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With extensive leadership experience in supply chain and operations management, Anupam Narayan has witnessed firsthand how technological advancements have revolutionized the logistics industry. Throughout his career, he has successfully led teams through the transition from traditional manual operations to highly automated systems, all while optimizing performance in distributed teams across various regions. His deep expertise, from integrating robotics and warehouse management systems to the emerging impact of artificial intelligence AI and machine learning ML, makes him an insightful voice in the field.

In this interview, Anupam reflects on the transformative journey of logistics and warehouse management, shares key strategies for managing distributed teams, and discusses the evolving role of AI in supply chain management. From balancing speed with cost efficiency to planning for peak demand surges, Anupam provides a comprehensive look into the future of logistics, drawing on his experience with large-scale technology rollouts and sustainable operations.

Anupam, as a senior leader with extensive experience in supply chain and operations, how have you seen technology transform warehouse management and logistics over the past few years?

It’s been an interesting journey from witnessing and executing traditional manual operations to automation. The transformation I have seen in my career has been phenomenal and game-changing. Some facets include introducing robotics, warehouse management systems, the Internet of things, and more recently artificial intelligence and machine learning. Robotics in particular have proven to be a breakthrough. Several new technologies have emerged such as automated guided vehicles and robotic arms that have made repetitive tasks safer, faster, and more accurate. Software has played a big role especially in warehouse management systems further leading to more accuracy in planning and execution. IoT, AI, and ML are still in the works and, I’d say we are in nascent phases.

You’ve led teams across various geographical locations. What strategies have you found most effective for managing and optimizing performance in distributed teams?

Interestingly, based on my personal experience it’s more about people than technology, data, or analytics while working with distributed teams and across different geographies. Technology, data, and analytics are for the most part location neutral. However, cultural alignment and the people component play a bigger role. For instance, in certain geographies, and with certain cultures one has to explain the why in greater depth behind decision-making than others. On the flip side, working with certain other geographies and teams getting buy-in is quicker. Having said that, we have to embrace this diversity of thought and leverage the competencies, strengths, and skillsets of all stakeholders to get the best out of the combined team.

How has the integration of AI and machine learning changed the landscape of supply chain management, and what future developments do you anticipate in this area?

AI and machine learning have come a long way in reshaping how industries operate, from planning to execution. But honestly, we’re just getting started. There’s so much potential that hasn’t been tapped yet. These technologies really shine when they have massive amounts of data to work with, but right now, the available data isn’t always enough for them to reach their full potential. Still, the progress has been incredible, making supply chains more efficient, responsive, and data-driven. We’ve seen huge improvements in things like decision-making, forecasting, inventory management, predictive maintenance, risk management, and quality control—it’s been a game-changer.

Looking forward, the possibilities are endless. Not only will we keep improving in these areas, but we’ll also see exciting advancements in autonomous supply chains, blockchain integration, predictive analytics, and even how humans and AI can work together. It’s an exciting time.

How do you balance the need for speed and efficiency with cost management in your logistics processes?

It’s certainly a trade-off and somewhat linked to your business model whether you are for a profit or non-profit. Customers like speed and efficiency but often it comes at a cost. Economies of scale support sustainable and sometimes even lower costs at higher speeds and efficiencies, it’s hard to claim that it’s a norm. Hence, it boils down to a willingness to pay from the customer’s perspective. Depending on who your customer is and how much is their willingness to pay, you should decide what’s right for your business.

As someone who has been involved in network-wide roll-outs of new technologies, what advice would you give to companies looking to implement large-scale technological changes in their operations?

It’s all about buy-in, in my opinion. Leveraging the strengths of all key stakeholders while maintaining an eye for diversity of thought is the secret sauce. My advice would be to have a plan, goal, and vision; execute this plan; and celebrate wins and success while embracing setbacks. It is important to pivot when the plan is not working and make mid-course corrections as needed. Although, I would also caution by saying, many times it takes time to see the true results of the plan. Rushing to change the plan is not ideal till it’s substantially proven to not work. Also, shy always from false positives. Occasionally, short-term results of such large-scale technological changes in a confined environment and under controlled situations do not show the full picture. One has to rinse and repeat to understand what works and what does not.

The concept of sustainability is becoming increasingly important in logistics. How are you seeing this play out in warehouse operations and supply chain management?

It’s a really important topic that people often undermine. If we run out of resources at sustainable costs, operations will no longer be viable in the long term. A few things to look at are more energy-efficient buildings and equipment, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable transportation and shipment methods, and the use of clean technology. Over the past few years, this is increasingly becoming a focus area for several organizations. The combined efforts of the industry present a good picture ahead of us.

Looking ahead, what do you believe will be the most disruptive change in e-commerce logistics over the next decade?

This is an interesting question. It’s really hard to predict the future. However, I do foresee automation making operations safer, more accurate, and faster. Natural large language processing, edge computing, cognitive automation, and quantum computing are probably no longer a dream but a reality in times to come. This will certainly revolutionize how supply chains work driving down costs and increasing accuracy.

You’ve managed operations during peak periods like major shopping events and holiday seasons. What lessons can other industries learn from how e-commerce leaders handle sudden surges in demand?

I’d begin with a principle I learned from my long-time mentor, Barry Salzberg: “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” Flexibility is crucial when planning and managing surges in demand. It’s a delicate balance—being too conservative can drive up costs, while being overly optimistic can leave you without enough capacity. The key is to create plans that are flexible but strong enough to handle major fluctuations, whether demand is higher or lower than expected.

In my experience, it’s important to focus on a few key areas well in advance of any anticipated surges: safety, manpower, capacity, software, identifying potential bottlenecks, and revisiting lessons learned from past surges. All of these factors contribute to smoother, more effective execution when the demand hits

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Search 2 keywords found: basic income

Call for consultancy for a study on « The introduction of a basic income to combat nutrition insecurity during the first 1,000 days »

Deadline for submission of offers : 08/11/2024 at 23:59 CEST (Paris)

Entity : ACF France

Subject : « The introduction of a basic income to combat nutrition insecurity during the first 1,000 days »

ACF Publication Reference : [FR-PA-DEP-202412]

Brief description :

A child’s first 1,000 days are a key period in the fight against nutrition insecurity. Nutritional deficiencies during this period threaten the survival of both mother and child. Social protection systems are essential to combat poverty and inequality at every stage of life. In this context, ACF wants to gather datas and illustrations about basic income policies or programs and their impact on nutrition security during these first 1000 days.

This study aims to review the scientific literature on the issues surrounding a basic income and the work of other civil society organisations on the subject, in order to come up with a definition of a basic income and the main ways in which it could be implemented.

–> The different steps are presented in details in the Terms of Reference attached.

How to apply for this call for consultancy :

The offer must be submitted by Friday, 8 November 2024 at 23:59 CEST (Paris) and must be sent by email to Flore Ganon fganon@actioncontrelafaim.org and Léa Cros lcros@actioncontrelafaim.org

The offer must include the following information :

• Names and professional status of the person or organisation responding to the call for tenders.
• A detailed CV mentioning experience in a similar and/or relevant field.
• At least two references from consultancy work for possible contact by our organisation.
• A technical proposal including the following elements: work schedule, data collection methodology, etc.
• A financial proposal indicating the daily rate for the consultant(s), the number of working days invoiced, other planned costs and the total cost (including taxes) of the proposal.

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Search 2 keywords found: productivity,technology,software,mobility

More and more Dutch companies are facing a shortage of drivers ‒ especially for repetitive operations such as shunting, loading, and unloading at distribution centres, in ports, and on industrial estates. This is not the only challenge in logistics, argues Jorn Gijsbers, Business Development Smart Vehicles at TNO.

‘The growth of e-commerce will put further pressure on the logistics chain over the coming years, increasing the need for efficiency. Yard automation will allow us to perform the same operation flawlessly and safely 100 times over, making the logistics process more stable, predictable, and manageable. This offers great savings potential for companies. With CEYAS, we want to demonstrate that automation can be deployed in a cost-effective and scalable way in simple use cases.’

A single operator for multiple trailers

CEYAS is a vehicle-independent automation concept that automates repetitive operations at yards. It was first demonstrated at Automotive Week in April 2023, where TNO used the automated driving technology developed with major OEMs for the first time on an electric trailer mover: Verhagen Leiden’s V-Move. Thanks in part to an angle sensor from WENOVA.EU, the trailer managed to complete a challenging test course automatically.

The V-Move is capable of moving standard trailers in enclosed areas, such as when loading, unloading, parking, or electric charging. An operator oversees the movements and can take control if necessary. Because a single operator can operate multiple V-Moves, employee productivity is boosted and logistics movements are made safer and faster.

What is more, the trailer operator does not need to have a driving licence to operate the system, which lowers the qualification requirement. The concept is also scalable, as the trailer does not need to be modified. Finally, the trailer movers are operated electrically, reducing the yard’s environmental footprint.

‘In the use cases envisaged by TNO, the V-Move can be operated either manually or automatically, all done from the control tower that has been added.’

Ron Wouters

Senior System Engineer at TNO

Substantial further development

Following the initial demonstration, CEYAS has been developed further by the innovation partners, says Ron Wouters, Senior System Engineer at TNO. ‘Since the first demonstration, we’ve made a number of reliability and safety improvements. In the use cases envisaged by TNO, the V-Move can be operated either manually or automatically, all done from the control tower that has been added. This consists of two screens: one for remote operation and another for automated driving.’

‘The remote operation system is a tried-and-tested development by partner V-Tron. In automatic mode, the V-Move follows a pre-programmed route. Moreover, we’re now using LiDAR technology for localisation, which works much more reliably in a built-up environment than the GPS we previously used.’

Convincing demo

A year and a half after the first CEYAS demo, a second one took place at the Automotive Campus in Helmond in front of over 60 potential users and technology partners. They had the chance to see for themselves the added value that this form of yard automation can bring. The remote operator started by manoeuvring the V-Move under the trailer into the dock. Once coupled, the trailer mover travelled along a pre-programmed route across the shunting yard fully automatically. The V-Move performed a turning manoeuvre independently and proved itself capable of docking the trailer in a narrow doorway with great precision.

