Latest news with #JoeAnderson
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TaskUs Accelerates Agentic AI-Powered Customer Experience with Strategic Partnerships with Decagon and Regal
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas, May 13, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TaskUs, Inc. (Nasdaq: TASK), a leading provider of outsourced digital services and next-generation customer experience to the world's most innovative companies, today announced strategic partnerships with Decagon and Regal. Together with these two elite agentic AI platform companies, TaskUs will aim to further transform customer support through intelligent automation. The partnerships with Decagon and Regal augments TaskUs' recently announced agentic AI consulting practice, a set of business services and expertise that help companies seamlessly integrate advanced AI technologies into their customer experience operations. Agentic AI builds on the rapid progress of generative AI to allow the technology to autonomously complete tasks, particularly in customer support and business processes. In the rush to apply agentic AI, many companies must now rethink how they typically operate. Expertise around where to use the new technology and how to start, scale, secure, and blend it with human interaction is as important as selecting the right platform. "Agentic AI from Decagon and Regal should enable us to reduce the cost of customer support by 25-50% while significantly improving quality," says Bryce Maddock, CEO, TaskUs. "Our AI deployment specialists will apply agentic AI upfront to automate many simple, repetitive customer service functions. We'll then provide human support from our talented experts. This hybrid model is the future of customer support." Comprehensive AI Transformation TaskUs will tap the Decagon and Regal platforms to apply agentic AI across digital and voice channels, using its deep knowledge of a client's workflows, training materials, and business processes to train agentic AI models and integrate them into a company's operations — all in service of the ultimate customer experience. "This isn't just about implementing technology," says Joe Anderson, leader of TaskUs' Agentic AI Consulting practice. "We're guiding our clients through a comprehensive AI transformation. We understand our clients' values, ecosystems, operations, nuances — even their quirks. When you've been working with a client for years, you get to know them extremely well. And that's critical for applying agentic AI successfully." "We see lots of fancy chatbot demos riding the AI hype," says Jesse Zhang, co-founder and CEO of Decagon. "We've built something different: AI agents that give customers a human-like customer support experience across all channels. By teaming up with TaskUs, we're able to offer fast, AI-powered support up front, and smooth handoffs to their expert teams when a human touch is needed." "We believe one of the main ways consumers will interact with brands is through calls by human-like AI voice agents. We have built an enterprise-ready platform needed to help brands seamlessly integrate AI Agents that perform as well as human agents at a fraction of the cost for everything from customer support to operations calls," says Alex Levin, CEO and co-founder of "Partnering with TaskUs will help us scale the impact of our voice capabilities." TaskUs also plans to apply these new agentic AI solutions to its own internal operations. This approach will deepen its ability to integrate the technology into workflows and customer interactions, while maintaining human oversight as it keeps building teams of savvy AI users. For more information on how TaskUs is enabling AI-driven business transformation, visit the TaskUs AI Services website. About TaskUs TaskUs is a leading provider of outsourced digital services and next-generation customer experience to the world's most innovative companies, helping its clients represent, protect, and grow their brands. Leveraging a cloud-based infrastructure, TaskUs serves clients in fast-growing sectors, including social media, e-commerce, gaming, streaming media, food delivery and ride-sharing, technology, financial services, and healthcare. As of December 31, 2024, TaskUs had a worldwide headcount of approximately 59,000 people across 28 locations in 12 countries, including the United States, the Philippines, and India. About Decagon Decagon is the leading conversational AI platform that's redefining customer experience with AI agents. Designed for complete omnichannel environments, Decagon's agents automate repetitive tasks, resolve inquiries at scale, and free up human teams to focus on more strategic work. Founded in San Francisco, Decagon makes customer experience smarter, faster, and truly customer-centric. For more information, visit About Regal Regal is the leading Voice AI Agent Platform. Regal helps enterprises build AI Agents that are personalized to their company and customers to power better support, sales and operations calls–with way less effort. Founded in New York City in 2020, Regal partners with hundreds of enterprise brands like Google and Toyota to transform their customer interactions. Regal reports that it is driving over 250M AI calls, $5B in revenue, and a 50% lower cost to serve. For more information, please visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact Ramya Kumaraswamymediainquiries@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
