Artificial Intelligence | Can AI Really Coach Like a Human? This Live Experiment Put It to the Test
Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman predicts most white‑collar tasks will be automated within 12‑18 months, sparking debate over AI’s ability to replace human coaches. HR Grapevine witnessed a live experiment where myAgentsAI’s AI avatar "Maya" coached an actor‑played manager alongside veteran ICF Master Coach Eli Blair. Three expert judges evaluated both sessions on problem‑digging and solution quality. While Maya offered direct, role‑play‑focused guidance, she lacked the warmth and empathy typical of human coaching.
This Serial Entrepreneur Wants The FDA To Approve His AI Doctor
Serial entrepreneur Martin Varsavsky is launching Certuma, a startup aiming to create the first FDA‑approved AI doctor. The company raised $10 million in seed funding at a $60 million valuation and is targeting 25 low‑risk conditions such as UTIs and sore throats....
The European Banking Sector Enters Period of Geopolitical Uncertainty From a Position of Strength
The European Banking Authority’s Q4 2025 Risk Dashboard confirms that the EU‑EEA banking sector remains well‑capitalised and liquid despite heightened geopolitical risk from the Middle East conflict. Direct exposure to the region totals €132 bn, less than 0.5 % of banks’ assets, while...
GoWit & Futura DDB Form Exclusive Retail Media Partnership in the Adriatic
GoWit and Futura DDB have announced an exclusive retail‑media partnership covering Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Macedonia. The deal combines GoWit’s AI‑first omnichannel commerce platform with Futura DDB’s regional creative and market expertise, delivering a unified dashboard for multi‑market campaign...
Training Room Partners UBU to Launch AI-Powered Training Platform
Training Room Online (TTRO) has teamed with AI‑driven metaverse firm UBU to launch Red Horizon, an immersive 3‑D simulation platform for corporate leaders, university students and early‑career programs. The system combines TTRO’s simulation pedigree with UBU’s virtual environment, featuring an...
Zoom Rejuvenates Its Platform and the Company with New Agentic AI Capabilities
Zoom unveiled a suite of agentic AI tools that embed workflow automation into meetings, calls, chat, and contact‑center interactions. The rollout adds no‑code AI agents that act across third‑party platforms such as Salesforce, Slack and ServiceNow, plus AI‑powered Docs, Sheets...
Parliamentary Group Warns Misuse of NDAs Undermines Workplace Trust
A cross‑party parliamentary roundtable warned that non‑disclosure agreements (NDAs) are being misused to conceal workplace harassment and discrimination, eroding trust and accountability. While NDAs can have legitimate uses, evidence showed 79% of employees who report misconduct face retaliation and 43%...
미스트랄, 기업 맞춤형 AI 모델 구축 플랫폼 ‘포지’ 공개…자체 데이터 학습 지원
Mistral unveiled Forge, a platform that lets enterprises train and fine‑tune AI models using their own data. The service covers pre‑training, post‑training and reinforcement learning while guaranteeing data and model ownership. Companies such as ASML, Ericsson and the European Space...
UK Home Insurers Face Losses as Costs and Competition Rise
UK home insurers are projected to post a Net Combined Ratio of 103% in 2026, slipping back into loss‑making territory after a brief profitability rebound in 2025. Premiums are expected to fall about 3%, lowering the average policy price to...
10 Things Keeping IT Leaders up at Night
CIOs are juggling long‑standing uptime worries with a surge of AI‑related challenges. Cybersecurity, especially third‑party risk, remains the top nightmare, while data security and privacy grow more complex as AI deployments accelerate. Leaders must embed AI responsibly at scale, align...
Adnan Zaylani Mohamad Zahid: Opening Remarks - Financing Sectoral Engagements (FSE) Inaugural Session
Malaysia's central bank highlighted a shrinking current‑account surplus, now under 3% of GDP, and rising external debt. With banks allocating over 60% of loans to households and only 20% to non‑SME corporates, financing for high‑value, capital‑intensive sectors remains limited. The...
