Latest news with #UNTradeandDevelopment
Arabian Post
an hour ago
- Business
- Arabian Post
India Leads World in Generative AI Take‑Up
Over ninety per cent of employees in India use generative artificial intelligence tools at work, with 92 per cent logging daily use, according to a recent report by the Boston Consulting Group. This figure places India well above the global average of about 72 per cent. The BCG study, based on a survey of 10,600 workers across 11 countries, highlights India's prominence in integrating generative AI. Alongside this, some 17 per cent of workers report that their organisations have embedded AI agents into daily workflows, ranking India among the top three nations globally for such integration. High adoption has come with heightened concern. Nearly half of Indian employees—48 per cent—believe their roles are at risk of disappearing within the next decade due to AI, outpacing global levels at 41 per cent. Anxiety is compounded by low levels of understanding and guidance: only 33 per cent say they comprehend how AI agents function, while just 36 per cent feel they have received adequate training. ADVERTISEMENT Despite these concerns, AI is delivering tangible productivity benefits. Almost half of Indian users report saving more than an hour per day through AI assistance, yet only one‑third receive support in leveraging that time for strategic tasks. Workflow redesign is emergent as a key differentiator: companies that pivot beyond tool deployment to reengineer tasks, offer structured training, and secure leadership backing are achieving stronger outcomes. Experts cite several critical enablers for successful AI adoption. In‑person upskilling, access to approved AI platforms, and visible executive endorsement dramatically enhance uptake. In fact, where frontline workers report robust leadership support, regular usage jumps from 41 per cent to 82 per cent. Security and governance issues remain pressing. About 46 per cent of workers worry that AI decisions lack sufficient human oversight, 35 per cent fear bias or unfairness, and 32 per cent question accountability for errors. Parallel research highlights that 92 per cent of executives flag security vulnerabilities—ranging from cyber‑attacks to data privacy—as major hurdles in AI implementation. India's trajectory is supported by robust public and private investment. The UN Trade and Development's 2025 Technology and Innovation Report names India tenth globally in private‑sector AI investment. Infrastructure initiatives, such as the IndiaAI Mission's goal to build one of the world's largest AI compute networks by 2027, are bolstered by efforts from academia and industry. Centres of excellence at institutions like IIT Delhi and IIIT Hyderabad, alongside corporate alliances, are driving innovation and applied AI solutions. AI's impact is felt across sectors. In public services, digital infrastructure and chatbots are enhancing citizen access. In agriculture, finance and healthcare, predictive analytics and generative AI are reshaping service delivery. Private‑sector growth projections suggest India's AI services market could reach up to US $17 billion by 2027. Nonetheless, workforce readiness remains uneven. While 74 per cent of participants in a Microsoft‑sponsored skills programme hailed from smaller towns—and 65 per cent were women—skilling delivery is uneven, with many employees still left to self‑learn or rely on unauthorised tools. For companies seeking competitive edge, the insight is clear: widespread tool usage alone does not guarantee impact. Only by pairing AI with thoughtful workflow redesign, ethical governance and targeted training can businesses capture the full value of generative intelligence.
Mint
a day ago
- Business
- Mint
The investment story in charts: How South-East Asia is defying global FDI trends
The movement of capital across countries is going through a tumultuous phase. Data released in mid-June by a United Nations body on trade and investment shows that global foreign direct investment (FDI), adjusted for probable conduit financial flows (or capital flows from one country, through an intermediate country), fell 11% in 2024, marking its second consecutive decline. This year, US President Donald Trump has triggered a tariff war, which could have more ramifications on FDI. In his previous term, Trump dealt a blow to the functioning of the organisation that frames rules for global trade by blocking appointments to its dispute settlement body. There are other triggers. The economic rivalry between the US and China—the world's top two economies—is forcing companies with manufacturing facilities in the communist nation to look for alternatives to ensure supply chain continuity. India, the world's fifth-largest economy that is currently seeing a demographic dividend, would have liked to be a frontrunner to draw such foreign capital. However, the latest World Investment Report by the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shows that even as Asia remained the largest recipient of FDI in 2024 (40% share), South-East Asia was the only sub-region that grew in 2024. Each of the top seven FDI draws in South-East Asia recorded FDI growth in 2024, led by the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand. In manufacturing, the global rebalancing of locations by multinationals is driving greenfield FDI in South-East Asia, especially in the digital economy. As many as five South-East Asian countries (Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand) figure in the top 10 countries for FDI in the digital economy. FDI decoupling Outside of South-East Asia, North America and Africa showed higher growth. North America was driven by FDI inflows into the US towards high-tech (semiconductors) and clean energy sectors. The CHIPS Act (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors Act), passed in the US in 2022, was an enabler. "...among the top 10 highest-value greenfield projects announced globally in 2024, four were in semiconductor manufacturing, with three of them located in the US," said the latest World Investment Report by the UNCTAD. But that is an anomaly. Global trade, facilitated by the easy movement of FDI, has lifted millions out of poverty in developing economies. But in recent years, FDI has decoupled from global GDP and world trade (exports of goods and services). The decline in FDI in 2024 is more pronounced in sectors vital for development: infrastructure (35% over 2023), renewable energy (31%), water, sanitation and hygiene (30%) and agrifood systems (19%). Chinese outreach The other challenge is the concentration of FDI in a few countries. Ten major emerging markets received 75% of FDI flows to the developing world—the order being China, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and