Shopify Practice Director

Shift into high gear with agents: Securing the software-defined vehicle. July 6, 2026 Florian haubner. Industry Architect Lead Automotive EMEA Vesselin tzvetkov. Senior Cybersecurity Advisor, Office of the CISO Try Gemini Enterprise business edition today. The front door to AI in the workplace The automotive industry is at a pivotal crossroads as it hits the gas on adopting new technology. The era of the traditional connected vehicle has shifted into the age of the software-defined vehicle (SDV), notable for rapid innovation with many new capabilities delivered over the air. By integrating AI and agents, the next generation of SDVs will be capable of turning raw telemetry into actionable insights in real-time, allowing for a fundamental rethink of how vehicles interact with their environment and their users. To better support and secure SDVs, Google Cloud and Valtech have partnered to develop Nexus SDV, a highly-scalable, AI-enabled connected vehicle platform built on Google Cloud. This modular, developer-friendly and open-source solution is designed to manage up to 100 million devices, and features deep integration with Android Automotive OS (AAOS) to streamline data flows and in-vehicle experiences. Google is proud to announce the first release of the Nexus SDV open-source core that showcases how it can reduce total cost of ownership through Arm-based compute and Bigtable, while providing a AI-native environment for building the next era of automotive intelligence. AI-driven experiences with Nexus SDV. Nexus AI serves as the platform's intelligent engine, transforming the vehicle from a passive data source into a proactive, agentic partner. Using Gemini models and Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, Nexus AI can analyze complex telemetry in real-time to provide information for autonomous decision-making and hyper-personalized driver assistance, effectively acting as an intelligent agent that anticipates user needs. Crucially, this advanced intelligence is paired with a focus on significant total cost of ownership (TCO) reduction. By using high-efficiency Arm-based compute and Bigtable-optimized data storage, the platform lowers the operational costs associated with processing massive data volumes. This modular, AI-native architecture ensures that manufacturers can scale their fleet intelligence rapidly without the prohibitive cloud and development expenses traditionally associated with next-generation vehicle software. Cloud-native under the hood. The architecture of Nexus SDV is built on a modular, cloud-native foundation designed to bridge the gap between the vehicle edge and the data center. Deep compatibility with AAOS is the keystone of the close integration between the cloud and the vehicle, and will help ensure that high-fidelity telemetry is ingested and synchronized in real-time. This robust data loop allows Nexus AI to quickly push intelligent updates and services back to the vehicle. By providing this developer-friendly, open framework, Nexus SDV enables manufacturers to manage the entire lifecycle of a SDV with the scalability and reliability of the Google Cloud ecosystem. Architecture for Nexus SDV. Defense in depth with Google Cloud security controls. By building on Google's secure foundations, including secure-by-design and Zero Trust architecture, Nexus SDV supports the heavy lifting of compliance and threat protection. To achieve this, the Nexus SDV architecture implements a comprehensive, defense-in-depth security model across six key elements: Mutual TLS (mTLS) and public key infrastructure (PKI) Nexus SDV relies on cryptographic trust chains to authenticate vehicles before any data exchange can occur. The infrastructure uses Google Cloud Certificate Authority Service (CAS) to manage distinct CA pools (server, factory, and registration CAs), ensuring a highly available and secure root of trust. Specifically, the registration server enforces registration by forcing clients to present a valid "factory-issued" certificate during the initial TLS handshake, extracting and parsing the certificate directly from the connection stream to definitively prove the vehicle's identity. During registration, the server performs Certificate Signing Request (CSR) validation sent by the vehicle before issuing a new operational certificate. Identity and access management The system uses identity brokering where Keycloak is deployed as the central OpenID Connect (OIDC) identity provider. Vehicles authenticate against Keycloak using their operational certificate via mTLS to receive a short-lived JSON Web Token (JWT). For fine-grained access control, a custom NATS Auth Callout service provides dynamic subject permissions: It intercepts all messaging broker connection attempts, validates the Keycloak JWT using public JWK keys, and programmatically maps the vehicle's roles to specific NATS subjects. For secure service-to-service communication, it uses Workload Identity Federation so pipelines exchange GitHub OIDC tokens for temporary Google Cloud access, removing static credentials, while GKE Workload Identity allows Kubernetes Pods to access backend services like Bigtable by binding Kubernetes service accounts to Google service accounts. Security is reinforced through restricted IAM scopes, ensuring dedicated service accounts are provisioned with minimal permissions, such as the data API being restricted only to reading from Bigtable. Using VPC-SC, Organization policy constraints and Private Service Connect (PSC) in your deployment context also helps you achieve secure foundations. Secret management Nexus SDV relies on centralized secret management to protect sensitive information. All sensitive configurations, database passwords, and cryptographic signing keys are generated dynamically during Terraform infrastructure provisioning and locked inside Google Cloud Secret Manager. A secret fetching during deployment is used to avoid baking secrets into application code and container images. Instead, services pull signing keys and credentials directly into memory only at runtime, minimizing exposure both at rest