International Chamber of Commerce: Gabriel Petrus on G20 and MC13 | ILO: Janine Berg on AI and the Future of Work | UNDP: Robert Opp on the Summit of the Future
Plus Interview with French Startup EX9 on Logistics and Supply Management | International Chamber of Commerce: Gabriel Petrus on G20 and MC13
Interview with Janine Berg, ILO economist on AI impact on the world of work.
Interview with UNDP Chief Digital Officer Robert Opp and Laura Hildebrandt, on the ongoing programs to support digital transformation and resilience.
Interview with Gabriel Petrus, ICC, on the G20 and MC13.
Tech News round-up. AI/AR/VR.
When All You Need is a Mere $7 Trillion USD. On Sam Altman ambitions.
Jobs in Brussels: UK Mission to the EU, Digital and Tech Attaché.
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ILO: AI impact in the World of Work
In this interview with Janine Berg, economist at the International Labor Organization, we make a 360 on the impact of AI in jobs, how the UN and its agencies are using AI, and her participation at a panel on the Future of Work during the Cannes AI Festival.
Watch my interview with Janine Berg, ILO economist.
Listen to my interview with Janine Berg, ILO economist.
ILO Study on Generative AI and jobs: a global analysis of potential effects on job quantity and quality
Source: ILO Website
Presentation of study by Janine Berg, Economist, ILO, December 2023
UNDP
Supporting Digital Transformation in Small Island Developing States
Interview with Robert Opp, Chief Digital Officer at UNDP and Laura Hildebrandt, Digital Transformation Lead at UNDP Office in the Caribbean, based in Barbados.
Barbados: UNDP Spearheads Sustainable Development Initiatives
Barbados, a small island nation nestled in the Eastern Caribbean, is making significant strides in sustainable development in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The UNDP Multi-Country Office (MCO), hosted by Barbados, serves as a hub for sustainable development initiatives, extending its support to seven independent countries and three British Overseas Territories in the Eastern Caribbean.
Focusing on climate resilience and data-driven decision-making for citizen security, the UNDP's advisory services in Barbados are wide-ranging. During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNDP has collaborated closely with the government, UNICEF and UN Women, to produce the Human and Economic Assessment of Impact (HEAT) Report.
This collaboration has led to programs aimed at accelerating post-pandemic recovery and safeguarding the country's socio-economic fabric. Initiatives like the "eFUTURE" platform support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in transitioning to digital business models, essential for resilience and growth.
The UNDP Accelerator Lab in Barbados pioneers solutions for challenges in key sectors like fisheries, waste management, tourism, and marine conservation. Collaborative efforts with local institutions, such as the University of the West Indies, further enhance understanding and development in the blue economy.
International Chamber of Commerce on G20
Interview with Gabriel Petrus, Global Head of Strategic Partnerships, ICC
Brazil's G20 Presidency: Can Business Bridge the Global Divide?
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) sees a unique opportunity for Brazil's G20 presidency to bridge the gap between advanced economies and the Global South. The ICC is a one-hundred year old organization, with headquarters in Paris.
More than 70% of its members are from developing countries.
I interviewed Gabrel Petrus, Global Head of Strategic Partnerships at the ICC in Paris, to speak about his recent meetings with Brazilian government leaders, Argentina’s new administration and the private sector.
He met with Argentina’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Brazil’s Minister of Finance Fernando Haddad, and private sector companies to discuss the B20 agenda for the G20 and the work ahead in partnership with ICC.
Focus was G20 presidency and international cooperation. What we discussed:
Listen to my interview with Gabriel Petrus, ICC.
Watch
Autonomous Driving Solving Climate Change
EX9
EX9, a French technology start-up, combines autonomous electric robot-tractors with autopilot software, for efficient, sustainable, and safe operations in logistics supply chains. Its first client is DHL EMEA's Supply Chain division.
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The logistics sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and EX9's electric robot-tractors help reduce emissions by up to 90% compared to traditional diesel counterparts.
Handling heavy loads and maneuvering in complex environments can be challenging and potentially hazardous for workers. EX9's robots automate these tasks, improving safety and reducing the risk of accidents.
EX9's robots can operate 24/7 without breaks, increasing productivity and reducing downtime. They also optimize fleet usage and route planning, further enhancing efficiency. Workers will be likely displaced, unless of course they train to operate these robots. The upside, their work is backbreaking, so automation in this case is welcome, not only for productivity but for health and safety.
I interview one of the co-founders, Ksenia Duarte. She tells me there is shortage of workers for these kind of jobs, so their worry is not displacing a workforce but training new entrants on the skills to use the software and manage the robots.
On Media Theory
Are You Game? Gilles Bertheau on the intellectual history of games and gaming.
All that good AI / AR / VR
New York Times to deploy Gen AI ad tool, reports AXIOS.
Ina Fried interviews the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on his visit to Silicon Valley.
Nice Job If You Can Have It, Digital and Tech Attaché, UK Mission, in Brussels
Chips Rule the World
When you need $7 trillion dollars to be taken seriously. WSJ review of Sam Altman’s announcement. Or is it a distraction, reports Business Insider Katie Notopoulos.
To put it all in perspective….
Source: Business Insider
$23.36 trillion: US gross domestic product
$6.3 trillion: the US federal budget for 2022 fiscal year
$2.31 trillion: the cost of the US's war in Afghanistan as of 2022
$4 trillion: US's cost for World War II, adjusted for inflation
$964.4 billion: holiday shopping in 2023
$330 billion: the cost of ending world hunger by 2030
$4.23 trillion: gross domestic product of Japan
$3.08 trillion: Microsoft's market cap
$794.7 billion: 2023 US public school spending on K-12
$32 trillion to $44 trillion: estimated cost of 10 years of universal healthcare in the US
$1.48 trillion: the market value of all residential and commercial real estate in NYC