Hey Canadians, Want to Build a Pipeline? Your Pension Might Just Help You Do It
Canada’s new government under Finance Minister Mark Carney is eyeing asset recycling – selling a slice of publicly‑owned infrastructure to private investors – to fund its ambitious $280 billion infrastructure budget. Economists estimate that selling just 5% of the $470 billion of...
A Look At The Salaries Of Commercial Widebody Captains At Major US Airlines
In the United States, seniority remains the primary driver of pilot compensation, culminating in widebody captain salaries that range from $300,000 to over $400,000 annually. Only five major carriers—Delta, United, American, Hawaiian, and Alaska—operate scheduled passenger widebody fleets, totaling 576...
'I Did Not Call Myself a Dictator:' Credit-Union CEO
California Coast Credit Union CEO Todd Lane is embroiled in a rare, combative merger dispute with San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU). After SDCCU attempted to renegotiate the April 2025 deal and install its own CEO, Cal Coast sued, alleging breach of the...
Non-Tech-Savvy Startup Founders Can Turn Vibe-Coding Into a Superpower. Here’s How
The author, a former mobile‑ad startup founder, admits that lacking coding skills cost his company a market edge to technically savvy rival AppLovin, which later became a $150 billion S&P 500 giant. After selling his business for $780 million, he discovered a new...
Is Leadership Dead? 7 Ways to Revive Its Branding in Your Organization
Traditional leadership titles are losing appeal among Gen Z and younger millennials, with only 6 % prioritizing senior roles and 74 % favoring autonomy over people‑management. This shift reflects their observation of previous generations enduring relentless work cycles, economic downturns, and stagnant pay,...
How to Knock Down Blocks, Power up Your Pivot Points
Kathleen Wood outlines practical methods for founders to overcome four common blocks—control, trust, belief, and receiving—that hinder scaling at the pivotal moment when a business is too big to be small and too small to be big. She recommends documenting...
Bringing ‘Big Food’ Energy to a Travis Kelce-Backed Cult Brand
Valerie Oswalt took the helm of Kodiak, the protein‑packed pancake and snack brand, in November 2022 after its 2021 acquisition by L Catterton. Drawing on senior roles at Campbell’s and Mondelēz, she introduced corporate‑grade performance reviews, equity incentives and disciplined...
Newly Secures $2M+ in Funding to Advance Native App Creation Platform
Stockholm‑based Newly, formerly Natively, announced a funding round exceeding $2 million, led by PSV Tech and supported by several venture firms and angel investors. The capital will accelerate its AI‑powered platform that lets users build, iterate, and launch fully compliant native...
The Operational Tempo Driving Private Equity CIOs
Private equity‑backed companies are forcing CIOs to compress multi‑year digital transformations into a few months, aligning every technology decision with a pre‑defined value‑creation thesis. The role still covers platform modernization, cybersecurity and talent, but the clock starts ticking at deal...
Maha to Acquire Stake in Venezuela's PetroUrdaneta
Swedish investment firm Maha Capital AB announced it will acquire an indirect 24% stake in Venezuela’s PetroUrdaneta, a joint venture operating Maracaibo basin fields. The acquisition follows the U.S. Treasury’s issuance of General License 52, which relaxes sanctions on certain...
BHP Appointment Revives Mining Diversity Concerns
BHP announced Brandon Craig as its new chief executive, surprising investors and sparking renewed debate over gender diversity in mining leadership. The decision passed over two senior female executives—Australia president Geraldine Slattery and CFO Vandita Pant—who were seen as strong...
Iran War Pushes up Miners’ Diesel Costs
The Iran‑Israel conflict has nearly closed the Strait of Hormuz, sending Singapore diesel swaps soaring to about $180 a barrel—almost double pre‑conflict levels. Fortescue Metals Group, the world’s fourth‑largest iron‑ore producer, said a 10‑cent diesel price shift translates to $70 million...
‘Wowzers’ Asda Goes Big for Easter with New Campaign
Asda has launched a new Easter campaign built around its revived “That’s Asda Price” platform, featuring two 20‑second films produced by Lucky Generals. The ads, titled “Easter Bonnet” and “Eggcited you’re here,” portray families creating elaborate celebrations while emphasizing the...