India. For most of this century, companies in China have received more FDI than they have invested in other countries. However, in recent years, this has reversed. In the 11 quarters since July-September 2022, China has recorded a negative net FDI figure. China was a significant investor in several South-East Asian countries in 2024, according to reports specific to these countries. China was among the top three foreign investors in Vietnam, accounting for the largest share of FDI projects (28%). In Malaysia, too, China was among the top three FDI investors. In Indonesia, which drew FDI in metal refining and mining, China was the second-largest FDI investor. Digital play Digital is the fastest-growing FDI segment, increasing its share in all greenfield FDI globally from 20% in 2020 to 28% in 2024. This covers both the core digital space (digital infrastructure like data centres, ICT manufacturing and cloud service) and the narrow-scope digital space (like sharing economy, e-commerce, fintech and artificial intelligence services). The top 100 ICT companies by sales have about 40% of their assets outside their home country, and South-East Asia has been a top draw for them. One challenge in the digital space is concentration. Among the top 100 ICT companies by sales, the top five companies account for about 26% of this set's sales. Concentration is also seen at the country level. There are 29 companies from the US, followed by 13 apiece from China and Taiwan, and 12 from Japan. In a fickle policy environment, many of these companies—including Apple, the biggest of them—are reviewing their FDI strategy. is a database and search engine for public data
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Developing countries face record-high public debt burdens, time for reform: UN Trade and Development
BATHINDA: Global public debt rose to $102 trillion in 2024. Developing countries accounted for nearly one third of that amount – $31 trillion – and paid a record $921 billion in interest, straining budgets and putting vital public services at risk. In the latest edition of its 'A world of debt' report series, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) notes that public debt in developing countries has grown twice as fast as in richer nations since 2010. Debt can be a powerful tool to finance infrastructure and improve lives. But when it becomes too large or too costly, it holds back economies and undermines development. Countries – especially those in the developing world – urgently need more sustainable and affordable ways to finance the future. Stark disparities and systemic inequalities: The report flags stark contrasts among developing regions, with Asia and Oceania holding 24% of global public debt, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (5%), and Africa (2%). Worldwide, public debt burdens vary significantly across countries, depending on the terms of financing and the types of creditors to which they can access. Systemic inequalities in international financial systems are making things even more challenging. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Since 2020, developing regions have been borrowing at rates two to four times higher than the United States, for example. In 2023, developing countries paid $487 billion to lenders abroad. Half of these economies spent at least 6.5% of their export earnings to repay external public debt. People pay the price: In 2023, developing countries paid $25 billion more to creditors than they received in fresh debt disbursements, leading to an overall net debt outflow for years in a row. This negative trend is worsening, the report warns, as high interest rates, low global growth and rising uncertainty continue to strain public finances and make it harder to sustainably manage debt. In 2024, developing nations paid $921 billion in net interest on public debt, up 10% from the previous year. A record 61 developing economies spent at least 10% of their government revenues on interest payments, leaving less for critical areas like health, education and climate action. Today, 3.4 billion people live in countries that spend more on interest than on health or education. A call to action: Rising debt, falling investment and shrinking aid are among the biggest financing threats facing the world today and putting the Sustainable Development Goals further out of reach. The UN's upcoming 4th International Conference on Financing for Development offers a once-in-a-decade opportunity to mobilize finance at scale and reform global financial rules to better serve people and the planet. Ahead of the summit, UN Trade and Development highlights key actions needed: Making international economic governance more inclusive by giving developing countries a real voice in how global financial systems are run. Improving access to liquidity in times of crisis, including greater use of Special Drawing Rights, temporary suspension of IMF surcharges, better access to emergency financing funding and stronger South-South financial cooperation. Fixing the international debt system, by creating a fair and effective mechanism that goes beyond the limits of the current G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatment. Providing more affordable finance and technical support, including delivering on aid and climate finance commitments, reforming multilateral development banks and helping countries manage debt more effectively.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
2 Top Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks Ready for Bull Runs
As tech companies ramp up data center spending, this could be a growth catalyst for Applied Digital. Insurance company Lemonade leverages AI to offer faster service as well as keep its costs down. 10 stocks we like better than Applied Digital › The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has already had a massive impact on the stock market. Many AI companies have seen their valuations skyrocket. And according to recent research, this is just the beginning. A report released by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) earlier this year projects that the global AI market will grow from $189 billion in 2023 to $4.8 trillion by 2033. Given that growth, there's a strong possibility that quality AI stocks will outperform the market over the next five to 10 years. Here are two that could be poised for explosive growth. Applied Digital (NASDAQ: APLD) builds and buys data centers where companies can rent space and install their own servers. When it started out, Applied Digital catered to blockchain companies, but it later switched its focus to the high-performance computing (HPC) and AI industries. It's a straightforward business model, although Applied Digital did take a stab at offering AI cloud services through