Latest news with #opensource
Tahawul Tech
9 hours ago
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
UK government and Meta team up on open-source AI
Meta has teamed up with a UK government institute in order to develop open-source AI models for public agency use. The social media giant is contributing $1 million to the open-source AI fellowship for a programme administered by the Alan Turing Institute (ATI). Joel Kaplan, Chief Global Affairs Officer at Meta, stated the focus on open-source AI is key for the UK establishing its sovereign AI capacity. The year-long fellowships will use open-source AI models such as Meta's Llama to help the UK government develop its own AI tools without being dependent on closed systems from overseas companies such as OpenAI, Google or Microsoft. 'Open-source AI models are helping researchers and developers make major scientific and medical breakthroughs, and they have the potential to transform the delivery of public services, too', Kaplan wrote. 'We hope these fellows will make a big, positive difference and help show just how valuable open-source AI can be to governments and society more broadly'. Kaplan stated embedding open-source AI across government departments could help unlock up to £45 billion in productivity gains across the public sector while reducing costs for taxpayers. 'By building open-source tools in areas like national security, public health and planning reform, the fellows will help ensure public money is invested in a way that produces results for the government much more immediately and directly'. He noted the open-source models will be owned by government which means sensitive data is held in-house and not tied to contracts or systems provided by closed AI model companies. Jean Innes, CEO of the ATI, stated the fellowships 'will offer an innovative way to match AI experts with the real world challenges our public services are facing'. The fellowships will begin January 2026 with applications slated to open over the coming months. Source: Mobile World Live Image Credit: Stock Image
New York Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
China Is Spending Billions to Become an A.I. Superpower
When OpenAI blocked China's access to its advanced artificial intelligence systems last July, Chinese coders shrugged. They would rely instead on open-source systems, where the underlying technology is shared publicly for others to build on. At the time, that mostly meant turning to another popular American product made by Meta. But in the year since, there has been a major shift in the global race to develop advanced A.I. Chinese companies like DeepSeek and Alibaba have churned out open-source A.I. systems of their own that rank among the world's top performers. China is quickly closing the gap with the United States in the contest to make technologies that rival the human brain. This is not an accident. The Chinese government has spent a decade funneling resources toward becoming an A.I. superpower, using the same strategy it used to dominate the electric vehicle and solar power industries. 'China is applying state support across the entire A.I. tech stack, from chips and data centers down to energy,' said Kyle Chan, an adjunct researcher at the RAND Corporation, a think tank. For the past 10 years, Beijing has pushed Chinese companies to build manufacturing capabilities in high-tech industries for which the country previously depended on imports. That approach helped China become the maker of a third of the world's manufactured goods and a leader in electric vehicles, batteries and solar panels. And it has also been applied to the essential building blocks of advanced A.I. systems: computing power, skilled engineers and data resources. China pushed that industrial policy approach as three presidential administrations in Washington tried to hold back its ability to make technologies like artificial intelligence, including by restricting sales of chips made by Nvidia, America's leading A.I. chipmaker. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New Azul and ITAM Forum Survey Reveals 1 in 4 Organizations Spend More Than $500,000 Annually Resolving Software License Non-Compliance
73% of enterprises have experienced an Oracle Java audit within the last three years and almost 8 in 10 organizations have migrated, or plan to migrate, to open-source Java alternatives SINGAPORE, July 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Azul, the only company 100% focused on Java, and the ITAM Forum, a global not-for- profit membership association for IT Asset Management (ITAM) professionals, today published the results of a joint global survey of 500 ITAM and software asset management (SAM) professionals. The results show just how costly software license missteps have become: 27% of enterprises now spend more than $500,000 each year fixing software-license non-compliance and Oracle Java continues to escalate as a top concern, with 73% having undergone an Oracle Java audit within the past three years and nearly eight in 10 saying they have migrated, or intend to migrate, to open-source Java alternatives to rein in risk and cost. Behind those numbers lies a growing challenge. Hybrid cloud architectures and an increasing inventory of applications have multiplied vendor terms, making it harder than ever to maintain compliance and visibility across teams. The survey confirms organizations struggle to track usage consistently, both on-premises and in the cloud, raising the stakes for audits and exposing costly gaps. In this environment, the scope and importance of ITAM and SAM functions, as well as the tools and processes they depend on, have shifted from simple asset tracking to a business-critical discipline that safeguards budgets, mitigates audit risk and