge against inflation. The Knight Frank Fine Wine Icons Index (KFFWII), which tracks a sector of wines that represent the fine wine investment market, is up 149% over the past ten years. Meanwhile, the Knight Frank Rare Whisky index, which tracks the auction results of a basket of rare Scottish single malts, is up 586% over the past decade. Leveling The Playing Field Despite the returns, getting access to this multi-billion dollar market historically favored by the ultra-wealthy can be difficult for regular investors. Historically, industry insiders and members of hard-to-get-on allocation lists are the ones who get to take part in this alternative investment opportunity. That’s changing thanks to companies like Vint. The platform for wine and spirits collection investing is leveling the playing field through its equity products and marketplace, giving investors and consumers access to fine wine and rare spirits with the potential for long-term appreciation. Learn more about the fine wines and whiskies at Vint’s marketplace. Vint’s innovation aims to capitalize on emerging trends while improving access to these investment opportunities. Demand for the top French wines is growing at the same time that access to them is proving difficult. That has created what the company says is a significant pricing delta among the U.S., Europe and Asia for many of these assets. Through its funds, Vint aims to give investors an efficient and tax-advantaged investment product to capitalize on this arbitrage. The company uses collected investor capital to buy physical bottles and cases of wine and whisky in one region and sell them in another. Once an asset sale is made, Vint reinvests the funds and any gains into new purchases. Best Of Both Worlds With Vint’s New Fund To encapsulate that opportunity in both the wine and whisky markets, Vint recently launched the Vint Futures and Casks I (VV-FC1) fund. Open to accredited investors with a minimum investment of $2,500, the goal of the fund is to give investors a blended approach to investing in wine and spirits and capture the quality potential from recent vintages of top wine from Bordeaux and other regions while also leveraging the strong demand and trading activity of spirits casks. What drives prices for spirits casks and wine futures is the scarcity. When producers limit the release, the market value tends to soar. As it ages and is consumed, quality and scarcity increase, driving the value of the wine or whisky higher. This gives investors the potential for long-term appreciation. Over the years spirits and wine have proven to be a solid investment, outperforming the broader markets. A popular way to gain exposure to fine wine and rare whisky is through wine and spirits futures. These enable investors to invest in the assets at their release price, providing the potential for significant upside as the price increases. Bordeaux wines, known for their aging potential are one example of a wine that could provide long-term appreciation, but there are others, as well. Cask investing affords investors the same opportunity. The only difference is the aging of whisky and rum is in a barrel or cask rather than a bottle. The Vint Futures and Casks I fund gives investors the best of both worlds, with a target composition of 70% wine futures and 30% spirits casks and a projected hold time of five to six years. Get wine and whisky exposure through the Vint Futures and Casks I Fund. Knowledge Is Power Vint should know a thing or two about fine wine and aged whisky. The company has been around since 2019, offering equity products to investors who want exposure to these luxury asset classes. It also operates the Vint marketplace which sells fine wines and rare spirits to collectors, consumers and merchants. The marketplace was created to give investors the best exit price for Vint investment assets all the while mitigating investment fees. At last check, the Vint marketplace had over $70 million in assets and hundreds of customers. Vint also has performance to back it up – the company has returned capital from 14 deals resulting in an average realized net IRR of 28.7%. Fine wine and rare spirits investing has long been the domain of a select few. Vint is changing that by giving more investors access to what has the potential for long-term appreciation. Now that’s something to cheer about. Use the Vint platform to invest for as little as $2500. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

January 30, 2024 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Uno Pizzeria and Grill Releases New Mardi Gras Inspired Menu