13-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
TaskUs Accelerates Agentic AI-Powered Customer Experience with Strategic Partnerships with Decagon and Regal
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TaskUs, Inc. (Nasdaq: TASK), a leading provider of outsourced digital services and next-generation customer experience to the world's most innovative companies, today announced strategic partnerships with Decagon and Regal. Together with these two elite agentic AI platform companies, TaskUs will aim to further transform customer support through intelligent automation. The partnerships with Decagon and Regal augments TaskUs' recently announced agentic AI consulting practice, a set of business services and expertise that help companies seamlessly integrate advanced AI technologies into their customer experience operations. Agentic AI builds on the rapid progress of generative AI to allow the technology to autonomously complete tasks, particularly in customer support and business processes. In the rush to apply agentic AI, many companies must now rethink how they typically operate. Expertise around where to use the new technology and how to start, scale, secure, and blend it with human interaction is as important as selecting the right platform. 'Agentic AI from Decagon and Regal should enable us to reduce the cost of customer support by 25-50% while significantly improving quality,' says Bryce Maddock, CEO, TaskUs. 'Our AI deployment specialists will apply agentic AI upfront to automate many simple, repetitive customer service functions. We'll then provide human support from our talented experts. This hybrid model is the future of customer support.' Comprehensive AI Transformation TaskUs will tap the Decagon and Regal platforms to apply agentic AI across digital and voice channels, using its deep knowledge of a client's workflows, training materials, and business processes to train agentic AI models and integrate them into a company's operations — all in service of the ultimate customer experience. 'This isn't just about implementing technology,' says Joe Anderson, leader of TaskUs' Agentic AI Consulting practice. 'We're guiding our clients through a comprehensive AI transformation. We understand our clients' values, ecosystems, operations, nuances — even their quirks. When you've been working with a client for years, you get to know them extremely well. And that's critical for applying agentic AI successfully.' 'We see lots of fancy chatbot demos riding the AI hype,' says Jesse Zhang, co-founder and CEO of Decagon. 'We've built something different: AI agents that give customers a human-like customer support experience across all channels. By teaming up with TaskUs, we're able to offer fast, AI-powered support up front, and smooth handoffs to their expert teams when a human touch is needed.' 'We believe one of the main ways consumers will interact with brands is through calls by human-like AI voice agents. We have built an enterprise-ready platform needed to help brands seamlessly integrate AI Agents that perform as well as human agents at a fraction of the cost for everything from customer support to operations calls,' says Alex Levin, CEO and co-founder of 'Partnering with TaskUs will help us scale the impact of our voice capabilities.' TaskUs also plans to apply these new agentic AI solutions to its own internal operations. This approach will deepen its ability to integrate the technology into workflows and customer interactions, while maintaining human oversight as it keeps building teams of savvy AI users. For more information on how TaskUs is enabling AI-driven business transformation, visit the TaskUs AI Services website. About TaskUs TaskUs is a leading provider of outsourced digital services and next-generation customer experience to the world's most innovative companies, helping its clients represent, protect, and grow their brands. Leveraging a cloud-based infrastructure, TaskUs serves clients in fast-growing sectors, including social media, e-commerce, gaming, streaming media, food delivery and ride-sharing, technology, financial services, and healthcare. As of December 31, 2024, TaskUs had a worldwide headcount of approximately 59,000 people across 28 locations in 12 countries, including the United States, the Philippines, and India. About Decagon Decagon is the leading conversational AI platform that's redefining customer experience with AI agents. Designed for complete omnichannel environments, Decagon's agents automate repetitive tasks, resolve inquiries at scale, and free up human teams to focus on more strategic work. Founded in San Francisco, Decagon makes customer experience smarter, faster, and truly customer-centric. For more information, visit About Regal Regal is the leading Voice AI Agent Platform. Regal helps enterprises build AI Agents that are personalized to their company and customers to power better support, sales and operations calls–with way less effort. Founded in New York City in 2020, Regal partners with hundreds of enterprise brands like Google and Toyota to transform their customer interactions. Regal reports that it is driving over 250M AI calls, $5B in revenue, and a 50% lower cost to serve. For more information, please visit