Wouters: ‘We can see in practice that there is a kind of an interaction between the automated driving and the remote operation. When approaching pedestrian crossings or performing special manoeuvres, for example, it may be safer to operate manually.’

‘We want to know what there’s a need for, and how the technology will eventually be integrated into a user’s logistics processes.’

Ron Wouters

Senior System Engineer at TNO

Testing is crucial

Verhagen Leiden, V-Tron, and TNO have already taken the technology to a late stage of development. However, to get to an even higher technology readiness level (TRL), an end user is needed to step in, as Ron Wouters explains: ‘We could explore this concept a lot further – but to do this most effectively, we’d need to work closely with an end user as an innovation partner.

‘After all, we want to produce a solution that will actually be used. We want to know what there’s a need for, and how the technology will eventually be integrated into a user’s logistics processes. If you really want to add value, you need to embed technology in your logistics process. And you can only do that by testing that technology in real-life situations.’

Rick Verhagen of Verhagen Leiden agrees with Wouters. ‘Testing is who we are. We always want to deliver a solution that works in practice, so we often sell machines on a ‘no cure, no pay’ basis. Of course, it would be nice if a client purchased 50 trailer movers in one go – but I’d be equally happy to have a partner on board that wants just a single one, simply to build experience together.’

Learning by doing

What does the ideal innovation partner and use case look like? Jorn Gijsbers: ‘We’re looking for a partner that sees the problem for what it is and wants to work with us towards an innovative solution. A partner that understands that this technology is not completely ready yet, but is confident that something good will come out of it.’

‘In addition, the use case should be clear. I can see a lot of experiments with yard automation in the market that I think are too complex, such as in mixed-traffic situations. Let’s start with simple use cases. Learning by doing is very important at this stage. I can’t see anything that we can’t solve. I envisage us really working on a use case together with a partner on site. In that sense, it helps that TNO has specific knowledge of logistics processes.’

Gijsbers stresses that there is no time to lose and the time for action is now. ‘We need to get going. The Netherlands won’t be able to remain an important logistics hub in the future without some form of yard automation. Eventually, this will become part of a highly automated chain – but the place to start is in the yard, which is where the biggest gains can be made in the short term. Of course, you have to be willing to invest to be among the frontrunners, but that lead will be worth a lot in the end. Of that I’m sure.’

5 - 7 november 2024 | Discover CEYAS at Logistica Next

During Logistica Next and ICT & Logistiek from 5 to 7 November at the outdoor area of the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht, we will present a groundbreaking demonstration. You will see how our vehicles with trailers drive autonomously on a new terrain. Additionally, we will introduce you to the advanced Tele-operations and Control-tower functionalities of CEYAS. These technologies not only improve efficiency but also enhance safety in the logistics sector.

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Paving the way for safe Autonomous Driving with Software-Defined Vehicles

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Insight

7 October 2024

The future of Cooperative, Connected, and Automated Mobility (CCAM) hinges on the development of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) that are both safe and reliable.

Read more over Paving the way for safe Autonomous Driving with Software-Defined Vehicles

Context-aware motion planning crucial for future of automated driving

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7 October 2024

Read more over Context-aware motion planning crucial for future of automated driving

Is it safe for self-driving cars to hit the road yet?

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Insight

7 October 2024

Read more over Is it safe for self-driving cars to hit the road yet?

Safe co-drivership with AVs requires advanced Human-Vehicle Interaction and Driver Monitoring Systems

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7 October 2024

Read more over Safe co-drivership with AVs requires advanced Human-Vehicle Interaction and Driver Monitoring Systems

Safe automated driving

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Search 2 keywords found: productivity,services,technology,software,technical

Public sector managers’ views on their organisations’ management practices, administration, technology and innovation, and on how these affect productivity.

This is the latest release.

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Table of contents

1. Main points
2. Overview
3. Views on productivity
4. Management practices
5. Administration
6. Artificial intelligence (AI) to improve productivity
7. Glossary
8. Data sources and quality
9. Related links
10. Cite this article

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1. Main points

• Across the public sectors, managers that described their organisation as creating a collaborative working environment felt encouraged to make improvements through innovative methods.
• Managers from across the sectors felt that while their organisations were open to change, innovation was challenging when there was pressure to be productive in day-to-day tasks.
• Managers in more public-facing sectors said they and their staff found it difficult to reserve time specifically for administrative tasks and sometimes needed to work out of hours.
• Managers in central and local government sectors were more likely to use automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI), to be open to taking risks and experimenting with new technology, and to be open to taking on costs to invest.
• Managers in more public-facing sectors tended to be more cautious and uncertain about the use of AI, particularly using virtual assistants as first point of contact with vulnerable groups, such as mental health patients or victims of crime.

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The findings in this article are based on qualitative analysis. Therefore, it is not possible to quantify their importance and they cannot be applied to wider population groups. Quotes represent participants’ views only.

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2. Overview

This article contains summary findings from qualitative research undertaken by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) on behalf of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). As part of our Public Services Productivity Review, we at the ONS conducted a pilot Public Sector Management Practices Survey (PSMPS) in Summer 2024, which collected information from organisations across the public sector about their management practices. Findings from the survey are published in our Public Sector Management Practices Survey pilot, UK: 2023 bulletin.

This qualitative research complements the PSMPS with the aim to explore public sector managers’ views on their organisations’ management practices. The research particularly explores views on the types of administrative tasks carried out and their impact on productivity. It also explores opportunities and barriers to innovation, including the use of automation and artificial intelligence (AI), to improve productivity. This research also complements findings from the further analysis of the public sector time use survey released by the Office for National Statistics on 21 October 2024.

The findings are based on 15 in-depth interviews and four focus groups with managers in the public sector, and five interviews with former civil servant managers who had left the Civil Service within the last two years. Throughout this article, the education, health, fire, and police sectors are referred to as “more public-facing sectors” or those with “frontline” duties.

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3. Views on productivity

Managers offered different views on the meaning of productivity. Often it was highlighted that there was not a single definition or understanding of productivity, but rather several that depended on the different roles and responsibilities of staff and teams, within a setting or organisation.

Some managers advised against framing staff performance in terms of “productivity”. They felt that staff were already working “hard” within a context of staffing shortages, and that too much emphasis on productivity in terms of numbers and targets over quality could put undue pressure on staff and could undermine staff morale, retention and achieving positive outcomes.

It's all about how many you can get in and not really about the quality of the care. It's more about that list is so high and that list needs to come down.

Some managers also felt that human resource (HR) departments and trade unions should be involved in workforce planning to consider the type of workforce and skills needed to improve focus on task prioritisation (related to core job elements) and work-life balance. For example, one manager in central government said productivity was not just about using new technology, but also having a “people” strategy in place:

So, one of the reasons I have a digital director is, it's [their] job to deliver the benefits we've decided we want to realise from technology… and, actually, [my HR manager] then has the problem of wondering how do we redeploy and reskill the colleagues that become free as a result of technology taking their jobs.

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4. Management practices

This section focuses on management practices such as decision making, problem solving and approach to innovation when considering ways to improve productivity.

Decision making and problem solving

Managers who have more ability to influence decision making, particularly when supported by data, felt they were better placed to identify issues and take action to improve productivity. However, the extent to which they felt able to make and contribute to decision making varied and was linked to structural and cultural factors. This included the size of the organisation and proximity of staff to senior decision makers, levels of autonomy and whether organisations encouraged and supported staff to provide feedback and collaborate.

Managers in larger and more dispersed organisations (such as NHS trusts and fire service who were accountable to national services but organised on a more local basis) said they lacked shared spaces where they could interact regularly with senior decision makers, making it more difficult to communicate ideas and influence decisions.

Similarly, managers from the health, fire, and police service said that although they had some autonomy in decision making, particularly related to productivity, it was difficult to communicate problems and ideas for change because of the remoteness of senior managers.

Some managers felt empowered to influence decision making and take action to improve productivity where their organisation encouraged and supported staff to provide feedback and work collaboratively. This was more common in central and local government.

We've set a five-year corporate plan of what we're trying to achieve strategically, and then we set, with the support of the board, and in quite a consultative and collaborative way with senior colleagues in the organisation, we set a plan for what are we trying to deliver each year.

Approaches to innovation

Managers described both informal processes built on discussions and reflections on existing practice to make continuous improvements and more formal “transformation-type” projects led by senior leaders involving data-driven performance monitoring and consultation phases. Those adopting the more formal approaches tended to be based in the central and local government and health sectors.

Managers discussed multiple approaches to promoting innovation, including a collaborative culture where staff were encouraged to think about how they could do things more efficiently, and where there were regular opportunities to share their views and lead changes. They discussed carefully piloting (and providing clear rationales for) any proposed innovation to increase organisational commitment, and providing adequate training where any innovation or new technology was introduced.

We have local team meetings. The team, all the time, are like, can we try this, can we try that, even if it's just local stuff… So, we have a senior team meeting every week, so we'd take it to the senior team that the team wish to implement this or try this. It'll always be a discussion and unless someone's got a glaring reason why it's unsafe or illegal.

Yes, [in the Civil Service] they did encourage people to get involved in changes and improvements, if you wanted to work on something like that, then they'd probably be quite happy for you to get involved, and I did do that.

Managers in central government talked about how they encouraged recruitment of ambitious staff to bring new energy, expertise and ideas related to innovation.

We recruit bright [staff] that have used lots of clever computer kit, and we encourage them to try and apply those to the technical problems we're trying to solve.

However, managers also identified barriers that could affect an organisation’s ability to encourage innovation, described under the following subheadings.

Lack of communication

Some managers described little to no regular contact between middle managers and senior leaders.

