Search Results for: governments

Not just cuckoo clocks. Why Switzerland is the world’s most innovative country

Not just cuckoo clocks. Why Switzerland is the world’s most innovative country

by • Business, News, Technology

Switzerland retains its long-standing position as the world’s most innovative economy, followed closely by the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and SingaporeIn Orson Welles’ famous scene-stealing cameo in The Third Man, his character Harry Lime comes out with that (in)famous speech about Swiss culture. “In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance,” he says. “In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.” This does the Swiss a disservice in a number of ways, not least that a major new report claims that Switzerland is maintaining a long tradition as the most innovative country in the world. (more…)

Global commission on healthy indoor air launches at United Nations

Global commission on healthy indoor air launches at United Nations

by • Facilities management, News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

The Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air has been formed to drive action on indoor air qualityA new international initiative was launched in New York during Climate Week to address what experts describe as one of the most overlooked public health issues of our time. The Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air has been formed to drive action on indoor air quality, bringing together nearly 170 leaders from over 30 countries across health, academia, business and the built environment. The Commission was announced at a United Nations side event and is backed by the International WELL Building Institute. Its members include former United States Surgeon General Dr Richard Carmona, leading scientists and researchers, deans of major universities, as well as executives and sustainability leaders from real estate, technology, and manufacturing. Architecture, engineering and building science are also strongly represented, reflecting the cross-disciplinary nature of the challenge. (more…)

Carbon capture could help turn CO2 into fuels, chemicals and building materials

Carbon capture could help turn CO2 into fuels, chemicals and building materials

by • Environment, News

The report, Defossilizing Industry: Considerations for Scaling-up Carbon Capture and Utilization Pathways, outlines how industries could transform captured carbon dioxide into fuels, chemicals and building materialsA new report from the World Economic Forum warns that current plans for carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) fall well short of what is needed to meet global climate goals. The study, launched today in collaboration with Wood Mackenzie, concludes that planned CCU projects represent only around six percent of the scale required by 2040 to align with international targets. The report, Defossilizing Industry: Considerations for Scaling-up Carbon Capture and Utilization Pathways, outlines how industries could transform captured carbon dioxide into fuels, chemicals and building materials, creating new markets while cutting emissions. It argues that CCU has the potential to convert carbon from a liability into an asset, generating jobs and value chains across multiple sectors. However, it warns that without stronger policy signals and investment, the opportunity will remain unrealised. (more…)

Merck scraps plans for £1 billion London research centre in blow to life sciences sector

Merck scraps plans for £1 billion London research centre in blow to life sciences sector

by • News, Property

US pharmaceutical company Merck, known as MSD in Europe, has withdrawn a planned £1 billion investment in a new discovery centre in London, citing the UK’s challenging environment for life sciencesUS pharmaceutical company Merck, known as MSD in Europe, has withdrawn a planned £1 billion investment in a new discovery centre in London, citing the UK’s challenging environment for life sciences. The decision will result in the closure of discovery research operations in the country and the loss of 125 jobs, although other research activities will continue. The facility, a 25,000 square foot headquarters in the Knowledge Quarter near King’s Cross, had been under construction and was due to open in 2027. The cancellation comes at a time when the government has identified life sciences as a key growth sector in its industrial strategy, with ambitions to make the UK Europe’s leading life sciences economy by 2030 and the third most significant globally by 2035. (more…)

Large companies see slowdown in adoption of AI tools

Large companies see slowdown in adoption of AI tools

by • AI, News

Drawing on the US Census Bureau’s fortnightly survey of more than one million firms, the research shows a downward trend in reported adoption of AI tools among businesses with 250 or more employeesNew analysis from Apollo Academy suggests that large organisations may be losing momentum in their use of artificial intelligence tools. Drawing on the US Census Bureau’s fortnightly survey of more than one million firms, the research shows a downward trend in reported adoption among businesses with 250 or more employees. The survey asks firms whether they have used AI tools in the previous two weeks, including machine learning, natural language processing, virtual agents and voice recognition. While overall use of AI across the economy has grown steadily in recent years, the latest figures indicate that the largest companies are no longer leading the charge. Instead, their adoption rates appear to have stalled or declined slightly. (more…)

