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The business show that goes beyond the numbers and the corporate jargon! We break down major business stories and look at how they affect our lives. Thursday at 4:45pm Paris time.

1d ago

Can AI play a role in reducing inequality?

In the debate about how best to regulate artificial intelligence, what about its role in development and aid? Warnings about the potential for exacerbating inequality are rife – but the World Bank argues that the technology could be harnessed for good. Paschal Donohoe, Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer at the World Bank Group, says there are concrete benefits in industries like farming, education and healthcare. "We know that artificial intelligence can play a role in crop productivity. By playing a role in helping farmers better managing what they are planting and harvesting, it has a bigger impact on their productivity and the income they gain. And I saw a very clear example of this in India, where I saw small rice farmers who, through use of artificial intelligence, were given better advice on how rice could be planted and harvested." He believes developing economies can reap the benefits of AI if it's tailored to their needs – which he refers to as small AI. "That means AI that is more appropriately adjusted to local circumstances, has a higher ability to run offline, will have the ability to operate in environments in which connectivity or electricity may not be at a very high level." Donohoe says that even as technology transforms daily life, development agencies remain focused on addressing inequality and basic needs like access to clean water, healthcare and education. "By ensuring in dealing with the development of artificial intelligence, that we do not for a moment lose sight of all [those] issues (...) We are recognising the change that is now taking place with AI, and we are making the case that while of course it brings challenges, small AI in particular, harnessed correctly with the right policies around it, can play a positive role."
Sep 25

Canada seeks new role in global economy

As trade ties with the US continue to fray, Canada is seeking a new role and new partners in the increasingly fragmented global economy. Prime Minister Mark Carney has been courting more foreign investment as well as closer ties with the European Union and Asian economies. Julian Karaguesian, former special advisor to Canada's Department of Finance and visiting lecturer at McGill University's Department of Economics, says Carney is seeking new markets for Canada's energy and critical minerals industries. "If you look at the last year, our exports to the United States fell by about 4 percent, and that cut [economic] growth. However, our exports to the rest of the world over the same period increased by 11 percent (...) so there's an adjustment going on." Read moreEurope and Canada are 'strong, even stronger together', Carney tells European Parliament Karaguesian says that while trade ties between Washington and Ottawa "can recover" from recent tensions, the relationship between the neighbours may be permanently altered. "I see it as becoming more polite beyond Trump – a little more polite or maybe a lot – but I don't see it as changing much, because they need these moneys from tariffs, from taxes. It's not clear what happens after Trump, but I just don't see it changing that much." He believes that Canada is an attractive bet for investors. "There is a lot of foreign interest in Canada, because we're offering a way of getting returns on investment that aren't in US dollars, because US bond markets and US dollar assets are looking, for lack of a better term, a little shaky; there's a lot of volatility. Canada is offering real equity stakes in the country's infrastructure, energy and so forth."
Sep 17

Food security under pressure from conflicts, extreme weather

Extreme weather and violent conflicts are threatening food production and trade across the globe. Experts are forecasting a super El Niño, which could further disrupt planting and harvests – and push millions more people into acute food insecurity. Meanwhile the ongoing wars with Iran and Ukraine are disrupting shipping and supply chains. Shawn Arita, Associate Research Professor at North Dakota State University, believes that transport problems outweigh supply concerns. "The food does exist, the availability does exist. The main issue currently speaking is that the movement is broken." He describes the Strait of Hormuz as "a fertilizer corridor," which is crucial for farmers around the world. "Approximately a third of globally exported fertilizers previously, before 2026, came through Hormuz (...) We are seeing that transmitted through supply-side concerns, through yield-side concerns, and that is putting upward pressure on cereal prices, grain prices and ultimately throughout the whole food system, for major producers across the world." Arita says high fertilizer and energy prices will continue to weigh on agricultural output. "When farmers' profit margins are weak or in many cases negative, throughout the US and for many farmers in the world, the depression of those margins leads to less output and ultimately that will feed into less food production globally."
Sep 10

International Space Summit: Europe plays catch-up with US and China

The space sector is booming. The global industry expected to reach a value of €2 trillion mark by 2040. But behind this spectacular growth lies major geopolitical challenges, particularly for Europe. In this edition, FRANCE 24’s Charles Pellegrin speaks to Kai-Uwe Schrogl at the International Space Summit in Paris. Schrogl, a political affairs adviser to the European Space Agency, answers questions about the future of the great beyond and Europe’s place in the new space race.
Sep 3

Please welcome the newest member to our team: The AI agent

This week, we're looking look at efforts to incorporate artificial intelligence into the workplace. But not just your run-of-the-mill generative AI chatbot: we're focusing on actual AI agents. These are autonomous programs designed to take on tasks and work through a series of steps without the user having to specify every move. And they're moving into our everyday lives – helping people plan holidays, shop online and take care of other routine tasks. To find out more, we speak to Andrew Lopianowski and Mike Pino, the founders of HumanCorps, a consultancy that helps organisations navigate the transition into the age of AI.
Aug 31

Executive diversity and inclusion: How to promote female leadership

CEO Women Europe is a new initiative launched in June of this year to boost partnerships between Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Kate Moody meets with Sandrine El Khodry, president of this new platform and also Executive Vice President for Global Sales and Marketing at Alcatel Lucent Enterprise.
Aug 31

Artificial intelligence in Europe: Does advanced AI have a glass ceiling?

What does Europe lose if advanced AI adoption stays at current levels? A report commissioned by US tech giant Amazon Web Services finds that skills shortages and regulatory uncertainty are hindering AI adoption in Europe and 38 percent of European startups are looking to move abroad. Charles Pellegrin talks to Sasha Rubel, AWS's head of generative AI policy for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Jul 2

Andy Burnham outlines his vision for UK economy with promise to raise living standards

Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, is likely to be the next British prime minister following Keir Starmer's resignation. Central to Burnham's platform is improving living standards that have stagnated or even fallen since the 2008 global financial crisis. But with weak public finances, how realistic is his plan? FRANCE 24's Charles Pellegrin talks to Renaud Foucart, senior lecturer in economics at Lancaster University.

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The business show that goes beyond the numbers and the corporate jargon! We break down major business stories and look at how they affect our lives. Thursday at 4:45pm Paris time.