guides strategic technology decisions. Organizations Struggle to Manage Software Licensing Compliance More than a third of survey participants say compliance, including the management of excessive licensing, is the top issue facing their organization (37%). In addition to the dollars spent each year resolving licensing issues – including audits, additional licenses and penalties – survey participants report that complex software configurations make tracking application usage more difficult (25%). Compliance requires knowledge of where the software is installed, what is running, and where the information is managed. ITAM/SAM professionals report that their organizations struggle to manage this information, especially when tracking software usage across teams or between on-premises and cloud platforms (29%). Additional challenges relating to managing software licensing and compliance include: Difficulty in aligning teams, including IT, software development, legal, and procurement (27%). Resource constraints to effectively manage license compliance (24%). Escalating prices, including renewals, additional licenses, maintenance, etc. (24%). Ensuring compliance with evolving licensing rules or vendor policy updates (23%). Most Organizations Handle Audits Internally, Yet Struggle with Accuracy, Resources and Repeated Disruptions ITAM/SAM professionals cite challenges with coordination, collaboration and organization in their efforts to track software inventory, yet 74% of survey participants say their organization manages license discovery and software audits primarily or entirely in-house. This self-reliant approach comes with difficulties, as organizations struggle to maintain accurate software usage records (26%), understand complex licensing terms and conditions (23%), and provide accurate licensing compliance metrics (23%). In addition, 81% of organizations perform licensing audits at least twice a year, with 25% conducting audits continuously. About a quarter report frequent financial penalties and legal actions against them. Survey participants also cite that software audits are highly disruptive, both operationally and financially. More than 30% report unanticipated results such as: Disruption of operations across the entire organization. Unexpected budget impacts. Decision to change vendors. Stalled projects. Oracle Java Audit Pressures Drive Mass Migration The survey reveals acute Oracle Java licensing challenges – in addition to the high number of respondents who have experienced Oracle Java audits, 96% expressed concern about Oracle's pricing and licensing policies. Much of this stems from Oracle's employee-based pricing model for Java, which is forcing companies that do not intend to pay Oracle to invest in new monitoring systems, tracking tools and internal audit processes to ensure they have eliminated all Java instances that require an Oracle license. In response to concerns about Oracle's pricing and licensing policies, 79% of organizations have already migrated from Oracle Java, are actively doing so, or are planning to migrate to open-source alternatives. Those considering migration cited security and reliability as the primary drivers (51%), followed by cost reduction (42%) and simpler compliance (40%). Among organizations that have already completed migrations, security played an even larger role, with 57% citing security and reliability as their primary motivation. Cost savings from open-source Java alternatives are substantial, with 66% of survey participants estimating they could save at least 40% compared to Oracle Java licensing costs. Only 1% expect they would not realize any savings from making the switch. Growing Market Reflects Escalating Challenges The findings come as the global ITAM market has grown from approximately $1.15 billion in 2019 to $1.49 billion in 2023[1], representing a 6.9% compound annual growth rate. The SAM market subset is expected to grow at an even faster 16% compound annual growth rate through 2029[2], reflecting the complexity and importance of software asset management. Contributing factors include rising software expenditures (now accounting for, on average, 29% of IT budgets), complex licensing models driven by cloud computing and virtualization, and increasing regulatory compliance requirements. "The results highlight a fundamental mismatch between the complexity of modern software licensing and the resources organizations rely on to effectively manage software compliance," said Martin Thompson, founder of the ITAM Forum. "ITAM and SAM professionals are becoming increasingly vital as organizations increasingly recognize that poor license management can result in significant financial penalties and operational disruptions. They must have the resources and executive buy-in to ensure compliance and successful license management." "The data reveals a concerning trend where the increasing complexity of vendor licensing and pricing has turned routine upkeep into recurring six-figure compliance exercises. When 73% of enterprises have been audited and one in four now spends more than $500,000 a year cleaning up license issues, the cost of merely staying compliant with software licensing and pricing is unsustainable," said Scott Sellers, co-founder and CEO at Azul. "Specifically, when it comes to the uncertainty of Oracle's ever-shifting Java licensing terms, organizations shouldn't have to burn ITAM resources, interrupt projects, or absorb surprise penalties just to run their applications. Moving to open-source alternatives lets them break free from the audit treadmill, regain budget and focus on delivering value." About the Survey and Report Dimensional Research, a leading market research firm, administered the electronic survey from February 11 – March 3, 2025. ITAM Forum and Azul authored the report based on the survey results. The report data was compiled from a total of 500 IT Asset Management and Software Asset Management professionals across six continents who use Java. All respondents had direct software asset management responsibilities and were offered token compensation for their participation. To access the full ITAM/SAM Survey & Report, visit About The ITAM Forum The ITAM Forum is a global trade body for the advancement of the IT Asset Management industry. We are a not-for-profit membership organization, led by ITAM professionals for ITAM professionals. The ITAM Forum has two primary objectives: 1. To elevate the position of ITAM by sharing knowledge and best practices that focus on business value and aid to grow the profession. 