AI startup Read AI has launched Agentic Workflow Suite, providing users with a more comprehensive AI assistant. It helps them stay abreast of everything that’s happening in the projects they’re involved with, so they can waste as little time as possible catching up, improving their productivity. The Agentic Workflow Suite is based on Read AI’s proprietary content summarization tool, which helps enterprise workers to quickly understand what’s happening across all of the communication and collaboration channels they use, including Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Gmail, Zoom, Outlook, Salesforce and HubSpot. Read AI’s Agentic Workflow Suite aims to support employees in a number of ways, providing a regular “Monday briefing” that summarizes all of the highlights from the previous week and their upcoming priorities for the week ahead. There’s also an “End of Week” recap that covers the most important issues addressed over the previous few days and provides reminders about open action items and unanswered questions. In case employees want to dig deeper, they can delve into a series of topic-based summaries that help them to catch up on their most critical tasks and priorities. Then they can then peruse a list of “Recommendations” that reviews all work in play and the next steps they should take to get things moving. Another useful feature is the AI “Scheduler,” which reviews each worker’s availability, punctuality and engagement trends to try and schedule meetings at a time when the attendees will be most engaged. New Vice President of Product Management Justin Farris, said he sees Read AI becoming the default place where “work comes together” at enterprises, calling it the “Cursor for productivity.” “The Monday Briefing agent alone saves the average worker 60 minutes of catch-up time every week and teams can reduce meeting load by 10% within a month,” Shim said.
Zoom combines MCP with Agent2Agent communication framework; delivering proactive workflow orchestration through third-party platform integration and multi-agent collaboration capabilities
Zoom Communications introduced AI Companion 3.0 designed to help users deliver high-quality work by providing insights and intelligent assistance. It includes a number of AI skill updates that enhance its AI agent capabilities with new custom agents, a new low-code builder platform and lifelike AI avatars. New note-taking features will allow users to bring AI Companion into in-person meetings and into meetings hosted on Teams and Google Meet. Users will be able to take their own notes, with the platform organizing and expanding on key takeaways as needed. If a user can’t attend a meeting, the AI agent can go in their place to take notes, extract action items and provide updates according to preferences. The AI Companion can also organize the workday, scheduling meetings by analyzing attendee availability and workloads. Ahead of meetings, it can generate suggested questions, agendas and notes based on past action items and conversation insights. For in-person meetings, the agent can resolve conflicts and suggest meeting rooms based on size and location. For users on the go, Zoom is updating its Virtual Agent extension to Zoom Phone, where it acts as a voice-enabled AI receptionist with industry-specific support for sectors such as healthcare and finance. Businesses can also customize the Virtual Agent with unique voices by uploading a short sample to create a tailored experience. For virtual meetings, Zoom added photorealistic AI avatars that replicate users when they are in less-than-ideal environments or prefer not to appear on video. These avatars mimic the live feed to create a lifelike presentation. Meeting hosts can also customize the waiting room experience with a mix of Zoom Clips and AI avatars to share agenda details or instructions. The tool lets anyone build AI agents that connect to multiple data sources and use the Agent2Agent protocol.
Bynder’s AI-powered Digital Asset Management (DAM) combines multi-modal content analysis with automated metadata generation and brand compliance monitoring; delivering hyper-personalization through micro-targeting content variations
Bynder, an AI-powered enterprise DAM, has launched its new Agentic AI platform at its flagship customer event, Bynder Connect. Bynder’s AI Agents are LLM-driven, goal-oriented, semi-autonomous agents that understand both user intent and content context, operating securely within Bynder’s DAM. Bynder’s new Agentic Platform enables unmatched levels of efficiency and productivity, automating complex, multi-step workflows, while optimizing and guiding content operations. Teams can configure and deploy an unlimited number of agents, tailored to their unique business needs. Agent tasks can be directed with prompts, which allows organizations to align agent outputs with their specific business requirements, such as adhering to industry-specific terminology, using the correct brand tone of voice, or complying with regulatory or legal standards. The prompts are created using natural language (no code required), reducing the need for specialized skills development and enabling faster onboarding and value realization. Early adopters of Bynder’s agentic platform are experiencing improved business outcomes and higher levels of ROI: Product / Service launches: Reduced time to market and faster revenue realization for new offerings and new markets by automating content workflows across geographically dispersed teams. Hyper-personalization at scale: Micro-targeting with content variations and derivatives addressing every customer segment and channel. Brand refreshes: Successful brand refreshes by quickly and easily adapting, enriching and delivering thousands of purpose-built assets globally. Supply chain content management: Gaining control over vast amounts of product information, compliance documents, and marketing assets across global supply chains. Content governance and compliance: Identifying content usage across all internal and external channels, such as old, expired or unauthorized assets, illegal use of product images or logos by third parties, and measuring asset reach & ROI.