Resistance to change

This was particularly mentioned in the health sector, where managers identified resistance from staff to do things differently often because they believed that staff did not want to take time out to learn something new.

I think with the resistance [to innovation and technology], particularly [this is at] lower levels, I think a lot of it is, a lot of, they don't want their job to be harder with learning something new or doing it in a new way. It's easier to do what you've always done.

I think in public sector, you do have a bit of a barrier when it comes to introducing new technologies and having to go through either some sort of a procurement process or there simply not being a will to change.

Slow decision making

Some managers in the education sector talked about how drawn-out decision making made it difficult to plan ahead and allocate budgets for setting salaries, and investing in innovations, technology or training.

It's like playing Russian roulette every year… The later we find out [about budget allocations], the more difficult it is for us to plan, and then we're making people redundant, or we haven't taken people on that we could have done, because we were working on a higher percentage. It's really difficult, and when 80% of your budget is on staffing.

Lack of capacity and financial resource

Some managers felt that innovation-focused interventions could take a substantial amount of time to implement and noted that new technology is expensive. Managers in the education, police and fire sectors reported lacking the necessary resource to make and implement purchases.

Well, yes, cost is a concern, but it's more to do with the fact that we've only got a finite budget. I think when you look at the way budgets are broken down, particularly I'm quoting figures that – of the budget that we get as an organisation, I think 90% of our budget goes on staff wages. We haven't got the capacity to spend money freely on developing software solutions in the way that you have bespoke written products. We have to buy products off the shelf.

While many managers felt their organisations were open to change, innovation was challenging when there was pressure to be productive in day-to-day tasks. Mid-level managers in more public-facing sectors expressed the challenges of being innovative when departments set targets that were seen as being often unachievable. For example, because of the demanding nature of policing, managers said it was more important for them to prioritise the basics of their roles and achieve productivity in that respect. They felt that they did not have time to think about how they could improve productivity.

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5. Administration

Managers described a wide range of administrative tasks, a lot of which involved a degree of “paperwork”, such as printing forms, manual data entry and filing. Other administrative tasks mentioned included emails, people management, planning and project management. These tasks were either carried out by dedicated roles or as part of a wider role. These findings align to those from the ONS public sector time use survey where it was found that 60% of public sector workers’ time was spent on 'non-sector specific' activities, which include specialised tasks such as data analysis, research and project management, and tasks such as meetings and events.

There were some variations on administrative tasks by sector. While all managers’ roles included email correspondence, this was more prominent in the central and local government sectors. Administrative tasks within the education sector involved correspondence with parents or students, and within the health sector, this included booking appointments and managing patients.

Impact on productivity

The number of staff dedicated to administration was often described as being limited or when available, they were too centralised (for example, in parts of the health service). Therefore, managers said they often undertook these tasks themselves, which could be time-consuming. These findings align with those published in our ONS public sector time use survey, where frontline workers reported that 47% of their time spent on 'non-sector specific' tasks was perceived as being very important.

Within the central and local government sectors, managers felt they were able to manage administrative tasks as part of their workload. However, managers in sectors that are more public facing found it difficult to allocate time specifically for administration. Some said it took up 10% to 30% of their time, while others felt it was a much higher proportion of their time.

I always try to be very positive. However, it is very difficult with the police because I think the expectation, what they expect from you is far more than you can deliver really. When I think of the admin involved in my role, it's a full-time job in itself.

Feelings of being particularly “overwhelmed” by administration were reported in schools, health, and the police service. Managers in these sectors felt that administrative tasks took them away from other parts of their roles and as a result they sometimes needed to work out of hours, including evenings and weekends.

If I'm perfectly honest, I would say most of my day is administration, and when it comes to strategic thinking, I think in our school, if I have something important to do, I'll take a day or a half-a-day out of school… Or else I find in evenings or at weekends, or during the holidays… All that kind of top-level thinking, you just haven't got the time in school.

The use of delegation to reduce the impact of administration on productivity was not discussed in detail. Some managers did talk about how they would like to delegate tasks, such as placing orders for basic equipment. However, junior managers did not always have the access permissions to undertake these tasks, or in other circumstances, delegation was not possible because staff were simply not available.

As an officer, we're given certain permissions where we're able to make certain changes and do certain things on our intranet system. So often, I will want something done and I'll need some assistance, and I'll say, 'Right, look, can you just go and fill these in for me?' and they don't have the permissions to do it. Then you're left banging your head against a brick wall and doing it yourself in the end.

Opportunities to automate administrative tasks

Some managers said they made regular use of automation to streamline processes to save time and improve communication (for example, sending letters to parents or generating and sending invoices automatically). Other managers discussed the possibilities of automation to reduce the impact of administration on productivity. Although managers thought there was an appetite for more automation, its adoption within organisations and across sectors varied.

Within the central and local government sectors, managers described an approach that was focused on reducing or eliminating processes involving paper forms and manual data entry. Other examples of automation included:

• using electronic forms that could be checked by a machine
• doing pupil registers using iPads
• using speech-to-text applications, instead of typing up information

However, some managers felt that parts of the public sector are “behind the curve” in the adoption of automation.

Managers discussed some of the barriers surrounding automation of administrative tasks. Some managers pointed out that services were still reliant on old, centralised technology that did not integrate well with other systems, which led to duplication of data entry and to services being unfit for purpose at a local level.

I would probably describe us as being 20 to 30 years behind the curve. The favourite term that we seem to use in our in our IT world in services is ‘workaround’. Everything has a 'workaround' of some description because one thing doesn't talk to another. There's no two systems that can talk to each other, it doesn't appear.

Additionally, where there was investment in technology including automation, managers felt that it could be difficult to find the time for staff training. This was especially the case where staff would need to be taken away from frontline duties.

Training for anything that's new also can be quite difficult, because if you're a busy team, getting people trained in anything - getting them to do the training they have to do regularly anyway is hard enough.

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6. Artificial intelligence (AI) to improve productivity

Existing use and knowledge of AI

Current use of new technologies, automation and AI varied across and within sectors. Some organisations were in the early stages of introducing AI. Informally, managers were often “looking into” using AI. They described small-scale implementation with AI use restricted to particular operations, for example, testing AI for recruitment purposes. More formally, managers described AI pilots, where specific programmes, such as Microsoft CoPilot, were being rolled out with the aim of assisting with administrative tasks, such as minute taking and summarising documents. These formal pilots were common in central and local government, and within academy trusts in the education sector.

The use of generalised AI tools, such as ChatGPT, was often done at an individual level rather than an organisation-wide level. For example, using AI to synthesise meeting notes to assist with report writing. However, this would often be done “offline” and without departmental instruction.

Mid-level managers in frontline positions within health and policing were particularly unsure about the definition and use of AI. Some managers were unable to see how AI would help them and felt that there was no software available that would change their existing databases and platforms.

Our [School Information Management System] (SIMS) is quite clunky, but it's what we have, and you get used to it and make the most of it. School data have got to be sent in a specific form to the local authority. In the past, some schools have moved away from [SIMS] and then moved back again, so there is nothing really to replace [this platform] that's satisfactory.

Additionally, mid-level managers in frontline sectors such as education, health, policing, and fire service, talked about the difficulty of being innovative when departments and individuals have targets to meet that are often perceived as unrealistic. They felt that they did not have time to think about how they could improve productivity through AI.

Managers acknowledged the benefits of using AI in helping to free up staff time, reducing the administrative “burden” and improving the accuracy and speed of reporting. Within the education and fire sectors, the introduction of handheld devices, such as iPads, enabled the live inputting of data, improving reporting accuracy and removing the task of extracting data manually. For managers who had been testing out AI tools, the trialling period was felt to have increased confidence for future implementation.

One challenge of using AI included a lack of time to receive adequate training when new technology was introduced. Additionally, lack of communication and consultation with frontline workers was seen as a challenge. When a new technology was introduced, there was often no consideration about whether the decision would benefit those who use it, and managers felt that this made their working lives harder rather than leading to increased productivity.

On the other end of the scale, some managers had little knowledge of AI and therefore had no current use of AI or automation in their roles.

Managers who were aware of AI but not currently using it understood its potential benefits for future use. There was a sense of inevitability from these participants about the eventual rollout of AI. Some managers in the health sector expressed views that, while they would like to use AI, the technology was not yet ready to be applied within their workplace setting, mostly because of a lack of technical expertise. Often participants had learnt about AI and automation from external sources. For example, some managers reported receiving emails from outside their organisations that had been written by AI.

Differences between sectors were apparent with some managers in more public-facing sectors being more cautious and uncertain about the use of AI and were therefore less likely to be using it already. These sectors had concerns over the safety of their pupils, patients, or members of the public, which led to many managers thinking about regulations and the barriers to AI, instead of how it could be implemented. By contrast, managers in central and local government reported having greater capacity to experiment with new technology.

Potential and future uses of AI

Where managers considered how AI could be used to increase productivity, reasons given mostly centred on a desire to reduce the administrative “burden” of their roles. Managers reflected on how AI could remove “laborious” tasks, freeing up their time. Even those who were more wary of AI were open to technology that could help to automatically produce minutes of meetings.

I know that they [the associate directors within the organisation] have been exploring AI. Particularly, obviously, in relation to automation, there is a lot of – and a lot of it is quick wins in terms of process and systems that are focused on operations. Yes, I think there is a strong focus within the business of, particularly around the processing bit of it, in terms of quality and timeliness about the opportunities that AI and automation can bring.

Managers suggested that the implementation of new technology and AI is dependent on the management structure of their organisation, particularly in the more dispersed organisations, such as the police force or NHS trusts, where decision making takes place at a local level. Some managers from the police and health sectors suggested that the use of AI existed but it was not rolled out at the national level.

Risks and barriers to using new technology and AI

Participants from across all sectors expressed reservations over the implementation of AI and new technology.

