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SIIA Statement on Release of the 2024 NTE Report from USTR

The following statement from the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA statement regarding the release of the 2024 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE Report) from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) can be attributed to Morten Skroejer, Senior Director for Technology Competition Policy.

USTR’s 2024 2024 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE Report) is disappointing. It omits critical references to digital trade barriers faced by the very companies that are responsible for millions of U.S. jobs, fuel the global economy, and lead the world in innovation. While the move had been telegraphed for weeks, it, unfortunately, joins a growing list of recent USTR decisions, where the agency has failed at its most basic duty: to protect U.S. economic interests abroad.

We urge the Administration not to stand by while foreign governments force discriminatory regulations on American companies.

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SIIA Announces Education Technology Finalists for 2024 CODiE Awards

For Immediate Release

Education Technology products recognized in peer-reviewed awards program

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 28, 2024) – In celebration of the 39th annual SIIA CODiE Awards, the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) announces Education Technology finalists. Finalists, selected by expert reviewers, represent the most innovative and impactful products from education technology developers, online learning services and related learning-focused technologies.

“The 2024 CODiE Award finalists are a showcase of those products and individuals who have been identified by industry experts as being at the forefront of innovation. These finalists perpetuate the CODiEs’ longstanding tradition of acknowledging the year’s most influential products, services, and leaders, thereby laying the groundwork for future innovators. A hearty congratulations to all who have earned this recognition,” said SIIA President Christ Mohr

The SIIA CODiE Awards are the industry’s only peer-reviewed awards program. Educators and administrators serve as judges for the first-round review of all nominees. Their scores determine the SIIA CODiE Award finalists and account for 80 percent of the overall score. SIIA members then vote on the finalist products. The scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners. Details about each finalist are listed here.

The category winners will be announced May 21, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. EDT during a virtual celebration. The CODiE Awards guests can log in to NewSky XR’s secure online platform and customize avatars to network with industry leaders in a high-fidelity, rich texture, photo-realistic environment. The event is free to attend, but pre-registration is required. Learn more at https://www.newskyxr.com/.

2024 CODiE AWARD EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY FINALISTS

Best Administrative Solution          

  • Alma SIS, Alma Technologies
  • ClassLink Suite, ClassLink
  • Frontline Human Capital Management, Frontline Education
  • Frontline School Health Management, Frontline Education
  • Incident IQ
  • Incident IQ Platform, Incident IQ
  • AristotleK12, Sergeant Laboratories
  • TimeClock Plus, TCP Software

Best AI Implementation in Ed Tech             

  • AllHere
  • MATHia, Carnegie Learning
  • AI 360 with Copilot, CYPHER Learning
  • The Generator – AI-powered course creation + Auto-Narration, Global eTraining
  • Author Aide, Learnosity
  • Origin, Merlyn Mind
  • AI-Powered Study Tools, Pearson
  • Magic Notes, Quizlet
  • Writable

Best Coding & Computational Thinking Solution             

  • uCertify Course, uCertify
  • YoungWonks, WONKSKNOW LLC

Best Collaborative Solution for Teachers              

  • Share My Lesson, American Federation of Teachers
  • Branching Minds
  • edWeb.net

Best College & Career Readiness Solution           

  • Courseware, Edmentum
  • Virtual Internship Program, eDynamic Learning
  • Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test and Career Prep, Gale, part of Cengage Group
  • uCertify Course, uCertify
  • My Work Ready, WIN Learning
  • Xello
  • YouScience® Brightpath, YouScience

Best Content Authoring Development or Curation Solution

  • Gale Digital Scholar Lab, Gale, part of Cengage Group
  • Nearpod
  • DnA by Renaissance, Renaissance
  • uCertify Create, uCertify

Best Digital Safety Solution             

  • Respons-Able Student Online Modules, Digital Respons-Ability
  • GoGuardian Beacon, GoGuardian
  • Password Manager, LastPass
  • Lightspeed Alert, Lightspeed Systems

Best Education Platform

  • Engage, Compro Technologies
  • Discovery Education Experience, Experience
  • Nearpod
  • MyLab, Pearson
  • PowerSchool
  • RethnkEd Solutions, RethnkEd
  • Seesaw’s Learning Experience Platform, Seesaw
  • Learner Engagements Online® (LEO®), Tutor.com

