Merge pull request 'Add 'content/blog/OPF-announces-new-AI-special-integration-group.md'' (#67) from jamesk-AIWGblog into master

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content/blog/OPF-announces-new-AI-special-integration-group.md

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+---
+title: "OPF Announces New AI Special Integration Group"
+date: "2025-07-11"
+categories: 
+  - "blogs"
+tags: 
+  - "openpower"
+  - "ibm"
+  - "power"
+  - "openpower-foundation"
+  - "open-source"
+  - "ai"
+  - "open-hardware"
+  - "developer-community"
+  - "isa"
+  - "power-processor-core"
+---
+
+**By [OPF AI SIG,](https://openpowerfoundation.org/groups/ai/)**
+
+The OpenPOWER Foundation is pleased to announce today the addition of the [AI Special Special Integration Group (OPASIG)](https://openpowerfoundation.org/groups/machinelearning/). This new work group will serve the OPF by assisting in preparing next-generation specifications that lay the framework for industry standardization of machine learning related applications on the OpenPOWER platform.
+
+The OPAISIG's focus on AI-related algorithms and libraries for OpenPOWER will be driven by the current state of the art as well as projected industry trends. This new collaborative work group will propose, port, and optimize identified algorithms and libraries; showcase relevant datasets, tools, and technologies; prepare technical documentation for both software and hardware; and make recommendations to the OPF and industry.
+
+The new work group will also identify classes of use cases, discuss, and define potential reference solutions which provide value to the AI-related communities. These solutions may include hardware, software, accelerators, or combinations thereof.
+
+“The addition of an AI specific working group within the OPF will provide a crucial role in fostering collaborative development and standardization in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI. The group will provide key value to the OPF community by promoting transparency and trust, accelerating innovation, ensuring accessibility, establishing standards and best practices, and mitigating risk. I look forward to seeing the output from this workgroup and its member companies as they leverage the vast POWER ecosystem to deliver next generation AI capabilities,” said [James Kulina, Executive Director for OPF](https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-kulina/).
+
+Backed by decades of industry experience, the work group is co-chaired by Swiss-based [Lionel Clavien](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lclavien/) of [InnoBoost SA](https://www.inno-boost.com/) and Vancouver-based [Kip Warner](https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kip-warner-470354331) of CT, each bringing unique machine learning related industry experience. The former assembles, resells, and incubates various offerings from IBM for small, medium, and enterprise customers. While the latter, CT's [Helios®](https://www.heliosmusic.io), is an AI-powered universal music discovery engine available and optimized for OpenPOWER as an on-premise solution for the management, analysis, and searching of large volumes of data for the media and entertainment industry.