Insights

Human capital, consisting of human skills, knowledge, and experience, is becoming the new competitive advantage in the GenAI era. While GenAI can generate content quickly, it lacks human understanding and insight. Companies should combine human skills with GenAI to maximize both and foster diversity and innovation. To harness employees as a competitive advantage, companies should reframe the balance between humans and machines and consider four key questions: identifying human traits that AI cannot replicate, determining areas of the business that could benefit from more humanity, investing in employee development, and applying this thinking strategically.
Human capital: Your new competitive advantage in the GenAI era
China's economy has not yet reached its peak, despite mixed assessments of its economic health. The prevailing analysis is flawed and primarily reflects the perspective of multinational companies or foreign entities with adversarial views of Chinese growth. The focus on specific sectors and consumption levels does not provide a comprehensive understanding of China's vast and complex economy. Additionally, assumptions about the causes and effects of economic trends, such as deflation, may lead to misguided policy responses. To address low consumption and deflationary pressures, China requires fundamental reforms that tackle underlying structural issues rather than relying on conventional policy tools. China's unique fundamentals, including restrictions on land ownership and internal migration, further differentiate it from Western economies.
Australia | Financial services
China’s Economy Has Not Peaked
The Cleveland Clinic, in collaboration with IBM, is combining quantum computing and machine learning to enhance antibiotic prescriptions. Machine learning algorithms trained on 4.7 million antibiotic susceptibility classifications demonstrated impressive accuracy, outperforming physicians in predicting effective treatments. The integration of quantum computing aims to refine these algorithms for improved speed, accuracy, and applicability to smaller datasets. The project seeks to make personalized medicine accessible to underserved populations and smaller clinics, addressing antibiotic resistance and improving patient care.
Cleveland Clinic Combines Quantum and AI for Responsible Antibiotic Prescription
In the age of Trump, global cooperation faces uncertainty. As the United States retreats from its international leadership role, the world must find a new way to address global problems. The future of collective efforts to protect global public goods and uphold economic interdependence is unclear.
Financial services
Global Cooperation in the Age of Trump
Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, is revolutionizing the financial services industry by simplifying processes and improving efficiency. However, its integration comes with risks, such as accountability for the advice and products it suggests. Generative AI can be used to tailor financial products for consumers and make quick loan decisions, but concerns about biases and lack of credibility remain. Personalization is becoming crucial in financial services, with AI allowing for customized marketing and products. However, there is a delicate balance between relevance and privacy. Regulators and financial institutions need to establish clear guidelines to protect consumers and keep pace with the rapid advances in AI technology.
Financial services
How generative AI is transforming financial services – and what it means for customers
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has seen significant growth, with 72% of large firms using AI weekly in 2024, up from 37% in 2023. However, there are challenges ahead for AI. The cost of AI tools remains high due to the industry's concentration, and the limitation of data is a significant challenge as AI models may exhaust available knowledge. Despite these challenges, there is still room for progress, and firms are expected to experiment with AI to find the best complementarity between humans and machines. It is important to be cautious of AI-generated false information. AI offers benefits for entrepreneurs, including accelerated prototyping, but its role in radical innovation remains uncertain.
AI in 2025: What Challenges Lie Ahead?
Cross-border payments are crucial for global economic growth as they facilitate trade, commerce, and travel, connecting consumers and merchants worldwide. However, challenges such as regulatory fragmentation, data localization requirements, and licensing still exist. While private sector innovation can help address these challenges, partnerships with governments are essential. Cross-border payments are driven by international travel, global e-commerce, and global remittances. The private sector is developing innovative solutions to make cross-border payments safer and more efficient, but regulatory friction needs to be reduced. Governments should enable data flow and collaborate with the private sector to improve cross-border payments.
Financial services
Cross-border payments are an engine for economic growth. Here's why
The newly approved European Commission has created a dedicated Commissioner portfolio exclusively focused on the Mediterranean. The portfolio emphasizes migration management and energy cooperation, while de-prioritizing governance reform and civil society engagement. This shift reflects a transactional approach in the EU's relations with North African countries and a departure from the region-building efforts of the past. The establishment of a separate Directorate-General for the Mediterranean also marks the decoupling of the southern neighborhood from other regions. This realignment reflects a trend in EU foreign policy where pragmatic considerations outweigh long-term strategic goals.
What the EU’s new Commissioner for the Mediterranean means for the region
Global cooperation levels have stagnated, according to a World Economic Forum report. The report emphasizes the importance of cooperation in addressing global challenges. Experts suggest strategies to deepen collaboration, such as regionalizing manufacturing supply chains, scaling up carbon removals and nature-based solutions, and reconstructing the rules-based global trading system. They call for public and private sector leaders to rethink cooperation strategies and boost collaboration efforts. International cooperation is seen as vital in the face of geopolitical tensions and growing uncertainties in the global economy.
Financial services
'A plurilateral approach': 3 experts detail how to revive global cooperation
Global cooperation levels have stagnated, according to a World Economic Forum report. The lack of progress is attributed to deteriorating peace and security globally. However, there are areas where cooperation remains promising, such as climate and natural capital, innovation and technology, and health and wellness. On the other hand, the lack of progress in global cooperation could have dire consequences for the global economy and people worldwide, particularly in terms of peace and security. The inability of international institutions to prevent or stop wars is a significant concern.
Guinea, Qatar | Financial services
An optimist's – and pessimist's – guide to the state of global cooperation
The second edition of the Global Cooperation Barometer 2025 highlights the stagnation of overall global collaboration due to geopolitical tensions. However, there is positive momentum in the areas of climate and nature, innovation and technology, and health and wellness. The report analyzes 41 indicators across five pillars to identify progress and stagnation in global cooperation. The findings emphasize the importance of innovative and flexible approaches to partnership in navigating a disordered global landscape. Strengthening cooperation is crucial for addressing shared challenges and achieving sustainable growth and resilience.