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hurricane Preparedness Week: JEA shares how to maintain trees before a storm
During Hurricane Preparedness Week, Jacksonville's utility service is working to get locals ready for the upcoming season of storms. Related: 2025 Atlantic hurricane season expected to be above average Powerful winds and floodwaters can lead to broken branches and uprooted trees, potentially causing severe property damage. JEA provided the following tips for keeping your trees and property properly maintained before a storm: Proper Tree Maintenance: Healthy trees can best weather storms and inclement weather. Proper pruning when trees are young can help build a strong tree structure as the tree grows. Proper pruning of mature trees can increase strength and resistance to storms. Contact a local certified arborist to schedule a site visit. Proper Pruning: JEA crews routinely prune vegetation away from utility structures & equipment. Property owners can do the same: Prune branches away from utility lines, roofs, buildings, driveways and other critical infrastructure. Dead Trees: Remove dead standing trees. Dead standing trees create a hazard for you, neighboring properties, and municipal rights-of-way. Don't Delay: Schedule tree work well in advance of an approaching storm. Once a storm is in the forecast, municipalities and utilities activate storm plans, and tree crews are immediately directed to priority tasks associated with critical infrastructure and essential emergency services. Response for individual pleas and isolated requests may be delayed and caught in the bottleneck of the high volume of calls received by call centers and storm response centers. Address Numbers: Legible and visible address numbers on homes or mailboxes is an important part of preparing your property for a storm. Missing, faded, or absent numbers can hinder emergency and utility crews from quickly responding to calls for assistance >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'Trees are incredibly resilient regarding storms, but often its the dead, declining, or trees with structural defects that fail during the storms,' said JEA arborist Joe Anderson. He recommends property owners, especially those with mature trees, have a risk assessment done on their trees by a certified arborist every two to three years. Property owners are also encouraged to look beyond their boundaries. JEA says to encourage your neighbors to adopt proper tree care practices for trees within adjacent properties. Although a tree may be rooted in a neighboring property, ones that fail during a storm and fall on 'your side of the fence' may become your responsibility. A recent Florida bill would have shifted responsibility to the person who owns the property where a tree is rooted, but it was never voted on and approved by lawmakers before the end of the legislative session. You can contact JEA Tree Care at jeatreecare@ or 904-665-6050 with any tree/utility questions. DOWNLOAD: 2025 Action News Jax First Alert Weather Hurricane Preparation Guide Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atlantic Sun champion Lipscomb hires Carroll as men's head basketball coach to replace Acuff
Lipscomb forward Jacob Ognacevic (41) dunks the ball against Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson (2) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf) Iowa State center Dishon Jackson (1) reaches for a rebound against Lipscomb guard Joe Anderson (22) as Lipscomb teammates Will Pruitt, far left, Gyasi Powell, center, and Jacob Ognacevic, far right, watch the ball during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf) Iowa State guard Cade Kelderman (13) handles the ball against Lipscomb guard Joe Anderson (22) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf) Iowa State guard Cade Kelderman (13) handles the ball against Lipscomb guard Joe Anderson (22) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf) Lipscomb forward Jacob Ognacevic (41) dunks the ball against Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson (2) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf) Iowa State center Dishon Jackson (1) reaches for a rebound against Lipscomb guard Joe Anderson (22) as Lipscomb teammates Will Pruitt, far left, Gyasi Powell, center, and Jacob Ognacevic, far right, watch the ball during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf) Iowa State guard Cade Kelderman (13) handles the ball against Lipscomb guard Joe Anderson (22) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Atlantic Sun Conference champion Lipscomb has hired Kevin Carroll as its men's basketball head coach. Carroll returns to Lipscomb after leading nearby Division II Trevecca Nazarene University to record-breaking success the last two years, including the most wins in program history and the school's first-ever South Region Poll ranking. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Bisons from 2019 to 2023, helping recruit and develop multiple all-conference players. Advertisement 'We are thrilled to welcome Kevin back to Lipscomb,' Lipscomb athletic director Philip Hutcheson Hutcheson said in a statement Tuesday. 'Kevin is an elite basketball mind. More importantly, he embodies the values of Lipscomb University and is gifted at building meaningful relationships with young people as evidenced by the deep connections he maintains with former and current players." Carroll replaces Lennie Acuff, who left to take the head coaching job at Samford. Acuff spent six seasons as head coach at Lipscomb, guiding the Bisons to their second NCAA Tournament appearance this past season with a 25-10 record overall record and a 14-4 mark in the Atlantic Sun. Lipscomb beat North Alabama to win the conference championship. The Bisons had three straight 20-win seasons under Acuff, who compiled a 110-82 record overall at Lipscomb. Advertisement "I have a tremendous amount of respect for the people who have come before me and the level of success that has been reached,' Carroll said. 'My staff and I will work tirelessly to maintain the standard that everyone has come to expect while shining a light on one of the top Christian universities in the country. I can't wait to get started … Horns Up!' ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and
The Independent
28-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Former mayor of Liverpool in court over corruption probe
Former mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has appeared in court accused of involvement in council corruption. Anderson, 67, was one of 12 people charged as part of Operation Aloft, launched by police to look into the awarding of commercial and business contracts from Liverpool City Council between 2010 and 2020. On Friday, he appeared at Preston Magistrates' Court and indicated not guilty pleas to charges of bribery, misconduct in a public office and conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office. On the misconduct charge, he is said to have sent and/or arranged to have sent 'threatening letters' to himself. The ex-social worker, of Knotty Ash in Liverpool, was elected mayor of the city from the time the role was created in 2012 until 2021. Previously in a statement posted on social media site X, he said: 'I am innocent of charges and will fight to clear my name.' His son David Anderson, 37, of Wavertree, faces a charge of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office which he denies. Also attending court was Derek Hatton, 77, who was deputy leader of Liverpool City Council in the 1980s, and a former director and assistant director at the local authority. Hatton, of Aigburth, Liverpool, who was part of Labour's militant faction in the 1980s, denied one count of bribery and one count of counselling or procuring misconduct in a public office. Before he confirmed his name, age and address, District Judge Wendy Lloyd asked Hatton not to chew in court. His wife Sonjia Hatton, 49, of Aigburth, indicated a not guilty plea to one count of misconduct in a public office by providing and seeking confidential council information over matters of commercial and business use to Mr Hatton's contacts and to his business dealings. Andrew Barr, formerly the council's assistant director of highways and planning, 51, of Ainsdale, Merseyside, is charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office and also a charge of bribery for which he indicated a not guilty plea. Adam McClean, 54, of Woolton, also entered the dock on a charge of conspiracy to bribery, to which he entered no plea. Other defendants appeared at court remotely via videolink. The council's former head of regeneration Nick Kavanagh, 56, of Mossley Hill, Liverpool, indicated not guilty pleas to two counts of bribery. Phillipa Cook, 49, of the same address, also indicated not guilty pleas to two counts of bribery. Alexander Croft, 30, of Aughton, Lancashire, indicated a not guilty plea to one count of bribery. Julian Flanagan, 53, of Knowsley; Paul Flanagan, 71, of Knowsley; and James Shalliker, 38, of Downholland, Lancashire, are all charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and entered no pleas. The Flanagan brothers founded construction business the Flanagan Group. All 12 defendants were granted unconditional bail by District Judge Lloyd ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing at Preston Crown Court on April 25.
