Economic

Most Greeks have never used AI at work

A new Focus Bari survey shows that AI is still unfamiliar territory for most Greeks.

Although more than eight in ten have heard of AI, 68 percent say they have never used it professionally. The study highlights that Greece integrates AI into its workplace more slowly than many other countries.

The survey covered 21 nations and found that 83 percent of Greeks know about AI, compared with 17 percent who do not. Only 35 percent feel well-informed, while about one in three admits to knowing little about the technology.

Similar trends appear worldwide, with Switzerland, Mexico, and Romania leading in AI awareness, while countries like Nigeria, Japan, and Australia show limited familiarity.

Globally, almost half of respondents use AI in their everyday lives, yet only one in three applies it in their work. In Greece, that gap remains wide, suggesting that AI is still seen as a distant concept rather than a professional tool.

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UNESCO surveys women on AI fairness and safety

UNESCO’s Office for the Caribbean has launched a regional survey examining gender and AI, titled Perception of AI Fairness and Online Safety among Women and Girls in the Caribbean. The initiative addresses the lack of data on how women and girls experience technology, AI, and online violence in the region.

Results will guide policy recommendations to promote human rights and safer digital environments.

The 2025 survey is part of a broader UNESCO effort to understand AI’s impact on gender equality. It covers gender-based online violence, generative AI’s implications for privacy, and potential biases in large AI models.

The findings will be used to develop a regional policy brief compared with global data.

UNESCO encourages participation from women and girls across the Caribbean, highlighting that community input is vital for shaping effective AI policies. A one-day workshop on 10 December 2025 will equip young women with skills to navigate AI safely.

The initiative aims to position the Caribbean as a leader in ensuring AI respects dignity, equality, and human rights.

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Rare but real, mental health risks at ChatGPT scale

OpenAI says a small share of ChatGPT users show possible signs of mental health emergencies each week, including mania, psychosis, or suicidal thoughts. The company estimates 0.07 percent and says safety prompts are triggered. Critics argue that small percentages scale at ChatGPT’s size.

A further 0.15 percent of weekly users discuss explicit indicators of potential suicidal planning or intent. Updates aim to respond more safely and empathetically, and to flag indirect self-harm signals. Sensitive chats can be routed to safer models in a new window.

More than 170 clinicians across 60 countries advise OpenAI on risk cues and responses. Guidance focuses on encouraging users to seek real-world support. Researchers warn vulnerable people may struggle to act on on-screen warnings.

External specialists see both value and limits. AI may widen access when services are stretched, yet automated advice can mislead. Risks include reinforcing delusions and misplaced trust in authoritative-sounding output.

Legal and public scrutiny is rising after high-profile cases linked to chatbot interactions. Families and campaigners want more transparent accountability and stronger guardrails. Regulators continue to debate transparency, escalation pathways, and duty of care.

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New AI boards help Pinterest users refine taste and shop

Pinterest is giving boards an AI upgrade, adding smarter recommendations, fresher layouts, and built-in shopping to help users move from ideas to action worldwide over the coming months.

New tabs tailor each board: Make it yours for fashion and some home decor, More ideas for categories like beauty or recipes, and All saves as a single place to find everything previously pinned.

In the US and Canada, Styled for you creates dynamic AI collages from saved fashion Pins, letting people mix and match apparel and accessories, preview outfits, and shop items that fit their taste.

Pinterest is also testing Boards made for you, personalised boards curated with editorial input and AI picks, delivered to home feeds and inboxes, featuring trending styles, weekly outfit ideas, and shoppable looks.

Executives say boards remain central to Pinterest’s experience; the new AI features aim to act like a personal shopping assistant while keeping curation simple and privacy-respecting by design.

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OpenAI and Microsoft sign new $135 billion agreement to deepen AI partnership

Microsoft and OpenAI have signed a new agreement that marks the next phase of their long-standing partnership, deepening ties first formed in 2019.

The updated deal builds on years of collaboration in advancing responsible AI, positioning both organisations for long-term success while introducing new structural and operational changes.

Under the new arrangement, Microsoft supports OpenAI’s transition into a public benefit corporation (PBC) and recapitalisation. The technology giant now holds an investment valued at around $135 billion, representing about 27 percent of OpenAI Group PBC on an as-converted diluted basis.

Despite OpenAI’s recent funding rounds, Microsoft previously held a 32.5 percent stake in the for-profit entity.

The partnership maintains Microsoft’s exclusive rights to OpenAI’s frontier models and Azure API until artificial general intelligence (AGI) is achieved, but also introduces several new terms. Once AGI is declared, an independent panel will verify it.

Microsoft’s intellectual property rights are extended through 2032, including models developed after AGI with safety conditions. OpenAI may now co-develop certain products with third parties, while retaining the option to serve non-API products on any cloud provider.

OpenAI will purchase an additional $250 billion worth of Azure services, although Microsoft will no longer hold first-refusal rights for compute supply. The new framework allows both organisations to innovate independently, with Microsoft permitted to pursue AGI independently or with other partners.

The updated agreement reflects a more flexible collaboration that balances independence, growth, and shared innovation.

