Latest news with #digitalplatforms
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Premier League and Microsoft announce five-year strategic partnership to personalize the fan experience with AI for 1.8 billion people
Premier League selects Microsoft as the official cloud and AI partner for its digital platforms; together the companies will transform the fan experience with AI LONDON and REDMOND, Wash., July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Premier League and Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday announced a five-year strategic partnership to transform how 1.8 billion fans in 189 countries engage with the world's most-watched football league. As part of the collaboration, Microsoft will become the official cloud and AI partner for the Premier League's digital platforms, modernizing the League's digital infrastructure, broadcast match analysis and organizational operations. At the heart of the partnership are the Premier League's new fan-facing digital platforms, which leverage Microsoft's cloud and AI technologies to usher in a new era of intelligent and intuitive fan experiences. From today, fans around the world can learn more about the Premier League clubs, players and matches of their choice through a new digital Premier League Companion powered by Copilot. This highly personalized experience leverages Azure OpenAI to pull information from over 30 seasons of stats, 300,000 articles and 9,000 videos, unlocking a whole new world of facts and figures for fans about the clubs and players that matter to them most. The Premier League Companion is available on the new official Premier League mobile app and web platforms and will be enhanced throughout the upcoming Premier League season. Additional functionality is set to include open-text questions and answers in fans' native languages through text and audio translation. Later in the season, Microsoft AI will also be included within the app and website's enhanced Fantasy Premier League experience, giving every fan their own personal assistant manager to help them steer their fantasy squad to victory. The partnership marks one of the most significant technology transformations in the League's history, anchored around four key areas: fan engagement, match insights and analysis, cloud transformation, and organizational productivity. Together, Microsoft and the Premier League aim to build one of global sport's most advanced and secure media, data and AI platforms. Integrating Microsoft Azure AI Foundry services, including Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models, will further enhance the live match experience with real-time data overlays and post-match analysis. From archive innovation to in-broadcast insights, fans will gain deeper, more interactive access to the game they love. Richard Masters, chief executive of the Premier League, said: "We are delighted to welcome Microsoft as a partner of the Premier League. This partnership will help us engage with fans in new ways — from personalized content to real-time match insights. We look forward to working together over the next five years to deliver more innovative experiences to all Premier League supporters around the world." "We are pleased to partner with the Premier League to bring innovative and interactive experiences to football fans around the world," said Judson Althoff, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Microsoft. "By leveraging our secure cloud and AI technologies — including Azure AI Foundry Services with Azure OpenAI, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Dynamics 365 — we will transform how football is experienced, delivered and managed on and off the field." The Premier League is also migrating its core technology infrastructure to Microsoft Azure, unlocking scalability, security and agility across its digital ecosystem. This foundation will enable faster innovation, seamless integration of AI services, and a unified platform for the league. Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations will modernize the League's internal operations, streamlining workflows, enhancing collaboration, and enabling data-driven decision-making across departments. This partnership sets a new global benchmark for how technology can elevate sport, entertainment and fan culture, making the Premier League more accessible, immersive and future-ready than ever before. Whether you are a lifelong fan or new to the Premier League, the Premier League Companion powered by Copilot can help you discover more. With only 47 days to go to the beginning of the new Premier League season, try it for yourself at About The Premier LeagueThe Premier League produces some of the most competitive and compelling football in the world. The League and its clubs use the power and popularity of the competition to inspire fans, communities and partners in the UK and across the world. The Premier League brings people together from all backgrounds. It is a competition for everyone, everywhere and is available to watch in 900 million homes in 189 countries. About MicrosoftMicrosoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Microsoft Corp.
CBC
a day ago
- Business
- CBC
New law that aims to protect Ontario gig workers falls short, critics say
New legislation that offers more protection to digital platform workers in Ontario becomes law on Tuesday, but critics say the act is "lacking" and falls short of what gig workers actually need. Under the province's Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act (DPWRA), digital platform workers must be paid at least the minimum wage "for each work assignment performed by a worker." The act applies to ride share, delivery and courier services, such as Uber, Lyft and Instacart. Changes under the law include more transparency about how pay is calculated, how and when tips and gratuities are collected by operators as well as the establishment of regular pay periods. Jennifer Scott, president of Gig Workers United, a Toronto-based union of gig workers, said the organization will have to see how the legislation is implemented. But she said the problem when it comes to gig workers is that there is engaged time, when they are actively working, and unengaged time, when they are waiting for an order, delivery or customer. The right to a minimum wage applies only while gig workers are working, she said. "This minimum wage isn't a real minimum wage because it only applies to just a little over half the time that we're at work," Scott said. According to a 2021 City of Toronto update to its 2019 vehicle-for-hire impact report, drivers spend about 40 per cent of their time waiting for a trip, about 48 per cent driving a passenger and about 12 per cent en-route to a pickup or waiting for a passenger at pickup. Law 'denies workers basic rights': advocate The new legislation also gives workers the right to file complaints with the Ontario Ministry of Labour. But Scott said it doesn't give them the right to file complaints with the Ontario Labour Relations Board and that means they do not have the right to arbitration. Scott said the legislation essentially means digital platform workers do not have the same rights and protections that other Ontario workers enjoy. "It's still lacking," Scott said. "This legislation — really it denies workers basic rights and protections. It denies workers minimum wage for the entire time that we're at work." The legislation also denies workers paid sick leave, statutory holiday pay, overtime, as well as the right to make Employment Insurance, Canada Pension Plan and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board contributions, Scott said. Ontario says legislation establishes 'enforceable' rights In a statement on Monday, the ministry said: "Ontario is proud to lead the country by introducing the Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act (DPWRA), the first legislation of its kind to establish new enforceable rights and core protections for workers who provide ride-share, delivery, and courier services through the use of digital platforms." Under the legislation, corporations can be fined $15,000 for a first offence and up to $50,000 for a third or subsequent offence within three years. Individuals may be fined $250 for a first offence and up to $1,000 for repeated violations. "In addition, operators will be prohibited from retaliating against workers for asserting their rights, filing complaints, or cooperating with investigations," the ministry said. Uber and Lyft did not respond to requests for comment. 