Xerox Cloud Deal With Oracle

To me an unexpected interaction

ACM NEWS

Xerox to Announce Multiyear Cloud Deal With Oracle, By The Wall Street Journal

December 16, 2021

Xerox Holdings Corp. on Thursday plans to announce a multiyear deal with Oracle Corp., which will provide cloud-computing infrastructure and software for use by ventures developed in Xerox's business incubator.  Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

For Xerox, the move is part of efforts to fast-track the development of new enterprises—whether in the form of new business units, startups, subsidiaries or joint ventures—that look beyond its flagship printers and copiers.

At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, as companies shifted to remote work and left empty offices behind, Xerox's net income for the quarter ended Sept. 30 dropped to $90 million, from $219 million a year earlier. Net income remained roughly unchanged for the same period this year, at $89 million, the company reported in October.

Creating new in-house ventures is a strategy that predates the pandemic, but was accelerated by workplace closures and remote work, said Naresh Shanker, Xerox senior vice president and chief technology officer.

full article

Hybrid Smart Contracts

 Uses and considerations:

5 Ways Hybrid Smart Contracts Are Changing the Blockchain Industry  by 7wData

For years, the blockchain industry has been defined by the excitement around smart contracts, or tamper-proof digital agreements that automatically execute when a certain condition is met. Typically associated with blockchains like Ethereum, smart contracts allow developers to build decentralized applications or “dApps” that recreate all sorts of products without the need for a rent-seeking middleman. However, over the last year, smart contracts have begun to evolve.

While developers are still building smart contracts on top of blockchains like Ethereum, they’ve also begun to combine them with an entirely new piece of technology: oracles. Oracles are entities that enable blockchains to interact with data and systems from the traditional world. 

As a result, “hybrid smart contracts”, or smart contracts that combine on-chain code with off-chain oracles, have taken the world by storm due to the enhanced functionality they enable for dApps. Today, hybrid smart contracts power several new use cases across dozens of industries, and the combination of blockchains like Ethereum and popular oracle networks like Chainlink are now securing digital agreements that handle tens of billions of dollars in user funds.

Here are five exciting ways in which the hybrid smart contract model is transforming the blockchain industry. 

Today, the hybrid smart contract model forms the backbone of much of the decentralized finance (DeFi) industry, which seeks to recreate traditional financial products using decentralized architecture to honor financial terms. Hundreds of popular DeFi applications that let users borrow, lend, trade, save, and create assets now rely on an oracle network to fetch, validate, and deliver aggregated data from the real world. This data then determines how smart contracts execute and settle on blockchains. 

For DeFi giants like lending apps Aave and Compound, oracle networks can crowdsource accurate price data in a highly reliable and tamper-proof manner. Price data is the lifeblood of DeFi and is used to execute liquidations, determine lending rates, and verify limit orders by providing the fair market valuation of cryptocurrency, commodities, and more.

Hackers know this and often try to manipulate price data as a way of breaking a smart contract, causing great harm to DeFi apps that rely on low-quality data or insecure oracle mechanisms. To avoid this problem, many DeFi apps have turned to oracle networks that fetch data from premium data providers and that consist of nodes that are operated by professional DevOps teams.

The rise of the hybrid smart contract model has also been a boon for DeFi developers; instead of trying to figure out how to build infrastructure to securely source price data for their smart contracts, they can focus on their products and simply plug into an existing decentralized oracle network for their data when ready. In the same way that apps like Uber combine services like Twilio for messaging, Stripe for payments, and Google Maps for location, DeFi apps are being built by combining on-chain smart contract code with oracles for off-chain price data. 

Beyond DeFi, the hybrid smart contract model is being used to build all sorts of interesting applications that can change people’s lives for the better. Decentralized oracle networks now have the ability to deliver data onto blockchains about the weather from sources like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration via Google Cloud or Accuweather, meaning projects like Arbol can build parametric insurance contracts that automatically pay out when a certain weather condition is hit. ... ' 

IBM, Oracle Team for WHO Virus Data Hub: MiPasa

Now have looked at lots of sites claiming to provide accurate data in this space,  and it is clear you can drive wrong results from much that is out there.  So this effort addresses a need.

