SUSE, a global leader of enterprise open source solutions, today announced SUSE AI Factory with NVIDIA. Built with SUSE AI and NVIDIA AI Enterprise, this unified software stack for enterprise AI is designed to seamlessly bridge the gap between local development and scalable enterprise production. Operating as a turnkey digital factory producing enterprise-grade AI capabilities, this solution empowers enterprises by giving them the tools to assemble, deploy, manage, and govern AI applications consistently and at scale across any footprint, from the tactical edge to the core data center to the public cloud.

According to an IDC FutureScape, “By 2028 60% of Global 2000 enterprises will operate AI factories as core AI infrastructure, and forward-looking governments will emulate, enabling AI deployment five times faster than those without.” ^1.

Purpose-built to address strict global mandates for digital sovereignty, SUSE AI Factory with NVIDIA gives organizations the ability to use NVIDIA’s latest AI technology while keeping sensitive logic and proprietary data protected within their private infrastructure. These technologies include NVIDIA NIM microservices, open Nemotron models, NVIDIA NeMo for building and managing agents, NVIDIA Run:ai for GPU orchestration, NVIDIA Kubernetes Operators, the NVIDIA OpenShell secure runtime for agents and NVIDIA NemoClaw, which make use of SUSE’s K3s technology, providing a reference stack for deploying more secure autonomous AI agents.  

“AI developers, users and operations teams are in a catch-22 with AI, they want to innovate quickly but must secure these types of workloads, agents and processes, to ensure full auditability before fully running them in production,” said Thomas Di Giacomo, Chief Technology and Product Officer at SUSE. “SUSE AI Factory with NVIDIA gives them a one-stop solution for end-to-end stability, security and sovereignty, while benefitting from today’s and future AI innovation.”

“Enterprise adoption of AI is accelerating, creating demand for infrastructure that ensures data control and governance for regulated workloads,” said John Fanelli, Vice President, Enterprise Software, NVIDIA. “Our collaboration with SUSE addresses this requirement by delivering an open, full-stack AI Factory built on a foundation of security and sovereignty.”

Production-Ready AI, Without Added Complexity

SUSE AI Factory is an automated, full-software-stack that standardizes how AI applications are deployed and run. Users can build and test applications in a sandbox environment, while platform teams manage deployment through either a unified Rancher-based interface or automated GitOps workflows for management at scale. This approach reduces setup time and allows teams to move from concept to production faster, reducing operational overhead and removing the need to manage disparate tools.

SUSE AI Factory with NVIDIA is designed to meet the core requirements of Enterprise AI with the following:

• Prescriptive, Turnkey Blueprints: The platform abstracts the complexity of the end-to-end stack by providing pre-validated and tightly integrated architectural blueprints for common use cases and workloads. Enterprises can build upon these blueprints, layering both NVIDIA and SUSE components into bespoke workloads, accelerating time to value.
• Zero-Trust Security & Observability: SUSE extends the inherent value of SUSE AI and its underlying SUSE Rancher Prime and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server runtime directly to AI workloads built on NVIDIA technology. By wrapping NVIDIA deployments in zero-trust guardrails and governance frameworks, the platform ensures the underlying AI infrastructure remains stable, highly predictable, and hardened against emerging risks.
• Deployment & Lifecycle Simplicity: A unified user experience simplifies deployment and management of AI workloads, regardless of where they’re deployed and at what scale, from local developer workstations to air-gapped edge clusters.
• Sovereignty & Unified Support: Organizations maintain complete control over their physical infrastructure, data, and models to meet rigorous regulatory mandates such as the EU AI Act. To ensure a frictionless enterprise experience, SUSE provides a single point of accountability across the full stack, including NVIDIA AI Enterprise components.

“Businesses are ready to use AI, but they need confidence that their data remains under control,” said Udo Würtz, Chief Technology Officer at Fsas Technologies Europe – a Fujitsu company. “As a launch partner, SUSE AI Factory provides a stable, prescriptive foundation to combine NVIDIA’s unmatched computing power and AI platform with SUSE’s secure, open source infrastructure. By easing the integration, the unified solution allows us to focus on applying Fujitsu’s industry-leading expertise in delivering a sovereign, end-to-end solution that meets the strictest data governance standards.”

Availability

A preview of SUSE AI Factory with NVIDIA will be demonstrated at SUSECON and is expected to be available later this year. 

Tim Cook stepping down as Apple CEO marks the close of one of the most defining corporate leadership chapters of a generation, as the company prepares to enter a new phase under incoming CEO John Ternus.

Cook, who took over from Steve Jobs in 2011 when Apple was valued at approximately US$350 billion, will hand over leadership this September with the company now exceeding US$4 trillion in market value. During his tenure, Apple’s shares surged by around 2,000%, delivering one of the most significant value creation stories in modern corporate history.

Despite the magnitude of the announcement, the market reaction has been notably muted, with Apple’s share price showing limited movement in after-hours trading. This suggests investors are, for now, viewing the transition as orderly and well-communicated.

