The WTO launched the 2025 World Trade Report, under the title ‘Making trade and AI work together to the benefit of all’. The report argues that AI could potentially boost global trade by up to 37% and GDP by 12–13% by 2040, particularly through digitally deliverable services. It notes that AI can lower trade costs, improve supply-chain efficiency, and create opportunities for small firms and developing countries, but warns that without deliberate action, AI could deepen global inequalities and widen the gap between advanced and developing economies.
The report underscores need for investment in areas such as digital infrastructure, energy, skills, and enabling policies, while highlighting the importance of IP protection, competition frameworks, and government support.
A newly developed indicator, the WTO AI Trade Policy Openness Index (AI-TPOI) revealed significant variation in AI-related trade policies across and within income groups. It assessed three policy areas relevant to AI diffusion: barriers to services trade, restrictions on trade in AI-enabling goods, and limitations on cross-border data flows.
Stronger multilateral cooperation and targeted capacity-building were presented as essential to ensure AI-enabled trade supports inclusive, sustainable prosperity rather than reinforcing existing divides.
NVIDIA and the UK are accelerating plans to build the nation’s AI infrastructure, positioning the country as a hub for AI innovation, jobs and research.
The partnership, announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang earlier in the year, has already resulted in commitments worth up to £11 billion.
A rollout that includes AI factories equipped with 120,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs across UK data centres, supporting projects such as OpenAI’s Stargate UK.
NVIDIA partner Nscale will host 60,000 of these GPUs domestically while expanding its global capacity to 300,000. Microsoft, CoreWeave and other partners are also investing in advanced supercomputing facilities, with new projects announced in England and Scotland.
NVIDIA is working with Oxford Quantum Circuits and other research institutions to integrate AI and quantum technologies in a collaboration that extends to quantum computing.
Universities in Edinburgh and Oxford are advancing GPU-driven quantum error correction and AI-controlled quantum hardware, highlighting the UK’s growing role in cutting-edge science.
To prepare the workforce, NVIDIA has joined forces with techUK and QA to provide training programmes and AI skills development.
The government has framed the initiative as a foundation for economic resilience, job creation and sovereign AI capability, aiming to place Britain at the forefront of the AI industrial revolution.
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The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved new generic listing standards for exchange-traded products that hold spot commodities, including digital assets. Exchanges can now list and trade Commodity-Based Trust Shares without submitting a separate SEC rule change.
SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins said the move aims to maintain America’s capital markets as a leading hub for digital asset innovation. The decision is expected to increase investor choice and streamline access to digital asset products.
Jamie Selway, Director of the Division of Trading and Markets, highlighted that the approval offers clear regulatory guidance and ensures investor protections while making it easier for products to reach the market.
Alongside the generic standards, the SEC approved the Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund listing, which tracks the CoinDesk 5 Index of spot digital assets.
The regulator also authorised p.m.-settled options on the Cboe Bitcoin US ETF Index and the Mini-Cboe Bitcoin US ETF Index with multiple expiration formats.
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Zuckerberg’s Meta has unveiled a new generation of smart glasses powered by AI at its annual Meta Connect conference in California. Working with Ray-Ban and Oakley, the company introduced devices including the Meta Ray-Ban Display and the Oakley Meta Vanguard.
These glasses are designed to bring the Meta AI assistant into daily use instead of being confined to phones or computers.
The Ray-Ban Display comes with a colour lens screen for video calls and messaging and a 12-megapixel camera, and will sell for $799. It can be paired with a neural wristband that enables tasks through hand gestures.
Meta also presented $499 Oakley Vanguard glasses aimed at sports fans and launched a second generation of its Ray-Ban Meta glasses at $379. Around two million smart glasses have been sold since Meta entered the market in 2023.
Analysts see the glasses as a more practical way of introducing AI to everyday life than the firm’s costly Metaverse project. Yet many caution that Meta must prove the benefits outweigh the price.
Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg described the technology as a scientific breakthrough. He said it forms part of Meta’s vast AI investment programme, which includes massive data centres and research into artificial superintelligence.
The launch came as activists protested outside Meta’s New York headquarters, accusing the company of neglecting children’s safety. Former safety researchers also told the US Senate that Meta ignored evidence of harm caused by its VR products, claims the company has strongly denied.
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The US tech giant, Google, has introduced a new experimental app for Windows that combines web search, file discovery and Google Lens in a single interface.
The tool, known as the Google app for Windows, is part of Search Labs and is designed to allow users to find information faster instead of interrupting their workflow.
An app that can be launched instantly using the Alt+Space shortcut, opening a Spotlight-like bar similar to Apple’s macOS. Users can search local files, installed applications, Google Drive content and web results. It supports multiple modes, including AI-generated answers, images, videos, shopping and news.
A dark mode is available for those who prefer night-time use, and the search bar can be resized or repositioned on the desktop instead of staying fixed.
Google has also built its Lens technology, allowing users to select and search images directly on screen, translate text or solve mathematical problems. An AI Mode offers detailed replies, though it can be disabled or customised through the settings menu.
The experimental app is currently limited to English-speaking users in the US and requires Windows 10 or Windows 11. Google has not yet confirmed when it will expand availability to more regions.