Best Education Professional Development Solution    

  • Witsby, ASCD and ISTE
  • axis3, Creatively Focused
  • Teacher Success Pathways, Teacher’s Corner®, Leader’s Corner®, Coachly™, HMH
  • Shift iQ, InSite Information Systems
  • Lexia LETRS, Lexia
  • MobileMind
  • PowerSchool Educator Effectiveness Cloud, PowerSchool
  • RethinkEd Professional Learning, RethinkEd
  • Professional Development Teacher Membership, Teaching Strategies

Best Educational Game       

  • MATHia Adventure, Carnegie Learning
  • ExploreLearning Frax
  • Math Basecamp, Legends of Learning
  • Introduction to Business and Strategy Simulation , Marketplace Simulations
  • Pathogen Patrol, PLTW + Tipping Point Media

Best Emerging Education Technology Solution for Administration    

  • DataGuard, ClassLink
  • axis3, Creatively Focused
  • Frontline Human Capital Management, Frontline Education
  • Frontline Professional Growth, Frontline Education
  • Frontline School Health Management, Frontline Education

Best Emerging Instructional Technology Solution          

  • ExploreLearning Frax, ExploreLearning
  • Zone Learn, Logitech
  • McGraw Hill AR, McGraw Hill
  • Mindsets Learning
  • MobyMax
  • Flocabulary, Nearpod
  • Rex K-12

Best English Language Arts Instructional Solution for Grades PK – 8

  • Alef Platform, Alef Education
  • Benchmark Advance, Benchmark Education Company
  • Writable, HMH
  • IXL ELA, IXL Learning
  • Foundations A-Z, Learning A-Z
  • MobyMax
  • Freckle for ELA, Renaissance
  • LANGUAGE! Live, Voyager Sopris Learning

Best Evidence Management Solution       

  • Abre Insights and Student Success, Abre
  • LearnPlatform by Instructure, Instructure
  • MobyMax
  • Otus
  • Panorama Student Success, Panorama Education
  • eduCLIMBER by Renaissance, Renaissance

Best Formative Assessment Solution       

  • Pear Assessment, GoGuardian
  • MobyMax
  • SpacesEDU, myBlueprint
  • Otus
  • uCertify LEARN, uCertify
  • Learning Online, Voyager Sopris Learning

Best Gamification in Learning        

  • Action Math Baseball, eLEARNster LLC
  • ExploreLearning Reflex, ExploreLearning
  • Waggle, HMH
  • Awakening, Legends of Learning
  • MobyMax

Best Learning Management System (LMS)            

  • Blackboard Learn Ultra, Anthology Inc.
  • Engage, Compro Technologies
  • Brightspace, D2L

Best Learning Recovery Tool

  • K-12 Math & ELA High Dosage Virtual Tutoring, Cignition
  • i-Ready Assessment and Personalized Instruction, Curriculum Associates
  • Imagine MyPath, Imagine Learning
  • Raz-Plus, Learning A-Z
  • Lexia Core5 Reading, Lexia
  • MobyMax
  • RethinkEd Vizzle, RethinkEd

Best Mathematics Instructional Solution for Grades PK – 12                 

  • Alef Pathways, Alef Education
  • DreamBox Math, Discovery Education
  • IXL Math, IXL Learning
  • McGraw Hill AR, McGraw Hill
  • Mindsets Learning
  • MobyMax
  • Freckle for Math + Star Math Assessments, Renaissance
  • enVision® K-12 math series, Savvas Learning Company

Best Personalized Learning Solution

  • Alef Pathways , Alef Education
  • Branching Minds
  • Amira Learning, HMH
  • IXL platform, IXL Learning
  • MobyMax
  • Learning Designer, Open LMS
  • PowerSchool Personalized Learning Cloud
  • Lalilo by Renaissance, Renaissance Learning
  • SuccessMaker®, Savvas Learning Company
  • uCertify LEARN, uCertify

Best PK/Early Childhood Learning Solution        

  • Kide Science powered by Accelerate Learning, Accelerate Learning Inc.
  • Imagine Math, Imagine Learning
  • MobyMax
  • The Only Connected Ecosystem in Early Childhood Education, Teaching Strategies