World Health Organization Teams With IBM, Oracle on Blockchain-Based Coronavirus Data Hub
In Coindesk

Big names including IBM, Oracle and the World Health Organization (WHO) are among the collaborators on an open-data hub that will use blockchain technology to check the veracity of data relating to the coronavirus pandemic.

The solution, dubbed MiPasa, is launching as a “COVID-19 information highway,” said Jonathan Levi, CEO of Hacera, the company that built the platform. 

MiPasa, built on Hyperledger Fabric, is expected to evolve as a range of data analytics tools are added, followed by testing data and other information to assist with the precise detection of COVID-19 infection hotspots.

“We feel that there isn't enough information out there to make informed decisions,” said Levi. “How can we help all the people that would like to get access to data, analyze it and provide insights?”  ... " 

Oracle Ebook

Just taking a look at this:

Ebook via Retailwire

Building Your Business Around Your Customers, Not Channels
How to Calculate the Real Cost of an Ecommerce Solution
Download Ebook Now

Today more than ever, it's all about the customer. The expectations customers place on retailers are motivating retailers to deliver a best-in-class customer experience across channels. To achieve that goal, it's about simplicity in business process execution. With the right systems in place, retailers can remain agile, efficient and profitable.

Download this ebook to see how retailers deliver on long-term loyalty and customer experience success.

Deliver a unified customer experience.

Enable unlimited expansion.

Provide scalable platforms for innovation.

Access a 360-degree view of the customer.

Go beyond traditional ecommerce.  .... "

Database of Tomorrow: Self Driving and Autonomous

Was struck by the depth and further volume of data and implications?  The intro below, much more at the link

The Database of Tomorrow: The Self-Driving, Autonomous Database

September 18, 2019 | Artificial Intelligence Big Data Blog | Dr Mark van Rijmenam
This article is sponsored by Oracle – redefining data management with the world’s first autonomous database.

In the coming years, the amount of data we create worldwide will grow to 175 zettabytes of data per year by 2025, up from 33 zettabytes in 2018. Over half of this data will be created by the Internet of Things devices and over 60% of it will be enterprise data. By 2025, 30% of all the data created will be in real-time, offering organisations great opportunities to constantly optimise their business.

Clearly, the organisation of tomorrow is a data organisation. However, simply collecting vast amounts of data is not enough. You would also need to analyse the data for insights and change your organisational culture to benefit from it. According to McKinsey, data-driven organisations are 23x more likely to acquire customers, 6x more likely to retain customers and 19x more likely to be profitable. Being data-driven is good for business.

The Importance of Data Governance
When collecting petabytes of data, it becomes vital that this data is of high-quality. Organisations that focus on high-quality data are better able to deal with changing business environments and achieve strategic objectives. As such, in today’s data-driven world, data governance has become a necessity for organisations, and they cannot get away anymore with minimal effort. .... "

Retailwire: Why Brands Are Moving Direct-To-Consumer

From Yesterdays webinar:

If you would like to see a recording of the webinar or refer it to others, you'll find it in our Resources section:  Recording and PDF Slides (Requires registration)

For your copy of Oracle NetSuite's eBook, "Mind the Gap: What Different Generations Want From Retailers",     https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/download/schedule/9q34mh7c749a

If you have questions about any of the material, please contact:
For Oracle NetSuite:  Matthew Rhodus  matthew.rhodus@oracle.com 

For RetailWire:  Al McClain, CEO, Co-founder   almcclain@retailwire.com   www.retailwire.com    (561)  627-4974

Meeting Description:

Upstart digital native brands that market and sell direct-to-consumer (DTC) have turned the traditional consumer products distribution model inside out.

CPG brands are learning that they too can bypass traditional wholesale and retail distribution, thereby finding ways to forge tighter, more meaningful relationships with customers. 

