News In Brief

Welcome to our ‘News In Brief’ column in which we digest all the news releases for you in no more than five paragraphs.
Below are snippets of all the media releases we received from March 3 till the end of the week.
This article updates throughout the week.

Alibaba Open-Sources AI

China, March 3: Alibaba Cloud has open-sourced its Wan2.1 AI models for video generation, making them freely available on ModelScope and Hugging Face Hub. The 14-billion and 1.3-billion parameter models have surpassed 1,000,000 downloads and are designed to create high-quality videos from text and images.
Wan2.1 is the only open-source model in the top five on the VBench leaderboard, excelling in motion dynamics, spatial accuracy, and instruction precision. The models lower the barrier for AI-driven content creation, allowing developers to generate high-quality videos efficiently.
Alibaba Cloud continues its open-source AI efforts, following the success of its Qwen AI models, which have led the Hugging Face Open LLM Leaderboards since 2023.

AI Becomes Marketing Essential

Sydney, March 5: Canva’s latest State of Marketing & AI Report reveals that 87 per cent of marketers invested in AI in 2024, with 79 per cent set to increase spending in 2025. Conducted with Morning Consult, the study surveyed 2,400 marketing leaders, including 500 from Australia.
Key findings show AI is now critical to marketing strategies, saving teams at least four hours per week. However, 60 per cent struggle to integrate AI into workflows, and 28 per cent face challenges in measuring ROI. AI literacy is increasingly vital, with 95 per cent believing it will be a must-have skill within four years.
Despite trust in GenAI tools (94 per cent), human oversight remains crucial. Concerns over brand safety, data privacy, and creativity persist, leading 82 per cent of marketers to establish AI policies. The full report is available online.

Alibaba Cloud Leads AI

Hangzhou, March 5: Alibaba Cloud has reinforced its leadership in cloud computing and AI, earning recognition from Forrester and Gartner for its innovations in AI infrastructure and cloud services.
Alibaba Cloud was named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Public Cloud Platforms Q4 2024 and secured top positions in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant™ for container management and cloud database management systems. The company’s AI advancements, including its large language model (LLM) Qwen series, continue to drive industry transformation.
Expanding its global presence, Alibaba Cloud now operates 87 data centers across 29 regions, with recent expansions in Mexico and Thailand, further solidifying its role as a global cloud and AI powerhouse.

KJTS Secures REIT Deal

Kuala Lumpur, March 5: KJTS Group Berhad has signed a 20-year service agreement with Pacific Trustee Berhad on behalf of KIP REIT to enhance energy efficiency across seven KIPMall locations in Malaysia.
Through its subsidiary, KJ Technical Services Sdn Bhd, KJTS will finance and execute retrofit works with a capital expenditure of RM25.27 million, ensuring a 15 per cent energy cost reduction for chiller plants after cost recovery. The upgrades, starting 1st April 2025 and concluding by 31st December 2025, aim to cut carbon emissions and improve operational efficiency.
From 1st January 2026 to 31st December 2045, KJTS will provide ongoing operation and maintenance services and supply chilled water. The agreement strengthens KJTS’s market position while reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and innovation in energy management solutions.

IML Manager Retires

IML has announced the retirement of Senior Portfolio Manager Simon Conn, who will step down in June 2025 after 27 years with the firm. Conn, a founding member of IML’s investment team, has led the small and mid-cap portfolios for 25 years. He will remain a consultant until September 2025.
IML portfolio manager Marc Whittaker will take over leadership of the small and mid-cap team, supported by co-portfolio manager Lucas Goode and the broader investment team. IML’s flagship small-cap fund has delivered above-benchmark returns with lower volatility since its inception in 1998.

Sarawak Shines at ITB

Sarawak showcased its diverse tourism offerings at ITB Berlin 2025, highlighting its rich cultural heritage, adventure tourism, and eco-tourism appeal. Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak, Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew, led the event alongside Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dato Sri Tiong King Sing.
The state emphasized its UNESCO sites, including Gunung Mulu and Niah National Park, as well as its vibrant food culture, recognized as Malaysia’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. A new video and gastronomic guide were also unveiled to promote Sarawak’s unique travel experiences. Sarawak saw 50,426 European visitors in 2024, reflecting its growing appeal in global tourism.

Elastic Recognizes ANZ Partners

Elastic (NYSE: ESTC) has announced the winners of the 2025 Elastic Partner Awards for Australia and New Zealand, celebrating key partners driving business growth and digital innovation through Search AI.
The awards highlight collaborations with technology providers and industry leaders that enhance AI accessibility and enterprise search capabilities.
The 2025 ANZ winners include Recon Technologies Pty Ltd (ANZ Partner of the Year), NQRY Pty Ltd (Innovation Award), Amazon Web Services Australia Pty Ltd (Cloud Partner of the Year), ctrl:cyber (Managed Services Partner of the Year), Atturra Limited (Reseller of the Year), Skillfield Pty Ltd (Services Partner of the Year), and Deloitte Limited (Systems Integrator of the Year).

ATPC Secures $23M Funding

Kuala Lumpur, March 6: NASDAQ-listed Agape ATP Corporation (ATPC) has announced a $23 million private placement with institutional investors to accelerate its expansion in healthcare, oil & gas trading, and renewable energy.
Under the agreement, 46 million shares will be issued at $0.50 per share under Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act. The transaction, involving 18 institutional investors, is expected to close within 30 business days, subject to regulatory approvals.
ATPC recently partnered with Swiss One Oil & Gas AG for large-scale fuel procurement, marking its entry into the oil and gas trading sector. Following this placement, ATPC’s total issued shares will rise from 4,005,381 to 50,005,381, with a registration statement to be filed with the SEC within 45 days. The company remains focused on strategic investments to drive growth and enhance shareholder value.