Best PK-12 Virtual Learning Solution         

  • ClassLink Suite, ClassLink
  • MobyMax

Best Reading/Writing/Literature Instructional Solution for Grades 9 – 12    

  • Gale In Context: Literature, Gale, part of Cengage Group
  • Writable, HMH

Best Research and Development Database Solution   

  • Environmental History: Conservation and Public Policy in America, 1870-1980, Gale, part of Cengage Group
  • Power to the People: Counterculture, Social Movements, and the Alternative Press, Nineteenth to Twenty-First Century, Gale, part of Cengage Group

Best Science Instructional Solution for Grades 9-12

  • Pivot Interactives by Discovery Education, Discovery Education
  • ExploreLearning Gizmos, ExploreLearning
  • PAVO, Flinn Scientific
  • Kognity for High School Science, Kognity USA, Inc

Best Science Instructional Solution for Grades PK – 8 

  • Collaborate Science powered by Accelerate Learning, Accelerate Learning Inc.
  • BrainPOP Science, BrainPOP
  • Twig Science, Imagine Learning
  • Penda Science, Learning 2020, Inc.
  • MobyMax

Best Science of Reading Foundational Skills Solution

  • DreamBox Reading Plus by Discovery Education, Discovery Education
  • Exact Path, Edmentum
  • HMH Into Reading, HMH
  • IXL ELA, IXL Learning
  • Foundations A-Z, Learning A-Z
  • Phonics, Reading and Me, Learning Without Tears
  • MobyMax
  • Voyager Passport, Voyager Sopris Learning

Best Social Sciences/Studies Instructional Solution  

  • Gale In Context: For Educators, Gale, part of Cengage Group
  • Traverse, Imagine Learning
  • McGraw Hill AR, McGraw Hill
  • MobyMax
  • Nearpod Social Studies Program, Nearpod

Best Solution for English Language Learners     

  • HMH English 3D, HMH
  • Raz-Plus ELL, Learning A-Z
  • MobyMax
  • Nearpod English Learners Program, Nearpod
  • Star Assessments and myON by Renaissance, Renaissance Learning
  • Stone for Schools, Rosetta Stone

Best Solution for Students with Special Needs

  • Brightspace, D2L
  • FrenalyticsEDU, Frenalytics
  • MobyMax
  • RethinkEd Vizzle, RethinkEd

Best STEM Instructional Solution for Grades K – 12

  • BrainPOP Science, BrainPOP
  • Learning Blade, eDynamic Learning
  • Ellipsis Education Curriculum, Ellipsis Education
  • ExploreLearning Gizmos, ExploreLearning
  • McGraw Hill AR, McGraw Hill
  • MobyMax
  • STEAM on Demand

Best Student Learning Capacity-Building Solution        

  • AllHere
  • McGraw Hill AR, McGraw Hill
  • MobyMax
  • RethinkEd Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) Solution, RethinkEd

Best Virtual Lab         

  • ExploreLearning Gizmos, ExploreLearning
  • Practice Anatomy Lab (PAL), Pearson
  • uCertify LAB, uCertify

Best Virtual Learning Solution

  • Next Generation Virtual Classroom, Class Technologies
  • EdOptions Academy, Edmentum
  • Edgenuity, Imagine Learning
  • Writing A-Z, Learning A-Z
  • uCertify LEARN, uCertify

Best Wellness Platform for School Districts and Educational Communities             

  • Emotional Wellbeing Curriculum for Secondary Students, Ori Learning
  • RethinkEd Wellness Suite, RethinkEd

2024 CODiE AWARD EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP FINALISTS

Best Customer Experience in Ed Tech

  • Branching Minds
  • Creatively Focused
  • Learning A-Z
  • Legends of Learning
  • Otus
  • com
  • Xello

Best Ed Tech Company to Watch

  • Cignition
  • Mindsets Learning

Best Student Experience    

  • MobyMax
  • com

Best Suite of Connected/Integrated Solutions  

  • HMH
  • MobyMax
  • Munetrix
  • Otus
  • The Renaissance Ecosystem, Renaissance Learning
  • Savvas Learning Company
  • Sirius Online and Sirius STAAR Assessment Bank & Test Builder, Sirius Education Solutions
  • Texthelp’s CORE (Co:Writer, OrbitNote, Read&Write and Equatio) Solutions, Texthelp

Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in Ed Tech     

  • Learnosity
  • Renaissance

Lifetime Achievement Award in Ed Tech

  • Karen Billings, BillingsConnect
  • John Kleeman, Learnosity
  • Martin McKay, Texthelp

Most Influential Thought Leader in Ed Tech         

  • Geoffrey Alphonso, Alef Education
  • Ashley Andersen Zantop, Cambium Learning Group
  • Elizabeth Orme, Creatively Focused
  • Jamie Candee, Edmentum
  • Bethlam Forsa, Savvas Learning Company

Most Innovative Ed Tech Company             

  • AllHere
  • Cambium Learning Group
  • ClassLink
  • Nearpod
  • com and The Princeton Review
  • VitalSource
  • WONKSKNOW

*The Judging process is a rigorous one that honors only the truly stand-out nominations; in this case, the Judges selected just one submission to qualify in the Finals.

About the SIIA CODiE™ Awards

The SIIA CODiE Awards is the only peer-reviewed program to celebrate the vision, talent, and advances in building quality products in the tech industry. Since 1986, thousands of products, services and solutions have been recognized for leading innovation and achieving excellence. For more information, visit https://siia.net/CODiE.

About Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA)

SIIA is the only professional organization connecting more than 700 data, financial information, education technology, specialized content and publishing, and connects learners and educators. Our diverse members manage the global financial markets, develop software that solves today’s challenges through technology, provide critical information that helps inform global businesses large and small, and innovate for better communication across the information ecosystem.

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SIIA communications contact:

codieawards@siia.net

Policy Blog Templates

SIIA Announces Business Technology Finalists for 2024 CODiE Awards

For Immediate Release

126 business technology products recognized in peer-reviewed awards program

WASHINGTON (March 28, 2024) – The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) today announces 126 business technology Finalists for the 39th annual CODiE Awards. These finalists represent the most innovative and impactful applications and products from software developers, content, media and related technologies. The 2024 CODiE Awards feature 46 business technology categories, several of which are new or updated to reflect the latest industry trends.

“The recipients of the 2024 Business Technology CODiE Awards continue to uphold the prestigious tradition of the CODiEs by distinguishing the most effective and influential applications, services, and products in the business technology sector. We take immense pride in acknowledging this year’s winners – the crème de la crème! Kudos to all the victors of this year’s CODiE Awards!” said SIIA President Chris Mohr

The SIIA CODiE Awards are the industry’s only peer-recognized awards program. Business technology leaders, including senior executives, analysts, media, consultants and investors, evaluate assigned products during the first-round review. Their scores determine the SIIA CODiE Award finalists and account for 80 percent of the overall score. SIIA members and industry leaders vote on the finalist products, and the scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners. Business technology category winners will be announced during the winner announcement celebration May 21, 2024.

Details on the finalist products are listed here

2024 CODiE AWARD BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY FINALISTS

Best Advancement In Cybersecurity

  • Hadrian, Hadrian Security
  • NETSCOUT Omnis Cyber Intelligence, NETSCOUT
  • AI Chrome Extension Risk Assessment, Spin.AI

Best AI Driven Technology Solution

  • Bloomberg Law, Bloomberg Industry Group
  • Retail AI by BCG, Value Compass, Boston Consulting Group
  • Constructor
  • Generative AI Governance and Compliance Suite, Copyleaks
  • AI-Enabled Data Collection, Gordian
  • Lexis+ AI, LexisNexis
  • Phenom X+, Phenom

Best AI Solution for Healthcare

  • Apixio’s Prospective Risk Adjustment Suite, Apixio
  • Medicare Advantage Expansion, Virtusa

Best AI Solution in Fintech

  • Toggle AI Pro, Toggle AI

Best Big Data Reporting & Analytics Solution

  • Alteryx Analytics Cloud Platform, Alteryx
  • EmBiology, Elsevier, Inc.
  • HG Insights’ Functional Area Intelligence (FAI), HG Insights

Best Business Information or Data Delivery Solution  

  • Factiva, Dow Jones
  • EMIS Next, EMIS (ISI Emerging Markets Group)

Best Business Intelligence Solution          

  • CaseMap Cloud, LexisNexis
  • Conversational Intelligence, LivePerson
  • INTENTIVE, NetLine: An Informa Business
  • Snow SaaS Management on Snow Atlas, Snow Software

