International Paper Investing in AI-Supported Frontline Communication Tech

International Paper (IP) has spearheaded a $36 million funding round for Relay, a North Carolina-based creator of smart radios for use in loud industrial settings like manufacturing. Offering transcription and translation capabilities, Relay seeks to address the evolving needs of paper mills and other noisy facilities whose labor demographics are shifting. Jason Bailey, IP’s program director for disruptive technologies, says Relay's radio "proved to work well in our operations, which are loud and require rigorous equipment. . . . It made sense for us to become a shareowner in that business." More than 20 IP sites are currently piloting or scaling Relay radios. Bailey says the plan is to double, possibly triple that total "in the next couple of years."

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