Why winning the AI race starts with workforce readiness

Why winning the AI race starts with workforce readiness

by • AI, Comment, Workplace

While AI is heralded as a transformative force across industries, a quieter challenge threatens to slow its momentum: the growing shortage of skilled AI professionals. Behind the buzz of breakthroughs lies a stark reality — companies are racing to adopt AI, but many are leaving their people behind. Recent data shows the skills required for AI-exposed jobs are evolving 66 percent faster than for other roles — a dramatic leap from just 25 percent a year ago. The demand for AI talent is surging in the UK, where the job market is cooling off. Yet, as job postings requiring AI skills continue to climb, this only underscores a critical imbalance felt across the job market. (more…)

Small changes to AI LLMs could cut energy use by 90 percent, claims UNESCO report

Small changes to AI LLMs could cut energy use by 90 percent, claims UNESCO report

by • AI, Environment, News

A new report from UNESCO and University College London claims that relatively minor changes in the way AI large language models (LLMs) are built and used can reduce their energy consumption by up to 90 percent without compromising performanceA new report from UNESCO and University College London claims that relatively minor changes in the way large language models (LLMs) are built and used can reduce their energy consumption by up to 90 percent without compromising performance. The report highlights the growing energy demands of generative AI systems and calls for a shift in approach to make them more sustainable. According to UNESCO, the annual energy footprint of generative AI is already equivalent to that of a low-income country, and continues to rise. (more…)

Co-working spaces bring a whole range of benefits for employees and communities

Co-working spaces bring a whole range of benefits for employees and communities

by • Comment, Flexible working, Property, Workplace design

Today’s co-working spaces have evolved into something more powerful – particularly in a world still reshuffling office work practices in the wake of the COVID pandemic.When you think of co-working spaces – where workers from different industries come together to share a convenient workplace – you might picture a group of young freelancers hunched over laptops. But today’s co-working spaces have evolved into something more powerful – particularly in a world still reshuffling office work practices in the wake of the COVID pandemic. As workplaces adapt to new ways of operating, from hybrid to “digital nomadism”, co-working spaces can do more than simply offer flexibility. They can support workers’ wellbeing and work–life balance by enhancing a sense of community, building trust and new friendships, and encouraging continuous learning. (more…)

We may think we are pretty aware of the effects of AI. But posterity may draw different conclusions

We may think we are pretty aware of the effects of AI. But posterity may draw different conclusions

by • AI, Comment, Wellbeing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the world around us at breakneck speed, unlocking opportunities we could not have even imagined a few years ago. But with its potential comes an immense set of challenges. How we handle this transformation will define the future of our workplaces, economies, and societies. Recent events, including Trump’s revocation of Biden’s executive order addressing AI risks, Labour’s ambitious plans to integrate AI across the UK, and Facebook’s unsettling U-turn on content moderation, highlight the urgent need for businesses to take an ethical, informed, and responsible approach to AI adoption. (more…)

Emotion tracking tech in the workplace puts people’s wellbeing at risk

Emotion tracking tech in the workplace puts people’s wellbeing at risk

by • AI, News, Wellbeing

A new report from the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) explores the increasing use of affective computing in the workplace.A new report from the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) explores the increasing use of affective computing in the workplace. Affective computing is a branch of artificial intelligence which focuses on recognising and responding to human emotions through technologies like biometric sensors, emotion-tracking software, and wearable devices. Once primarily used in consumer products, these systems are now finding applications in the workplace, often marketed as tools to enhance safety, productivity, and employee wellbeing. The use of AI-powered technologies that monitor and interpret employees’ emotions and behaviours is known as Algorithmic Affect Management (AAM) and is rapidly transforming the landscape of employment, raising significant questions about privacy, ethics, and the future of work, according to the report. (more…)

Slow progress on sustainable buildings, RICS report claims

Slow progress on sustainable buildings, RICS report claims

by • News

While demand for sustainable buildings and investment remains steady, particularly in regions such as Europe, significant gaps persist in terms of skills, knowledge, and financial incentivesThe latest sustainability report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) highlights the continued challenge of embedding sustainable practices within the built environment, despite some signs of progress. While demand for sustainable buildings and investment remains steady, particularly in regions such as Europe, significant gaps persist in terms of skills, knowledge, and financial incentives. (more…)

Government says launch of Skills England will transform the economy

Government says launch of Skills England will transform the economy

by • News, Workplace

Skills England is intended to collaborate with central and local governments, businesses, training providers, and unions to address the skills needs of the next decade nationwidePrime Minister Keir Starmer and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson have unveiled Skills England, an initiative designed to unify the fragmented skills landscape and foster a cohesive national ambition to enhance the nation’s skills. Richard Pennycook CBE, former chief executive of the Co-operative Group and lead non-executive director at the Department for Education (DfE), has been appointed as the interim Chair of the new body. (more…)

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