One of the main barriers to introducing new technology and AI was cost. Those in central and local government sectors were generally more open to these costs, managers in organisations, such as schools and hospitals, were more apprehensive about the financial commitment. Some managers, particularly those in sectors such as health and policing, questioned why the money needed for AI could not be invested into people instead.

The amount of money that it would take to invest in AI and implement it in hospitals and wards, and the maintenance of it because you'd need to employ somebody to maintain that massive system, why can't it be put into people? Why can't they employ more nurses? Why is it even up for discussion to replace a person with personal care over a computer that could possibly go wrong?

There were also suggestions that fewer senior staff were apprehensive towards change and therefore were not ready to adopt AI and new technologies. While managers in health suggested that they will always need people, they described the process as being a change management issue, where senior staff would need to provide reassurance over job losses. However, other managers did not see staff readiness as a barrier, not because they felt ready for AI, but because management decisions were often implemented regardless of wider staff opinion. Some middle managers, particularly in the police service, felt that senior leaders’ main priority was cost saving and not whether people were positively engaged with an idea.

Other barriers to using technology and AI were around trust in accuracy of outputs and data security. Some managers were against the idea of using AI because they believed that they would still have to check for mistakes and therefore would not be saving any time. For managers in more “high-risk” sectors, such as health, this lack of trust was amplified where they were worried about potential errors that could put patient lives at risk. Managers were concerned over adherence to General Data Protection Regulation and the increased risk of cyber-attacks or data breaches when using an unfamiliar and untested software. This concern was held most strongly within the health, education, police and fire service sectors, where the risk to public data was perceived to be stronger.

People are using AI but then they're checking it and editing it. Why are we using AI? You might as well just write it yourself in the first place. There is no productivity [gain] if you're using an AI package which you're then having to check and edit… I don't get the logic of that.

Some managers felt that automated technology, such as virtual assistants, were not appropriate in some circumstances, for example, when dealing with victims of crime. There were concerns that vulnerable groups might not be served effectively by an automated service. Humans leading first contact were able to pick up on non-verbal cues or “read between the lines” in ways that machines could not, which was considered important by managers in terms of delivering good outcomes.

I definitely think there's a place for technology in health, but sometimes I find going towards this very digitalised world is, I think there's a lot of negatives that we're not necessarily thinking about in terms of communication, human connection. In mental health, loneliness is huge, social isolation is huge. I just sometimes wonder what that world might look like if we become very digital.

These barriers were suggested across all sectors, however, those in education, health, fire and policing sectors described these more seriously than managers from central and local government. They viewed their sectors as high risk and thought that consequences of bad technology would be much higher. Former civil servants also said that the stakes of making poor investment decisions were higher for them in the private sector compared with the public sector, because of the increased accountability over costs.

I'm at a new start-up so obviously, one of the things, it is impeding in terms of full automation or the whole system, how you run the business, is capital. We don't have the huge capital yet.

Back to table of contents

7. Glossary

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Computer programs or machines that can learn from data and perform tasks usually completed by humans. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently used in a variety of ways, including:

• online product recommendations
• facial recognition
• self-driving vehicles
• medical diagnostic tools
• chatbots that interact in a conversational way and can answer complex questions

Automation

A set of technologies that can substitute routine, non-cognitive tasks or jobs (for example, the introduction of the telephone switchboard replacing switchboard operators, or accounting software).

Back to table of contents

8. Data sources and quality

Methods

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) carried out this research on behalf of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). NatCen conducted in-depth individual and focus group interviews with senior managers in the public sector. Interviews took place between August and September 2024. They were carried out online, using semi-structured topic guides agreed with the ONS. Interviews lasted around 60 minutes and focus groups lasted around 90 minutes.

Vignettes about possible uses of automation and technology were used in the focus groups to stimulate discussion. All interviews and focus groups were audio recorded with consent and transcribed verbatim. They were then analysed thematically according to the aims of the study (using a top-down approach).

Sampling and recruitment

Public sector managers in executive level management positions (responsible for an organisation or service), or service delivery managers (responsible for a team or department) were recruited for this research.

Participants were recruited in the following ways.

Those who had taken part in the public sector management practices survey (PSMPS) and agreed to take part in further research carried out by third-party organisations. This involved 15 in-depth interviews with:

• six participants from central government (including a paired interview, involving two participants)
• one participant from local government
• five participants from the health sector
• four participants from the education sector

Participants recruited from a recruitment agency. This included four focus groups with managers in the following sectors (number of participants shown in each sector group):

• education – 7 participants
• health – 8 participants
• police – 7 participants
• fire – 6 participants

There were also five in-depth interviews with managers who had left the civil service in the last two years to work in the private sector. This group was included to enable additional insight and to understand whether experiences in management practices differed between the public and private sector.

Back to table of contents

9. Related links

Public Sector Management Practices Survey pilot
Statistical Bulletin | Released 21 October 2024
The Public Sector Management Practices Survey (PSMPS) is a new survey of management practices in public sector organisations. These are official statistics in development.

Time use in the public sector, further analysis, Great Britain: February 2024
Article | Released 21 October 2024
Estimates and opinions of time spent by public sector workers on a range of work activities. These are official statistics in development.

How we are transforming our understanding of Public Services Productivity
Blog post | Released 21 October 2024
National Statistical blog explaining how work on public services productivity is progressing. Includes insights about where productivity could potentially be improved.

Management practices in the UK: 2016 to 2023
Statistical bulletin | Released 13 May 2024
Review of management practice scores for firms in the production and services industries across the UK in 2023 and Great Britain from 2016 to 2023. These are official statistics in development.

Back to table of contents

10. Cite this article

Office for National Statistics (ONS), released 21 October 2024, ONS website, article, Public sector managers' views on management practices, Great Britain: August to September 2024

Back to table of contents

Click here to view original web page at www.binance.com

Search 2 keywords found: basic income

The global cryptocurrency landscape has evolved significantly in recent years, with Worldcoin emerging as one of the most intriguing projects in the decentralized space. Co-founded by Sam Altman in 2021, Worldcoin (WLD) aims to create a decentralized global currency and digital identity system that can be used by anyone, anywhere. The project's vision revolves around universal basic income (UBI), privacy-preserving digital identity, and fostering inclusion in the global economy. As we head into 2024 and 2025, the performance and prospects of Worldcoin will depend on several factors ranging from regulatory developments to technological innovations. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the likely trajectory of Worldcoin for the upcoming years.

Market Performance: 2024 to 2025

Worldcoin's early adoption period has been characterized by both enthusiasm and skepticism. The project’s promise of distributing WLD tokens to over a billion people by scanning their irises for a unique digital identity has attracted considerable attention. As of late 2023, Worldcoin has seen moderate success in rolling out its Orb-based identity verification devices and distributing tokens. However, the token’s market price has been highly volatile, driven by broader market conditions, investor sentiment, and ongoing debates about privacy and ethics.

Looking ahead to 2024 and 2025, Worldcoin's market performance will likely be shaped by a few key factors:

1. Adoption and Distribution Progress: One of the core pillars of Worldcoin is its ambitious goal of global distribution. If the project successfully scales its iris-scanning operations and reaches a broad user base in underdeveloped markets, it could gain significant momentum. However, achieving this at scale requires overcoming logistical challenges, gaining public trust, and ensuring security, particularly in regions where digital identity systems are not well-established.

2. Market Sentiment and Macroeconomic Factors: Cryptocurrency markets tend to be influenced by global economic conditions, including inflation, interest rates, and geopolitical events. As central banks across the world tighten monetary policy or shift toward central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), the role of decentralized assets like Worldcoin will be subject to increased scrutiny. Any fluctuations in the broader crypto market—especially in Bitcoin and Ethereum—will likely impact WLD’s price dynamics as well.

3. Partnerships and Integrations: For Worldcoin to succeed, its ecosystem needs to be integrated with broader digital and financial services. Strategic partnerships with payment providers, digital wallets, and e-commerce platforms will be critical to driving demand for WLD tokens. Progress in these areas will likely spur adoption, while delays could hinder growth.

Regulatory Environment

The regulatory landscape surrounding cryptocurrencies continues to evolve rapidly, and Worldcoin will need to navigate this complex environment to succeed. Governments worldwide are drafting legislation on digital assets, with a particular focus on data privacy, identity verification, and anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.

1. Data Privacy Concerns: Worldcoin’s reliance on biometric data—specifically iris scans—has raised concerns among privacy advocates. Although the project claims its system is privacy-preserving, regulators may impose stricter guidelines on how such sensitive information is collected and stored. Worldcoin will need to ensure that its technology adheres to privacy regulations like the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and similar laws elsewhere.

2. AML and Know Your Customer (KYC) Compliance: As Worldcoin continues to expand globally, it will be crucial to comply with AML and KYC requirements in different jurisdictions. Failure to comply with such standards could lead to significant legal hurdles or sanctions that may slow its adoption and negatively impact the token's value.

3. Government Responses to Universal Basic Income (UBI): The concept of UBI remains controversial, with proponents arguing that it can help alleviate poverty and inequality, while opponents worry about its economic feasibility and societal impact. If Worldcoin can demonstrate its viability as a platform for distributing UBI, it may gain favor in jurisdictions exploring social safety net reforms. However, strong government pushback could stymie progress, especially if policymakers view Worldcoin’s model as a threat to traditional welfare systems.

Technological Innovations and Infrastructure

Worldcoin’s success will also hinge on the robustness of its underlying technology and its ability to keep pace with innovations in the blockchain space. Key areas of focus for the project in 2024 and 2025 include scalability, security, and user experience.

1. Scalability: To serve a global population, Worldcoin will need to demonstrate that its platform can scale efficiently. Given the potential demand for biometric verification and digital identity services, any bottlenecks or inefficiencies in the system could undermine user confidence. Layer-2 scaling solutions, cross-chain interoperability, and partnerships with other blockchain ecosystems may help Worldcoin meet this challenge.