Branch launches embedded platform processing $23 billion worker payments with pre-built EWA components, 1099 payout APIs, and automated compliance oversight across vertical SaaS integrations
Branch launched Branch Embedded, a new solution that allows businesses to seamlessly integrate fast payment options directly into their existing applications and platforms. By adopting Branch Embedded, businesses can accelerate their time-to-market, reduce engineering overhead, and unlock new revenue streams without the cost and complexity of building payments infrastructure from scratch. Designed for vertical SaaS platforms, gig marketplaces, and other enterprise applications, Branch Embedded offers pre-built components that make it easy for businesses to deliver Earned Wage Access (EWA), 1099 payouts, and paycard options right from their existing platforms. “Branch Embedded gives our partners the power to add a native payments experience in weeks instead of quarters,” said Atif Siddiqi, Founder and CEO of Branch. “By simplifying payouts and compliance, we help platforms delight their users, strengthen worker loyalty, and unlock new revenue opportunities. All without the heavy engineering lift.” Building and maintaining a custom payments system is costly, time-consuming, and requires significant compliance oversight. Branch Embedded handles the entire payment lifecycle including card issuing, fraud protection, disputes, and customer support, so businesses can focus on growth. Key Benefits of Branch Embedded: Launch Within Weeks: Accelerate your roadmap with minimal engineering lift; Save Time and Resources: Branch manages payouts, compliance, ongoing maintenance, and more; Meet Demand: Elevate your platform with fast payout capabilities that today’s workers expect; Unlock New Revenue Streams: Transform payments into a profit driver for your platform.
ShopVision’s AI super agent for ecommerce merchants integrates first-party data with real-time competitor monitoring, enabling automated merchandising workflows and assortment planning through ML algorithms
ShopVision Technologies Inc. has closed a $4.1 million Seed financing round led by Brightspark Ventures, with participation from BDC Capital, Rhino Ventures, and strategic leaders from category-defining brands. ShopVision is an AI super agent for merchants that unlocks unprecedented productivity by fusing the most complete visual and historical competitive intelligence dataset in ecommerce with a brand’s first-party data. The result is an AI-driven selling system that helps teams instantly see the market, understand their position, and automate high-impact AI-driven workflows across marketing, merchandising, pricing, and operations. The company’s founder, Harry Chemko, believes that AI will change how every brand operates, helping teams get started effectively without getting overwhelmed. The recent MIT report showing that 95% of AI projects have failed highlights the problem that most lack the real context and data needed to succeed. ShopVision solves this for ecommerce teams by pairing deep context with constantly expanding workflow automation. ShopVision provides both the vantage point and the tools to navigate the shift in how brands operate and connect with their customers. It turns competitive complexity into clarity, helping ensure that decisions made today translate into stronger performance and a more resilient brand tomorrow. Example workflows now in use, driven by competitive market data, include Black Friday & Cyber Monday Planning and Execution, Pricing & Promotion Intelligence, Content & Creative Inspiration, Merchandising, Assortment Planning & Sell-through Analysis, Ad Performance Monitoring, Wholesale & Retail Channel Compliance Monitoring, Social Monitoring & Insights, Influencer Monitoring, and Weekly Operational Report Automation. ShopVision is founded by a team with over 60 years of combined ecommerce and AI experience, spanning retail, SaaS, and data infrastructure.
Omnichannel retail for consumer technology brands is shaping strategy in a fragmented shopping landscape
At the IFA Retail Leader Summit 2025, NielsenIQ’s Alexander Dehmel discussed how omnichannel retail is evolving due to shifting consumer behavior, digital disruption, and new commerce formats. Consumers now engage with multiple digital touchpoints before making a decision, with 56% of online shoppers actively researching via various online touchpoints. Retailers must ensure consistency and relevance across all channels to influence decision-making effectively. The consumer journey is more complex than ever due to digitization and personalization enabled by technology, requiring new ways to engage and influence consumers. The rise of social commerce is rapidly reshaping how consumers discover and buy products. In Germany, TikTok Shop saw a dramatic increase in purchase penetration in online shoppers, with categories like Beauty & Personal Care and High Tech leading the way. This shift signals an opportunity for consumer technology brands to explore new formats and partnerships that meet consumers where they are – on platforms they trust and engage with daily. Direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels offer brands a unique opportunity to build deeper relationships with customers by bypassing traditional retail intermediaries, delivering more personalized experiences, gaining richer consumer data, and maintaining greater control over pricing and messaging. However, D2C requires significant investment in logistics, customer service, and digital infrastructure. Consumers expect more from D2C channels, especially in areas that directly impact their satisfaction and loyalty. For consumer technology brands, the key is to strike the right balance: leveraging D2C for strategic differentiation while maintaining strong retail partnerships to scale reach and accessibility.
