Insights

Donald Trump's nominations for the top roles in US espionage, including John Ratcliffe as Director of the CIA and Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, are causing concern within the intelligence community and among Washington's allies. Ratcliffe's previous experience in the intelligence community was focused on attacking the Democratic Party, while Gabbard has been seen as an advocate of Russian disinformation. Trump's selection of these nominees is seen as an attempt to bring the intelligence community in line with his worldview and ensure it provides only the reports he wants to hear.
Donald Trump’s New Spymasters
A field experiment was conducted to understand how migrants with limited education and trust in digital methods interact with fintech for sending remittances. The experiment used a comparison website and varied factors like delivery time and customer reviews. The findings show that migrants are receptive to fintech information, but there is considerable heterogeneity in their response. Migrants with low awareness of comparison sites, low financial literacy, or limited information-processing capability are less responsive to fintech. Interestingly, when migrants are presented with fintech information, they are more likely to behave counter to their preferences and end up paying more for remittances. This study highlights the potential for fintech to improve financial inclusion and consumer welfare, but the nuances need to be considered.
Financial services
Fintech, Visual Attention, and Financial Inclusion: A Field Experiment on Migrant Remittances
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is rapidly advancing and has the potential to complement or replace human labor in certain tasks, which could reshape job markets. However, it is challenging to predict the exact capabilities and timing of these AI advancements. A report by the National Academies evaluates recent AI progress and its implications for economic productivity, job stability, and income inequality. The report also highlights the need for research and data to help workers and policymakers respond effectively to AI developments.
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work
The recent U.S. elections create both challenges and opportunities for the clean energy sector, influenced by political shifts, regulatory changes, and financial market dynamics. Evolving fundamentals, such as the cost of capital and policy adjustments, will impact growth prospects. Investors are exhibiting caution, with key publicly traded companies in the renewables sector underperforming relative to the market. AlixPartners' Power & Renewables Team provides insights on how businesses can adapt to the changing political landscape.
The changing landscape of clean energy after the recent election
Repurposing old schools in Japan helps revitalize ageing communities by attracting people and businesses. In the past 20 years, thousands of closed schools have been transformed into cultural centers, research spaces, and community hubs, boosting local economies and sustaining social connections. By repurposing these buildings, organizations can save costs and contribute to environmental sustainability. The Japanese government is actively promoting the reuse of closed schools, and initiatives have resulted in successful transformations, attracting visitors, businesses, and investment to depopulated areas. Private companies, such as MUJI, are also taking initiatives to repurpose old schools to revitalize communities. Repurposing old schools preserves community hubs and strengthens resilience in ageing populations.
Japan
How repurposing old schools helps sustain resilience in ageing Japanese communities
Mauritz Kop, a quantum technology expert and founder of the Stanford Center for Responsible Quantum Technology, discusses the benefits and potential impact of quantum technologies. He highlights quantum computing, sensing, networking, cryptology, AI, and machine learning as key pillars. Quantum technologies have numerous applications in healthcare, energy, climate modeling, agriculture, and more. Kop also emphasizes the potential of quantum technologies to be more sustainable and address global challenges like climate change. The United Nations has declared 2025 as the Year of Quantum Technology, and Kop is working to foster sustainable quantum innovation for social good.
Financial services
Interview Of The Week: Mauritz Kop, Quantum Technology Expert
Space is integral to our daily lives and has a significant impact on the economy, climate change, and military capabilities. The United States is the leading power in space exploration, followed by China, with emerging space powers like India also making their mark. The involvement of non-state actors and private entities in space activities is increasing. The recent interest in space exploration is driven by nationalism, as visible space projects serve as indicators of a state's power and prestige. The militarization of space has been present since the beginning of the Space Age and remains a cause for concern.
