WAYR TODAY

Category: Enterprise

  • IBM Bolsters Data and Automation Offerings with Confluent Acquisition

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    IBM has announced its acquisition of data infrastructure company Confluent for $11 billion in cash, signaling a strategic move to enhance its data and automation capabilities as companies increasingly transition their tech operations to the cloud and embrace AI technology.

    The acquisition will see IBM paying $31 per share of Confluent, representing a significant premium over the company’s closing share price before the deal was revealed. Confluent specializes in real-time data stream management, a critical capability in the AI-driven tech landscape where rapid data processing is essential for inference tasks.

    By integrating Confluent’s platform into its portfolio, IBM aims to strengthen its data and automation suite, augmenting its capabilities in AI, automation, data management, and consulting services. The company anticipates positive financial outcomes post-acquisition, expecting enhanced EBITDA and free cash flow within two years.

    This acquisition aligns with IBM’s broader strategy to capitalize on the growing AI market. In recent months, the company has pursued various strategic initiatives, including partnerships with AI research entities, development of novel computing architectures blending quantum and AI technologies, and acquisitions of data analytics startups.

    IBM’s acquisition of Confluent represents a significant milestone in its quest to fortify its position in the data and automation domain, reflecting the company’s proactive approach to meet evolving market demands in the era of cloud computing and AI adoption.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • AWS re:Invent 2025: Unveiling the Future of AI in the Cloud

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Amazon Web Services (AWS) is hosting its annual re:Invent conference in Las Vegas, showcasing the latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technology. Building on last year’s focus on AI innovations, including new models and security measures, this year’s event promises to push the boundaries of AI technology even further.

    The event, which begins on December 2 at 9 a.m. PT, will feature a lineup of notable speakers and programs, including keynotes from AWS CEO Matt Garman, VP of Agentic AI Swami Sivasubramanian, VP of Global Specialists and Partners Dr. Ruba Borno, and SVP of Utility Computing Peter DeSantis. These keynotes, which will be livestreamed, are expected to provide insights into the future of AI, cloud infrastructure, and security innovations.

    AWS has partnered with TechCrunch to present the AWS OnAir programming, offering a deeper look into the company’s advancements in agentic AI, cloud technology, and security. Attendees and viewers can expect to witness groundbreaking AI developments firsthand during the event.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Data Centers Projected to Consume Significantly More Energy by 2035

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    A recent report from BloombergNEF forecasts a substantial surge in data center energy demand, estimating a nearly 300% increase by 2035 compared to current levels. This growth is attributed to the continuous construction of new data centers, which are expected to necessitate almost triple the electricity currently used by the sector.

    By 2035, data centers are projected to consume 106 gigawatts, a significant rise from the current 40 gigawatts. The scale of these planned data centers is set to be substantially larger than existing facilities, with the majority of the expansion occurring in rural areas due to space constraints near urban centers.

    The report highlights that while only a small percentage of current data centers draw more than 50 megawatts of electricity, the average new facility will require over 100 megawatts in the coming years. Notably, a considerable number of these upcoming data centers are expected to surpass 500 megawatts, with some even exceeding 1 gigawatt in energy consumption.

    Additionally, the utilization rate of data centers is predicted to rise from 59% to 69%, driven by the increasing demand for AI training and inference, which is anticipated to account for nearly 40% of total data center compute.

    This significant growth in energy demand underscores the evolving landscape of data center operations and the substantial investments being made in enhancing computational capabilities globally.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • GM Reshuffles Software Leadership as it Integrates Tech Divisions

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    General Motors (GM) has seen a shift in its software leadership team with the departure of three top executives in recent months as the company works on consolidating its various technology divisions into a unified organization.

    Baris Cetinok, the senior vice president of software and services product management, is set to leave the company by December 12, as confirmed by GM to TechCrunch. This move follows the exits of Dave Richardson, senior vice president of software and services engineering, and Barak Turovsky, the former head of AI at GM.

