Cue the awkward icebreakers—there’s a new AI in the office.

SAP is the latest enterprise giant looking to bring large language models (LLMs) to the workplace with a new digital assistant. “Joule” will thread through the company’s various software programs, which span areas like finance, HR, and customer experience, to field business-specific questions in natural language, help with coding, and write short bits of text, SAP said in its announcement.

The company isn’t the first enterprise software maker to think along these lines. This spring, Salesforce rolled out Einstein GPT as part of its push to weave generative AI through all its operations, and Microsoft unveiled a workplace-specific Copilot AI earlier this year. But with nearly 300 million users worldwide, SAP’s foray could go a ways toward making AI more ubiquitous in offices of all kinds.

SAP provided examples like users asking why certain regions are underperforming in sales and receiving supply chain data, generating an “unbiased” job description, or handling business travel accommodations.

Keep reading here.—PK

Global payments have always been a tough nut to crack. From dealing with compliance issues to navigating regulatory restrictions to overcoming technological challenges, cross-border payments can be straight-up convoluted.

Until now. Visa Cross-Border Solutions offers sophisticated international payments for banks, fintechs, FX brokers, corporations—you name it. They’ll take care of the regulatory burden so you can finally let your payments soar.

How does it work? Visa combines the best of its existing cross-border capabilities with those brought to the table by the acquisition of Currencycloud to offer a suite of modular building blocks, which can be easily integrated with a company’s existing tech infrastructure. Say hello—or bonjour, ciao, and hola—to receiving payments in multiple currencies.

Streamline your international payments.

Network throttlers and content blockers, beware! The controversial net neutrality rules favored by liberals could make a resurgence, thanks to a freshly instated Democratic majority at the Federal Communications Commission.

Under a proposal announced Tuesday, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel recommended reviving the rules that “treat broadband internet service as an essential service for American life...on par with water, power, and phone service; that is: essential.” They would mandate that internet service providers may not interfere with how content is transmitted over the internet. This means that “fast lanes that favor those who can pay for access” would be prohibited, according to an agency fact sheet.

The proposal would also restore what’s known as Title II authority over the internet, effectively reextending the FCC’s domain over ISPs that was relinquished during the Trump administration.

A previous version of the rules took effect during the Obama administration, but Trump-era FCC Chairman Ajit Pai overturned them in 2017.

In remarks at the National Press Club, Rosenworcel said the rules are aimed at ensuring the internet is “fast, open, and fair for consumers everywhere.”

Keep reading on IT Brew.—KG

Coworking is a weekly segment where we spotlight Tech Brew readers who work with emerging technologies. Click here if you’d like a chance to be featured.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in tech?

I like to think of myself as a construction worker and a builder. But instead of building a house, I’m building mobile apps, an interactive platform, and devices for people’s homes. Building a home and a platform requires careful planning and design—drawing the blueprints, laying a solid foundation, connecting pipes, and paying great attention to detail. I also build teams. A chief technology officer at ADT is more than a technologist, an innovator, or a technology architect. Engineers are the magic behind a great mobile experience or brilliant hardware in your home—humans building a great experience for other humans. CTOs are also, metaphorically speaking, part-time teachers, firefighters, accountants, and referees who can code.

What’s the most compelling tech project you’ve worked on, and why?

Building ADT+ is the most aspirational, challenging, and exciting project I’ve ever worked on in my over 25-year career. There are many firsts for ADT with this product, and the team atmosphere is very much like a “startup” within the company—the excitement of building something new, the challenge of running into obstacles, the persistence to plow through all the obstacles, and the anticipation as the launch date approaches. We are building ADT’s product of tomorrow.

What technologies are you most optimistic about? Least? And why?

I’m most optimistic about how the promise of Matter—an open-source connectivity standard for smart-home devices—will make IoT devices plug and play. When fulfilled, it simplifies the consumer’s experience to onboard and use various technologies that help make their lives easier.

Keep reading here.