Best Compliance Solution

  • Motus FAVR, Motus
  • TimeClock Plus, TCP Software
  • Axon Market Data Compliance Solution, TRG Screen

Best Construction Management Platform            

  • Acumatica Construction Edition, Acumatica
  • Gordian Cloud Platform, Gordian

Best Customer Data Platform (CDP)         

  • BlueConic Customer Data Platform, BlueConic
  • Customer Data Platform, Omeda

Best Customer Education LMS      

  • Broadcom Software Academy, Broadcom
  • Brightspace, D2L

Best Customer Service Solution  

  • ChurnZero
  • Conversational Cloud, LivePerson

Best Data Tool             

  • LexisNexis® C.L.U.E. Auto Damage 360, LexisNexis Risk Solutions

Best DevOps Tool     

  • CircleCI
  • Botium, Cyara Botium
  • SolarWinds® Observability., SolarWinds
  • SonarQube, Sonar

Best Digital Asset Management Solution (DAM)               

  • Acquia DAM, Acquia

Best Digital Employee Experience (DEX)

  • Frontline Employee Experience Platform, Harri
  • HCLTech eSense, HCLTech
  • Nexthink Flow, Nexthink
  • Vyopta
  • WalkMe Workstation, WalkMe

Best Emerging Technology

  • Auto AI by BCG, Tender Assistant, Boston Consulting Group
  • Honeywell Forge Sustainability + for Industrials | Emissions Management, Honeywell
  • StackShine, LeaseQuery
  • Lexis+ AI, LexisNexis
  • Movement, project44

Best Event Technology Solution    

  • BrightTALK, TechTarget

Best Financial & Market Data Solution

  • Dow Jones Interoperable Modules, Dow Jones
  • NSE FixedIn, NSE Data & Analytics
  • Optimize Spend, TRG Screen
  • Visible Alpha Insights, Visible Alpha

Best Financial Management Solution       

  • CCH® Tagetik Global Minimum Tax, Wolters Kluwer CCH Tagetik
  • Xonnect, Xoriant

Best FinTech Solution           

  • Agora
  • BriteCore Platform, BriteCore
  • Instant Salary Payments, CloudPay
  • Papaya’s Global Workforce Payments, Papaya Global

Best Generative AI Solution             

  • EditorX by BCG X, Boston Consulting Group
  • Lexis+ AI, LexisNexis
  • Phenom X+, Phenom
  • ProcessMaker Platform, ProcessMaker
  • Red Hat OpenShift AI, Red Hat
  • Vectara AI Platform, Vectara
  • Videate, Videate, Inc.

Best Healthcare Technology Solution      

  • Gain Servicing Platform, Gain
  • myPrescryptive, Prescryptive Health
  • Care Cohort Management Solution , Virtusa
  • SCORE – Sample Collection, Orchestration and Reconciliation, Virtusa
  • Wolters Kluwer MediRegs, Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Best Human Capital or Talent Management Technology Solution      

  • Phenom X+, Phenom
  • RemoteBridge
  • Rippling
  • MIRS 1.1, Tandem

Best Identity & Access Management (IAM) Solution      

  • Kion
  • AD360, ManageEngine
  • Stytch

Best Industry Contact Relationship Management (CRM) Solution

  • Aidentified
  • LexisNexis InterAction+, LexisNexis

Best Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS)

  • Harmony iPaaS, Jitterbit

Best IT Management Solution         

  • Generative AI for Automated Incident Analysis, BigPanda
  • ignio™, Digitate
  • Meeting Room as a Service, HCLTech
  • Digital Workplace Solutions , Lenovo
  • Veeam Data Platform – Veeam Backup & Replication™ 1, Veeam Software

Best Knowledge Center/ Help Site

  • Mailchimp Help Center, Intuit Mailchimp

Best Legal Solution 

  • Cobalt Cobalt®, BAL
  • The LEAP legal practice productivity solution, LEAP Legal Software US
  • Lexis+ AI, LexisNexis
  • Opus 2 Case Management, Opus 2
  • Wolters Kluwer VitalLaw®, Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Best Marketing Solution      

  • Fabriq by BCG X, BCG X
  • Demandbase
  • Pushly
  • Priority Engine, TechTarget

