Major European ICT and media companies including British Telecom, Tele2 and Vivendi Universal have moved in behind the European Commission's i2010 strategy, backing efforts to create a unified regional regulatory framework and pledging to work together to maximise the opportunities of new technology for the community. Following a meeting with the EC this week to discuss how to give a spur to Europe's emerging digital economy, ten industry leaders said that they would support the basic principals of i2010, which calls for "completion of the internal market for electronic communications and media services, for a more modern and flexible legal framework for audiovisual content, for efficient and interoperable digital rights management and for strengthening investment in ICT." The strategy, unveiled by EC information society commissioner Viviane Reding last month, sets a roadmap for ensuring European Union citizens receive the full benefits of new technologies such as 3G, digital television, online music, VoIP and interactive internet services.
Retailers are forging ahead in adopting artificial intelligence (AI) tools to master the increasingly complex world of supply chain management. According to the latest ABI Research market study, more than 90 percent of global retailers are deploying AI to bolster decision-making and optimize operations. This movement underscores a pivotal transformation: retail supply chains evolve from static cost centers into intelligent systems capable of real-time adaptation. Driven by pressures from fulfillment complexity, labor challenges, and rising customer expectations, AI now sits at the heart of next-generation retail strategy. Retail Supply Chain Market Development Traditionally, retailers have struggled to balance speed, cost efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Now, the combined forces of e-commerce growth and ongoing geopolitical disruptions have amplified this challenge. Warehouse congestion, longer lead times, and volatile demand forecasts have underscored the need for predictive and...