    These changes align with GM’s strategic decision to streamline its technology operations under the direction of Sterling Anderson, the newly appointed chief product officer. Anderson’s responsibilities now span across various vehicle development departments, aiming to integrate hardware, software, services, and user experience within GM’s portfolio.

    By restructuring its software and technology teams, GM aims to break down internal silos, enhance collaboration between hardware and software engineering, leverage AI capabilities more effectively, and streamline global product development efforts.

    As part of this reorganization, GM is not only focusing on internal talent but also on bringing in external expertise like Cristian Mori, previously associated with companies like Symbiotic, Rivian, and Boston Dynamics.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • HP Embraces AI to Drive Efficiency and Cost Savings

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    HP Inc. has announced plans to lay off 4,000 to 6,000 employees as part of its strategy to increase AI deployment, aiming to achieve $1 billion in annualized gross run rate savings by the end of fiscal 2028. The layoffs will primarily impact product development, internal operations, and customer support, with CEO Enrique Lores emphasizing the benefits of AI in accelerating product innovation, enhancing customer satisfaction, and increasing productivity.

    This move by HP reflects a broader trend in the tech industry where companies are turning to AI to streamline operations and drive efficiencies, often at the cost of human jobs. This shift towards automation has been evident in various sectors, with companies like Salesforce, Amazon, Intuit, Klarna, Duolingo, and Meta also implementing AI-driven workforce restructuring.

    While AI adoption offers potential benefits such as cost savings and improved operational performance, it also raises concerns about job displacement and the need for reskilling the workforce to adapt to a more automated environment. The tech industry’s embrace of AI signifies a significant shift in how businesses operate and underscores the importance of balancing technological advancements with ethical considerations.

    Source: Ars Technica

  • AWS Invests $50 Billion to Enhance AI Infrastructure for U.S. Government

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a significant $50 billion investment to construct specialized AI infrastructure tailored for U.S. government applications. This strategic move aims to improve federal agencies’ access to AWS AI services by deploying high-performance computing infrastructure exclusively for government use.

    The project, scheduled to commence in 2026, will introduce 1.3 gigawatts of compute power to support a range of AWS products such as Amazon SageMaker AI, model customization, Amazon Bedrock, model deployment, and Anthropic’s Claude chatbot, among others.

    AWS CEO Matt Garman highlighted the potential impact of this investment, stating, ‘Our purpose-built government AI and cloud infrastructure will enhance how federal agencies utilize supercomputing capabilities, empowering them to expedite critical missions spanning cybersecurity to drug discovery. By eliminating technological barriers, this initiative positions the U.S. to leverage the power of AI.’

    AWS has collaborated with the U.S. government since 2011, developing cloud infrastructure tailored to government requirements, including the establishment of secure cloud regions for classified workloads in previous years.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Meta Explores Electricity Trading to Power Data Centers

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is considering entering the electricity trading business to support the energy needs of its data centers. This strategic move aims to bolster Meta’s ability to secure long-term energy commitments for its operations while also providing flexibility to resell excess power on wholesale markets, as reported by TechCrunch.

    Both Meta and Microsoft have sought federal approval for power trading, with Apple already granted permission for this activity. By actively participating in electricity trading, Meta intends to incentivize power plant developers to meet the escalating energy demands of tech companies like itself. Urvi Parekh, Meta’s head of global, highlighted the significance of tech giants advocating for expanded power infrastructure to sustain their growing data center needs.

    The exponential energy requirements of Meta’s AI data center ambitions are evident, with plans for constructing multiple gas-powered plants to fuel its Louisiana data center campus. This move underscores Meta’s commitment to ensuring a stable and sustainable energy supply for its critical infrastructure.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Transforming Enterprise AI Validation: The Rise of AI Agent Evaluation

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    In a significant development for enterprise AI deployment, HumanSignal is introducing a new approach to AI agent evaluation, challenging the traditional reliance on data labeling tools. As reported by VentureBeat, HumanSignal’s CEO, Michael Malyuk, emphasized the growing importance of expert evaluation for AI systems trained on diverse datasets.