UNO Pizzeria & Grill

Uno Pizzeria and Grill, the iconic restaurant brand and the birthplace of deep dish pizza, has introduced a new limited-time-only menu that features the flavors of New Orleans and Mardi Gras. With Fat Tuesday on February 13 th this year, the company wanted to release the menu in advance of the celebration of Mardi Gras to give guests the opportunity to try the flavorful new items over an extended period of time. The menu features UNO's spin on classic New Orleans dishes as well as a few completely new tasty creations. Items featured on the menu include: Big Easy Gumbo – A bowl of chicken, shrimp, and andouille sausage gumbo with rice, vegetables and classic Cajun seasoning. Cheesy Grits and Shrimp Appetizer – Shrimp sautéed with bacon, onion and a housemade Makers Mark BBQ sauce served over cheesy grits. Seasoned Fried Shrimp Appetizer – Tender shrimp dusted in seasoned flour (with a tiny kick) and deep fried to a golden brown. Served with a housemade remoulade sauce. New Orleans Pasta – A delicious combination of chicken, shrimp, andouille sausage and seasoned plum tomatoes sautéed with garlic, celery, and UNOs spicy alfredo sauce. Tossed with rigatoni. Mike’s Hot Honey Chicken and Cornbread – In-house baked cornbread topped with crispy chicken tenders and drizzled with Mike’s Hot Honey. Served with maple aioli. A hot new collab. Cajun Ribeye and Grilled Shrimp – A 10oz. Choice ribeye grilled to order with jazzy Cajun seasoning and served with a skewer of basil-marinated shrimp. Served with two sides. Jambalaya Deep Dish Pizza – A buttery deep dish dough filled with bayou-seasoned shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage, seasoned plum tomatoes, caramelized onions and celery. Topped with freshly grated mozzarella, cheddar and asiago cheeses. Andouille Sausage Bayou Thin Crust Pizza – Housemade dough and marinara sauce topped with andouille sausage, caramelized onions, mozzarella, ricotta and banana peppers. “This new menu offers our guests a fun and flavorful food experience. Having lived in New Orleans for a portion of my life, I am keenly aware that New Orleans and Mardi Gras celebrate community, food and fun. These are qualities that are alive and well in all of our UNOs locations every day.” stated CEO Erik Frederick. He continued, “We want to give our guests menu options that are a bit different than what you would normally see at UNOs, or any other restaurants for that matter. All of these items really kick up the flavor and spice a few notches. As they say in New Orleans “Laissez les bons temps rouler!” which means “Let the good time roll!” To celebrate the release of the menu, UNOs is offering a BOGO 50% off deal on the Mardi Gras menu items from January 31 st to February 4 th. Offer is valid on all food menu items (drinks excluded from offer). The offer is valid for dine-in and participation may vary by location. The limited-time-only Mardi Gras menu is available at most UNOs locations and is scheduled to run into April 2024. About UNO Pizzeria & Grill Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation includes approximately 80 company-owned and franchised UNO Pizzeria & Grill restaurants located in 18 states, and the District of Columbia, India, and Saudi Arabia. UNO is all about connecting people over pizza – from its famous Chicago Deep Dish, which UNO invented in 1943, to its Chicago Thin Crust, to its gluten-free and vegan pizzas. Contact Details Chris Dellamarggio +1 339-613-7641 cdellamarggio@unos.com Company Website https://www.unos.com/

January 29, 2024 11:11 AM Eastern Standard Time

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BrightSign Elevates Partner Ecosystem with the Announcement of Bright Alliance