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UK retail investors can now access crypto ETNs

The FCA has lifted the ban on retail access to certain crypto exchange trade notes (cETNs), effective 8 October. UK consumers can now invest in cETNs listed on the Official List and traded on a Recognised Investment Exchange.

Firms offering cETNs must meet strict requirements. Products are categorised as Restricted Mass Market Investments (RMMIs), meaning financial promotions cannot include incentives, and firms must carry out appropriateness assessments, client categorisation, and risk disclosures.

Compliance with the Consumer Duty is also required, including acting in good faith, avoiding foreseeable harm, and ensuring products meet the needs of the target market.

The FCA emphasises that cETNs are complex products, and firms should have the correct permissions to offer them. Those seeking authorisation or new permissions can request pre-application support meetings.

The regulator is also advancing its crypto roadmap to integrate crypto assets more fully into its regulatory framework, with ongoing consultations on applying Handbook rules to crypto activities.

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Yuan says AI ‘digital twins’ could trim meetings and the workweek

AI could shorten the workweek, says Zoom’s Eric Yuan. At TechCrunch Disrupt, he pitched AI ‘digital twins’ that attend meetings, negotiate drafts, and triage email, arguing assistants will shoulder routine tasks so humans focus on judgement.

Yuan has already used an AI avatar on an investor call to show how a stand-in can speak on your behalf. He said Zoom will keep investing heavily in assistants that understand context, prioritise messages, and draft responses.

Use cases extend beyond meetings. Yuan described counterparts sending their digital twins to hash out deal terms before principals join to resolve open issues, saving hours of live negotiation and accelerating consensus across teams and time zones.

Zoom plans to infuse AI across its suite, including whiteboards and collaborative docs, so work moves even when people are offline. Yuan said assistants will surface what matters, propose actions, and help execute routine workflows securely.

If adoption scales, Yuan sees schedules changing. He floated a five-year goal where many knowledge workers shift to three or four days a week, with AI increasing throughput, reducing meeting load, and improving focus time across organisations.

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Google commits to long-term power deal as NextEra advances nuclear restart

NextEra Energy and Google have launched a major collaboration to accelerate nuclear energy deployment in the United States, anchored by the planned restart of the Duane Arnold Energy Centre in Iowa. The plant has been offline since 2020 and is slated to be back online by early 2029.

Under their agreement, Google will purchase the plant’s energy output through a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA). Additionally, NextEra plans to acquire the remaining minority stakes in Duane Arnold to gain full ownership.

Central Iowa Power Cooperative, which currently holds part of the facility, will secure the output under the same terms.

As the energy needs of AI and cloud computing infrastructure surge, the Duane Arnold partnership positions nuclear power as a reliable, carbon-free baseload resource.

The revival is expected to bring substantial economic benefits: thousands of direct and indirect jobs during construction and operation, and over US$9 billion in regional economic impact.

Beyond Iowa, Google and NextEra will explore broader nuclear development opportunities across the US, including next-generation technologies to meet long-term demand.

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IBM unveils Digital Asset Haven for secure institutional blockchain management

IBM has introduced Digital Asset Haven, a unified platform designed for banks, corporations, and governments to securely manage and scale their digital asset operations. The platform manages the full asset lifecycle from custody to settlement while maintaining compliance.

Built with Dfns, the platform combines IBM’s security framework with Dfns’ custody technology. The Dfns platform supports 15 million wallets for 250 clients, providing multi-party authorisation, policy governance, and access to over 40 blockchains.

IBM Digital Asset Haven includes tools for identity verification, crime prevention, yield generation, and developer-friendly APIs for extra services. Security features include Multi-Party Computation, HSM-based signing, and quantum-safe cryptography to ensure compliance and resilience.

According to IBM’s Tom McPherson, the platform gives clients ‘the opportunity to enter and expand into the digital asset space backed by IBM’s level of security and reliability.’ Dfns CEO Clarisse Hagège said the partnership builds infrastructure to scale digital assets from pilots to global use.

IBM plans to roll out Digital Asset Haven via SaaS and hybrid models in late 2025, with on-premises deployment expected in 2026.

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Amazon plans up to 30,000 corporate job cuts as AI automation expands

Beginning Tuesday, Amazon plans to cut up to 30,000 corporate roles, nearly 10% of its white-collar workforce, to reduce costs after pandemic over-hiring.

Cuts may hit human resources, operations, devices and services, and Amazon Web Services. According to people familiar with the policy, the company has also tightened office-attendance rules; employees who are not swiping in daily have been told they are considered to have resigned without severance.

Analysts say AI-driven productivity gains and the need to fund long-term AI infrastructure are key factors behind the reductions in staff. Executives have indicated that greater use of automation and AI to handle routine tasks will drive further reductions.

Internal planning papers reported in US media suggest the company could avoid hiring more than 500,000 US workers by 2033, yielding around $12.6 billion in savings between 2025 and 2027.

The scale and timing of the layoffs could change as financial priorities evolve. Separately, Amazon still expects a busy holiday period and plans to hire 250,000 seasonal workers for warehouses and fulfilment roles unrelated to the corporate cuts.

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