    HumanSignal’s recent acquisition of Erud AI and the launch of Frontier Data Labs underscore the company’s commitment to enhancing data collection processes. However, the focus has shifted towards validating AI systems’ performance post-training. The introduction of multi-modal agent evaluation capabilities enables enterprises to assess the effectiveness of AI agents in complex tasks involving reasoning, tool usage, and code generation.

    Unlike traditional data labeling, which primarily involves static classification tasks, agent evaluation demands a more nuanced assessment of an AI agent’s decision-making capabilities across dynamic tasks. This shift from models to agents reflects a paradigm change in the evaluation criteria for AI solutions, particularly in high-stakes domains like healthcare and legal services.

    The fusion of data labeling and AI evaluation highlights the shared foundational requirements of both processes, including structured interfaces for judgment, multi-reviewer consensus, domain expertise integration, and feedback loops for continuous improvement. HumanSignal’s Label Studio Enterprise introduces innovative features like multi-modal trace inspection, interactive multi-turn evaluation, Agent Arena for comparative analysis, and flexible evaluation rubrics to meet the evolving demands of AI validation.

    Amidst this evolution, competitors like Labelbox are also recalibrating their offerings to align with the industry’s demand for advanced AI evaluation tools. The strategic investment by Meta in Scale AI further catalyzed market dynamics, leading to a competitive realignment in the data labeling sector.

    For organizations deploying AI at scale, the pivotal shift from model development to validation signifies a critical milestone in ensuring the quality and reliability of AI systems. The ability to systematically prove AI system competence in diverse domains is becoming the new benchmark for enterprises embracing AI technologies.

    Source: VentureBeat

  • Lightfield: AI-Powered CRM Streamlines Customer Relationship Management

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Lightfield, a new customer relationship management (CRM) platform, has entered the market with a unique approach centered around artificial intelligence (AI). The San Francisco-based startup, formerly known for its presentation app, has pivoted to redefine how businesses manage customer relationships. Unlike traditional CRMs that rely on manual data entry, Lightfield automates the process of capturing, organizing, and leveraging customer interactions through AI technologies.

    With a growing base of early adopters, Lightfield aims to challenge industry leaders like Salesforce and HubSpot. The platform’s architecture stores unstructured customer data, enabling a more comprehensive and contextual understanding of customer relationships. This departure from rigid data schemas allows for more dynamic and insightful analysis, leading to improved sales team productivity and efficiency.

    Customer testimonials highlight the benefits of Lightfield’s AI capabilities, including reviving stalled opportunities, reducing response times, and enhancing overall customer engagement. The platform’s ability to consolidate multiple sales tools into a single, AI-native solution positions it as a potential game-changer for startups and emerging businesses looking to streamline their go-to-market strategies.

    As the tech industry witnesses a shift towards AI-native tools, Lightfield’s success underscores a broader trend in enterprise software adoption. The company’s focus on AI-generated insights and automation raises questions about the future of CRM systems and the level of trust sales teams are willing to place in AI-driven decision-making.

    Source: VentureBeat

  • TCS and TPG Unveil $2B AI Data Center Project to Boost India’s Computing Infrastructure

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a prominent Indian IT company, has partnered with private equity firm TPG to launch a $2 billion project called ‘HyperVault.’ This initiative aims to construct gigawatt-scale, liquid-cooled data centers in India, with TPG contributing $1 billion to the endeavor. The primary objective is to address the escalating demand for AI compute infrastructure in the country.

    India, despite generating a significant portion of global data, currently possesses only a fraction of the world’s data center capacity. Recognizing this gap, TCS and TPG plan to develop cutting-edge data centers capable of supporting advanced AI workloads efficiently. These facilities will be crucial for AI training and inference processes, catering to the growing adoption of AI products across various industries.

    The implementation of liquid cooling and high-density rack designs in these data centers signifies a shift towards more power-intensive infrastructure to accommodate the demands of AI technologies. However, such advancements also raise concerns regarding resource consumption, particularly in regions like India where water scarcity is a pressing issue.