BrightSign

BrightSign, the provider of the most advanced, capable, and trusted digital media players and operating system, today announced Bright Alliance, a global program that affirms the company’s commitment to empowering its partner ecosystem. Bright Alliance is a comprehensive support system designed to enhance technical, sales, and marketing efforts for CMS partners, fostering mutual growth and generating business opportunities. Organizations — from retailers, to restaurants, to public spaces, to financial institutions — have a desire to create immersive experiences and connect with consumers in new ways. To achieve this vision, organizations need engaging content, reliable hardware and software, and an ecosystem of partners to attract, engage, and captivate audiences. Bright Alliance provides CMS partners with structured resources, including marketing, training, and technical assistance to promote, sell, implement, integrate, and support the latest BrightSign products. Bright Alliance means elevated engagements that spark new possibilities for CMS partners— all with reliability, longevity, and security at the forefront. By giving CMS partners the support they need, BrightSign is committed to maximizing the potential of every touchpoint, empowering businesses to bring to life their visions for connecting with consumers. The Bright Alliance program is set to formally roll out in Q1. “The work we do alongside our partners is one of the best-kept secrets in the digital signage and immersive display industries. This dedicated program is a chance to align with partners on the needs of the industry, communicate the value of our work together, and provide support to bring visual and immersive experiences to life,” said Misty Chalk, vice president of sales, Americas, at BrightSign. “Consumer attention is finite, and experiences are everything. So, organizations must define their unique digital signage journey to meet the needs of their audience.” BrightSign will be available to discuss the Bright Alliance program at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2024 at Booth #6M280. Follow BrightSign on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X to stay up to date on the company’s latest news. About BrightSign® BrightSign LLC, the global market leader in digital signage media players, is headquartered in Los Gatos, California, with offices in Europe and Asia. BrightSign manufactures media players and provides free software and networking solutions for the commercial digital signage market worldwide, serving all vertical segments of the digital signage marketplace. From entry-level BrightSign LS players to BrightSign XC players offering state-of-the-art technology and unsurpassed performance, BrightSign's products are known for their signature reliability, affordability, ease-of-use, and market-leading technology. For more information, visit BrightSign. Contact Details Racepoint Global +1 617-624-3221 brightsign@racepointglobal.com Company Website https://www.brightsign.biz/

January 29, 2024 03:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Chip Rogers of AHLA to Illuminate the 2024 Hotel Landscape at 1TourismWorld Conference

1BusinessWorld

The 2024 1TourismWorld Global Tourism & Hospitality Conference is thrilled to announce Chip Rogers, President and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), as a key speaker in its upcoming event. Rogers, renowned for his visionary leadership and industry expertise, will deliver a session titled 'The State of the Hotel Industry' on February 16th from 9:30 am to 10:00 am US ET. This event marks a pivotal moment for professionals eager to glean deep insights into the current and future trends of the hotel sector. Since his inception as AHLA's head in 2019, Chip Rogers has significantly influenced the hotel and lodging industry, championing innovative policies and strategies. His leadership has positioned AHLA as a unified voice for various industry players, from boutique hotels to major chains, enhancing the association's impact across the sector. Rogers' presentation at the 1TourismWorld Conference is set to offer an in-depth analysis of the challenges and opportunities the hotel industry faces in today's dynamic environment. His reputation for delivering tangible results for AHLA members and his status as one of the top 25 most influential figures in business travel ensures a session filled with valuable, actionable insights. With his diverse background, including his tenure in the Georgia General Assembly and involvement in multiple travel and community associations, Rogers brings a unique perspective to the interplay between policy and industry trends. His session is anticipated to be a comprehensive exploration of the forces shaping the hotel industry, offering attendees strategic insights into leveraging current market conditions. Professionals in the hospitality sector looking to align their operational strategies with broader industry movements will find Rogers' address particularly beneficial. His expertise and influential perspective make his session a must-attend at the 1TourismWorld Conference, promising to be an enlightening experience for all attendees. All news and content distribution in partnership with News Direct. About 1TourismWorld: 1TourismWorld is a leading global platform dedicated to advancing the tourism and hospitality industry. Through its annual conference and other initiatives, 1TourismWorld brings together industry stakeholders to share knowledge, foster innovation, and drive the industry forward. About 1BusinessWorld 1BusinessWorld is a global business ecosystem, network and marketplace that provides entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals with the information, tools, resources and connectivity needed to succeed throughout their company’s growth journey, toward a better business world. Our vision is based on the reality that we live, work and do business in one global interconnected business environment, and hence our motto: “One World, One Business World”. Our mission is to encourage and support global communication and collaboration among entrepreneurs, professionals, and businesses. 1BusinessWorld Contact Details 1BusinessWorld Media Enquiries +1 212-220-6677 info@1businessworld.com Company Website https://1businessworld.com