Best No Code/ Low Code Platform             

  • HCL Volt MX, HCLSoftware
  • Interplay, Iterate.ai
  • Vinyl Low-Code Application Platform, Jitterbit
  • KNIME Analytics Platform, KNIME

Best Payments Solution      

  • 2Checkout Monetization Platform, 2Checkout (now Verifone)
  • Instant Salary Payments, CloudPay

Best Platform as a Service

  • Crowdbotics

Best Project Management Solution            

  • The Kantata Professional Services Cloud, Kantata
  • Perfect Project, Moovila
  • AppFolio Property Manager, AppFolio
  • BLexisNexis® Insurance Total Property Understanding™, LexisNexis Risk Solutions
  • Rent Manager, London Computer Systems

Best Subscription Billing Solution              

  • 2Checkout Monetization Platform, 2Checkout (now Verifone)
  • BillingPlatform
  • SOFTRAX Revenue Management System, SOFTRAX
  • TRG Screen’s Revenue Management Platform, TRG Screen
  • Zuora Billing, Zuora

Best Upskilling/ Workforce Learning Solution   

  • BILT, BILT Incorporated

Best Work Management Platform

  • Digital Workplace for Frontline Workforce, HCLTech
  • Wolters Kluwer Legisway, Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

2024 CODiE AWARD BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP FINALISTS

Business Technology Leadership Award

  • Hardeep Gulati, CEO of PowerSchool

Customer Success Team of the Year

  • ChurnZero
  • TechTarget Customer Success, TechTarget
  • Wolters Kluwer ftwilliam.com

Lifetime Achievement Award in Business Technology 

  • Anand Santhanam

Most Innovative Tech Company                    

  • The Studycast System, Core Sound Imaging
  • PowerSchool
  • The Helix, Booz Allen Hamilton’s Center for Innovation

About the SIIA CODiE™ Awards

The SIIA CODiE Awards is the only peer-reviewed program to showcase business and education technology’s finest products and services. Since 1986, thousands of products, services and solutions have been recognized for achieving excellence. For more information, visit https://siia.net/CODiE.

About Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA)

SIIA is the only professional organization connecting more than 700 data, financial information, education technology, specialized content and publishing, and health technology companies. Our diverse members manage the global financial markets, develop software that solves today’s challenges through technology, provide critical information that helps inform global businesses large and small, and innovate for better health care and personal wellness outcomes.

 

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SIIA communications contact:

sroccia@siia.net

Policy Blog Templates

AI Policy Update from the Council of Europe

Written by: Suher Adi

The European Union has been leading in the development of AI policy– first with the passage of the EU AI Act on March 13th and now with the Council of Europe’s Treaty to Protect Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. The Treaty was agreed to on March 14th and attempts to bring principles of the AI Act to other countries not formally part of the Council of Europe. The United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan were observers to the negotiations which advocated for carve outs for national security as well as exemptions for private companies. 

The Council of Europe’s AI Treaty only applies to government bodies and private technology companies acting on the government’s behalf. It acknowledges the impacts AI can have on human rights like discrimination and expanding inequalities as well as promoting digital literacy and the development of AI in a trustworthy manner. The development of the treaty is to uphold past legislation like the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Obligations to parties under the treaty also include maintaining the integrity of democratic processes and institutions such as access to justice. 

The treaty discusses actions to mitigate risks with AI systems including developing “adequate transparency and oversight requirements tailored to specific contexts and risks” and developing measures to ensure accountability for “adverse impacts on human rights, democracy and the rule of law.” The treaty also echoes sentiments about data privacy from the EU’s GDPR for applicable domestic and international laws and frameworks.

Interestingly, the AI treaty also includes Article 13 on Safe Innovation that promotes the development of the technology within “controlled environments” which includes testing AI systems. This article specifies that testing and development of AI systems should be done under the supervision of “competent authorities” but does not specify what determines competent authority. 

Remedies for harms related to infringement of human rights and democracy should be consistent with domestic legal systems. Examples include providing authorized government bodies access to information and communicating violations to impacted individuals. For safeguards the treaty outlines disclosure to users that they are interacting with an AI system and taking measures to mitigate risks posed by AI. The treaty makes mention of “risk management measures” as well as bans in respect of certain uses of AI systems that are “incompatible with the respect of human rights and the functioning of democracy.”

