Digital Transformation

Chattanooga – September 21, 2026 -- EPB has launched the IonQ Forte Enterprise quantum computer at its EPB Quantum Center, creating what the utility calls America's first commercial hub combining quantum computing and networking under one roof.

EPB Quantum Fellows will run grid-optimization algorithms first

Eight graduate researchers under a $4 million NIST-funded EPB Quantum Computing Fellows program will be the initial users, applying quantum algorithms to optimize local power grid circuits. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) will be the first external customer starting in early October when EPB Quantum Computing opens for business, followed by a project with Vanderbilt University.

Columbus, Ohio – September 21, 2026 -- USA TrackBusway has released a five-minute installation video for its T225 track busway, a 225A-per-phase overhead power distribution system, to help engineers and electrical contractors evaluate the product for facilities where equipment layouts shift frequently.

The video follows the company's June 2026 announcement of T225 availability and walks project teams through how the system is assembled, connected and fitted with compatible plug-in power units.

Video breaks installation into four stages from suspension to power connection

The walkthrough covers hanging, joining, feeding and tap-off unit installation. It shows suspension hardware aligning straight busway sections, the mechanical and electrical connections between adjacent T225 sections, the end feed connecting to the busway run, and compatible plug-in tap-off units being installed and repositioned along the run.

PHOENIX – September 21, 2026 -- New peer-reviewed research from University of Phoenix found that non-traditional undergraduate students who used generative AI tools more frequently reported higher GPAs and greater confidence in technology skills, contradicting assumptions that GenAI is primarily a crutch for struggling or time-pressed learners.

The study, "Strategic Integration or Skill Compensation? Understanding GenAI Use in Online Higher Education," was published September 21, 2026, in Artificial Intelligence in Education, Vol. 2, No. 1, pages 205-223. It was authored by researchers affiliated with the University's Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR): Jessica Sylvester, EdD; Melinda Kulick, EdD; Leonidas Maganares, EdD; and Stella Smith, PhD.

New York – September 21, 2026 -- Invictus Pharmacy has secured LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification for its platform InvictusPharmacy.com, joining a select group of digital pharmacy operators that includes Amazon Pharmacy in meeting the certifier's compliance standards.

LegitScript certification confirms pharmacy licensing and prescription validity standards

The certification evaluates pharmacy licensing, regulatory compliance, patient privacy protocols, valid prescription practices, website transparency and advertising conduct. Invictus Pharmacy's approval places it among established platforms cleared to operate within the regulated digital healthcare marketplace.

Arlington, Va. – – September 21, 2026 -- Info-Tech Research Group has released a new blueprint warning that AI agents embedded in product workflows are making decisions without explicit human authorization, creating governance blind spots for IT organizations shifting to product-centric delivery models.

Silent delegation lets AI agents make product decisions unchecked

The research firm's "Make the Case for Product Delivery" blueprint identifies a phenomenon it calls silent delegation, where AI agents participating in discovery, prioritization, experimentation, delivery, and support can execute decisions without a documented human approval trail. Info-Tech says leaders often lack visibility into where agents are merely recommending actions versus actively executing them, leaving open questions about who can override an agent's decision and who remains accountable for the outcome.

Dallas – September 21, 2026 -- AT&T and the Dallas Cowboys have extended their partnership to overhaul network infrastructure and fan technology at AT&T Stadium ahead of the 2026 season, anchored by more than 261 miles of fiber and nearly 1,000 antennas across the venue.

AT&T builds the largest stadium fiber network in the country to handle 100,000-plus attendees

The company says the AT&T Stadium buildout represents the largest network of its kind in the U.S., supporting mobile ticketing, stadium operations and real-time video sharing when crowds exceed 100,000. AT&T Chairman and CEO John Stankey said the company is using "America's largest fiber network" to connect the venue, citing the firm's fiber-to-the-home household data as the basis for that ranking.

Paris – September 21, 2026 -- A newly published book, "Dialogue Between a Thinker and AI," has become the test object for a comparative experiment feeding identical text to five major artificial intelligence systems: OpenAI/Astra, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Google Gemini and xAI/Grok. The French and English print editions are now available, but the project's core output is a public meta-reading exercise designed to expose how differently large language models interpret the same source material.

Five AI systems receive an identical corpus for independent analysis

McLean, Virginia – September 21, 2026 -- Appian (Nasdaq: APPN) ranked #1 for the Deterministic Workflow Automation Use Case and the Platform Consolidation Use Case in the 2026 Gartner Critical Capabilities for Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies (BOAT) report. The company was also named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for BOAT, based on its Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute.

Gartner evaluated 20 vendors, and Appian was the only Leader ranked among the top three across all five use cases

Gartner assessed vendors across five common BOAT use cases, and Appian scored highest on the Platform Operations and Governance Critical Capability. Gartner projects that by 2030, 70% of enterprises will shift to a consolidated automation platform orchestrating business processes, AI agents, bots, APIs and human actions, up from 10% today.

Austin, Texas – September 21, 2026 -- San Juan Regional Medical Center has cut bed-assignment time by 38.9%, from 54.00 minutes to 33.00 minutes, one month after deploying new Oracle Health operational solutions, according to figures released by Oracle.

Environmental services response time drops 48.5% after go-live

The Farmington, New Mexico-based nonprofit health system, which serves the Four Corners region spanning New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah, reported environmental services response time fell 48.5%, from 49.67 minutes to 25.56 minutes, surpassing its internal target. Clean-completion time for environmental services improved 1.2% and continues trending positively, the organization said.

Vilnius, Lithuania – September 21, 2026 -- SDK.finance has expanded its core platform strategy to help retailers, marketplaces, and telecom operators build native financial products, betting that established consumer brands rather than fintech startups will drive the next wave of payment innovation.

SDK.finance shifts platform focus toward non-financial consumer brands

The Vilnius-based software provider, which builds ready-made infrastructure for wallets and payments, said companies that already hold customer relationships and transaction data are better positioned to embed financial services than new fintech entrants. "None of these companies set out to be a bank, but all of them are moving money," said Pavlo Sidelov, CEO at SDK.finance.