January 28, 2024 01:30 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Sunreef Yachts Steers Towards Sustainable Horizons with 'Zero Emission Sail into the Future' Initiative

1BusinessWorld

In an industry often characterized by its lavishness and luxury, Sunreef Yachts is charting a new course, pioneering the integration of sustainability and opulence. The company is set to unveil its groundbreaking 'Zero Emission Sail into the Future' project at the 2024 1TourismWorld Conference, a move that's garnering attention within the luxury maritime sector and beyond. The session, featuring Nicolas Lapp, Co-Founder & CTO, and Artur Połoczański, Public Relations Director, is scheduled for February 15th from 11:00 am to 11:30 am US ET. Sunreef Yachts, headquartered in the historic Gdansk Shipyard, has long been at the forefront of the luxury catamaran and multihull superyacht industry. With its inception in 2002, the company has consistently pushed the boundaries of yacht design and innovation. However, the 'Zero Emission Sail into the Future' initiative marks a pivotal shift in the company's ethos, intertwining environmental consciousness with its renowned design and engineering prowess. This initiative represents a significant evolution in the yachting industry, reflecting a growing trend towards sustainable luxury. Sunreef Yachts' approach to zero-emission yachting addresses the urgent global need for environmental stewardship while maintaining the high standards of luxury and performance for which the brand is known. The technical innovations involved in the 'Zero Emission Sail into the Future' project are a testament to Sunreef Yachts' commitment to leading the industry towards a more sustainable future. By focusing on zero-emission technologies, the company is not only adhering to environmental best practices but also catering to the evolving preferences of environmentally conscious consumers. This strategic shift by Sunreef Yachts signals a broader transformation within the luxury travel industry, as companies recognize the importance of aligning business objectives with environmental responsibility. The 'Zero Emission Sail into the Future' initiative is not just a step forward for Sunreef Yachts; it's a giant leap for the luxury maritime sector. The 1TourismWorld 2024 Conference provides a global platform for Sunreef Yachts to showcase this innovative project, inviting industry leaders, policymakers, and luxury travel enthusiasts to witness a sustainable path forward for luxury seafaring. For more information about Sunreef Yachts and the 'Zero Emission Sail into the Future' initiative, visit https://1businessworld.com/event/zero-emission-sail-into-the-future-nicolas-lapp-artur-poloczanski/ All news and content distribution in partnership with News Direct. About 1TourismWorld: 1TourismWorld is a leading global platform dedicated to advancing the tourism and hospitality industry. Through its annual conference and other initiatives, 1TourismWorld brings together industry stakeholders to share knowledge, foster innovation, and drive the industry forward. About 1BusinessWorld 1BusinessWorld is a global business ecosystem, network and marketplace that provides entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals with the information, tools, resources and connectivity needed to succeed throughout their company’s growth journey, toward a better business world. Our vision is based on the reality that we live, work and do business in one global interconnected business environment, and hence our motto: “One World, One Business World”. Our mission is to encourage and support global communication and collaboration among entrepreneurs, professionals, and businesses. 1BusinessWorld Contact Details Media Enquiries +1 212-220-6677 info@1businessworld.com Company Website https://1businessworld.com

January 26, 2024 04:58 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Socioeconomic Shifts In Argentina: Property Deeds Signed In October Up 53% Y-O-Y, Gaucho Holdings (NASDAQ: VINO) Optimistic About The Future