Article 19 focuses on public consultation by government bodies with the public and multi-stakeholders regarding the use of AI. The goal is to ensure that consideration of different issues by public stakeholders for AI systems. Each party will provide a report to the Conference of the Parties within the first two years of becoming a party and then periodically after with details of activities described above. There will be an oversight mechanism for treaty compliance that has yet to be determined by the Council of Europe. As always the treaty is subject to ratification by states domestically. 

IronmarketsStory

With a Goal to Produce ‘Top-Tier Quality Leads in any B2B Market,’ IRONMARKETS Tests New Waters

A three-year process at IRONMARKETS has led to a new platform called BlackBoxLG. B2B media veteran Jim Bagan (pictured), VP, demand generation & education for IRONMARKETS (formerly AC Business Media), says it can be that “trusted source” for other publishers.

“So I have a true story,” Bagan told me towards the end of our Zoom interview about BlackBoxLG, IRONMARKETS’ new platform. It allows media companies to sell—or purchase—from a single source provider built around a network of the top 1.5% of lead generation databases in the United States.

“I had a salesperson from an organization [I was working with] call me the other day from a parking lot, and he’s like, ‘Hey, I’m 20 minutes in from talking to this client, and can you just spend some time with me and really just go through it again.’ This is what it’s all about. We love to do that.”

What’s new about this platform that IRONMARKETS is now marketing to other media companies is that, it’s from one B2B publisher to another.

“BlackBoxLG is a way to democratize and scale lead generation for the B2B market outside of it,” Bagan explained. “And the reason why I say outside of it [is because] I spent some time over in the IT industry, selling content syndication and lead generation, and they have it down to a science—so much so that they’ve been buying leads for a very long time…

Lead generation has always been a critical component of any successful B2B strategy, serving as the gateway to identifying and nurturing potential clients. With advancements in technology, businesses can now leverage a wealth of tools to automate and optimize the lead generation process. However, despite these tools, the true value lies in the ability to connect with high-quality leads in a meaningful and personalized way.

As companies become more sophisticated in targeting specific markets, platforms like BlackBoxLG are redefining how leads are captured and sold. By offering a network built on the top 1.5% of lead generation databases in the United States, they provide a streamlined approach for media companies and businesses alike to acquire leads that are not only relevant but also primed for conversion.

For businesses looking to take their lead generation efforts a step further, B2B appointment setting services offer a crucial advantage. These services go beyond just identifying leads—they help convert prospects into real, actionable opportunities by setting up direct appointments with decision-makers. By outsourcing this process to specialized services, companies can focus on nurturing relationships and closing deals, rather than spending valuable time on outreach.

With expertise in scheduling and managing appointments, these services ensure that every lead is given the attention it needs, increasing the likelihood of turning initial interest into lasting business partnerships.

“What we were able to do was to look at what was done there and bring it to traditional B2B markets, and we started internally. The challenges that we had with our lead generation program are pretty universal when it comes to B2B, outside of tech. And that’s your database challenge. That you have your list. And it’s a very good list. And it’s a list that obviously has an affinity for the product. But as marketers increasingly focused on ROI, finding accounts that make sense” was the key.

So they looked outside the box to find lead gen partners who would pass a very rigorous test. “We would rinse and repeat and learn, and over literally a year-and-a-half we got to a place where we had extremely good partners that we could rely on,” Bagan said. “Then we also knew that if this worked in our marketplaces, it could probably work in several other B2B industries.”

One of the things that they noticed most was that lead generation vendors are focused on IT. “That’s their bread and butter. That’s where all the revenue is at,” Bagan said. “But they had these massive databases. So the trick became, did they have first party intent signals? Were they compliant? Do they own their own database? That’s extremely important because you want to be the originator.

“We can [now] go to a publisher and say, ‘Listen [there are] no full-time employees [required]. We can help you sell lead generation. We can get you scale revenue, repeatable business, which is huge, and we can help with the heavy lift of B2B sales training”—which Bagan added, is the “largest part” of the equation. You’ve got to change that old mindset.

Bagan said that the platform is priced “very reasonably, [though] you have to understand that to get quality, you’re going have to pay a little bit more. However, that quality is going to translate into repeatable, scalable business. The easiest way to start is just go to the site and contact us.”