    Furthermore, the rapid establishment of AI data centers is expected to intensify challenges related to power supply and land usage in urban areas like Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai. These developments underscore the critical need for sustainable and efficient data center practices to mitigate environmental impacts while meeting the escalating demands of AI-driven applications.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Data Centers Driving Surge in Electricity Demand, Raising Blackout Risks During Winter Storms

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    The exponential growth of data centers is driving a surge in electricity demand, raising concerns about grid stability during winter storms, as reported by TechCrunch. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has highlighted that the upcoming winter season could see a 2.5% increase in electricity demand compared to last year, totaling 20 gigawatts. This growth, driven significantly by data centers, is particularly notable in regions like the mid-Atlantic, U.S. West, and U.S. Southeast, where substantial data center development is taking place.

    NERC’s recent report specifically points out Texas, emphasizing that the expansion of data centers in the state heightens the risk of supply shortages. This concern stems from the memory of Texas’ power outages during a severe cold spell five years ago, which led to natural gas power plant failures and surging demand for heating fuel.

    While Texas has made improvements since then, including the addition of more batteries to the grid for backup power, challenges persist. The reliance on gas-fired power plants, which may face operational issues, remains a concern. Battery technology offers a more agile solution, capable of quickly responding to fluctuations in electricity demand compared to traditional power plants.

    This ongoing situation underscores the critical role data centers play in electricity consumption and the importance of ensuring grid resilience to meet increasing demands, especially during extreme weather events like winter storms.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Nvidia CEO Addresses AI Demand and Investor Concerns

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Nvidia, a leading chipmaker, faced investor skepticism despite CEO Jensen Huang’s comments on the sustained demand for the company’s products driven by the expanding role of AI across various industries.

    Huang, on an earnings call, emphasized the crucial need for Nvidia’s chips in powering the ongoing technological revolution fueled by AI, spanning cloud computing, enterprise solutions, and robotics. Despite Nvidia’s recent decline in share price, the company disclosed having around $500 billion in unfilled orders, underscoring the persistent market appetite for its products.

    Utilizing its financial strength, Nvidia has engaged in strategic investments, acquiring shares and funding AI-focused companies like OpenAI, CoreWeave, and xAI. These moves, while bolstering Nvidia’s position in the AI market, have raised concerns among some stakeholders.

    Despite the mixed reactions from investors, Nvidia reported record quarterly sales, hinting at its continued growth trajectory. Huang’s confidence in Nvidia’s future amidst the AI landscape’s evolution underscores the company’s commitment to remaining at the forefront of technological innovation.

    Source: WIRED

  • Adobe Acquires Semrush to Enhance AI-Driven Marketing Capabilities

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Adobe has announced plans to acquire Semrush, a leading search engine optimization (SEO) platform, for approximately $1.9 billion in cash. The acquisition, which offers $12 per share, nearly double Semrush’s previous closing price, aims to enhance Adobe’s marketing offerings by tapping into the growing importance of AI-driven search optimization.

    With the rise of AI technologies such as chatbots and AI browsers reshaping how people interact with online content, companies are increasingly focused on optimizing their web presence to be more visible to these AI tools. This acquisition positions Adobe to capitalize on the shift towards AI-driven consumer behavior, driving additional traffic to websites through enhanced SEO strategies.

    Semrush’s emphasis on ‘generative engine optimization’ aligns well with the evolving landscape of AI-driven marketing. By integrating traditional SEO techniques with optimization for AI engines like ChatGPT and Copilot, Semrush offers a comprehensive solution for tracking and enhancing website performance in the era of AI.

    Anil Chakravarthy, president of Adobe’s Digital Experience Business, highlighted the significance of this acquisition, stating that embracing generative AI is crucial for maintaining brand visibility and competitiveness in the digital ecosystem. By unlocking GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) capabilities, marketers can drive increased visibility, customer engagement, and conversions across platforms.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Lovable’s $200M ARR Success Attributed to Staying in Europe

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Swedish coding company Lovable, known for its AI-assisted coding software, announced a significant milestone at the 2025 Slush technology conference in Helsinki, Finland. CEO Anton Osika revealed that the company has doubled its annual recurring revenue (ARR) to $200 million in just four months, following its earlier achievement of surpassing $100 million in ARR within a year.