Interview with Dimitrios Stroikos: “We tend to forget the extent to which space is so integral to our daily lives”
The peer review system in academia is flawed and no longer guarantees academic rigor. Peer review often leads to delays and numerous rounds of revisions, and the work of reviewers goes unrewarded and unrecognized. To address these issues, a new approach called "publish, review, curate" has emerged, where articles are first published online and then peer-reviewed. A platform called MetaROR (MetaResearch Open Review) has been launched based on this model, allowing authors to submit their work after publishing it on a preprint server. Peer review is conducted openly, with reviews made available online. The goal is to create a more collaborative and transparent process that improves the quality of research.
The peer review system no longer works to guarantee academic rigour - a different approach is needed
The article discusses the potential for President Trump's nominees, Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, to improve relations with Latin America. The region has been neglected by the US, leading to a strained relationship and the rise of anti-Western voices. Biden's recent trip to Latin America failed to make any significant gains, and China's economic influence and Russian disinformation have spread. Trump's challenges will include countries where his conservative agenda clashes with anti-US sentiments, such as Venezuela and Haiti. However, his nomination of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State signals a strong stance against Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Latin America
Can Trump’s State and Defence Nominees Reset Relations with Latin America?
Venezuela's self-declared winner of a bogus election, Nicolás Maduro, remains cornered in his own country but can still leverage cheap oil to strengthen relationships with China, Russia, and Iran. The downward spiral of Venezuela's democratic trajectory and sinking economy continues, deepening alignment with anti-Western countries. Maduro's new government, starting in January 2025, will face the challenge of rescuing the collapsed oil industry. The country's political economy has reached new lows, with over 95% of the population living below the poverty line. Maduro must find ways to increase GDP while dealing with a humanitarian crisis and mass migration. Internationally, he will reject the liberal international order and prioritize alliances with anti-Western countries.
Venezuela
Solar article
AI machines could soon be eligible for winning scientific achievement awards, including Nobel Prizes. The use of the term "person" in Alfred Nobel's will raises questions about whether non-human entities, such as AI systems, could be eligible for these awards. A group of scientists at the UK's Alan Turing Institute has set the challenge for AI to make Nobel-quality scientific discoveries autonomously by 2050. Recent examples, such as Google DeepMind's AlphaFold2 predicting protein structures and AI-assisted researchers making discoveries in various fields, suggest that AI has the potential to contribute significantly to scientific advancements.
AI could soon be making major scientific discoveries. A machine could even win a Nobel Prize one day
The incoming administration plans significant tariffs on imports, particularly from China, which could reshape global supply chains. Analysts anticipate a review of the USMCA may impact U.S. companies, alongside potential retaliatory tariffs from countries like Mexico. Companies are urged to prepare by exploring options such as duty engineering to minimize tariffs, implementing customer surcharge strategies, and strategically sourcing to realign supply chains. Upcoming Congressional actions could affect tariff exemptions for Chinese goods, reinforcing the need for immediate planning and adaptation.
The ripple effect of tariffs: How global supply chains are being reshaped
The discovery of Lucy, a 3.2 million-year-old partial skeleton in Ethiopia, transformed our understanding of human evolution. Yohannes Haile-Selassie, a leading paleoanthropologist, argues that the study of ancient humans needs to be decolonised to give proper recognition and support to African scientists and institutions. Without this shift, African countries may restrict future exploration of key sites. Many fossils found by local Africans were credited to Western scientists, who often excluded African scholars from participating in analysis. Haile-Selassie calls for a more mutually beneficial approach to research that acknowledges the central role of African scientists.
Ethiopia
‘Deep inside, something told me I had found the earliest human ancestor; I went numb’ – Yohannes Haile-Selassie on his lifetime quest to discover ancient humanity
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in UK financial services is rapidly increasing, with 75% of firms already utilizing AI and an additional 10% planning to implement it within the next three years. The adoption of foundation models, a complex type of machine learning, is also growing. Third-party exposure to AI implementations is on the rise, with a third of all use cases being implemented by third-party providers. Automated decision-making is present in 55% of AI use cases, but only 2% have fully autonomous decision-making. The perceived benefits of AI include data and analytical insights, anti-money laundering, and cybersecurity, while the biggest risks are related to data privacy and protection. Cybersecurity is considered the highest systemic risk associated with AI. Regulatory constraints include data protection and privacy, while non-regulatory constraints include the safety and robustness of AI models and access to talent and skills. Most firms have accountability frameworks and governance processes specific to AI.