Join us for this exclusive RetailWire webinar to learn how the increasing influence of social channels, mobile tech, rapid delivery logistics and (needless to say) Amazon are compelling brands to go direct-to-consumer. You’ll see examples of brands that use DTC to give customers a level of personalization that legacy retailers can’t, as well as the advantages brands gain in inventory control and marketplace agility. 

And stay tuned following the presentation for a lively discussion featuring two of our BrainTrust panelists, Ken Cassar and Carol Spieckerman, who will expand on the possibilities of direct-to-consumer marketing    … " 

Quantum Computing and Verifiable Knowledge

Another little piece of the puzzle, how will quantum computing be fundamentally be different than the computing we have known for so long?

Quantum Information Theory

Computer Scientists Expand the Frontier of Verifiable Knowledge
The universe of problems that a computer can check has grown. The researchers’ secret ingredient? Quantum entanglement.

By Kevin Hartnett    Senior Writer   for Quanta Magazine

Imagine someone came along and told you that they had an oracle, and that this oracle could reveal the deep secrets of the universe. While you might be intrigued, you’d have a hard time trusting it. You’d want some way to verify that what the oracle told you was true.

This is the crux of one of the central problems in computer science. Some problems are too hard to solve in any reasonable amount of time. But their solutions are easy to check. Given that, computer scientists want to know: How complicated can a problem be while still having a solution that can be verified?

Turns out, the answer is: Almost unimaginably complicated.

In a paper released in April, two computer scientists dramatically increased the number of problems that fall into the hard-to-solve-but-easy-to-verify category. They describe a method that makes it possible to check answers to problems of almost incomprehensible complexity. “It seems insane,” said Thomas Vidick, a computer scientist at the California Institute of Technology who wasn’t involved in the new work.

The research applies to quantum computers — computers that perform calculations according to the nonintuitive rules of quantum mechanics. Quantum computers barely exist now but have the potential to revolutionize computing in the future.

The new work essentially gives us leverage over that powerful oracle. Even if the oracle promises to tell you answers to problems that are far beyond your own ability to solve, there’s still a way to ensure the oracle is telling the truth. .... "

Telecom Customer Analytics

Good piece from DSC on definitions used for customer analytics in Telecom industry.   Specifics of the definitions are interesting, and can be further considered in other industries.   Need for measures and goals can be determined based on measures like these. 

Telecom Customer Analytics    by Dr. Moloy De in DSC
I was deputed to work at Lagos, Nigeria in 2011 to work for a telecom giant there. The project in hand was to develop customer analytics modules using SAS on customer's newly built Oracle data warehouse. We thought about developing following modules.

Customer Churn Analysis
Calculating Product Propensities
Customer Lifetime Value Calculation
Customer Segmentation   .... "        Continued at the link .... 

Oracle Whitepaper on AI

Interesting White paper offer by Oracle, requires a detailed sign up ...

Gartner research estimates that artificial intelligence (AI) bots will power 85% of customer service interactions for 2020. What does this fast-growing technology trend mean for your commerce marketing operation?

Our latest white paper offers a closer look at these techniques and how they can boost your marketing success. We also look at their limitations and questions to help you distinguish between buzzwords and authentic tools that work for your business.

Does the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies signal a sea change in commerce marketing? In a word, yes. This white paper takes a closer look at these techniques and how they can boost your marketing efforts and success.

What you'll learn:

Why certain techniques offer the greatest revenue generation potential for commerce.

Questions to help you distinguish between buzzwords and authentic tools that work.

Our approach to using AI and related techniques to create personalized shopping experiences.   .... " 

Oracle Outsources GraphPipe

Had not heard of this kind of work out of Oracle.   By its description of value to improved process.  Following up and will report on this.