2. Security: As with any blockchain-based system, security remains a top priority. Worldcoin’s biometric verification system introduces additional attack vectors, such as potential misuse of iris scans or attempts to forge digital identities. Ensuring the highest standards of security, both at the blockchain level and within its hardware devices (the Orbs), will be critical to maintaining trust.

3. User Experience: The broader success of Worldcoin will depend on how easily users can interact with the system. Simplifying the onboarding process, reducing the friction of using decentralized applications (dApps), and improving the overall user interface will be key to mass adoption. In particular, Worldcoin must make it as easy as possible for individuals in developing countries—who may have limited access to sophisticated technology—to access and benefit from its platform.

Conclusion

The outlook for Worldcoin in 2024 and 2025 is filled with both promise and uncertainty. The project’s unique approach to combining digital identity with cryptocurrency distribution makes it one of the most innovative and ambitious players in the space. However, its success will ultimately depend on its ability to overcome regulatory challenges, scale its technology effectively, and build a broad user base.

As the global economy continues to shift towards digital finance and decentralized systems, Worldcoin has the potential to become a key player in the future of global currency. However, its path will be shaped by the evolving regulatory landscape, technological advancements, and market conditions that define the crypto sector as a whole. Investors and stakeholders should remain vigilant, keeping an eye on adoption trends, regulatory developments, and Worldcoin’s ability to deliver on its bold promises over the next two years.

World Coin Analysis: Outlook for 2024 to 2025

The global cryptocurrency landscape has evolved significantly in recent years, with Worldcoin emerging as one of the most intriguing projects in the decentralized space. Co-founded by Sam Altman in 2021, Worldcoin (WLD) aims to create a decentralized global currency and digital identity system that can be used by anyone, anywhere. The project's vision revolves around universal basic income (UBI), privacy-preserving digital identity, and fostering inclusion in the global economy. As we head into 2024 and 2025, the performance and prospects of Worldcoin will depend on several factors ranging from regulatory developments to technological innovations. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the likely trajectory of Worldcoin for the upcoming years.

Market Performance: 2024 to 2025

Worldcoin's early adoption period has been characterized by both enthusiasm and skepticism. The project’s promise of distributing WLD tokens to over a billion people by scanning their irises for a unique digital identity has attracted considerable attention. As of late 2023, Worldcoin has seen moderate success in rolling out its Orb-based identity verification devices and distributing tokens. However, the token’s market price has been highly volatile, driven by broader market conditions, investor sentiment, and ongoing debates about privacy and ethics.

Looking ahead to 2024 and 2025, Worldcoin's market performance will likely be shaped by a few key factors:

1. Adoption and Distribution Progress: One of the core pillars of Worldcoin is its ambitious goal of global distribution. If the project successfully scales its iris-scanning operations and reaches a broad user base in underdeveloped markets, it could gain significant momentum. However, achieving this at scale requires overcoming logistical challenges, gaining public trust, and ensuring security, particularly in regions where digital identity systems are not well-established.

2. Market Sentiment and Macroeconomic Factors: Cryptocurrency markets tend to be influenced by global economic conditions, including inflation, interest rates, and geopolitical events. As central banks across the world tighten monetary policy or shift toward central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), the role of decentralized assets like Worldcoin will be subject to increased scrutiny. Any fluctuations in the broader crypto market—especially in Bitcoin and Ethereum—will likely impact WLD’s price dynamics as well.

3. Partnerships and Integrations: For Worldcoin to succeed, its ecosystem needs to be integrated with broader digital and financial services. Strategic partnerships with payment providers, digital wallets, and e-commerce platforms will be critical to driving demand for WLD tokens. Progress in these areas will likely spur adoption, while delays could hinder growth.

Regulatory Environment

The regulatory landscape surrounding cryptocurrencies continues to evolve rapidly, and Worldcoin will need to navigate this complex environment to succeed. Governments worldwide are drafting legislation on digital assets, with a particular focus on data privacy, identity verification, and anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.

1. Data Privacy Concerns: Worldcoin’s reliance on biometric data—specifically iris scans—has raised concerns among privacy advocates. Although the project claims its system is privacy-preserving, regulators may impose stricter guidelines on how such sensitive information is collected and stored. Worldcoin will need to ensure that its technology adheres to privacy regulations like the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and similar laws elsewhere.

2. AML and Know Your Customer (KYC) Compliance: As Worldcoin continues to expand globally, it will be crucial to comply with AML and KYC requirements in different jurisdictions. Failure to comply with such standards could lead to significant legal hurdles or sanctions that may slow its adoption and negatively impact the token's value.

3. Government Responses to Universal Basic Income (UBI): The concept of UBI remains controversial, with proponents arguing that it can help alleviate poverty and inequality, while opponents worry about its economic feasibility and societal impact. If Worldcoin can demonstrate its viability as a platform for distributing UBI, it may gain favor in jurisdictions exploring social safety net reforms. However, strong government pushback could stymie progress, especially if policymakers view Worldcoin’s model as a threat to traditional welfare systems.

Technological Innovations and Infrastructure

Worldcoin’s success will also hinge on the robustness of its underlying technology and its ability to keep pace with innovations in the blockchain space. Key areas of focus for the project in 2024 and 2025 include scalability, security, and user experience.

1. Scalability: To serve a global population, Worldcoin will need to demonstrate that its platform can scale efficiently. Given the potential demand for biometric verification and digital identity services, any bottlenecks or inefficiencies in the system could undermine user confidence. Layer-2 scaling solutions, cross-chain interoperability, and partnerships with other blockchain ecosystems may help Worldcoin meet this challenge.

2. Security: As with any blockchain-based system, security remains a top priority. Worldcoin’s biometric verification system introduces additional attack vectors, such as potential misuse of iris scans or attempts to forge digital identities. Ensuring the highest standards of security, both at the blockchain level and within its hardware devices (the Orbs), will be critical to maintaining trust.

3. User Experience: The broader success of Worldcoin will depend on how easily users can interact with the system. Simplifying the onboarding process, reducing the friction of using decentralized applications (dApps), and improving the overall user interface will be key to mass adoption. In particular, Worldcoin must make it as easy as possible for individuals in developing countries—who may have limited access to sophisticated technology—to access and benefit from its platform.

Conclusion

The outlook for Worldcoin in 2024 and 2025 is filled with both promise and uncertainty. The project’s unique approach to combining digital identity with cryptocurrency distribution makes it one of the most innovative and ambitious players in the space. However, its success will ultimately depend on its ability to overcome regulatory challenges, scale its technology effectively, and build a broad user base.

As the global economy continues to shift towards digital finance and decentralized systems, Worldcoin has the potential to become a key player in the future of global currency. However, its path will be shaped by the evolving regulatory landscape, technological advancements, and market conditions that define the crypto sector as a whole. Investors and stakeholders should remain vigilant, keeping an eye on adoption trends, regulatory developments, and Worldcoin’s ability to de

liver on its bold promises over the next two years.

#MemeCoinTrending #WhichMemeCoin? #SCRSpotTradingOnBinance #USRetailSalesBoost #Write2Earn!

Disclaimer: Includes third-party opinions. No financial advice. May include sponsored content. See T&Cs.

WLD

2.28

-5.43%

BTC

67,460.36

-2.31%

Click here to view original web page at www.bizjournals.com

Search 2 keywords found: basic income,guaranteed income

The James S. McDonnell Foundation has given $1 million to keep St. Louis' guaranteed income program going through the end of this year, it said.

Additional private funders have contributed another $250,000, the foundation said.

A state-court judge in August halted the government program, in which 500 households were receiving $500 monthly payments as part of the federal pandemic American Rescue Plan Act funding. The judge had said that the injunction was based solely on the question of the program violating the Missouri Constitution and the St. Louis City Charter.

The president of the James S. McDonnell Foundation, Jason Purnell, said in a statement Monday that its focus "is on ensuring that families receive the resources promised to them and that the program can continue to gather valuable data on how (guaranteed basic income) might contribute to St. Louis’s economic growth."

"Our priorities are the well-being of these local families and the insights that could emerge to inform more inclusive growth strategies," he said.

The organization said the move aligns with its broader mission to promote "inclusive growth."

It also said it believes that the city's program has the potential to show that a guaranteed basic income improves children's educational outcomes and their future earnings; enhances the health of children and parents; reduces health care costs; and reduces crime statistics.

The program was set to end in mid-2025, and a foundation spokesman said it is soliciting more funds in a bid to keep the program going beyond this year.

An attorney who brought the lawsuit against the city's program previously said that "gratuitous payments to private individuals are not allowed and there’s good reasons for that."

The James. S. McDonnell Foundation in October 2022 named Purnell as its new president, succeeding Susan Fitzpatrick. Before taking his new post in February 2023, Purnell was BJC HealthCare's vice president of community health improvement.

The James S. McDonnell Foundation was founded in 1950 by James S. McDonnell — an aviation pioneer who founded McDonnell Aircraft Corp. The private foundation in 2022 had $30.1 million in revenue, $33.3 million in expenses and total assets of $499.9 million, according to its most recent available filing with the Internal Revenue Service.

The foundation ranked as the ninth-largest charitable trust and foundation in the St. Louis area based on contributions, grants and gifts paid of $22.8 million, according to Business Journal research published in December.

St. Louis' largest charitable trusts and foundations

Contributions, Grants and Gifts Paid in Most Recent Fiscal Year

Rank	Prior Rank	Organization / Prior Rank (*not ranked)
1	1	St. Louis Community Foundation
2	2	Enterprise Holdings Foundation
3	3	The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital

View this list

Click here to view original web page at www.soapboxmedia.com

Search 2 keywords found: employment,manufactur,technology,robot,technical

It’s well known that Middletown’s legacy stands as a manufacturing haven. Steel and paper mills provided stable working-class employment and attracted people from Appalachia and other regions to settle there. Producing goods, equipment, and materials remains essential to the economy and identity of the city, which has slightly more than 50,000 residents.