TravelCenters of America installs self-service kiosks at Popeye; combining revenue-boosting order flows with labor redistribution analytics
TravelCenters of America LLC is the largest publicly traded full-service truck stop and travel center company in the United States. The company operates full service centers, convenience stores, and restaurants under the TravelCenters of America brands TA, Petro Stopping Centers, TA Express, and GOASIS.TravelCenters of America is introducing self-service kiosks at Popeyes restaurants to enhance efficiency and customer experience. The kiosks have been installed at 45 locations and are set to expand to 66 by 2025. The initial deployments have seen an adoption rate of over 70%, with customers placing larger orders. The kiosks, developed with Tillster, are user-friendly, support multiple languages, and integrate with existing systems like My TA Rewards. The initiative reflects TravelCenters’ commitment to innovation and customer convenience.
Amazon new AI tools, Unmet Demand Insights and Niche Product Overview, help sellers instantly identify market gaps and benchmark in-demand products by replacing extensive manual research with data-backed guidance
Amazon has rolled out several AI-driven tools designed to help sellers launch products faster, lower upfront risk and capture shopper demand more efficiently. The centerpiece is an upgraded Opportunity Explorer, which now parses billions of searches, clicks and purchases to translate marketplace signals into plain-English prompts for product development and pricing. Additionally, sellers can use two new capabilities. Unmet Demand Insights flags gaps where customers are searching but not finding what they want. Niche Product Overview highlights must-have features and pricing benchmarks in smaller but promising categories. The goal is to replace weeks of manual research with instant, data-backed guidance on what to build and how to price it. Amazon is also changing the mechanics of product launches, according to the post. A new regional inventory option allows sellers to place smaller stock in one geography, say, the Northeast, while still offering Prime-speed delivery there. If sales validate demand, inventory can expand nationwide. This trims working capital needs and provides a way to test products without overcommitting, aligning with broader merchant strategies to preserve liquidity while navigating shifting consumer demand. Early reviews are also being streamlined. Sellers can now enroll items in Amazon Vine as soon as inventory is inbound to Fulfillment by Amazon, rather than waiting for listings to go live. The company has expanded its pool of vetted Vine Voices and sharpened category matching. Reviews may now include photos and videos, which historically boost sales of new products by up to 30% within months. On the product detail page, shoppable A+ Content will embed carousels, deal callouts and add-to-cart buttons directly inside branded storytelling modules. This compresses the path from browsing to purchase. Finally, a new AI-powered Product Performance Spotlight will act as a coach in the background, flagging when inventory needs replenishment or ad campaigns require tuning based on early signals. Amazon’s new suite is pitched to sellers across the spectrum, from first-time entrepreneurs cautious about inventory to established brands seeking faster, sharper product-market fit. For Amazon, the incentive is a steady flow of new listings keeping shoppers engaged. For sellers, the through line is cost discipline. They can launch with fewer units, get reviews sooner, adapt quickly and scale only when the data supports it.
LendOS full-cycle unified private credit platform consolidates loan servicing, deal management and document automation and integrates with client’s existing systems
LendOS, a fintech platform purpose-built for private credit lifecycle operations, has completed its Series A funding round, led by Blackstone Innovations Investments, Blackstone’s early-stage strategic investment arm, with participation from Illuminate Financial and Liberty City Ventures. LendOS will use the funding to accelerate product development and scale go-to-market efforts. Built for asset managers, direct lenders, and third-party servicers, LendOS brings a unified system for lending operations including loan servicing, deal management, trade management, and document automation. It streamlines workflows that are often spread across legacy internal tools, vendor platforms, and manual handoffs. The platform is built to integrate with existing client systems while delivering auditability and real-time portfolio visibility across funds, facilities, and counterparties. LendOS provides a future-ready alternative to legacy platforms. For institutions looking to modernize and strengthen their operations, LendOS offers a significant advantage over re-investing in outdated systems. Built on a unified, data-centric architecture, the platform supports a wide range of loan types in one system, enabling straight through processing, real-time portfolio visibility, and unmatched data accuracy across systems. Using this foundation, LendOS accelerates ecosystem connectivity and workflow automation.
UMortgage executes the first crypto asset depletion loan worth $4 million through an off-exchange XRP wallet; Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will begin preparing for the use of crypto in single-family mortgages
Last week, a UMortgage originator took to LinkedIn to announce a unique loan he was working on — a $4 million non-QM loan for a borrower using cryptocurrency through an off-exchange XRP wallet to qualify. Industry observers say the deal highlights both the potential and the challenges of bringing digital assets into housing finance. The development comes after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte issued a directive to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in June to begin preparing for the use of crypto in single-family mortgages. Tyler Hodgson, UMortgage’s executive vice president of growth and the man behind the deal, told HousingWire that this was the first crypto asset depletion loan he’s done. He arranged the loan through LendSure Mortgage after multiple lenders declined to consider the borrower’s crypto assets. The borrower lacked traditional income documentation but held significant cryptocurrency reserves. “We did an upfront preapproval on this loan. This guy is buying an $8 million house, so typically, they would go up to like 70% or 75% LTV on this product. But we hit the max loan amount, where they capped us out at $4 million. [We] got him approved using that cryptocurrency as an income source,” Hodgson said. “Obviously, he’s liquidating some of the cryptocurrency for the down payment,” he added.