Benzinga

By Faith Ashmore, Benzinga Earlier in November, Argentina elected right-wing libertarian Javiar Milei as president; he ran on the promise of economic shock therapy, which resonated with voters. The new president has brought a sense of optimism to his base and real estate experts are noticing an uptick in inquiries for family homes and buildable lots in the wake of the election. Despite the historical unpredictability of the Argentine economy, property prices are on the rise and there was a 53.3% increase in property deeds signed in October compared to the previous year. For individuals and companies that already have a foothold in Argentine real estate, 2024 could prove to be a profitable year marked by growth and expansion. Argentina’s Gaucho Group Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: VINO), which focuses on luxury industries and luxury real estate, seems well-positioned to be a leader in the space as Argentina’s economy rebounds. Gaucho Holdings has been investing in the Argentinian market since 2007 and has no intention of slowing down. The global luxury market is witnessing growth in light of a resurgence of social interactions and travel. The global luxury market is expected to reach $1.6 trillion in 2023, witnessing 8-10% growth over 2022. Despite macroeconomic challenges, the luxury market has shown resilience, and companies like Gaucho Group Holdings seem to be gearing up for growth. In mid-November, Argentine shares rose 28% on Wall Street, reflecting a positive market reaction to the election. Scott Mathis, Chairman and CEO of Gaucho Holdings, shared, "When a country like Argentina shifts from a position of no leverage to leverage, the implications are profound. This could very well be the greatest movement in asset valuation in real estate since the post-World War II era." The company is also in support of President Milei’s plans for Argentina’s dollarization, believing it will help further stabilize the country’s market. Gaucho Holdings’ position in the Argentine real estate market stems from the company’s early entry, established operational presence and diverse portfolio. The company also boasts a seasoned management team with a deep understanding of the market. Scott Mathis is also recently quoted as saying, "Argentina is on the cusp of an economic resurgence. We've been committed to Argentina since 2007, and our deep-rooted presence there, coupled with our diversified business model, positions us uniquely to harness the potential of this new economic era. We are excited to advance our plans and contribute significantly to and benefit from the country's growth trajectory." The company’s mission to source and develop opportunities in Argentina’s undervalued luxury real estate market could be coming to fruition in light of the recent political and socioeconomic shifts in the country. As Argentina’s global economic standing increases, Gaucho Holdings could be uniquely positioned to capitalize on increased opportunities. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

January 26, 2024 08:55 AM Eastern Standard Time

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1TourismWorld 2024: Charting the Future of Global Tourism & Hospitality

1BusinessWorld

1TourismWorld, the premier global platform for tourism and hospitality innovation, is excited to announce its 2024 Global Tourism & Hospitality Conference. Scheduled to take place virtually from February 12th to 16th, this event promises to be an unparalleled gathering of industry leaders, experts, and visionaries. The 2024 conference will cover a wide range of topics crucial to the future of tourism and hospitality. Each day is dedicated to a different theme, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of the industry: - Day 1: Focus on hotels, restaurants, travel management, and innovative trends in hospitality. - Day 2: Delve into the evolving world of cruise travel, including innovations in cruise ship technology and design. - Day 3: Explore the latest in airlines and aircraft technologies, highlighting industry trends and safety protocols. - Day 4: Discover advancements in yachting, including design trends and sustainability in luxury yachting. - Day 5: Discuss the future of travel management, destination insights, and sustainable practices in tourism. Keynote speakers include industry leaders like: · Chip Rogers, President & CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association, on “The State of the Hotel Industry” · Dimitris Manikis, President & Managing Director EMEA, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts sharing "Global Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality" · Stuart Greif, EVP - Strategy & Innovation, Forbes Travel Guide on the topic "Exploring Horizons: Consumer Travel Trends and Destinations" · Judy Chen, Vice President of Development - Dream Hotels, Hyatt Hotels Corporation on the topic: “The Dynamic Evolution of Lifestyle Hotels and Private Members' Clubs” · Lisa Bauer, President & CEO, Starboard Cruise Services, “Curating Unforgettable Journeys: How Teams at Sea Make the Difference” · Annette Cardenas, President, Skål International on “Building Bridges” The business and entrepreneurial leaders presenting will provide valuable insights into various aspects of the industry, from the evolution of luxury all-inclusive hotels to the dynamics of short-term rental markets. The 2024 1TourismWorld Conference is a must-attend event for professionals seeking to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving world of tourism and hospitality. It offers a unique opportunity to engage with global trends, network with peers, and gain insights from the industry's best. For more information and to register for the conference, please visit: https://1businessworld.com/1tourismworld-conference/ All news and content distribution in partnership with News Direct. About 1TourismWorld: 1TourismWorld is a leading global platform dedicated to advancing the tourism and hospitality industry. Through its annual conference and other initiatives, 1TourismWorld brings together industry stakeholders to share knowledge, foster innovation, and drive the industry forward. About 1BusinessWorld 1BusinessWorld is a global business ecosystem, network and marketplace that provides entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals with the information, tools, resources and connectivity needed to succeed throughout their company’s growth journey, toward a better business world. Our vision is based on the reality that we live, work and do business in one global interconnected business environment, and hence our motto: “One World, One Business World”. Our mission is to encourage and support global communication and collaboration among entrepreneurs, professionals, and businesses. 1BusinessWorld Contact Details 1BusinessWorld Media Enquiries +1 212-220-6677 info@1businessworld.com Company Website https://1businessworld.com