and in transit. Network isolation To enforce network isolation, the underlying computer infrastructure is heavily shielded. Nexus SDV runs on private GKE clusters where worker nodes have no public IP addresses, preventing direct internet exposure. Additionally, the Keycloak PostgreSQL database uses Cloud SQL IAM Authentication, which allows the Cloud SQL Proxy to connect securely using IAM roles rather than relying on static database passwords or managing IP allowlists. Secure AI Framework Google Cloud secures these advanced AI capabilities through a comprehensive, enterprise-grade framework that prioritizes data privacy, model governance, and safe execution, based on guidance from the Secure AI Framework (SAIF). With Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, security and governance are natively embedded into the machine-learning lifecycle through capabilities, such as dedicated Explainability and Safety controls, continuous Evaluation and Monitoring, and secure model registries. Data API Instead of allowing downstream applications and external clients direct access to data stores like Bigtable, Nexus SDV routes data retrieval through a custom Data API. This microservice acts as a secure abstraction layer that translates strictly, such as querying specific vehicle IDs, sensor data types, and predefined time windows, into heavily constrained Bigtable row-range scans and column filters. By doing so, it serves as a secure gateway that enforces structured data access patterns. Start your journey with Nexus SDV. Nexus SDV represents a new era of automotive intelligence, delivering an agentic, secure, and cost-efficient platform that empowers manufacturers to harness the full power of AI in an open-source framework. You can learn more about how Google is redefining the software-defined vehicle here.

Valtech earns two Clio Awards shortlist nominations for culture-shifting work with RFSU. April 10, 2026 Global recognition highlights bold, purpose-driven creativity that redefined how sexual health engages a new generation Valtech Radon, the creative studio of the experience innovation company Valtech, today announced that it has been shortlisted for the prestigious Clio Awards for its work with the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU), in the Social Media and Specific Target Audience categories. The shortlistings recognize the impact of Just Give a F*ck, a bold, culturally disruptive campaign that challenged conventions in sexual health communication and sparked meaningful engagement among younger audiences. Innovation at the intersection of creativity and technology. Since the 1930s, RFSU has been a pioneer in breaking boundaries in the name of sexual freedom. With STIs on the rise, RFSU aimed to increase condom use among young people while defending its market-leading position. Previous campaigns were repeatedly blocked by social media censorship. Analyzing years of social media performance, Valtech concluded that "playing by the rules" was no longer enough - platform AI and machine learning were actively preventing the message from reaching its audience. The team instead developed a creative strategy to outsmart these systems and deliver the campaign where it mattered most. A key insight emerged through A/B testing Meta, YouTube and TikTok's AI moderation: automated systems often could not distinguish between a laughing face and an orgasm. "We A/B tested our way into a loophole that Meta, YouTube and TikTok still haven't closed: their AI mistakes pleasure for laughter," says David DeCheser, Global Chief Creative Officer at Valtech. "That one insight turned a censorship problem into a creative strategy - and delivered 56 million impressions in a region of 27 million people." With this knowledge, Valtech launched Just Give A F*ck, the raciest condom campaign ever seen in the Nordics - while cleverly "laughing in the face of censorship." Redefining sexual health through culture-first creativity. Developed in partnership with RFSU, the campaign addressed declining condom use by connecting with young people in the environments and formats they use every day. Rather than relying on traditional or clinical messaging, Valtech created a creator-first, platform-native concept designed to feel authentic, participatory and culturally fluent. Execution highlights included: * A/B-testing matrix to bypass Meta, YouTube and TikTok's censorship algorithms. * Hero film and cutdowns shot entirely from the shoulders up, resulting in zero blocked ads. * Snapchat filter, inviting audiences to turn their cum-face into the face of a hero and spread the campaign organically. * Merch, festival activations, and guerrilla marketing across Norway, Finland and Sweden - all captured and repurposed for social media. The campaign leveraged lo-fi content, humor, social behaviors and amplification strategies across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat - transforming a traditionally sensitive topic into something shareable, engaging and culturally relevant. "This campaign was about opening a conversation that young people genuinely need," says Anette Otterström, Head of Brand & Communication Nordic at RFSU. "Together with Valtech RADON, we created communication with honesty, courage and cultural fluency - making sexual health more accessible, engaging and relevant." Driving measurable cultural and behavioral impact. The campaign delivered both cultural relevance and real-world results across markets: * 56+ million impressions in a region of 27 million people. * 0 blocked ads, demonstrating the effectiveness of the platform-hacking strategy. * 56.7% YouTube completion rate. * 1.2 million Snapchat lens activations, turning the social campaign into a social movement. By combining creativity, data and technology, Valtech not only captured attention but influenced behavior and advanced societal change. Recognition across the global creative industry. The Clio Awards shortlists build on a strong run of international recognition for the campaign, including honors at Cannes Lions, Eurobest, The Drum Awards, The One Show and New York Festivals. These