Artificial intelligence in UK financial services - 2024
Romania's far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) is gaining popularity in response to social, economic, and ecological pressures in the country. AUR combines an anti-colonial narrative with environmentalism and religion, attracting support from young urban men in economically precarious situations. The party denounces the "dictatorship of the elite" and promotes family policies, the repatriation of the diaspora, and the re-incorporation of the Republic of Moldova. AUR's discourse resonates with Romania's historical experiences and traditions of nationalist anti-imperial thought. This sets it apart from Western far-right populism and challenges the assumption that Eastern European parties merely mimic Western models.
Romania
The Alliance for the Union of Romanians represents a new form of far-right environmentalism
Southeast Asia's digital economy is growing rapidly, and AI is playing a crucial role in its success. The region's young and digitally native population, along with strong government support and investment, make it an ideal environment for AI development and adoption. Strategic investments in areas like GenAI adoption, talent development, and AI infrastructure, coupled with a supportive policy environment, are essential for Southeast Asia to become a global leader in AI. GenAI is already reshaping industries and delivering value, with businesses in the region seeing a positive return on investment within a year of implementing AI workflows. To maximize the AI opportunity, Southeast Asia must prioritize strategic investments and align AI initiatives with core business objectives.
ASEAN
Why AI is Southeast Asia's new engine for profitable growth
The Interdisciplinary Science Ranking has been launched to recognize the top universities conducting scientific research in innovative ways. This ranking assesses universities based on inputs, processes, and outputs related to interdisciplinary research. The inaugural ranking reveals that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranks first, followed by Stanford University. The National University of Singapore (NUS) secures third place, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore ranks ninth. The ranking aims to highlight universities that prioritize interdisciplinary research and break down structural barriers that hinder collaboration in academia.
Education
World's leading universities for interdisciplinary science revealed for the first time – the results may surprise you
Tech strategy leaders emphasize the need for inclusive, ethical, and responsible use of technology to earn digital trust. The World Economic Forum's Digital Trust Framework supports decision-makers in aligning with these goals. Key dimensions include interoperability, fairness, and sustainability. Industry leaders from companies like Celonis, Cognizant, and HP highlight their commitment to responsible use of technology through AI governance models, auditable systems, and inclusion of diverse perspectives. They stress the importance of involving non-technical voices and humanities backgrounds in AI development to ensure fairness and inclusivity.
We asked 5 tech strategy leaders about inclusive, ethical and responsible use of technology. Here's what they said
A French trader, known as "Théo," accurately predicted Donald Trump's election win and made an estimated $85 million profit by using a method called the "neighbor method." This method asks respondents about their beliefs on who will win and what others think will win, rather than directly asking them who they will vote for. The "wisdom of the crowd" approach, based on first-order and second-order beliefs, outperforms traditional polling methods by aggregating responses to accurately predict outcomes. This method has the potential to improve public understanding of major events and increase efficiency in financial markets.
Betting (and winning) on the wisdom of crowds
The G20 Policy Options for Financial Inclusion at the Last Mile provides a framework for reducing barriers to financial inclusion for underserved populations. The note emphasizes the need for targeted policies and investments to address non-financial barriers faced by groups such as women, low-income households, rural populations, migrants, and MSMEs. It also highlights the importance of public infrastructure and regulatory enablers to support financial inclusion efforts. The note calls for public authorities to go beyond access and usage of financial services and focus on the quality of financial inclusion. Overall, the note presents policy options to improve last mile access and the quality of inclusion through digital infrastructure and other objectives.
Financial services
G20 Policy Options for Financial Inclusion at the Last Mile

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