January 25, 2024 06:39 PM Eastern Standard Time

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American Paper Plate Coalition Petitions for Relief from Unfairly Traded Imports from China, Thailand, and Vietnam

American Paper Plate Coalition

The American Paper Plate Coalition (“APPC”), representing the majority of American paper plate production, today petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) to investigate unfairly priced and subsidized paper plate imports from China, Thailand, and Vietnam. The antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions detail unfair trade practices to sell paper plates at less than fair value and allege dumping margins up to 279%, as well as numerous subsidies. The petitions detail the injury suffered by the U.S. industry and its workers, and request relief in the form of special duties on all associated imports to offset unfair pricing and unfair subsidies. “Imports from these countries have used dumped prices and subsidies to continue to grow in the U.S. market at the expense of American producers and workers,” said Bill Biggins, President and Co-owner of APPC member Aspen Products, Inc. “Over the past three years, unfairly priced and subsidized imports have harmed American producers and taken jobs away from hard-working Americans.” The cases filed today cover all types of plates produced from any type of paper, regardless of color, decoration, shape and size. “American producers can compete with anyone in the world, as long as we’re all playing by the same rules,” said Robert Epstein, President and CEO of APPC member AJM Packaging Corporation. “Fortunately, our country’s trade laws are set up to support fair trade. On behalf of our employees, customers, and colleagues, we look forward to seeing those laws enforced and those who violate our laws held accountable.” The next steps in these investigations will be the initiation of Commerce antidumping and countervailing duty investigations by February 14, 2024, and a preliminary ITC determination by March 11, 2024. About the American Paper Plate Coalition The American Paper Plate Coalition, representing the leading U.S. producers of paper plates, is comprised of AJM Packaging Corporation of Bloomfield Hills, MI; Aspen Products, Inc. of Kansas City, MO; Dart Container Corporation of Mason, MI; Hoffmaster Group, Inc. of Oshkosh, WI; Huhtamaki, Inc., of De Soto, KS; and Unique Industries, Inc. of Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit https://www.ajmpack.com/, https://www.aspenpro.com/, https://www.dartcontainer.com/, https://www.hoffmaster.com/, https://www.huhtamaki.com/en-us/north-america/, and https://www.favors.com/ The American Paper Plate Coalition is represented by Adam H. Gordon of The Bristol Group PLLC, a Washington, DC international trade law firm committed to defending American industry, agriculture, and manufacturing jobs. Contact Details EAH Strategies Elizabeth Posthumus +1 202-445-9858 elizabeth@eahstrategiesllc.com

January 25, 2024 01:05 PM Eastern Standard Time

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The best generative AI solutions of 2024