2. To be the caretaker of the ISO 19770-1 certification scheme we brought to market in February 2023. Join us: About Azul Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Azul provides the Java platform for the modern cloud enterprise. Azul is the only company 100% focused on Java. Millions of Java developers, hundreds of millions of devices and the world's most highly regarded businesses trust Azul to power their applications with exceptional capabilities, performance, security, value, and success. Azul customers include 36% of the Fortune 100, 50% of Forbes top 10 World's Most Valuable Brands, 10 of the world's top 10 banks, and leading brands like Avaya, Bazaarvoice, BMW, Deutsche Telekom, LG, Mastercard, Mizuho, Priceline, Salesforce, Software AG and Workday. Learn more at and follow us @azulsystems. [1] Zion Market Research [2] Markets and Markets View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Azul 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
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New Azul and ITAM Forum Survey Reveals 1 in 4 Organizations Spend More Than $500,000 Annually Resolving Software License Non-Compliance
73% of enterprises have experienced an Oracle Java audit within the last three years and almost 8 in 10 organizations have migrated, or plan to migrate, to open-source Java alternatives SUNNYVALE, Calif. & LONDON, July 15, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Azul, the only company 100% focused on Java, and the ITAM Forum, a global not-for-profit membership association for IT Asset Management (ITAM) professionals, today published the results of a joint global survey of 500 ITAM and software asset management (SAM) professionals. The results show just how costly software license missteps have become: 27% of enterprises now spend more than $500,000 each year fixing software-license non-compliance and Oracle Java continues to escalate as a top concern, with 73% having undergone an Oracle Java audit within the past three years and nearly eight in 10 saying they have migrated, or intend to migrate, to open-source Java alternatives to rein in risk and cost. Behind those numbers lies a growing challenge. Hybrid cloud architectures and an increasing inventory of applications have multiplied vendor terms, making it harder than ever to maintain compliance and visibility across teams. The survey confirms organizations struggle to track usage consistently, both on-premises and in the cloud, raising the stakes for audits and exposing costly gaps. In this environment, the scope and importance of ITAM and SAM functions, as well as the tools and processes they depend on, have shifted from simple asset tracking to a business-critical discipline that safeguards budgets, mitigates audit risk and guides strategic technology decisions. Organizations Struggle to Manage Software Licensing Compliance More than a third of survey participants say compliance, including the management of excessive licensing, is the top issue facing their organization (37%). In addition to the dollars spent each year resolving licensing issues – including audits, additional licenses and penalties – survey participants report that complex software configurations make tracking application usage more difficult (25%). Compliance requires knowledge of where the software is installed, what is running, and where the information is managed. ITAM/SAM professionals report that their organizations struggle to manage this information, especially when tracking software usage across teams or between on-premises and cloud platforms (29%). Additional challenges relating to managing software licensing and compliance include: Difficulty in aligning teams, including IT, software development, legal, and procurement (27%). Resource constraints to effectively manage license compliance (24%). Escalating prices, including renewals, additional licenses, maintenance, etc. (24%). Ensuring compliance with evolving licensing rules or vendor policy updates (23%). Most Organizations Handle Audits Internally, Yet Struggle with Accuracy, Resources and Repeated Disruptions ITAM/SAM professionals cite challenges with coordination, collaboration and organization in their efforts to track software inventory, yet 74% of survey participants say their organization manages license discovery and software audits primarily or entirely in-house. This self-reliant approach comes with difficulties, as organizations struggle to maintain accurate software usage records (26%), understand complex licensing terms and conditions (23%), and provide accurate licensing compliance metrics (23%). In addition, 81% of organizations perform licensing audits at least twice a year, with 25% conducting audits continuously. About a quarter report frequent financial penalties and legal actions against them. Survey participants also cite that software audits are highly disruptive, both operationally and financially. More than 30% report unanticipated results such as: Disruption of