    Osika attributed Lovable’s success to the company’s decision to remain in Europe instead of relocating to Silicon Valley, as advised earlier. By staying in Europe, Osika emphasized that Lovable was able to tap into available talent, foster a strong mission-driven culture, and benefit from a less frenetic pace compared to Silicon Valley’s high-paced market.

    One notable strategy Lovable employed was attracting talent from Silicon Valley giants like Notion and Gusto to work onsite in Stockholm, a move that investor Zhenya Loginov from Accel highlighted as a key factor.

    Moreover, Osika acknowledged the pivotal role of Lovable’s open-source community in enhancing its technology continuously, showcasing the power of collaborative innovation.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Writer’s AI Agents Streamline Enterprise Workflows

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    San Francisco-based startup Writer has introduced a unified AI agent platform named Writer Agent, enabling employees to automate complex business workflows. This platform allows natural language commands for tasks like creating presentations, analyzing financial data, and coordinating across various systems like Salesforce and Slack, enhancing productivity and efficiency.

    The core innovation of Writer lies in democratizing workflow automation for non-technical staff, empowering them to build intricate processes without writing code. By typing plain English requests, users can generate detailed outputs, saving time and effort.

    Writer prioritizes security and compliance controls, ensuring adherence to enterprise IT regulations. The platform offers granular control over AI access, detailed audit trails, and fine-grained permissions.

    With a focus on system integrations, Writer has pre-built connectors to major enterprise applications, streamlining information retrieval and action execution. The platform’s Model Context Protocol and enterprise-ready layer enhance its adaptability to diverse business environments.

    Writer’s AI agents are transforming workflows across industries, with notable clients including TikTok, Comcast, and Vanguard. The platform’s unique approach to showcasing agent reasoning and activity sets a new standard for AI-powered tools.

    Source: VentureBeat

  • Microsoft Introduces Windows 11 with Native AI Agent Capabilities

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Microsoft has announced a significant update to its Windows 11 operating system, introducing native support for autonomous AI agents. As reported by VentureBeat, this strategic move aims to empower enterprise customers to leverage AI agents securely at scale.

    The core of this update lies in three new platform capabilities that redefine how agents function on Windows. Agent Connectors, supporting the Model Context Protocol, enable AI agents to seamlessly integrate with external tools. The introduction of Agent Workspace, a contained environment for agents to interact with software securely, marks a significant advancement in security innovation.

    Microsoft’s emphasis on open standards, seen in its adoption of the Model Context Protocol, distinguishes its approach from competitors like Apple and Google. By prioritizing openness, the company aims to empower enterprise customers to build upon existing capabilities and scale their AI adoption efficiently.

    Security remains a top priority in Microsoft’s architecture, enforcing strict containment and mandating user consent for agent actions. The company’s post-quantum cryptography APIs and hardware-accelerated BitLocker further enhance security and resilience against emerging threats.

    As Microsoft positions these updates for ‘Frontier Firms,’ it acknowledges enterprise caution around autonomous software agents. By offering opt-in capabilities and prioritizing user comfort and security, the company aims to lead the mainstream adoption of AI agents at an operating system level.

    Source: VentureBeat

  • Microsoft’s Fabric IQ Enhances AI’s Understanding of Business Operations

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Microsoft recently introduced Fabric IQ, a new technology unveiled at the Microsoft Ignite conference, designed to enhance the capabilities of enterprise AI agents. Fabric IQ focuses on understanding business operations, rather than just data patterns, aiming to bridge the gap between raw data and business context to enable AI agents to make more informed decisions.

    Fabric IQ creates a shared semantic structure that maps datasets to real-world entities, relationships, hierarchies, and operational context. This innovation represents a significant advancement in Microsoft’s data platform strategy, emphasizing the integration of semantics and ontologies into AI technologies.

    Unlike traditional AI agents that struggle to interpret data in business terms, Fabric IQ provides a persistent semantic graph that captures organizational structure, workflows, and business logic. By moving beyond retrieval-augmented generation strategies, Microsoft is paving the way for a new class of operational agents that can autonomously monitor data and take actions based on a deep understanding of business operations.

