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The Age of Smart Light: How Digital Photonics Unlocks a New Wave of Innovation

William Attardi on July 30, 2026

Digital Photonics is at the core of ams OSRAM’s strategy, describing the combination of pixelated light emitters and sensors with digital interfaces turning them into intelligent systems. Digital Photonics, as we understand it, is transforming the role of light – from pure illumination to an intelligent, versatile technology that connects, senses and interacts. By combining advanced pixelated emitters, optical sensors, and digital interfaces, light becomes the foundation of a new generation of smart, programmable systems. Driven by megatrends, such as AI, AR/VR or robotics, this transformation is opening entirely new possibilities – faster, more efficient and more intuitive. Compared to conventional electronics systems, which rely on the flow of electrons, photonics systems can be faster, more energy-efficient, more resistant to interference, and more precise. These are inherent advantages based on the physics of light. [News] The Age of Smart Light: How Digital Photonics Unlocks a New Wave of Innovation – LEDinside

How AI Is Rebuilding Engineering From the Inside Out

William Attardi on July 23, 2026

ACEC Research Institute www.acecresearchinstitute.org releases new report concluding that most successful firms will use tech to enhance workers, not eliminate them. Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how engineering work gets done, while demand for infrastructure surges and the talent pipeline continues to contract. In the midst of this disruption, one thing remains constant: the irreplaceable role of the engineer. A new report from the ACEC Research Institute takes on all three forces at once — concluding from the data that the firms who thrive in the future won’t be those that replace their people with technology, but those that unleash the full potential of their engineers through it.

Key Highlights

  • AI will augment engineers’ capabilities, transforming them into designers of intelligent systems;
  • Data is a critical strategic asset; firms that effectively utilize project data will gain a competitive advantage and avoid dependency on external platforms;
  • Infrastructure is evolving into a continuous performance data source, enabling long-term lifecycle partnerships and digital twin integration;
  • The report provides a six-point strategic roadmap covering data strategy, workflow redesign, talent development, and industry collaboration;
  • Emerging AI-native engineering firms are being built around digital systems, signaling a fundamental industry shift.

The report identifies six structural ideas — organized around three themes — that define the engineering firm of the future:  How AI Is Rebuilding Engineering from the Inside Out | HPAC Engineering

3M, Microsoft Partner to Advance AI Data Center Infrastructure

William Attardi on July 17, 2026

3M and Microsoft announced a strategic partnership focused on AI data center infrastructure and enterprise transformation. Microsoft’s Azure Cloud and AI Infrastructure will become the first announced hyperscale cloud provider to deploy 3M’s Expanded Beam Optical (EBO) technology. 3M will also use Microsoft’s AI and digital platforms as part of its enterprise transformation across key business functions. Together, the companies will combine Microsoft’s digital and hyperscale infrastructure with 3M’s materials science and precision manufacturing to accelerate AI adoption and strengthen the physical networks required for the growth of cloud and AI workloads. 3M, Microsoft Partner to Advance AI Data Center Infrastructure

Jensen Huang Says AI Will Reshape Work Like the Industrial Revolution and the US ‘Should Absolutely Lead’

William Attardi on June 21, 2026

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang thinks artificial intelligence will transform the workforce much like the Industrial Revolution did, creating new jobs and reshaping how Americans work. Speaking Thursday on “The Will Cain Show,” Huang urged young people to embrace AI rather than fear it, arguing that the technology will become a tool that enhances workers’ abilities across nearly every field. The Nvidia co-founder said the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure is already fueling demand for skilled labor, including electricians, welders and construction workers, as companies build chip manufacturing facilities, computer plants and data centers across the country. “AI is going to last a long time, and there’s no end,” he said. .Jensen Huang says AI will reshape work like the Industrial Revolution and the US ‘should absolutely lead’

President Signs AI Executive Order

William Attardi on June 19, 2026

President Trump signed an executive order on June 2 establishing a voluntary federal framework to address cybersecurity risks posed by advanced artificial intelligence systems. The final order asks developers of the most advanced AI models to voluntarily submit their systems for government review 30 days before public release, down from a previously proposed 90-day review period. The goal is to give federal agencies time to assess potential threats to financial systems, critical infrastructure, and national security networks. As AI-driven technologies are adopted across the economy, cybersecurity requirements throughout the electrical supply chain are likely to expand. The order signals growing federal attention to AI-related cyber risks, which could lead to new security expectations for distributors supporting energy infrastructure, industrial automation, smart buildings, data centers, and grid modernization projects. Washington Wire: Trade, Energy, Labor, and AI Policy Updates – tEDmag