a subsidiary it launched in 2023, Sai Computing. Earlier this year, it announced plans to close that chapter by selling its cloud segment and transforming itself into a real estate investment trust (REIT). Getting back to what it does best could be a positive move for Applied Digital. Its data center hosting business is now in the black, with a profit of $8.8 million in its fiscal 2025 third quarter, which ended on Feb. 28. The cloud services business isn't. It booked a loss of $10.3 million in the quarter, despite being the faster-growing segment. On the data center front, Applied Digital announced two lease agreements with AI hyperscaler Coreweave on June 2. The agreements will last approximately 15 years and are expected to generate about $7 billion in revenue. Applied Digital stock has been soaring since then -- it's up 51% since the start of June. The top tech companies are spending heavily on data centers and AI infrastructure. Applied Digital is well-positioned to capitalize on that spending, especially as it transitions to a REIT model and focuses on its data center business. At first glance, Lemonade (NYSE: LMND) might not seem like an AI stock. It's an insurance company offering renters, homeowners, car, pet, and term life policies. But Lemonade has made AI a key part of its business since it launched in 2015. It uses AI at every stage of its processes. New customers can quickly get quotes on policies through the company's AI chatbot, Maya. It uses AI during the underwriting process to calculate people's premiums and to assign a lifetime value (LTV) to each customer based on their likelihood of filing a claim, switching insurance providers, or bundling multiple insurance products. The claims process also has built-in AI, allowing Lemonade to fully automate about 55% of its claims, according to Chief Claims Officer Sean Burgess. In addition, Burgess says that Lemonade handles over 40% of customer service tickets with AI. Lemonade isn't profitable yet, but it beat expectations in its most recent quarter. Revenue rose 27% year over year to $151.2 million in the first quarter. Its in-force premium (IFP), which is the total premium value across all active policies, also increased by 27% to $1.0 billion. That made it the sixth consecutive quarter where Lemonade's IFP has grown, and management has set an ambitious goal of growing its IFP to $10 billion in the coming years. In another good sign, its gross loss ratio -- the share of its premiums that get paid out as out claims -- is declining. It went from 88% in the third quarter of 2023 to 73% in the first quarter of 2025. While investing in young businesses that are losing money can be risky, it also gives you an opportunity to get in on the ground floor. I think that's where we're at with Lemonade. This company's high-tech business model has been great for attracting customers, particularly younger customers -- 70% of its customer base is under 35. Based on Lemonade's financial growth and embrace of AI technology, it could be poised to take off. Before you buy stock in Applied Digital, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Applied Digital wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $676,023!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $883,692!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 793% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 173% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Lemonade. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Top Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks Ready for Bull Runs was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Fibre2Fashion
23-06-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
Global FDI falls 11% in 2024 amid mounting uncertainty: UNCTAD
Global foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 11 per cent in 2024 to $1.49 trillion, marking the second consecutive year of decline and confirming a deepening slowdown in productive capital flows, according to the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Although headline FDI appeared to rise by 4 per cent to $1.5 trillion, the increase was largely due to volatile financial conduit flows through several European economies, which often serve as transfer points for investments, as per the World Investment Report 2025 released by UNCTAD. Investment dropped sharply across developed economies, particularly in Europe. Developing countries appeared broadly stable, with a marginal 0.2 per cent rise. However, this concealed a deeper crisis, as capital is stagnating or bypassing sectors that matter most—such as infrastructure, energy, and technology. Global FDI fell 11 per cent to $1.49 trillion in 2024, marking a second year of decline, as per UNCTAD. While Africa saw strong growth due to a large project, Europe's inflows plunged. Investment in key sectors like energy and infrastructure dropped. Digital FDI rose 14 per cent but remained concentrated. UNCTAD urges coordinated reforms to close a $4 trillion sustainable development financing gap. 'Too many economies are being left behind not for a lack of potential—but because the system still sends capital where it's easiest, not where it's needed,' said Rebeca Grynspan, UN Trade and Development secretary-general . 'But we can change that. If we align public and private investment with development goals and build trust into the system, domestic and international markets will bring scale, stability and predictability. And today's volatility can become tomorrow's opportunity.' Regionally, Africa surged 75 per cent due to a major Egyptian project. Asia retained its top position despite a 3 per cent dip, and Latin America declined by 12 per cent. Among vulnerable groups, FDI rose in least developed countries (9 per cent) and small island states (11 per cent) but fell 10 per cent in landlocked nations. Investment in development-critical sectors showed worrying signs. International project finance dropped 26 per cent, with renewable energy (-31 per cent), transport (-32 per cent), and water/sanitation (-30 per cent) most affected. Despite a 14 per cent rise in digital economy FDI—driven by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and semiconductors—80 per cent of new digital projects were concentrated in just 10 countries, leaving many developing nations behind due to gaps in infrastructure, policy, and skills, added the release. UNCTAD stressed that bridging the estimated $4 trillion annual financing gap for sustainable development in developing economies requires coordinated reforms and long-term, inclusive capital. It proposed a seven-point agenda focusing on better governance, digital infrastructure, innovation ecosystems, skill-building, and global digital investment standards. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