Oracle Open-Sources Graphpipe to Make It Easier to Deploy Machine Learning Models 

Via VentureBeat   By Khari Johnson

Oracle has released an open-source tool called Graphpipe to facilitate the deployment of machine learning models. Graphpipe will simplify the use of machine learning for mobile apps and IoT devices, end user services, and internal corporate functions. Using Graphpipe could obviate the need for developers to create custom APIs to deploy AI models or to tailor their work to a specific framework. Says Oracle's Vish Abrams, "Graphpipe is an attempt to standardize the protocol by which you speak to a remotely deployed machine learning model, and it includes some reference servers that allow you to deploy machine learning models from existing frameworks very easily in an efficient way." Although developers have several framework choices to build AI models, fewer options exist for how to serve or deploy AI models, Abrams says.  ..."

Oracle Rolls out a Blockchain Service

Everybody is looking to get involved with Blockchains.   With mention of Smart Contracts.

Oracle rolls out its own blockchain service
Oracle joins IBM, SAP, and Microsoft in offering blockchain-as-a-service for companies hoping to deploy the distributed ledger technology without the expenses associated with embracing the technology in-house. ... 
               
By Lucas Mearian in Computerworld ... "

Internet Intelligence Map Shows Live Attacks

Interesting visual, to what degree can it be used to plan for and address possible attacks?

Oracle’s Internet Intelligence Map presents a real-time view of online threats  By Kyle Wiggers in Venturebeat

Distributed denial of service attacks. Malware. State-imposed internet blackouts. It’s hard to keep abreast of every bad actor and natural disaster impacting the internet, but Oracle is making it a bit easier with the launch of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure’s Internet Intelligence Map, a real-time graphical representation of service interruptions and emerging threats.

It’s available for free starting today.

“The internet is the world’s most important network, yet it is incredibly volatile. Disruptions on the internet can affect companies, governments, and network operators in profound ways,” Kyle York, vice president at Oracle, said in a statement. “As a result, all of these stakeholders need better visibility into the health of the global internet. With this offering, we are delivering on our commitment to making it a better, more stable experience for all who rely on it.” .... ' 

Oracle Uses AI to Self Heal, Adapt

Have heard relatively little about Oracle and AI.  Useful to look at more examples of internal uses of technologies to maintain and deliver value.   Intrigued about how such systems measure their 'correctness'.  Ultimately all AI systems need a plan to maintain their correctness, either automatically or by human intervention and retesting.

Oracle’s New Database Uses AI to Patch Itself
If you can’t trust humans to update your software, teach it to do the job for itself. That’s the thinking at the enterprise software firm Oracle, anyway, which has just announced that its 18c database system now uses machine learning to “automatically"  upgrade, patch, and tune itself while running.” ... ' 

Oracle's Adaptive Intelligence for CX

Oracle is calling it adaptive intelligence, and is pushing it for better customer experience.

Oracle OpenWorld: Got Customers? Better Get AI For The Best Customer Experience    Linda Currey Post , Oracle in Forbes.

Better customer experiences will be a central topic at Oracle OpenWorld 2017, which takes place October 1 to 5 in San Francisco. Oracle experts, customers, and industry thought leaders will share how artificial intelligence (AI) technology is enhancing customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty by offering consumers the best possible interactions across all channels.

Oracle’s approach to AI, known as Adaptive Intelligence, combines several technologies, including data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. AI-powered systems can recognize images, understand language, learn from data, and emulate human intelligence.  Oracle’s recently introduced suite of Adaptive Intelligent applications is focused first on applying customer insights derived from AI to the transformation of customer experience, and will soon span the enterprise to include applications for finance, human resources, and supply chain management.   .... " 

Oracle Wants Advanced Tech

Oracle looking to AI and VR initiatives.

Oracle Launches New In-House 'Startup'
The company wants to stay ahead of the tech game by working on new, cutting-edge initiatives.
  By Julie Bort Business Insider  ... 

Oracle and Moat for Measurement and Analytics

Its all about accurate and universal measurement, directly and indirectly through the results of analytics.  So this is not surprising.