BriteSwitch: Commercial Lighting Rebates Are Still Widely Available

William Attardi on June 18, 2026

As energy demand continues to rise, driven in part by new data centers built to support the growth of artificial intelligence, both homes and businesses are feeling the pressure of higher utility bills. For commercial customers, those increases are bringing renewed attention to energy-saving projects. One of the most familiar options, lighting upgrades, is once again becoming a way for businesses to help offset rising operating costs. Support for commercial lighting rebates remains strong and help make an even stronger case for lighting upgrades. Currently, 75% of the U.S.has access to an active commercial lighting rebate program. Rising Electric Rates Make Lighting Upgrades Worth Another Look

Successfully Incorporating AI Into Building by Gretchen Catlin

William Attardi on June 4, 2026

Operations Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as one of the most practical tools: not as a replacement for skilled staff, but as a workforce multiplier that captures knowledge, sharpens decisions and extends the capacity of the teams we have. Key Takeaways:

  • With a large portion of the facilities workforce nearing retirement, AI can help preserve critical institutional knowledge before it is lost.
  • AI can improve facility operations by supporting predictive maintenance, analyzing data and streamlining everyday tasks such as communications, documentation and capital planning.
  • Organizations can successfully adopt AI by starting with small, practical applications while addressing cybersecurity, cost and workforce training considerations.

Successfully Incorporating AI Into Building Operations – Facilities Management Insights

A.I. Doesn’t Have to Mean Layoffs by Patricia Cohen

William Attardi on June 3, 2026

A French multinational, Schneider Electric, decided to use artificial intelligence in manufacturing to make workers more productive, rather than to replace them. Here’s how that’s going. For many chief executives, success in adopting artificial intelligence is measured by the number of jobs they can eliminate. But such views reflect “a very narrow understanding” of A.I.’s potential, said Erik Brynjolfsson, who directs the Digital Economy Lab  at Stanford University. It’s a message that Schneider Electric, a global energy technology company based in France, has taken to heart. Before the company started using A.I., customer service agents received thousands of questions from callers and engaged in a grand hunt through millions of pages of information to track down the answer. Now A.I. does the hunting and details how the information was selected and the source. The agent then reviews and if necessary, modifies and refines the answer with the caller. In the last three months of 2025, call centers fielded 150,000 questions. Three-quarters of the time, A.I. was able to provide the right answer to straightforward questions. I. Doesn’t Have to Mean Layoffs – The New York Times

AI Is Enabling the Next Generation of Distributor Workflows by Michael Delgado

William Attardi on June 1, 2026

Customer expectations have never been greater, and distributors must respond to growing volumes of requests quickly and accurately, often across fragmented inputs and constantly changing information. Highly manual workflows can’t keep up with this new reality. AI represents a practical solution. Not as a bolt-on tool, but as a way to change how work gets done — handling the translation between how requests come in and how orders need to be processed. That shift removes the bottleneck at the center of quoting and order entry, allowing teams to respond faster, reduce errors and operate more consistently despite the rising pressure. AI has moved from a competitive advantage to a baseline requirement to keep pace. Distributors that embed it into their core workflows will operate more efficiently, compete more effectively for customers and build an operation that holds up as the industry continues to evolve. Those that don’t will find themselves poorly positioned to keep up with a world that isn’t slowing down. NAED Selects IDEA & Pull Logic for ProjectNexus E-Commerce Initiative | Electrical Wholesaling

Introducing the NVIDIA RTX Spark™ Superchip

William Attardi on June 1, 2026

Your PC Just Went from Tool to Teammate. The fusion of NVIDIA AI and RTX graphics in a single chip redefines Windows PCs and delivers amazing creating, AI development, and gaming—on the slimmest, most beautiful RTX laptops ever and small, ultra-efficient desktops.  Welcome to the PC where agents work alongside you—running tasks, generating assets, writing code, on demand. You set the objective. The machine handles the rest. There’s intelligence on both sides of the keyboard now. RTX brings you exclusive features and the latest advancements in AI, simulation, and ray tracing. Experience incredible 3D performance, smoother video editing, photorealistic simulations, and stunning visuals in the apps, AI tools, and games that pros, creators, and gamers use every day. https://www.nvidia.com/en-eu/products/rtx-spark/ 

Interesting: The Three Pillars of Independence of an Organization

The 3 Pillars of Independence most commonly refers to a framework from the UK voluntary sector (specifically promoted by organizations like Bond and the Directory of Social Change). It is a toolkit for assessing and maintaining the independence of charities, NGOs, or civil society organizations.

The Three Pillars are:

  1. Independent of Party Politics – The organization (or regulator) must remain free from bias or influence by any political party or the government of the day. Decisions should be impartial, not favoring one political side.
  2. Independent of Populism – It should not be swayed by popular public opinion, media-driven campaigns, or transient public pressure, especially on controversial or unpopular causes.
  3. Independent of the Press – Freedom from media influence or pressure, ensuring decisions are based on evidence and law rather than headlines or public narratives.

This toolkit was created to monitor potential political encroachment on charitable regulation and to ensure charities can operate without undue external interference.

 

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