However, these aren’t your father’s production facilities. Automation and AI have transformed the manufacturing sector, with specialized skills and training often of greater importance than brawn. It’s increasingly untenable for employees to staff the same spot on the line for an entire career. With manufacturing technology continually evolving, it’s a necessity for workers of all ages to receive the training necessary to adapting skills to what the workforce of the future requires.

The upside of the need for more specialized training to attain such jobs is that it’s more readily available, and considerable opportunity exists. For decades, the default educational mission was preparing all students to attend college, and vocational and technical instruction withered. However, that paradigm has shifted, and more resources are allocated toward this type of postsecondary instruction.

Administrators at Butler Tech, which will celebrate its 50^th anniversary next year and operates campuses in Middletown and Liberty Township, just broke ground on a Middletown aviation-education facility that will open in January 2026, which will expand opportunities available through Butler Tech's high-school and adult education offerings.

Kristen Abudakar, the director of Butler Tech’s Liberty Township campus, noted that Butler Tech serves approximately 1,700 students annually across all fields of study, but has to turn away approximately 1,500 applicants due to capacity.

Representing a vital need as the large Baby Boomer population ages, health care training and certification provides entry into another high-demand field. Sarah DeLong, Butler Tech’s associate director of health programs, who has prior experience as a nurse-practitioner, said the program has 200 students in 14 health care-training disciplines, such as nursing, phlebotomy, medical assistant training, and medical billing and coding.

Nick Linberg, Butler Tech’s senior director of strategic planning, who supervises the institution’s adult-education programs, said the school’s program produces 200 to 250 students annually trained as welders, HVAC repair professionals, and industrial maintenance technicians.

“Through Jobs Ohio and other workforce-development programs in the state, all of our programs are in demand and growing,” Linberg said. “For adults training for new careers and professional development, manufacturing automation and robotics are programs that are emerging fields. Even in a welding-certification program, you’re learning aspects of working with robotic tools.”

Nick Linberg, Butler Tech senior director of strategic planning.He added, “We have hospital network reps coming in saying, ‘We’ll hire every STNA [state-trained nurse’s aide] and medical assistant you can produce,’ so it’s important for our programs to adapt to what the market demands.”

With robust manufacturing and distribution apparatus throughout Middletown, Monroe, and Butler, CDL certification programs and logistics training are also programs preparing students for future productive careers. Linberg credited Cleveland Cliffs (Middletown’s legacy steel manufacturer, formerly known as ARMCO and AK Steel) with being an engaged partner and supporter of the program.

Abudakar said that “futureproofing” Butler Tech’s programs is an institutional priority: “Throughout all our programs, we’re constantly looking ahead to prepare our students for jobs that will be in high demand 10 years from now. Our industry partners play a valuable role in helping us prepare our students for high-demand careers.”

The aviation-education program expansion in Middletown represents a pivotal step in merging future professionals’ opportunities and community demand. Middletown’s economic-development office and its airport manager spoke recently about the opportunities provided by training to work with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) such as drones, as well as providing the foundation for careers in aerospace engineering, aviation maintenance, and related fields.

Kristen Abudakar, Butler Tech campus director“Currently, we have 75 students per year between all grades in the aviation-education program,” Abudakar said. “This year, we had 80 applications for entry into the program, which begins in 10^th grade, but only were able to take 27 through a lottery process. With the new facility, we expect to accommodate between 150 and 200 students, so the new facility will increase opportunities.” The 3-year program, which currently primarily takes students entering 10^th grade, culminates in an opportunity to receive FAA certification for aviation maintenance. Abudakar said that one driver for the new Aviation Education Hangar is to provide more opportunities for adults to learn the trade.

Middletown was prioritized for the Hangar because it’s been designated an Opportunity Zone, which was created when Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to facilitate economic development in areas enduring financial difficulty. The facility is being constructed at a cost of $15 million, with $7 million of its provided through Butler County's ARPA funds, $500,000 from the city of Middletown, and the remaining half funded by Butler Tech.

Butler Tech is also trailblazing opportunities for its students with its Advanced Manufacturing Hub (AMHUB) program in partnership with Miami University, which will provide opportunities to students in the region. Slated to open next year, AMHUB will operate on a 140,000-square-foot campus (with potential to grow to 300,000 sq. ft.) in Hamilton, with Butler Tech and Miami occupying 70,000 square feet apiece.

AMHUB will engage industry partners in the fields of automation, computer networking, robotics, machine learning, welding, and AI. Beginning in 10^th grade, students will have the opportunity to develop advanced technology and engineering skills while enhancing their business savvy, entrepreneurial mindset, and critical thinking applicable to “smart” manufacturing. Through Miami’s College of Engineering and Computing, students will prepare for the manufacturing sector via certification and degree programs in engineering, robotics, and automation.

“Students will be able to take courses from 10^th grade through Ph.D.-level classes on one campus,” Abudakar said. “Corporate and community organization partnerships are reshaping the future of education. In the post-COVID world, parents and students are demanding broader curriculum choices, and we’re striving to bring kids in at every level and be prepared for additional education or the workforce.”

In any field, navigating AI’s capabilities and pitfalls is an essential component of instruction. Linberg said, “[AI] will be part of every aspect of tomorrow’s workers’ lives. We focus on giving them access and teaching them how to use it properly, and being mindful of teaching its capabilities in a positive manner and how to use it responsibly to enhance work and learning.”

Sarah DeLong, Butler Tech associate director of health-education programs.Instructional techniques must be continually leveraged to optimize students’ abilities, and with vocational training, relevant field instruction is especially important. DeLong said, “With health care training, exams and labs are being reworked to include more simulations to better replicate real-life scenarios to reduce patient errors for first-year nurses, with a greater emphasis on critical thinking and externships … and practice what they’ve been learning and having networking opportunities with possible future employers.”

A common thread through millennial, Gen Z, and younger generations is entrepreneurial drive that entails holistic ownership of a role commensurate with a skilled workforce. Butler Tech has opened an entrepreneurial center, which helps students master soft skills, as well as resume writing and interview preparation, to better engage with the workplace and become more well-rounded.

“Employers want a more skilled, prepared workforce, which helps with employee retention,” Abudakar said. “But by that same token, younger workers simply change jobs more often, and we also to prepare them to be adaptable and more likely to succeed in any field.”

The numbers affirm that Butler Tech’s program is working. For the last six years, it’s achieved a 99% or 100% graduation rate. Abudakar said, “Once our students arrive in our program and are exposed to a wider range of opportunities than a typical high school education provides, they become more motivated and invested," she said. "We have students arriving from all sorts of backgrounds, but we set the same bar for everyone, and they usually rise to it.”

The Soapbox Partner City Middletown series is made possible with support from Cincinnati Commercial Contracting (CCC) and the Middletown Chamber of Commerce serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton.

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Read more articles by Steve Aust.

Steve is a freelance writer and editor, father, and husband who enjoys cooking, exercise, travel, and reading. A native of Fort Thomas who spent his collegiate and early-adulthood years in Georgia, marriage brought him across the river, where he now resides in Oakley.

Advanced Manufacturing, Community Development, Economic Development, Emerging Technology, IMG Wire, IT + High Tech, Jobs, Partner City, Talent

Middletown, OH

Nick GrahamChris and Jessica Cayth opened Crooked Dog Comics in Middletown earlier this year. Chris worked as an art-traffic controller for more than two decades before pursuing his passion for comics by opening the store.

The straight path to Crooked Dog
There are nearly as many paths to business ownership as there are businesses. The common thread is a dream and a plan, but variations are infinite. Chris Cayth, owner of Middletown’s Crooked Dog Comics, which opened earlier this year at 1373 Central Ave., retired from a 24-year career as an air-traffic controller in March.

He started in Grand Forks, N.D., and moved to Middletown in 2017 when he was transferred to the Dayton airport. His wife, Jessica, is a Cincinnati-based photographer, and Middletown provided a nice midpoint for their workplaces.

“I loved my career and it's something I'm proud of,” Chris said. “I definitely miss my old coworkers, but the schedule was grueling and not ideal for a consistent sleep schedule.”

One of Chris’s motivations to open a comic-book shop was B & D Comics, a shop in his hometown of Roanoke, Va., and its owner, Terry Baucom. “As an uncool kid growing up in the '80's, she and the staff always made me feel at home. Remembering how she made me feel, and the desire to pay it forward to today's youth was a huge source of inspiration. Our slogan is ‘Welcome Home’, inspired by own experience at B&D.”

Chris said it was a challenge to learn about opening a business while still working 40-50 hours a week at the airport. “Much of the work setting it up fell to Jessica and her sister, Sarah, who also works with us,” he said. “ Without her and them, there is no way that this would have happened.”

Baucom and his friend Pete Bell, who owns Dayton’s Bell Book and Comic, provided ample help and advice.

Nick GrahamChris acknowledges the challenge of setting up a specialty shop in a smaller market, but he said many customers have expressed appreciation for providing a haven for comic-book buffs.

Chris said the comic book’s building has good bones and zero structural issues. He, Jessica, and their team enlisted local contractors to modernize it and made it more "fun.” Amenities include new flooring, custom shades, a new marquee, and a back room decorated like a medieval dungeon with a customized gaming table.

Another shop centerpiece is its life-sized Silver Surfer that pays homage to the well-known comic-book character. He bought it from a former coworker who displayed it in his basement. It’s one of only five such known store displays in the nation, and Chris is understandably proud to bring one to Middletown.

Chris praised David Riggs, director of the Small Business Development Center, and his staff as supportive partners in bringing Crooked Dog to life. “The SBDC helped us secure the finances required, told us who to call and email to find the right vendors and contractors, create a business plan, know which permits to procure, and more. We will always be thankful for everything they did and continue to do for us.”

He said that operating a specialty shop in a smaller market such as Middletown is challenging, but added that “local residents often thank us for opening here. We have a great property owner, terrific neighbors, and fantastic customers, many of whom I consider friends. Is it challenging? Sometimes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.”