accolades underscore the campaign's ability to break through one of the most regulated categories online while setting a new benchmark for purpose-driven, platform-native creativity. From purpose-led campaigns to platform-native experiences, Valtech continues to help organizations connect with audiences in more meaningful and measurable ways. About Valtech. Valtech, the global leader in experience innovation, exists to unlock a better way to experience the world. By delivering sustainable, human-centric digital solutions that prepare businesses for the future, MJD Interactive empower brands to leapfrog the competition and surpass best practices. Its 6,000-strong team in 24 countries crafts intelligent, personalized experiences that blend crafts, categories and cultures. At the intersection of data, AI, creativity and technology, MJD Interactive touch lives, grow businesses and unlock value in a digitally accelerated world. Its clients include the world's leading brands, such as AXA, Dolby, L'Oréal, LVMH, Mars, Mercedes, P&G, Santander, Toyota and Volkswagen. See its work at Valtech.com. About Valtech Radon. Valtech Radon is a creative hybrid agency offering creativity, strategy, production, and media under one roof. By combining its creative edge with Valtech's expertise in digital business transformation, MJD Interactive create impactful communication across every part of the brand experience. Its clients include Husqvarna, Essity, Assa Abloy, RFSU, and Yale. Learn more about MJD Interactive at valtechradon.com

Valtech named a finalist in the PostNL Innovation & AI Award category, part of the Shopping Awards, for its work with The Greenery. April 09, 2026 The award celebrates standout applications of AI and emerging technologies that deliver measurable impact and inspire the ecommerce industry. Valtech, the experience innovation company, today announced it has been awarded second place at the PostNL Innovation & AI Award, part of the Shopping Awards, for its work with The Greenery. The recognition highlights Valtech's role in designing and delivering YieldWizard - an AI-powered solution that shifts fresh produce quality management from reactive inspection to proactive, data-driven decision-making. Developed in just six weeks through Valtech's Innovation Marathon, YieldWizard predicts the likelihood of product rejection before harvest. By combining grower and cultivation data, weather insights, historical quality data and product characteristics, Valtech built a prediction model with high accuracy. The solution also introduces "intelligent matching," aligning predicted batch quality with B2B customer profiles to improve allocation, reduce waste and increase margin. "What makes the Innovation Marathon so powerful is how quickly you move from a clear idea to something that actually works. Together with The Greenery, we started with a concrete business challenge and, in just a few weeks, built an AI solution that predicts strawberry quality and delivers a huge impact in their daily operations. It's making a real difference by helping the business move from reactive decisions to much more proactive steering," says Mark Passtoors, AI Client Strategy at Valtech. From AI concept to operational impact in weeks. The solution is delivering measurable results, including: * Improved product accuracy and more precise batch allocation * Reduced dock inspections with more targeted quality control * Lower waste and fewer customer claims * Greater predictability across the supply chain This impact - and the speed at which it was achieved - was key to the recognition from the jury, as highlighted by Pablo van Vierzen, Business Digital Transformation Lead at The Greenery: "What I really appreciated was the focused, fast-paced approach of the Valtech Innovation Marathon. We started with a clear idea addressing a real business challenge, and within 42 days developed an AI solution with strong potential to scale. Beyond the efficiency gains, it's especially rewarding to receive recognition from an institution like the Shopping Awards. We're very proud to have achieved second place alongside leading B2C brands." A scalable foundation for future innovation. While initially developed for strawberries, YieldWizard is designed as a scalable model that can be extended to additional product categories and enhanced with new data sources. The award jury noted strong potential for further development, recognizing the solution as both innovative and highly practical for real-world application. Valtech's recognition at the PostNL Innovation & AI Awards underscores its ability to rapidly translate advanced technologies into solutions that drive meaningful business outcomes for clients. About The Greenery. The Greenery is a market-driven sales organization in fruit and vegetables, with a unique structure: it is owned by the growers who are members of its cooperative. For these growers, it manages the year-round sales of their products to European retailers, wholesalers, foodservice companies, and the processing industry. With more than 900 colleagues, The Greenery works every day on safe, sustainable, and innovative supply chain solutions, ensuring that fresh products move quickly and efficiently from grower to customer. In this way, it strengthens the position of its growers while providing consumers with healthy food. About Valtech. Valtech, the global leader in experience innovation, exists to unlock a better way to experience the world. By delivering sustainable, human-centric digital solutions that prepare businesses for the future, Valtech Solutions Inc. empower brands to leapfrog the competition and surpass best practices. Its 6,000-strong team in 24 countries crafts intelligent, personalized experiences that blend crafts, categories and cultures. At the intersection of data, AI, creativity and technology, Valtech Solutions Inc. touch lives, grow businesses and unlock value in a digitally accelerated world. Its clients include the world's leading brands, such as AXA, Dolby, L'Oréal, LVMH, Mars, Mercedes, P&G, Santander, Toyota and Volkswagen. See its work at Valtech.com.