Algeria, Angola, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Chad, Finland, Guinea, Kuwait, Mali, Mongolia, Netherlands, Qatar, Sweden | Financial services
The Global Cooperation Barometer 2025 – Second Edition
Lebanon's economic health can be assessed through the lens of collective solidarity, which is often overlooked by global economic assessors. Despite the country's bleak national outlook and damages from recent wars, Lebanon has demonstrated remarkable resilience and a strong capacity for collective economic support. In the face of destruction, Lebanese citizens, organizations, and institutions have rallied together to provide humanitarian aid and support. Healthcare workers have continued their lifesaving efforts, while food aid and shelter initiatives have been prodigious. However, it is crucial for Lebanon to address its structural challenges to ensure long-term economic stability.
Bahrain, Israel, Lebanon, Lesotho | Health, Financial services
Collective solidarity: An overlooked marker of economic health
The investing and capital markets industry is undergoing significant transformation due to innovation, technology, and regulatory changes. Technology has enabled easier access to information, new asset classes, and lower costs for investors, leading to increased participation from individuals of diverse backgrounds. The rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has further accelerated this transformation, allowing financial services firms to launch solutions quickly. However, there is a gap in AI adoption between digital leaders and non-leaders. Regulatory changes are also occurring rapidly, with uncertainty about future regulations and enforcement. Overall, collaboration and a new mindset are needed to adapt to these changes and address the evolving needs of investors.
Financial services
How innovation, technology and regulatory changes are shaping the future of investing
UK inflation is expected to rise above the two percent target throughout 2025 due to wage pressures. This may lead the Bank of England to keep interest rates on hold for most of the year, despite predictions of rate cuts in financial markets. Additionally, factors such as Divisia M4 growth and global supply pressures suggest a low risk of higher inflation in the UK in 2025.
United Kingdom | Financial services
The challenges for UK interest rates and inflation in 2025
"Cyber-bioethics" is a newly emerging discipline within bioethics that addresses the ethical challenges brought about by digital health and artificial intelligence (AI). It aims to adapt traditional bioethics to the 21st century by integrating ethical considerations into digital technologies and ensuring a more equitable and secure future. The term "cyber-bioethics" combines the concept of cybernetics with bioethics, reflecting the need for flexibility and adaptation to new challenges in the digital era. The field of AI ethics is also gaining attention, with various actors proposing ethical policies and guidelines to address the ethical and social challenges posed by AI.
Cyber-bioethics: the new ethical discipline for digital health
The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) poses complex cybersecurity challenges. Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated and organized, targeting individuals, organizations, and nations by exploiting vulnerabilities in AI-powered systems. To mitigate these threats, it is crucial to enhance our understanding of the risks involved and develop targeted cybersecurity strategies. Five articles in this research topic explore ML-based clustering algorithms, the trustworthiness of AI-based systems, and risks arising from the malicious use of AI. The research highlights the need for collaboration between cybersecurity engineers, AI experts, and social-psychology-behavior-ethics professionals to address the challenges in this evolving field.
Editorial: Cybersecurity and artificial intelligence: advances, challenges, opportunities, threats
Higher US tariffs on Asian economies could have significant impacts on trade deficits, nominal income, and GDP. While the US trade deficit may halve and nominal income may increase, retaliatory tariffs could harm domestic production capacity and real GDP. Asian economies would be less affected than Canada and Mexico, but China's nominal income and trade surplus could decline. Retaliation from US trading partners would also harm US economic growth and slow global growth.
Potential Impact of Higher United States Tariffs on Asian Economies
The global economy is undergoing major changes driven by five transformational trends: deglobalization, decarbonization, debt, digitalization, and demographics. These forces are reshaping the world's economy and financial markets. Deglobalization, accelerated by trade tensions and geopolitical rivalries, presents challenges to economic growth and increases inflationary pressures. Decarbonization is urgently needed to address climate change, requiring fiscal support and potentially inflationary measures. Demographics, such as aging populations, lower productivity and increase inflationary pressures. Rising government debt levels limit investments in key drivers of economic growth and increase debt servicing costs. Digitalization is transforming various sectors, creating new challenges and opportunities. These trends require careful evaluation for their potential transformational impacts.
ICT, Financial services
5 transformational trends shaping global finance
Chinese President Xi Jinping gave his annual new year address, focusing on China's economy and presenting it as a remarkable achievement. Xi highlighted the 4.9% increase in GDP over the past year and praised China's impressive growth rate compared to other developed economies. However, the reality is that China's economic growth has slowed, falling from 5.2% in 2023. This gaslighting strategy by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is an attempt to downplay the struggling economy and maintain its grip on power. The CCP has historically relied on economic and nationalist pillars for legitimacy, but with economic growth faltering, it is increasingly relying on nationalism, which poses its own challenges.
China’s economy took centre stage in Xi’s new year address, spinning slow growth as a ‘remarkable’ achievement
Loneliness and social isolation are associated with specific proteins in the body, according to new research. A study conducted by the University of Cambridge and Fudan University examined data from over 42,000 participants and found that proteins linked to inflammation, antiviral responses, and immune responses were significantly associated with loneliness and social isolation. The study also revealed that loneliness may lead to increased levels of certain proteins expressed in the brain. These findings provide deeper understanding of the biological processes through which loneliness affects health. It highlights the importance of social connections for overall well-being and suggests that meaningful face-to-face interactions are essential for fostering a flourishing society.
Loneliness and social isolation are linked to specific proteins – new research

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