'The pie is only so big,' Uber driver says Earla Phillips is an Uber, Lyft and Hopp driver and co-founder and president of the Rideshare Drivers Association of Ontario, an organization that advocates for fairness for drivers. She thinks the law doesn't reflect real concern by the government for workers. For example, Phillips said the legislation doesn't reflect a driver's expenses or the fact that the work is precarious. "With the continued flood of more workers signing up to do this kind of work, you're degrading their little tiny cut of the pie that doesn't continue to grow with that growing workforce," Phillips said. "The pie is only so big. The pie is not growing in comparison to the amount of workers that are flooding onto gig work platforms." 'Step in the wrong direction,' lawyer says Ryan White, a labour and employment lawyer, said the legislation is far too late. White said it doesn't do enough to provide transparency, pay gig workers for all of the work they do or protect them when they are terminated. He said the law has been discussed since 2022 and the province has allowed the issue to "fester" for years. "I think, if anything, the legislation is a step in the wrong direction in the sense that it gives the appearance that we're doing something about the problem," White said. White said gig work is under-compensated, dangerous, difficult and important. "This is legislation that allows the provincial government to say — 'Look, we're actually doing something about the problem' — without actually taking adequate steps to ensure that gig workers are protected." Sundeep Mann, an Uber Eats driver, said he is not sure how the new rules for workers such as himself will actually help. He has been an Uber Eats driver for the past 18 months. "I have no idea if it's good or not because it depends on active time," he said. Mann said he won't know if it's made a difference for at least two weeks or a month.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cathie Wood Bets Big: Ark Scoops Up Millions in Shopify and Toast Shares
Ark Invest's ETFs revealed sizeable buys of Shopify (NASDAQ:SHOP), Toast (NYSE:TOST), and Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) on June 24, according to a Tuesday SEC filing. ARKK acquired 33,829 Shopify shares for roughly $3.7 million across its funds. The same ETF added 70,000 Toast shares and 19,622 Airbnb shares valued at about $2.6 million. The acquisitions highlight the assurance of the Ark to concentrate on e-commerce and service-based hospitality that have the capacity to grow. In response to the digital retail tendencies, the merchant solutions proposed by Shopify keep developing. Toast will enjoy restaurant technology tailwinds, although the margin pressure continues. The recovery of the travel demand at Airbnb is still unequal but encouraging. Shares of the three names were little moved after Ark's disclosures, suggesting the trades were largely absorbed without causing sharp swings. Ark's moves reflect conviction in disruptive platforms but also carry the uncertainty of shifting consumer behavior. Monitoring performance and valuation metrics remains essential. Ark's bets on Shopify, Toast and Airbnb signal confidence in digital platforms, yet evolving consumer patterns and margin risks warrant cautious optimism and close monitoring of upcoming results. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. 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
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cathie Wood Bets Big: Ark Scoops Up Millions in Shopify and Toast Shares
Ark Invest's ETFs revealed sizeable buys of Shopify (NASDAQ:SHOP), Toast (NYSE:TOST), and Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) on June 24, according to a Tuesday SEC filing. ARKK acquired 33,829 Shopify shares for roughly $3.7 million across its funds. The same ETF added 70,000 Toast shares and 19,622 Airbnb shares valued at about $2.6 million. The acquisitions highlight the assurance of the Ark to concentrate on e-commerce and service-based hospitality that have the capacity to grow. In response to the digital retail tendencies, the merchant solutions proposed by Shopify keep developing. Toast will enjoy restaurant technology tailwinds, although the margin pressure continues. The recovery of the travel demand at Airbnb is still unequal but encouraging. Shares of the three names were little moved after Ark's disclosures, suggesting the trades were largely absorbed without causing sharp swings. Ark's moves reflect conviction in disruptive platforms but also carry the uncertainty of shifting consumer behavior. Monitoring performance and valuation metrics remains essential. Ark's bets on Shopify, Toast and Airbnb signal confidence in digital platforms, yet evolving consumer patterns and margin risks warrant cautious optimism and close monitoring of upcoming results. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. 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
Fast Company
23-06-2025
- Science
- Fast Company
A new Roblox study shows how longer suspensions help curb bad behavior on platforms
Misbehavior on digital platforms can be tricky to manage. Issue warnings, and you risk not deterring bad behavior. Block too readily, and you might drive away your user base and open yourself to accusations of censorship. But a new study, presented at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, suggests a more effective path forward. Researchers at Northeastern University and Roblox conducted two large-scale field experiments involving more than 770,000 Roblox users to study how suspension duration affects user behavior. The first experiment compared one-hour versus one-day suspensions for users with a single recent policy violation. The second experiment compared one- to three-day suspensions for users with a second recent violation. They tracked outcomes such as likelihood of reoffending, number of subsequent violations, user reports against offenders, and engagement metrics like days active and total time spent on the platform. 'It's very common for platforms to issue consequences for violations of the community standards, but there's actually not a ton of causal evidence in the research about how effective different kinds of consequences are,' says Jeffrey Gleason, one of the study's authors and a researcher at Northeastern University and Roblox. The study found that longer suspensions significantly reduced reoffense rates, the number of consequences, and user reports. Longer suspensions also appeared to make users think twice before misbehaving again, increasing the time it took for them to reoffend.