operations across the entire organization. Unexpected budget impacts. Decision to change vendors. Stalled projects. Oracle Java Audit Pressures Drive Mass Migration The survey reveals acute Oracle Java licensing challenges – in addition to the high number of respondents who have experienced Oracle Java audits, 96% expressed concern about Oracle's pricing and licensing policies. Much of this stems from Oracle's employee-based pricing model for Java, which is forcing companies that do not intend to pay Oracle to invest in new monitoring systems, tracking tools and internal audit processes to ensure they have eliminated all Java instances that require an Oracle license. In response to concerns about Oracle's pricing and licensing policies, 79% of organizations have already migrated from Oracle Java, are actively doing so, or are planning to migrate to open-source alternatives. Those considering migration cited security and reliability as the primary drivers (51%), followed by cost reduction (42%) and simpler compliance (40%). Among organizations that have already completed migrations, security played an even larger role, with 57% citing security and reliability as their primary motivation. Cost savings from open-source Java alternatives are substantial, with 66% of survey participants estimating they could save at least 40% compared to Oracle Java licensing costs. Only 1% expect they would not realize any savings from making the switch. Growing Market Reflects Escalating Challenges The findings come as the global ITAM market has grown from approximately $1.15 billion in 2019 to $1.49 billion in 20231, representing a 6.9% compound annual growth rate. The SAM market subset is expected to grow at an even faster 16% compound annual growth rate through 20292, reflecting the complexity and importance of software asset management. Contributing factors include rising software expenditures (now accounting for, on average, 29% of IT budgets), complex licensing models driven by cloud computing and virtualization, and increasing regulatory compliance requirements. "The results highlight a fundamental mismatch between the complexity of modern software licensing and the resources organizations rely on to effectively manage software compliance," said Martin Thompson, founder of the ITAM Forum. "ITAM and SAM professionals are becoming increasingly vital as organizations increasingly recognize that poor license management can result in significant financial penalties and operational disruptions. They must have the resources and executive buy-in to ensure compliance and successful license management." "The data reveals a concerning trend where the increasing complexity of vendor licensing and pricing has turned routine upkeep into recurring six-figure compliance exercises. When 73% of enterprises have been audited and one in four now spends more than $500,000 a year cleaning up license issues, the cost of merely staying compliant with software licensing and pricing is unsustainable," said Scott Sellers, co-founder and CEO at Azul. "Specifically, when it comes to the uncertainty of Oracle's ever-shifting Java licensing terms, organizations shouldn't have to burn ITAM resources, interrupt projects, or absorb surprise penalties just to run their applications. Moving to open-source alternatives lets them break free from the audit treadmill, regain budget and focus on delivering value." About the Survey and Report Dimensional Research, a leading market research firm, administered the electronic survey from February 11 – March 3, 2025. ITAM Forum and Azul authored the report based on the survey results. The report data was compiled from a total of 500 IT Asset Management and Software Asset Management professionals across six continents who use Java. All respondents had direct software asset management responsibilities and were offered token compensation for their participation. To access the full ITAM/SAM Survey & Report, visit About The ITAM Forum The ITAM Forum is a global trade body for the advancement of the IT Asset Management industry. We are a not-for-profit membership organization, led by ITAM professionals for ITAM professionals. The ITAM Forum has two primary objectives: 1. To elevate the position of ITAM by sharing knowledge and best practices that focus on business value and aid to grow the profession. 2. To be the caretaker of the ISO 19770-1 certification scheme we brought to market in February 2023. Join us: About Azul Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Azul provides the Java platform for the modern cloud enterprise. Azul is the only company 100% focused on Java. Millions of Java developers, hundreds of millions of devices and the world's most highly regarded businesses trust Azul to power their applications with exceptional capabilities, performance, security, value, and success. Azul customers include 36% of the Fortune 100, 50% of Forbes top 10 World's Most Valuable Brands, 10 of the world's top 10 banks, and leading brands like Avaya, Bazaarvoice, BMW, Deutsche Telekom, LG, Mastercard, Mizuho, Priceline, Salesforce, Software AG and Workday. Learn more at and follow us @azulsystems. 1 Zion Market Research 2 Markets and Markets View source version on Contacts Media Contact for Azul: TrebleJim Cameronazul@
The Verge
a day ago
- The Verge
One of Google's AI agents flagged a 'critical security flaw' in SQLite, an open-source database.
One of Google's AI agents flagged a 'critical security flaw' in SQLite, an open-source database. Big Sleep, an AI agent Google introduced last year for searching out security vulnerabilities in both Google products and open-source projects, used information from Google Threat Intelligence to discover the issue before it could be used by threat actors, according to the company.