Brewdog Accused of Using ‘Fire and Rehire’ to Reopen Bars
Brewdog entered administration this month, resulting in the loss of 500 jobs and the closure of 38 pubs. Its new owner, Tilray Brands, has announced plans to reopen a handful of locations in Glasgow and Aberdeen, inviting former staff to...
MAC Cosmetics to Combine ‘Social Discovery with In-Store Retail’ via TikTok Shop UK Debut
MAC Cosmetics, owned by Estée Lauder, will debut on TikTok Shop UK next month, turning its London store on Carnaby Street into a live‑broadcast studio. The brand will stream tutorials, product drops and interactive sessions hosted by in‑store makeup artists,...
360 Capital Announces €85M Close for Poli360 2, Targeting €100M
360 Capital has closed €85 million for its second technology‑transfer vehicle, Poli360 2, with a target size of €100 million. The Article 8 SFDR‑compliant fund will back 20‑25 early‑stage deep‑tech startups, allocating at least 80 % of capital to Italy and the remainder across Europe....
Swiss Beauty Launches FRIENDS Themed Makeup with Warner Bros.
Swiss Beauty has teamed with Warner Bros. Discovery to launch a limited‑edition FRIENDS‑themed CRAZE makeup line in India. The collection spans skincare, colour cosmetics and press‑on nails, with prices from roughly $2 for remover wipes to $6 for nail sets....
The Oil Prices You See Do Not Tell Market's Real Story
Three weeks into the Iran‑Israel war, Brent futures have jumped about 50 % to roughly $110 a barrel, yet physical oil prices are rising even faster as supplies tighten. Spot benchmarks such as Oman ($162) and Murban ($145) are soaring, and...
Why Cultural Localisation Is Becoming Essential to Brand Storytelling in the Middle East
The piece argues that cultural localisation has become essential for brand storytelling in the Middle East, illustrated by the Emirati‑origin animated series “Freej” and recent market data. It highlights that the MENA recorded‑music market grew roughly 23% in 2024, driven...
Azerion Promotes ‘Leading DOOH Specialist’ Rebecca Callaghan to Head of Out-of-Home
Azerion has created a new Head of Out‑of‑Home role and promoted Rebecca Callaghan, a recognized DOOH specialist, to lead it. Callaghan brings more than a decade of experience across traditional and programmatic OOH, including prior stints at Yahoo, JCDecaux and...
How to Prevent Altitude Sickness in Benefits Design
Clients pour millions into competitive benefits, yet 61% of employees say offerings miss the mark and high‑value utilization rarely exceeds 30%. The article labels this disconnect "altitude sickness," a cognitive bias where C‑suite priorities ignore frontline security, growth and significance...
Business Entities Outline Risks Middle East Conflict Poses for South Africa
The escalation of the Middle East conflict is expected to ripple through the global economy, pressuring South Africa’s fuel costs, inflation and exchange rates. Business Leadership South Africa’s CEO Busi Mavuso warns that higher diesel prices will strain the mining...
Kevin Greenidge: Shared Seas, Shared Struggles - a Caribbean Perspective on the Challenges Facing Small Island Developing States
Barbados confronted a 2018 crisis with public debt soaring to 179% of GDP and reserves falling to roughly $110 million USD. It introduced the homegrown Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) plan, swiftly moving to a primary surplus, restructuring debt and...
Zero Networks Kubernetes Access Matrix Exposes Hidden Access Paths and Blast Radius
Zero Networks introduced the Kubernetes Access Matrix, a real‑time visual map that displays every allowed and denied network rule inside Kubernetes clusters. The tool automatically discovers existing network policies and presents namespace‑to‑namespace, application‑to‑application, and workload‑to‑workload connections in a single matrix....
Our Whole Way of Thinking About Leadership Is a Century Out of Date
The piece argues that today’s leadership paradigm is still rooted in Frederick Winslow Taylor’s early‑20th‑century scientific management, which treats employees as costs and relies on fear‑based control. Although modern work now hinges on judgment, creativity, and collaboration, many organizations continue...
