Global Scans · Organizations · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEW?: Moves away from traditional, hierarchical, full-time structures towards a gig and shared economy continue apace. New models of virtual working and work anywhere, anytime for anybody are likely to grow dramatically in the coming years.

• [New] Companies have been anticipating a potential ban for months, giving their marketing departments time to put together plans to shift their efforts to other platforms like Facebook, Instagram reels, and YouTube shorts. Business Insider
• [New] The broader application of AI across sectors promises to boost productivity, drive innovation, and generate new economic opportunities, encouraging global growth in a sustainable manner. Qhubo
• [New] Economic predictions, which estimate that damages from global heating would be as low as 2% of global economic production for a 3 C rise in global average surface temperature, were inaccurate and were blinding political leaders to the risks of their policies. Grist
• [New] The changing nature of conflict, driven by hybrid warfare, AI, and cyber capabilities, will challenge traditional military doctrines and necessitate a reassessment of defence strategies worldwide. Daily Patriot
• [New] Since Trump plans to target Mexico and China particularly harshly with trade wars, there is hope that new opportunities could open up for UK businesses. City AM
• [New] Mass production of nuclear power will make a major contribution to energy for AI Data centers in the 2030s and could start in 2029 if new players can execute. NextBigFuture.com
• [New] The restrictions imposed by China could complicate Foxconn's efforts to diversify its production capabilities and expand its operations in India. Observer Voice
• [New] Whilst global multipolarity is shallow, the Ukraine crisis has brought to sharp relief significant changes in the balance of power within Europe, which will likely heavily influence the connectivity strategy and opportunities in the future. Hungarian Conservative
• [New] Whether outsourcing administrative tasks for global strategy or technology to allow better flow of data, greater transparency and communication, or using collective retirement solutions to offer better outcomes and less risk - it's clear that an all-of-the-above approach to cost savings is needed. Aon
• [New] If companies now have trouble moving Chinese equipment and workers to other Asian manufacturing sites, diversification away from China could become very costly. Merics
• [New] Apple has been more successful at quickly moving production out of China than expected - and Foxconn for now has enough Taiwanese workers and equipment to keep production in India going. Merics
• [New] Language skills can open doors to opportunities in global markets, as can expertise in niche areas in high demand globally, such as sustainability. The Straits Times
• [New] Lower rates in the US, eurozone, UK, and other major economies suggests a risk-on year in global markets. Invesco
• [New] In 2025, we can expect to see large organizations - equipped with significant resources and benefitting from their scale - further integrating AI to reduce time to milestones and accelerate discovery pipelines. Pharmaphorum
• Trade in services is a key strategic opportunity for UK economic growth and is an absolute priority on the UK trade agenda. CBI
• The UK now risks upsetting the new US administration of Donald Trump if it encourages China's role as part of its own green growth strategy. BBC News
• A notable concern has emerged: the absence of an explicit conception of AI supremacy threatens to undermine the US' long-term AI strategy. Middle East Institute
• The UK and China will agree to an Export Health Certificate to enable UK businesses to continue to export greasy wool to China. GOV.UK
• The UK and China will commit to signing an agreement to allow UK businesses to export pet food to China for the first time. GOV.UK
• China will launch procedures to enable the export of new UK pig offal products and will approve the re-registration of UK porcine semen centers for export. GOV.UK
• Adding, the long awaited collaborative partnerships between the public and private sectors could unlock untapped opportunities, while innovative digital strategies could amplify Nigeria's unique attractions to a global audience. New Telegraph
• Emerging markets like Southeast Asia and Africa are capturing attention for their growth potential, presenting untapped opportunities for developers and investors alike. Lets dig deeper

Last updated: 20 January 2025