Commenting on the transition, Josh Gilbert, Market Analyst at eToro, said: “Tim Cook’s departure as CEO marks the end of a hugely successful era for Apple, with remarkable shareholder returns and consistent growth. The steady market reaction shows investors are confident in the succession plan, but there will naturally be close attention on what comes next—particularly as Apple navigates a critical period for artificial intelligence.”

The leadership change does, however, introduce a degree of uncertainty. Transitions at companies of Apple’s scale are rare and often closely scrutinized, particularly following a 15-year period of sustained growth and stability. Importantly, this shift does not stem from crisis or sudden departure. The decision was unanimously supported by Apple’s board, with succession planning understood to have been in place for several months.

Continuity remains a key factor in the transition. Cook will assume the role of executive chairman, maintaining oversight and continuing his involvement in policy and government engagement—areas that have been central to Apple’s strategic positioning globally. This structure is likely to provide reassurance to investors and stakeholders navigating the change.

Gilbert added: “John Ternus brings deep product expertise and a strong track record within Apple, having played a role in some of its most successful hardware innovations. His appointment suggests a renewed focus on product development at a time when Apple needs to strengthen its position in AI.”

Apple has faced similar moments of transition before. When Cook succeeded Jobs, there were widespread questions about the company’s future without its visionary founder. Over time, Cook’s operational discipline and strategic execution reshaped that narrative, delivering consistent growth and expanding Apple’s ecosystem.

Attention now turns to John Ternus and the direction he will set. A long-standing Apple executive, Ternus joined the company in 2001 and has played a key role in the development of major product lines, including the iPhone, iPad, AirPods, and Apple Watch. His deep product expertise and engineering background position him as a leader closely aligned with Apple’s core identity as a hardware-driven innovator.

Ternus steps into the role at a pivotal time for the technology sector, particularly as artificial intelligence reshapes competitive dynamics. Apple has faced increasing pressure to demonstrate stronger momentum in AI compared to its megacap peers. Under Ternus, a pipeline of AI-focused products—including wearables, smart glasses, next-generation AirPods, and smart home devices—is already taking shape.

“With Apple generating over US$400 billion in annual revenue and maintaining a highly loyal customer base, the foundations remain incredibly strong,” Gilbert said. “However, the AI chapter is still being written, and investors will be watching closely to see how quickly Ternus can accelerate progress in this space.”

While leadership changes of this scale inevitably raise short-term questions, Apple’s long-term fundamentals remain robust. As the company embarks on a new era, the focus will be on execution, innovation, and its ability to maintain leadership in an increasingly competitive technological landscape.-Ends-

SunTec Business Solutions and Mashreq are said to extend their long-standing compliance partnership into electronic invoicing as the institution prepares for the UAE’s mandatory e-invoicing requirements. This collaboration is built on seven years of joint work on Value Added Tax (VAT) compliance and positions the bank to meet the Federal Tax Authority’s (FTA) e-invoicing deadlines.

The UAE’s e-invoicing mandate, established under Ministerial Decisions No. 243 and No. 244 of 2025, requires businesses to issue structured, machine-readable XML invoices transmitted in near real time to the FTA through an Accredited Service Provider (ASP). Large institutions with annual revenues equal to or exceeding AED 50 million must be live by January 1, 2027, with ASP appointment required no later than July 31, 2026. For UAE banks operating across thousands of daily B2B transactions spanning standard-rated fees, exempt interest, and out-of-scope for VAT, the compliance challenge is among the most technically complex in any sector.

“For seven years, SunTec has been the compliance backbone for leading UAE financial institutions navigating an evolving tax landscape.

As the UAE transitions to e-invoicing, banks will need to operate in a hybrid environment where customers at different stages of adoption must be supported—ranging from conventional invoicing processes to real-time exchanges through ASPs. This introduces new operational considerations, as institutions must ensure seamless interoperability across these models. At the same time, e-invoicing creates a network effect, connecting banks, businesses, and service providers in a standardized ecosystem. This positions banks to move beyond compliance, enabling them to embed value-added services such as financing, reconciliation, and cash flow insights directly into invoicing workflows.

SunTec Xelerate e-Invoicing is built to integrate with existing banking and enterprise systems, allowing institutions to participate in real-time invoice validation and transmission without disrupting their core infrastructure. As an approved ASP and a certified Peppol access point, SunTec enables compliant connectivity within the UAE’s decentralized continuous transaction control and exchange (DCTCE) model, supporting secure and standardized invoice flows across the ecosystem.

The company’s Dubai-registered entity, SunTec (Xelerate) Business Solutions DMCC, was approved by the UAE’s Ministry of Finance as an official e-invoicing ASP following completion of all technical and regulatory requirements, including Peppol Access Point certification. The company maintains regional headquarters at Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, with dedicated implementation and support teams serving UAE financial institutions.

Under the UAE’s phased implementation schedule, the pilot program opens on July 1, 2026, for a selected Taxpayer Working Group. Voluntary adoption is available to all businesses from the same date. Mandatory compliance for large taxpayers follows on January 1, 2027, with all remaining VAT-registered businesses required to comply by July 1, 2027. Non-compliance carries penalties of AED 5,000 per month, per-document fines, and daily charges for unreported system failures.