Airbus Strengthens Cyber Capabilities with Ultra Cyber Acquisition
Airbus has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ultra Cyber Ltd, adding over 200 cyber specialists and a UK‑based centre of excellence to its portfolio. The deal bolsters Airbus Defence and Space’s Connected Intelligence unit and deepens its sovereign cyber...
BCX Backs Chartered CIO Conference 2026
BCX has signed on as a sponsor for the Chartered CIO Conference 2026, scheduled for 11 June at Montecasino’s Ballroom in Fourways. The one‑day event, themed “Resilient. Intelligent. Inclusive: Shaping South Africa’s digital future,” will convene senior CIOs and technology leaders...
Vocento Unlocks Advertising Inventory Value with Opti Digital Demand Hub
Vocento, Spain's leading regional press group, partnered with ad‑tech firm Opti Digital to deploy its Demand Hub solution. The platform adds an AI‑driven, attention‑based demand layer that serves high‑impact social display ads only when they enter the user’s viewport. This...
Culture at Scale: Building a Sports Team with a Heart
The article argues that culture is the invisible operating system that separates sustainable high‑growth firms from fleeting successes, using sports teams as a metaphor. It stresses that culture is built through everyday leader choices, not slogans, and that internal talent...
Dublin’s Auxilion to Create 12 Jobs Amid €1.5m Investment
Irish digital services firm Auxilion announced a €1.5 million investment to expand its advisory services practice, creating 12 new associate roles by the end of 2027. The expansion responds to heightened demand for cloud‑based automated solutions and governance, risk and compliance...
Mumbai Indians Signs Utkarsh Small Finance Bank as Banking Partner for IPL 2026
Mumbai Indians has named Utkarsh Small Finance Bank its official banking partner for IPL 2026. The partnership will feature integrated marketing campaigns throughout the tournament, leveraging the team’s massive fan base. Utkarsh aims to boost brand visibility and deepen customer connections...
IWD Voices: Deepthi Adimulam – ‘Policies Are Easy. Signals Are Everything’
Deepthi Adimulam argues that while gender‑equality policies are commonplace, their impact hinges on the signals leaders send. She likens justice to an unfinished bridge—without active crossing, policies remain symbolic. Adimulam calls for workplaces to embed flexibility and empathy as structural...
Huawei Sees AI Agent Boost To GPU, CPU Businesses
At its China Partner Conference, Huawei announced AgentArts, an AI‑agent development platform slated for beta on April 30 and open‑source release on May 30, claiming it can accelerate agent creation by over 60%. The company said autonomous agents like OpenClaw will drive...
Meta Faces Lawsuit Alleging Age Bias in Layoffs; Senior Leader Claims Losses
Meta Platforms is being sued over its 2025 layoff round, which the plaintiff alleges disproportionately targeted employees aged 40 and older. Former senior director Nicolas Franchet claims he was given a low performance rating to justify his termination, resulting in...
New Data Release: ECB Wage Tracker Continues to Suggest Negotiated Wage Pressures Easing in 2026
The European Central Bank’s wage tracker, updated through February 2026, shows negotiated wage growth easing to 2.6% in 2026, down 0.1 percentage point from the previous release. Smoothed one‑off payments project a modest quarterly rise, while unsmoothed and exclusion‑of‑one‑off measures...
ClippaPay Launches Africa’s First Creator-Powered Content Creation, Clipping Distribution & UGC Affiliate Platform
ClippaPay has launched Africa’s first creator‑powered platform that links brands with influencers through three distinct earning models: UGC creation, video clipping, and performance‑based affiliate marketing. The service lets brands post campaigns, receive creator bids, and pay on approval, while clippers...
European Tech Weekly Recap: More than 55 Tech Funding Deals Worth over €504M
Last week European startups secured more than 55 funding rounds totaling over €504 million. Fintech attracted the most capital at €118 million, followed by AI (€82.7 million) and software (€63.7 million). Germany and the United Kingdom together accounted for over half of the total...