Oracle buys Moat
Creates the World's Most Comprehensive Cloud Platform for Marketing Data and Analytics
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., April 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Moat, the fastest-growing digital measurement cloud company. Moat will join Oracle Data Cloud, which uses data and analytics to enhance media for leading marketers and publishers. The combination of Oracle and Moat will connect data to consumer attention for better media experiences and business outcomes. .... " 

Oracle and Real Time Anaytics in the Cloud

Cloud solutions continue to roll. I see less about the specifics of solutions here, except a bare listing.  You do need a cloud to provide solutions, but also workable solutions.  Like the mention of more real-time capabilities, as delivered in the cloud.

Oracle rolls out cloud-based data integration system for real-time analytics   by Mike Heatley in SiliconAngle: 

Oracle Corp.’s bid to supplant Amazon Web Services at the top of the public cloud summit moved a step forward with the introduction of a new service that aims to integrate enterprise customer’s data with real-time analytics.

On Monday, the company rolled out its Data Integrator Cloud Service that’s designed to accelerate support for real-time analytics for enterprise customers. The idea is to address the challenge of delivering insights from data analytics to the appropriate applications and employees who use them. ... "

Salesforce Will do AI with Einstein

Been much rumor about what Salesforce would do with AI style capabilities for customer management.    Now their solution, Einstein, has been announced.   Individual conversational assistance? Bot observation of activity?  Or platform integrated intelligence.    When I hear AI now I think about its value approach and integration with current process.  And what the risk of its use might be in context

Salesforce Aims to Revolutionize CRM with AI-Powered Einstein By Virginia Backaitis

Salesforce officially unveiled its artificial intelligence (AI) capability called Einstein yesterday — just hours before Oracle kicked off OpenWorld.

Constellation Research analyst Doug Henschen said it was no coincidence that Salesforce made a point of introducing its AI capabilities just ahead of Oracle's big user conference. 

"And likewise, it's no coincidence that we'll hear AI announcements from Oracle this year. Its work has been stealthy while Salesforce has very publicaly been loading up on machine learning and AI-related acquisitions,” he said.

Salesforce promises Einstein will forever change customer relationship management (CRM). It is a lofty goal, but one but that doesn’t seem unattainable: Salesforce has both purchased and hired the technology and the people needed to make it happen. 

Salesforce: We Have the Smartest CRM: 
John Ball, General Manager, Salesforce Einstein, told reporters at a virtual press conference last Thursday that the company has created “the world’s smartest CRM” by marrying data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing and deep data discovery1 with its business applications.     .... " 

Oracle and Data Science

Oracle’s Big Data & Analytics Platform for Data Scientists

I work for Oracle, helping businesses realize the potential of data science, big data and machine learning to grow their revenues, minimize their costs and expand new opportunities to leap-frog their competition. Which means working with some amazing folks from different parts of businesses and across industries. Invariably I’m asked – So, what does Oracle offer in the space of data science and machine learning on Big Data? .... " 

Oracle Data Visualization Cloud Service

Though I came out of an enterprise that was largely an Oracle shop, I have been only minimally involved with them since then.  Now I see that Oracle and the Larry himself are out promoting deep analytics and cloud data visualization.   Even storytelling.  On mobile too.   Worth a deeper look. Video too.

" ... Oracle Data Visualization Cloud Service is Generally Available Now!
By Jernej Kaše .... 

Data Visualization Cloud Service (DVCS)  is now generally available!  This new offering empowers business users to go from raw data to actionable business insights in just a few minutes.

What’s New
Data Visualization Cloud Service (DVCS) is a new cloud service that provides rich, consumer-style analytics, including intelligent data visualization, self-service data discovery, visual storytelling, as well as mobile consumption and authoring capabilities.  With DVCS, any user can blend and visually analyze data from all relevant sources in just a few clicks, and quickly uncover and share hidden patterns and actionable insights. All of this can be done without the need for expert IT resources, resulting in faster time to value and significant increases in ROI. ... "