
Swiss Sight Deposits Soar After SNB Introduced Zero Rate Regime
Sight deposits at the Swiss National Bank rose sharply after its reduction of borrowing costs to zero, as foreign banks moved cash to the institution to escape negative interest paid in the money market.
Last week, total sight deposits increased by some 18 billion francs ($23 billion) compared to the previous period, according to data published on Monday. This was due to holdings from foreign banks rising by 22 billion francs, while those of domestic lenders dropped by 4 billion francs.
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Forbes
38 minutes ago
- Forbes
What Happens To Work When AI Does The Easy Parts?
TOPSHOT - A robot using artificial intelligence is displayed at a stand during the International ... More Telecommunication Union (ITU) AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, on May 30, 2024. Humanity is in a race against time to harness the colossal emerging power of artificial intelligence for the good of all, while averting dire risks, a top UN official said. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images) A mantra in press releases about generative AI in corporations has been that it will 'free up people to do more creative work.' Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, claimed that 'AI will do our drudge work, freeing us to do the creative tasks where humans excel.' But Microsoft also announced cuts of 6,000 jobs in May, partly attributed to AI automation. Andy Jassy, Amazon's CEO, stated that 'Agents will allow us to start almost everything from a more advanced starting point… focus less on rote work and more on thinking strategically about improving customer experiences and inventing new ones.' Amazon has announced 27,000 layoffs since 2022, for some of which AI efficiencies were explicitly cited. Similar patterns exist for other tech firms, including Meta and Duolingo. What's going on? Is this just a mismatch between PR and the efficiency imperative? Is there any evidence that the jobs are being redesigned for increased creative content, or are we experiencing a straightforward substitution of people for AIs? Perhaps is neither of these, but rather that contradictory messages are natural as executives naviate the fog of transition to a radically new technology. AI certainly has the potential to free people to spend more time on creative tasks. It can create slack time for learning, innovation, or deep thinking about a design. It can also be used to create jobs with broader accountability or a richer work environment. But if any of these is happening, it isn't being discussed. That is too bad. Businesses could be missing an opportunity, one that goes beyond task automation to rethinking the design of work and technology. They may be missing the chance to take true advantage of the expanding capabilities of generative AI. A narrow focus on efficiency can shift attention away from other important metrics, like customer satisfaction and employee engagement. The irony is that an efficiency mindset might not even maximize efficiency, at least in the long run. In an interview, Patricia Sachs, a workplace anthropologist, told me that "automation mechanizes the way things are supposed to happen. But they almost never happen as expected." The reason is that much work in the real world is invisible, involving workarounds, improvisations, and social networks. As Sachs noted, "none of these appear in the workflow diagram or org chart." This was true at Klarna, a leader in the deployment of generative AI. The company has claimed that AI handles about two-thirds of customer service chats, equivalent to the work of over 700 agents. Their initial results showed, in addition, a drop in resolution times and reduced repeat inquiries, all while maintaining customer satisfaction. But Klarna has started to recruit human agents again, acknowledging that automation led to declines in service quality, customer satisfaction, and trust. CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski acknowledged that "cost unfortunately seems to have been a too predominant evaluation factor" in the AI initiative, which led to reductions in quality, morale and trust. The company is now hiring human agents and seeking a more productive blend of AI efficiency and human empathy. Others are reaching similar conclusions. Ravin Jesuthasan, a senior partner at Mercer, cites lessons he learned from a large-scale case study of AI implementation at a financial services firm. The results were impressive, including a reduction in the work of the current staff by 50% and an 18% reduction in employee turnover. In the article, "Want AI-Driven Productivity? Redesign Work," he argues the key to lasting AI success is to start with the work, not the technology. These early experiences emphasize the importance of a focus the messy, human, frequently-changing work that is at the center of any good AI application. Starting with the technology risks missing something important that can erode financial benefits. So what should executives do? Success is more about mindset and taking an holistic approach than it is about technology. Moving beyond a narrow focus on efficiency will lead to more durable and customer-friendly technology and more productive workplaces.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
French President Emmanuel Macron labels tariffs as 'blackmail'
French President Emmanuel Macron has strongly criticised the use of tariffs by powerful nations, describing them as a form of "blackmail" rather than a tool for rebalancing international trade. His remarks, delivered on Monday at the International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain, come as the European Union navigates sensitive trade negotiations with the United States ahead of a July 9 deadline. While he did not specifically name the United States or U.S. President Donald Trump, Mr Macron's comments were made in the context of ongoing global trade tensions. "We need to restore freedom and equity to international trade, much more than barriers and tariffs, which are devised by the strongest, and which are often used as instruments of blackmail, not at all as instruments of rebalancing," he stated. The French leader also called for a re-evaluation and strengthening of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to align its objectives with global efforts to combat inequality and climate change. He condemned the current climate of trade disputes, adding: "Bringing back a trade war and tariffs at this moment in the life of the planet is an aberration, especially when I see the tariffs that are being imposed on countries that are just beginning their economic takeoff." Mr Macron's remarks follow the imposition of sweeping global tariffs by Donald Trump in April, which initially ranged from 10 to 50 per cent on imports into the United States, though these were later mostly lowered for a 90-day period. The United Nations trade agency had previously warned that such tariffs could have a "catastrophic impact" on developing countries, with some of the world's least developed nations, including Lesotho, Cambodia, Laos, Madagascar, and Myanmar, facing some of the highest levies. A vocal critic of Washington's tariff campaign, Mr Macron has also previously argued that it is an "aberration" to demand increased European defence spending while simultaneously engaging in a trade war.


Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- Bloomberg
UK Shop Prices Rise as Higher Taxes, Food Costs Hit Supermarkets
UK shop prices rose for the first time in almost a year, with supermarkets in particular hurt by higher taxes and wholesale costs. Year-on-year inflation in stores was 0.4% in June, the British Retail Consortium said Tuesday, compared with -0.1% a month earlier. The increase was driven by a 3.7% rise in food prices, the most on an annual basis since March 2024.