    This shift from analytics semantic models to operational ontologies marks a fundamental change in how organizations can leverage AI for decision-making processes. Fabric IQ not only connects data across enterprises but also integrates with real-time data streams and allows for the definition of operational rules, empowering businesses to deploy more reliable and accurate AI-driven solutions.

    Microsoft’s investment in semantic models over the years has culminated in Fabric IQ, offering a comprehensive solution that upgrades existing models into operational ontologies. By understanding business context at a deeper level, Fabric IQ has the potential to improve the effectiveness of AI agents significantly.

    Source: VentureBeat

  • Microsoft’s Agent 365: Streamlining AI Management in the Workplace

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Microsoft has introduced Agent 365, a tool designed to simplify the management of AI agents in the workplace, mirroring the oversight of human employees. This solution allows businesses utilizing generative AI agents to efficiently organize, monitor performance, and adjust settings. Rather than creating new AI tools, Agent 365 empowers companies to effectively manage their existing robotic workforce.

    With the increasing adoption of AI agents in digital workplaces, Agent 365 offers a comprehensive platform for businesses to navigate the complexities of overseeing a multitude of bots. Charles Lamanna, President of Business and Industry at Microsoft’s Copilot, envisions a future where companies may employ hundreds of thousands to millions of AI agents, transforming the traditional workforce dynamic.

    The core functionality of Agent 365 lies in providing a centralized registry of all active agents within an organization, each uniquely identified and accompanied by detailed usage insights. This tool enables businesses to modify agent settings and control access permissions to various software components, ensuring a secure and optimized operational environment.

    By offering a structured approach to manage AI agents, Agent 365 addresses the challenges posed by the exponential growth of automated processes within enterprises. This solution enhances operational efficiency and mitigates potential security risks associated with unmonitored bot activities, safeguarding businesses from vulnerabilities.

    Source: WIRED

  • Microsoft Partner Secures $1B Loan to Revive Three Mile Island Reactor

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    The U.S. Department of Energy has announced a $1 billion loan to Constellation Energy to support the refurbishment of a nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island. The reactor, which was previously idled in 2019, is expected to be reactivated by 2028.

    Microsoft has committed to purchasing all the electricity generated by the 835-megawatt power plant for a duration of 20 years, post its anticipated reopening. Constellation Energy estimates the total cost of the project at $1.6 billion and is working towards completing the refurbishment within the specified timeline.

    While the financial terms of Microsoft’s agreement with Constellation remain undisclosed, industry analysts suggest that the tech company might be paying approximately $110 to $115 per megawatt-hour over the agreed-upon 20-year period. This represents a premium compared to alternative renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and geothermal power.

    The reactor scheduled for reactivation is not the infamous Unit 2 responsible for the 1979 meltdown, but rather Unit 1, which began operations in 1974 and was decommissioned in 2019 due to cost-related factors amidst the natural gas market dynamics.

    Source: TechCrunch

  • Cloudflare Outage Disrupts Major Websites Due to Latent Bug

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Cloudflare, a prominent player in internet infrastructure, experienced an outage that impacted various prominent websites and services, including ChatGPT, Claude, Spotify, and more. The outage was attributed to a latent bug within Cloudflare’s bot mitigation capability, leading to widespread network degradation and service interruptions.

    Cloudflare promptly acknowledged the issue and worked swiftly to restore normalcy. Chief Technology Officer Dane Knecht clarified that the incident was not the result of an attack, but rather a consequence of an undetected bug triggered by a routine configuration change.

    Knecht expressed regret over the disruption caused to customers and the broader internet community, and pledged to prevent similar incidents in the future. While services were gradually restored, Cloudflare continued to monitor for any residual issues.

    This incident underscores the critical role of robust infrastructure and vigilant bug monitoring in maintaining the stability of internet services. As technology continues to underpin our daily activities, ensuring the reliability and resilience of such infrastructure remains paramount.

    Source: TechCrunch