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Philosophy With Basic Income But Without Professional Academic Incentives.

Mr Nemo

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9 hours ago

By Robert Hanna

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Philosophy With Basic Income But Without Professional Academic Incentives

For eleven years, the core members of the Against Professional Philosophy circle (APP, 2013–2024) have been consistently, critically, and sharply distinguishing between (i) philosophy pursued and practiced authentically and seriously for its own sake, as a full-time, lifetime calling, i.e., real philosophy and (ii) philosophy pursued and practiced as a money-making career that’s conducted according to the set of strict coercive authoritarian and moralistic and neoliberal expectations, norms, policies, and rules — which Jeff Schmidt aptly calls ideological discipline (Schmidt, 2000) — governing the activities of research-&-publication, teaching, and so-called “admin” or “service,” that’s characteristic and indeed partially constitutive of recent and contemporary higher education at colleges and universities, i.e., professional academic philosophy. Susan Haack has also dubbed these two diametrically opposed alternatives philosophy as a calling and philosophy as a profession (Haack, 2021). To be sure, there are some people working outside the professional academy who also pursue and practice philosophy as a money-making enterprise: perhaps they’re paid editors of popular philosophy journals; or perhaps they write and sell popular philosophy books; or perhaps they write and sell popular philosophy articles to magazines; or perhaps they appear as philosophy talking-heads on TV or YouTube; or perhaps they write paywalled philosophy blogs or other kinds of paywalled philosophy social media; and so-on. For the purposes of this essay, I’ll classify these people as professional non-academic philosophers, because they’re pursuing and practicing philosophy as a money-making enterprise, but are not also engaged in a career that’s conducted according to the ideological discipline that’s characteristic and indeed partially constitutive of recent and contemporary professional academic philosophy. Correspondingly, I’ll then refine our original critical sharp distinction so that it holds between (i) real philosophy, on the one hand, and either (iia) professional academic philosophy or (iib) professional non-academic philosophy, on the other hand. Granting that, what follows in this essay are three interlinked thought-experiments motivating an overall argument that explores some important implications of that refined critical sharp distinction.

For the purposes of this essay, let “basic income” be shorthand for the package consisting of (i) a regular, yearly stipend, with adjustments for cost-of-living increases, that’s minimally sufficient for the purposes of everyday life for one or more people in a household, for example, the equivalent of $80,000.00 USD, which is currently the median yearly household income in the USA, (ii) adequate healthcare — noting that in the USA, where healthcare is not a universal right, as it is in many countries, the cost of this would be subtracted from the yearly stipend, and (iii) adequate public education from pre-school through higher education — also noting that in the USA, where free higher education for all qualified students is not a universal right, as it is in many countries, this would also be subtracted from the yearly stipend.

And again for the purposes of this essay, let “professional academic incentives” be shorthand for the package consisting of (i) a yearly salary determined by neoliberal professional academic market values, (ii) annual three-month free time/vacations included under your yearly salary, (iii) a tenure-and-promotion stream with at least three ranks of professorship, two of them tenured ranks, each rank tied to regular salary bonuses and/or permanent increases, often but not always depending on so-called “merit,” or on seniority, but in any case also increasingly high professional-social status conferred for each higher rank, and a special ultra-high professional-social status conferred for special endowed (“named”) professorships or Chairs, (iv) regular paid sabbaticals every few years for all tenured professors, (v) yearly research funds and travel funds, especially at the higher-ranked colleges and universities, (vi) a rigid hierarchical system of rankings among colleges and universities, so that professors receive proportionally higher professional-social status by being employed at higher-ranked institutions, right up to the world-ranked top ten institutions, for example:

(v) a rigid hierarchical system of rankings among departments of philosophy, as per the Philosophical Gourmet Report overall rankings, part of which is displayed at the top of this essay, so that philosophy professors receive proportionally higher professional-social status by working at higher-ranked departments, (vii) a set of more-or-less competitive disciplinary or trans-disciplinary fellowships and grants, from the post-doctoral level up through all higher professorial ranks, with high professional-social status awarded to the winners of such competitions, and so-on and so forth, the total collection of which Susan Haack has aptly dubbed perverse incentives (Haack, 2022; see also Hanna, 2022a).

So, in short, philosophy with basic income but without professional academic incentives provides you with the opportunity to pursue and practice philosophy authentically and seriously for its own sake as a full-time, lifetime calling, autonomously, hence in a self-determining and rationally-guided way, independently of the ideological discipline that’s characteristic and indeed partially constitutive of professional academic philosophy, without all the incentives — i.e., goodies — that professional academic philosophy so effectively employs in order to addict you to that way of life and to normalize its ideological discipline, but also in a way that won’t starve you or make you homeless, won’t prevent your access to adequate healthcare, and won’t prevent any children you might have from getting a perfectly adequate education, all the way from pre-school through higher education.

Indeed, philosophy with basic income but without professional academic incentives is today’s equivalent of Socrates’s audacious, edgy, and radical proposal in the Apology that instead of being put to death by his Athenian accusers and persecutors, he should in fact be rewarded with “free maintenance by the state” for his full-time, lifetime labors as a philosophical gadfly (Plato, 1982: p. 22, 37a). Or in other words, philosophy with basic income but without professional academic incentives provides you with the opportunity to do real philosophy, as opposed to professional academic philosophy, with all its professional academic incentives and all its ideological discipline. In another essay, I’ve discussed the hard problem of how a basic income without professional academic incentives and ideological discipline, that’s then used for doing real philosophy, really could be secured in the contemporary real world (Hanna, 2022b: section IX); here, I’ll simply assume, for the purposes of argument, that it’s somehow really possible to secure this in the contemporary real world, and also briefly describe one mode of that near the end of the essay.

Now, what about professional non-academic philosophy? On the one hand, if it were done primarily so that the opportunity of philosophy with basic income but without professional academic incentives could be realized, then professional non-academic philosophy could also be real philosophy. But on the other hand, if it were done primarily as a money-making enterprise, then professional non-academic philosophy would be sophistry, not real philosophy.

Now for the three interlinked thought-experiments.

In the first thought-experiment, let’s suppose that you’ve recently received a PhD in philosophy and have also decided to pursue and practice philosophy thereafter. Then you’re offered the following triadic option: either (i) philosophy with basic income but without professional academic incentives, or (ii) professional academic philosophy, or (iii) professional non-academic philosophy? If you choose (i), or if you choose (iii) primarily so that the opportunity for basic income without professional academic incentives can be realized, then you could be, and indeed you very likely are, a real philosopher, and if so, then you should be heartily applauded by all who love real philosophy, even if they happen to disagree with your philosophical views. But if you choose (ii), then you’re nothing but a careerist and a sophist. And if you choose (iii) primarily as a money-making enterprise, then, although you’re not a careerist, you’re still nothing but a sophist.

In the second thought-experiment, let’s suppose that you’re currently either a professional academic philosopher or a professional non-academic philosopher, and that you hadn’t ever actually self-consciously recognized the real possibility of pursuing and practicing philosophy with basic income but without professional academic incentives, and then you were informed of that real possibility — say, by reading this essay. Now, in order to enrich that opportunity, let’s further suppose that any opportunity for philosophy with basic income but without professional academic incentives also includes the opportunity to teach philosophy to a fairly small number of truly interested, engaged, self-disciplined, and talented students, every year. Then, assuming the existence of that enriched opportunity for philosophy with a basic income but without professional academic incentives, and also assuming that you were offered that enriched opportunity, would you then exit your professional academic philosophy job or your professional non-academic philosophy job in order to take up that enriched opportunity, yes or no? If yes, then you could be, and indeed you very like are, a real philosopher, and if so, you should be heartily applauded by all who love real philosophy, even if they don’t happen to agree with your philosophical views; but if no, then you’re nothing but either a careerist and a sophist, or else not a careerist but still nothing but a sophist.

Finally, in the third thought-experiment, which focuses on professional academic philosophy alone, let’s assume that you’re currently a professional academic philosopher working either at a top ten university as per the Times Higher Education world university top ten rankings displayed above, or at a top ten philosophy department, as per the Philosophical Gourmet Report top ten rankings displayed at the top of this essay. For convenience, let’s call the top ten universities, elite universities, and the top ten philosophy departments, elite philosophy departments. So you’re currently a professional academic philosopher who is working at either an elite university or an elite philosophy department (or, obviously, at both). Moreover, you also explicitly and publicly profess a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, perhaps under the rubrics of social justice theory and/or identitarianism. Then you’re offered the opportunity to give up your elite professional academic philosophy job, in order to give that very job to a deserving and qualified young philosopher who belongs to some or another oppressed minority group, in return for which you’re also offered the enriched opportunity of philosophy with basic income but without professional academic incentives. So would you do this, yes or no? If yes, then not only could you be, and indeed you very likely are, a real philosopher, and if so, then also you have integrity, and therefore you should be heartily applauded by all who love real philosophy that’s conducted with integrity, even if they don’t happen to agree with your philosophical views or with your moral and sociopolitical beliefs; but if no, then you’re nothing but a careerist, a sophist, and a “woke” hypocrite.

Now, attentive readers might have already noticed that if you’re currently working as a professional academic philosopher, then the enriched opportunity for philosophy with a basic income but without professional academic incentives can actually be realized in the contemporary real world simply by means of taking early retirement, or at least retirement-at-age-65, and then also continuing to engage philosophically with some of your best former students, since your professional academic pension income and healthcare benefits, social security income, and medicare, taken together, will easily provide adequate funds for that. Correspondingly, I have an audacious, edgy, and radical two-part proposal that, in the contemporary real world, is effectively equivalent to Socrates’s proposal to his Athenian accusers and persecutors, that he be rewarded with “free maintenance by the state” (Plato, 1982: p. 22, 37a): hence I’ll call it the neo-Socratic proposal.