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The World Economic Forum (WEF) has published an article on using trade policy to build a fairer digital economy. Digital services now make up over half of global exports, with AI investment projected at $252 billion in 2024. Countries from Kenya to the UAE are positioning as digital hubs, but job quality still lags.
Millions of platform workers face volatile pay, lack of contracts, and no access to social protections. In Kenya alone, 1.9 million people rely on digital work yet face algorithm-driven pay systems and sudden account deactivations. India and the Philippines show similar patterns.
AI threatens to automate lower-skilled tasks such as data annotation and moderation, deepening insecurity in sectors where many developing countries have found a competitive edge. Ethical standards exist but have little impact without enforcement or supportive regulation.
Countries are experimenting with reforms: Singapore now mandates injury compensation and retirement savings for platform workers, while the Rider Law in Spain reclassifies food couriers as employees. Yet overly strict regulation risks eroding the flexibility that attracts youth and caregivers to gig work.
Trade agreements, such as the AfCFTA and the Kenya–EU pact, could embed labour protections in digital markets. Coordinated policies and tripartite dialogue are essential to ensure the digital economy delivers growth, fairness, and dignity for workers.
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The research shows adoption is widening across demographics, with women now making up more than half of identified users. Growth has been particularly strong in low- and middle-income countries, where adoption rates have risen over four times faster than in wealthier nations.
Most ChatGPT conversations focus on practical help, with three-quarters of usage related to tasks such as writing, seeking information, or planning. Around half of interactions are advisory in nature, while a smaller share is devoted to coding or personal expression.
The study found 30% of consumer usage is work-related, with the rest tied to personal activities. Researchers argue the AI tool boosts productivity and supports decision-making, creating value not always captured by economic measures like GDP.
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PostFinance, Sygnum Bank and UBS, under the Swiss Bankers Association, have successfully tested a deposit token on a public blockchain. For the first time, banks completed a legally binding cross-bank payment with tokenised deposits, a breakthrough for Switzerland’s financial sector.
The proof of concept (PoC) explored how bank deposits can be represented on blockchain to enable faster, programmable and fully automated payments. Smart contracts on the system allow transactions to be triggered only when agreed conditions are met, reducing risk while increasing efficiency.
Use cases tested included payments between customers of different banks and escrow-style settlements for tokenised assets.
Results confirm that deposit tokens are technically and legally feasible across banks when combined with a public blockchain and permissioned applications. Such infrastructure could enable automated insurance settlements, instant securities trading, and machine-to-machine payments.
Industry leaders stressed that while the PoC proves feasibility, scaling will require broader cooperation with other institutions, regulators and infrastructure providers.
Project representatives described the work as a decisive step toward digital money innovation in Switzerland, reinforcing the country’s role as a pioneer in blockchain-based finance.
The Swiss Bankers Association confirmed that the project aligns with its strategic focus on digital currencies, though the results do not yet mean deposit tokens will be formally launched.
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American Express has introduced a suite of digital tools designed to make travel easier, smarter, and more personalised for Card Members. The new Amex Travel App™ brings planning, booking, and trip management into one platform.
It offers curated destinations, smart planning tools, and easy booking for flights, hotels, and car rentals. The app will be available to iOS users from 18 September, with Android following shortly after.
The company has also launched Amex Passport, enabling US Card Members to collect digital Stamps commemorating international trips. Each Stamp is stored on a public blockchain, allowing users to preserve and share their travel history as unique digital keepsakes.
The feature caters to travellers seeking new ways to celebrate past journeys and share highlights with friends and family.
Enhancements have also been made to Centurion Lounge services, including estimated wait times on the Digital Waitlist, allowing Card Members to plan visits more efficiently.
These updates form part of American Express’ commitment to evolving the premium travel experience, ensuring every stage of the journey, from inspiration to post-trip memories- is smoother, personalised, and more memorable.
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The Indonesia Investment Authority (INA), the country’s sovereign wealth fund, is sharpening its focus on digital infrastructure, healthcare and renewable energy as it seeks to attract foreign partners and strengthen national development.
The fund, created in 2021 with $5 billion in state capital, now manages assets worth around $10 billion and is expanding its scope beyond equity into hybrid capital and private credit.
Chief investment officer Christopher Ganis said data centres and supporting infrastructure, such as sub-sea cables, were key priorities as the government emphasises data independence and resilience.
INA has already teamed up with Singapore-based Granite Asia to invest over $1.2 billion in Indonesia’s technology and AI ecosystem, including a new data centre campus in Batam. Ganis added that AI would be applied first in healthcare instead of rushing into broader adoption.
Renewables also remain central to INA’s strategy, with its partnership alongside Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Clean Energy in Pertamina Geothermal Energy cited as a strong performer.
Ganis said Asia’s reliance on bank financing highlights the need for INA’s support in cross-border growth, since domestic banks cannot always facilitate overseas expansion.
Despite growing global ambitions, INA will prioritise projects directly linked to Indonesia. Ganis stressed that it must deliver benefits at home instead of directing capital into ventures without a clear link to the country’s future.
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