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Sudden increase in air pollution threatens economic recovery, says report

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There has been a sudden increase in air pollution which is threatening economic recovery in many countries, according to a new report by Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

The environmental research organization estimates that “health damage from air pollution” has cost between 0.4 percent and 6 percent of annual GDP in the world’s leading cities in the first half of 2020.

By “health damage” CREA means such things as absence from work as a result of respiratory problems such as asthma, a particularly pertinent point at a time when a respiratory disease called coronavirus has ravaged the entire world’s population and caused untold economic damage. [Read more…] about Sudden increase in air pollution threatens economic recovery, says report

Japanese government urged to establish industrial espionage unit

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The Japanese government is being urged to establish an industrial espionage unit to try and stop spies stealing secrets relating to advanced technologies being developed by successful companies in the country. 

According to a report on the Nikkei Asian Review website, the Liberal Democratic Party, led by current Japanese President Shinzō Abe, is formulating a list of recommendations aimed at preventing industrial espionage against Japanese companies.

As quoted by Nikkei, Akira Amari, one of the LDP’s leading members, says: “The need for intelligence capabilities is broadening beyond sensitive military-related information to a wide range of private-sector data.” [Read more…] about Japanese government urged to establish industrial espionage unit

German citizens to be given €1,200 a month for doing nothing

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German citizens are to be given €1,200 a month, or about $1,400, for doing nothing in an experiment to evaluate the effects of a concept called “universal basic income”.

Universal Basic Income, or UBI, is an idea that has been around for many years, and has many supporters and advocacy groups around the world, but was never really taken seriously in the past.

The notion of the government giving everyone in society a fixed regular amount of money whether they work or not sounds like a communist plot to take over the world. [Read more…] about German citizens to be given €1,200 a month for doing nothing

Startup Veo Robotics named ‘Technology Pioneer’ by World Economic Forum

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The World Economic Forum announced its selection of 100 of the most promising Technology Pioneers of 2020.

Many Technology Pioneers are using their tech to support Covid-19 responses around the world.

Veo Robotics, a startup company which develops software to enable industrial robots to work safely and efficiently alongside people to make manufacturing more flexible, was selected for its contributions in the field of industrial automation. [Read more…] about Startup Veo Robotics named ‘Technology Pioneer’ by World Economic Forum

Support for Universal Basic Income growing as economies look to recover from coronavirus devastation

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A couple of years ago, RoboticsAndAutomationNews.com published a story about Finland introducing a “Universal Basic Income” for a small number of its citizens as an experiment.

The Finnish government’s idea was that it would study the possibility of using UBI as a way to offset the unemployment caused by automation.

Although it was well worth reporting, we were somewhat flippant about UBI, suggesting it was a communist idea that would never take off. Finland, of course, was within the sphere of influence of the old Communist or Eastern Bloc, and the now-gone USSR. [Read more…] about Support for Universal Basic Income growing as economies look to recover from coronavirus devastation

Manufacturing industry turning to robotics and AI in challenging economic landscape, says Deloitte

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The manufacturing industry is turning to robotics and artificial intelligence as well as a range of other strategies to navigate an increasingly challenging economic landscape, according to a report by Deloitte.

The management consultancy says that, as the risk of a global economic downturn grows, the industrial manufacturing industry faces a challenging landscape in 2020 replete with trade tensions, muted job growth, supply chain volatility and an ongoing skilled talent shortage.

Yet, despite these headwinds, industry leaders are rapidly developing coping strategies – not only to weather the brewing storm, but to thrive in spite of it. [Read more…] about Manufacturing industry turning to robotics and AI in challenging economic landscape, says Deloitte

US manufacturing output reaches ‘all-time high’

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Manufacturing output in the US has reached an “all-time high”, signaling the industry’s strength, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.

For the past two years, manufacturers have been setting new records when it comes to manufacturing output, and through the first quarter of 2019, the industry has continued to reach new heights.

Four out of five manufacturers remain positive about their company’s outlook, according to the National Association of Manufacturers’ latest Outlook Survey, and new Bureau of Economic Analysis data find that manufacturers’ level of output hit an all-time high once again. [Read more…] about US manufacturing output reaches ‘all-time high’

‘Trump’s trade war will trigger the biggest wave of automation in history’, says expert

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US President Donald Trump’s trade policies will “trigger the biggest wave of automation in history”, according to an economics expert writing on Forbes.com. 

Trump has spoken out against a variety of international trade agreements to which the US had previously signed up to.

And since he became president, Trump has taken the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and is discussing how to also take it out of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or Nafta.  [Read more…] about ‘Trump’s trade war will trigger the biggest wave of automation in history’, says expert

Artificial intelligence takes centre stage at World Economic Forum

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Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, at Davos 2017
Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, at Davos 2017

In a number of talks and statements at this year’s World Economic Forum, held in Davos, Switzerland, artificial intelligence has been taking centre stage, with many saying that while no one really knows the limit of the technology, it has already had profound effects on business and society.

One of Google’s original founders, Sergey Brin, said he looked at AI a few years back, and didn’t really know AI would develop to the extent it has done.

“I didn’t pay attention to it at all, to be perfectly honest,” he said in a discussion at WEF. “Having been trained as a computer scientist in the 90s, everybody knew that AI didn’t work. People tried it, they tried neural nets and none of it worked.”  [Read more…] about Artificial intelligence takes centre stage at World Economic Forum

The effect of industrial espionage on economic growth

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spy camera

In an interesting article on The Diplomat website, the question is asked, “How does industrial espionage affect economic growth?” 

The article is based on a study by Erik Meyersson, an assistant professor at Stockholm School of Economics, who teamed up with Albrecht Glitz, an associate professor at Pompeu Fabra University.

The two academics analysed almost 200,000 informant reports in the old East German Ministry for State Security, otherwise known as the Stasi.  [Read more…] about The effect of industrial espionage on economic growth

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