AIport

January 25, 2024 — Ever since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in the fall of 2022, generative AI (GenAI) solutions have continued to disrupt industries with their surprising and never-before-seen features. Many of the generative AI solutions we hear about today are based on large language models (LLM), which allow them to successfully communicate with end users. Every such model has to be pre-trained on vast amounts of data and then fine-tuned using a variety of different methods. As we’re approaching the end of January, let’s look at the list of the most noteworthy of these models and explore the generative AI solutions they power. Compiled by the AIport newsletter team, this list is by no means exhaustive, but it is a review of what we believe are the LLM-based generative AI solutions and tools that are likely to make headlines this year. GPT (OpenAI and Microsoft) Expectedly, the first LLM on our list with some of the highest expectations this year is at the core of ChatGPT from OpenAI. GPT wasn’t the first LLM out there (there had been others like BERT ), but it was certainly the first one that resulted in a market-ready GenAI product. The original GPT model (Generative Pretrained Transformers) had 170 billion parameters, while the latest version, GPT-4, boasts over 1.75 trillion. The model’s applications are far and wide, being the basis not only for ChatGPT, but also Microsoft’s Bing Chat, which is now part of the Copilot infrastructure. While ChatGPT remains arguably the most impressive text-producing GenAI tool, Bing Chat (unlike ChatGPT) has internet access, making it ideal for web browsing. In addition, the same core GPT model is being utilized by other entities — from Panasonic Connect in Japan, OCBC Bank’s ChatGPT in Singapore, and KPMG’s KaiChat in Germany to the UK government’s upcoming GOV.UK chat. Notably, GPT is also a vital part of OpenAI’s DALL-E suite — a solution that generates images based on descriptions from text. PaLM and Gemini (Google) The next one on our list is Google’s PaLM (Pathways Language Model). The model, boasting 540 billion parameters, was first successfully tested in the spring of 2022. A year later, PaLM 2 was announced and subsequently integrated into Bard — Google’s GenAI chatbot — becoming available to test users around the world. Bard is considered among the finest solutions for productivity, having internet access like Bing Chat, but being less about navigating the web and more about answering burning questions. Bard was seriously bolstered at the end of last year with Google’s highly anticipated launch of the multimodal LLM, Gemini, which had been trained on images and audio/video files, not just text. The jury is still out on how far this update will take Bard, but the expectations are very high indeed. LLaMA (Meta, Microsoft, and Hugging Face) LLaMA (Large Language Model Meta AI) from Meta was released in February last year. However, the 65-billion-parameter model was leaked online as a downloadable torrent only a week later. While the model did not lead to any ChatGPT-like products at Meta, another AI company — Hugging Face — picked it up and released Hugging Chat. Offering internet access, this GenAI solution has been praised as “the first open source alternative to ChatGPT” with a snarky sense of humor. Not to be outdone, Meta partnered with Microsoft to produce LLaMA 2 in July of last year. Following that, the company announced a beta release of Meta AI at the end of September — a GenAI chatbot, currently available in the US, that can “provide real-time information and generate photorealistic images” from text prompts. This solution is expected to reach Meta users across the rest of the globe later in the year. Claude (Anthropic) Our next LLM is made by Anthropic, and it’s named Claude. Founded in 2021, the company along with its language model may be a less familiar name to most non-geeks. But this is likely to change in 2024. That’s the case not only because the latest version of the namesake GenAI chatbot released last year can now process long PDF files of up to 75,000 words, taking moments to summarize entire books. But also because this has already caught the attention of both Google and Amazon who are keen to invest $2 and $4 billion respectively. While Claude doesn’t offer internet access, its processing power, namely input character memory, outpowers every competitor by a wide margin, including ChatGPT. And the company is said to be working on yet more handy features as we speak. HyperCLOVA X (Naver) HyperCLOVA X is both the LLM and the namesake GenAI chatbot released by the South Korean search engine giant, Naver, last August. Boasting over 200 billion parameters, the LLM is being used mainly for AI-assisted web browsing, much like Bing Chat. While HyperCLOVA X doesn’t speak English, the chatbot’s proficiency in Korean is impressive, having learned 6,500 more Korean words than ChatGPT. In addition to answering user queries, HyperCLOVA X has been designed to offer AI assistance to businesses across numerous sectors — from finance to gaming. Naver is also presently working to make HyperCLOVA X multimodal, following in the footsteps of Google’s Gemini, so another big international headline is likely on the way. Pangu (Huawei) Last spring, Huawei, one of the global tech leaders, unveiled Pangu — an LLM with 1.085 trillion parameters in over 40 natural and programming languages. This LLM now powers the Chinese company’s GenAI assistant called Celia, which resides within Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4 operating system. Supposedly, Celia has already outperformed both Siri and Google Assistant as a phone-based virtual assistant in terms of prompt execution accuracy, such as finding specific photos and documents stored on a device. And as more Huawei smartphones are being churned out, Celia is expected to reach more global users this year with further refinements to the Pangu model. In addition, Pangu is available through Huawei Cloud for commercial use. According to a statement from the company’s leadership, the newest Pangu 3.0 utilizes hierarchical architecture, allowing it to be quickly fine-tuned for a wide range of downstream applications (including Huawei’s autonomous vehicle solutions ), which we’ll surely see more of in 2024. MiLM-6B (Xiaomi) Next up is another Chinese company, Xiaomi — one of the largest phone manufacturers in the world. The company made an entry into the LLM race last summer with its MiLM-6B, a lightweight model created for mobile devices. Boasting 6.4 billion parameters, MiLM-6B has reportedly outperformed rivals in its category and achieved notable scores from evaluation platforms like C-Eval and CMMLU. Xiaomi’s leadership has been vocal for some time about integrating LLMs into its smartphones. It appears that the company’s virtual assistant, Xiao AI, has now finally become a fully fledged GenAI chatbot, generating over 11 words per second. By this metric, despite operating locally on the phone, Xiao AI has matched the performance of some LLMs running on cloud computing services. It’ll be interesting to see whether Xiao AI gets assimilated into the company’s other products, as the rumors suggest, including the recently announced Xiaomi SU7, an autonomous-enabled electric sedan. YandexGPT (Yandex) The final entry on our list is an LLM named YandexGPT from the Russian search engine Yandex. The namesake GenAI solution with 100 billion parameters was beta-released in May last year. The more recent release of YandexGPT2 has demonstrated a 65% improvement in response quality, with a 1.5-fold increase in training data. Interestingly, this GenAI solution was tested and scored enough points to enter a Russian university. YandexGPT was also integrated into Yandex’s flagship virtual assistant named Alice, as well as the company’s smart speakers. Furthermore, the LLM has allowed the company’s e-shoppers to view summarized customer reviews in one place. With YandexGPT at the core, the company now also offers visual GenAI solutions, YandexART and Shedevrum, that can generate images from text, much like Open AI’s DALL-E. Currently, the LLM is also being merged with Yandex Search to offer the end user something similar to Bing Chat and HyperCLOVA X. It’s likely that we’ll see a new announcement pertaining to this development later in the year. New kids on the block Apart from the above entries on our list, several brand new LLMs along with their GenAI solutions are expected to arrive any day from other big players. Among them are Samsung from South Korea, Tencent from China, as well as Amazon and Apple. In fact, Apple already has an internal AI chatbot for employees, but its much-talked-about AppleGPT based on the company’s LLM, Ajax, is said to be around the corner. Amazon began to offer a service for building AI chatbots called Lex a while ago, but more notably, the company recently announced its upcoming GenAI solution tailored for commercial use. Japan doesn’t intend to be left behind either — at least three major LLM initiatives are currently being played out. Among them is a joint project between Fujitsu, RIKEN, Tokyo Tech, and Tohoku University who are developing a series of LLMs using one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers, Fugaku. In addition, both NTT and SoftBank are reportedly in the final stages of developing their “homegrown” LLMs. While much remains unclear and covered in mist (or is it gray goo 😉), one thing is certain — 2024 is going to be the most AI-intense year we have seen yet! If you enjoyed this listicle, visit AIport for more exclusive insights into the latest tech trends, with a focus on the global ML landscape. All trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Contact Details NettResults PR Nick Leighton +1 949-478-5880 nick.leighton@nettresultsllc.com Company Website https://aiport.substack.com/

January 25, 2024 09:53 AM Pacific Standard Time

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