The first part of the neo-Socratic proposal is that any professional academic philosopher — but especially those working at elite universities or at elite philosophy departments — should take early retirement or at least retirement-at-age-65 and thereby realize the opportunity for philosophy with basic income but without professional academic incentives, so that they can do real philosophy. And the second part of my two-part neo-Socratic proposal is that any professional academic philosopher who is working at an elite university or an elite philosophy department who also explicitly and publicly professes a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, should take early retirement or at least retirement-at-age-65 and thereby realize the opportunity for philosophy with basic income but without professional academic incentives, not only so that they can do real philosophy, but also so that they can give up their elite professional academic philosophy job in order to give that very job to a deserving and qualified young philosopher who belongs to some or another oppressed minority group. Given the ideological discipline that’s characteristic and indeed partially constitutive of professional academic philosophy, it’s easily conceivable that most or even all professional academic philosophers — especially those working at elite universities or at elite philosophy departments — who are approaching, or who have already passed, the age of early retirement or retirement-at-age-65, will not have self-consciously recognized either the existence of the neo-Socratic proposal or its rational compellingness.

But now, Dear Reader, you do self-consciously know that the neo-Socratic proposal exists and also that it’s rationally compelling: therefore, if you fail to act on it now or when the appropriate time comes, then you’re nothing but either a careerist and a sophist, or — what’s even worse, if you also explicitly and publicly profess a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education — nothing but a careerist, a sophist, and a “woke” hypocrite.

REFERENCES

(APP, 2013–2024). W, X, Y, & Z, aka Hanna, R. Against Professional Philosophy: A Co-Authored Anarcho-Philosophical Diary. Available online at URL = <https://againstprofphil.org/>.

(Haack, 2021). Haack, S. “Philosophy as a Profession, and as a Calling.” Syzetesis 8: 33–51.

(Haack, 2022). Haack, S. “Universities’ Research Imperative: Paying the Price for Perverse Incentives.” Against Professional Philosophy. 25 September. Available online at URL = < https://againstprofphil.org/2022/09/25/a-guest-essay-by-susan-haack-universities-research-imperative-paying-the-price-for-perverse-incentives/>.

(Hanna, 2022a). Hanna, R. “A Radical Solution For Haack’s ‘Perverse Incentives’ Problem: Liberating Real Philosophy From The Professional Academy.” Against Professional Philosophy. 2 October. Available online HERE.

(Hanna, 2022b). Hanna, R. “Six Studies in The Decline and Fall of Professional Academic Philosophy, And a Real and Relevant Alternative.” Borderless Philosophy 5: 48–130. Available online at URL = <https://www.cckp.space/single-post/bp-5-2022-robert-hanna-six-studies-in-the-decline-and-fall-of-professional-philosophy-48-130>.

(PGR, 2024). “Overall Rankings.” Philosophical Gourmet Report. Available online at URL = <https://www.philosophicalgourmet.com/overall-rankings/>.

(Plato, 1982). Plato. “Socrates’s Defense (Apology).” Trans. H. Trendennick. In E. Hamilton and H. Cairns (eds.), Plato: Collected Dialogues. Princeton NJ: Princeton Univ. Press. Pp. 4–26.

(Schmidt, 2000). Schmidt, J. Disciplined Minds: A Critical Look at Salaried Professionals and the Soul-Battering System That Shapes Their Lives. New York: Rowman & Littlefield.

(World University Rankings.ch, 2024). “Times World University Rankings.” Available online at URL = <https://www.universityrankings.ch/results/Times/2024>.

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Mr Nemo, W, X, Y, & Z, Monday 21 October 2024

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Search 2 keywords found: basic income

Popular MMA personality Joe Rogan recently had journalist and media executive Shane Smith over in his podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience. Smith co-founded VICE Media, formerly known as VICE Magazine, back in 1994. VICE focuses on lifestyle, arts, culture, and politics-related content, topics Smith has been known to explore in the most honest and investigative ways.

In his return to the Joe Rogan Experience, Smith talked about the importance of universal basic income and how it can change the world. Universal basic income or UBI is a concept of a government program that grants every adult citizen a set amount of money regularly to alleviate poverty.

Smith said:

"There's this big, chaotic time right now and you're exactly right and people are getting anxious about it and everything. And we got to use that as a time to say, 'Hey, why don't we have a f**king economy where there is a universal basic wage and/or living wage and we take that to doing sh*t where you do something that you like and you're happy about [it]."

To this, Rogan replied with:

"I guarantee you it will cause less crime. I think crime will dip substantially. I think there will be less civil unrest. People's needs will be met. It'll give everyone that feeling of, 'Oh, I don't have to worry about my bills anymore'".

Check out Joe Rogan and Shane Smith's conversation below (59:14):

Shane Smith explains to Joe Rogan how VICE changing prompted him to step down as CEO

VICE as a media company, at least when Shane Smith started it as a magazine back in the 90s, was aimed to challenge the status quo of mainstream media and elevate independent, free-thinking journalism. VICE became one of the most-viewed news programs in the world, reaching new heights in viewership once it expanded to video content in 2011.

The media company went on a decline from 2018 to its filing of bankruptcy in 2023, however. Smith talked about this on the podcast, saying (via Joe Rogan Experience):

"I actually called in from the beginning. I said, 'Look, we're going to get too big and at that point, we're gonna become the thing that we're [going up against]. We were a challenger brand and we're gonna become the status quo and then we're gonna get our a**es kicked."

Check out Shane Smith's comments below (3:36)

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Search 2 keywords found: guaranteed income

Total Administrative Services Corporation (TASC)
2302 International Ln
Madison, Wi 53704-3140
T: 888.595.2261

TASC is excited to work on the Guaranteed Income pilot program and in addition to the partnership with Give Back Foundation, TASC has donated money and resources to help the program be a success for the Madison area.

TASC is committed to bettering our community and being a part of this pilot program is an important step in that journey.

TASC is a for-profit, privately held tech-enabled financial and administrative subscription-as-a-service organization designed to handle the needs of the role of an MGI Guaranteed Income Disbursement Partner.

“This is an amazing opportunity to provide financial assistance to those in need in the City of Madison.” Said TASC CEO Dan Rashke. “This partnership speaks to the core of TASC’s mission to improve the health, wealth and wellbeing of our customer, employees and communities.”

The Guaranteed Income pilot program is showing immense signs of success in other cities and TASC is eager to be a part of bringing that success to Madison. The benefits of this program will reach far beyond immediate recipients of this program, it will benefit entire communities.

About TASC

Since 1975, we have evolved to meet the ever-changing needs of our clients and their employees and work with them to provide benefit options that feel like benefits every day and in times of great need. Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, TASC is the nation’s largest, privately held, third-party administrator for employee benefits programs. A philanthropy-driven, family-owned business, TASC delivers innovative quality solutions that help protect the rights of more than 65,000 sole proprietors, family farmers and business owners of all sizes all over the country. www.tasconline.com

About the Give Back Foundation

The GiveBack Foundation is a 501(c)(3) offering a unique solution that encourages more people, giving more, more often, to more charitable organizations. With access to more than 1.5 million IRS approved charities, the GiveBack Foundation the peace of mind that their generosity goes where you expect and will make a difference. www.giveback.org

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Search 2 keywords found: guaranteed income

Post Office MIS 2024: After every 5 years, there will be an option to take your principal amount or continue the scheme. The interest received on the account is paid every month in the post office savings account.

Post Office MIS 2024: The new year has begun. Along with this, a new plan should also be prepared for savings. For saving, it is most important that the investment amount is safe and it gets guaranteed returns. For this, the government-backed Post Office Scheme becomes the first choice. Because here you get safe and guaranteed returns on savings. Along with the trust of the government. The figure of guaranteed return is more than the FD of banks. One such saving scheme is Monthly Income Scheme, in which income is generated every month on lump sum deposit.

Post Office MIS 2024 Calculation

Investment: Rs 9 lakh
Annual interest rate: 7.4%
Tenure: 5 years
Interest income: Rs 3,33,000
Monthly income: Rs 5,550

Post Office MIS: Important points

In this scheme of Post Office, you can deposit up to Rs 9 lakh in a single account and Rs 15 lakh in a joint account. If you want, your total principal amount will be returned after a maturity period of 5 years. At the same time, it can be extended for another 5 years. After every 5 years, there will be an option to take your principal amount or extend the scheme. The interest received on the account is paid every month in the savings account of the post office. TDS is not deducted on investment in Post Office Monthly Income Scheme. However, the interest that comes into your hands is taxable.

Post Office MIS: Rules for pre-mature closure

If you need to withdraw money before maturity in Post Office Monthly Saving Scheme, then you get this facility after one year, but if you want to withdraw the amount before that, then it is not possible. However, in case of pre-mature closure also you have to pay penalty. If you withdraw money between 1 to 3 years, then 2% of the deposit amount is deducted and returned.

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Search 2 keywords found: guaranteed income

In a world where financial stability and future security are crucial, investing in the best guaranteed income plan becomes essential. If you are looking for a risk-free investment option that not only ensures a secure future for you and your family but also guarantees a steady flow of income, then Guaranteed Return Plans are the perfect solution. These plans offer a blend of life insurance and assured returns, making them a reliable choice for long-term savings. Let's explore the best guaranteed return plans in India for 2024, their features, benefits, and why they are the go-to option for risk-averse individuals.

What Is A Guaranteed Income Plan?

A Guaranteed Income Plan is a type of insurance policy designed to provide you with guaranteed returns on your investment after a specified period. These plans help you save a fixed amount of money over the long term while offering a guarantee that you’ll receive those savings plus an additional return. You can choose whether to receive this payout as a lump sum, in regular intervals, or as a lifelong income.

These plans are ideal for individuals who prefer stability and certainty over market-linked investments, which may offer higher returns but come with risks. By investing in a guaranteed return plan, you not only secure your future but also ensure that your loved ones are financially protected in case of unforeseen circumstances.

List Of Top 5 Best Guaranteed Income Plans In India

Plans Name	Entry Age	Maturity Age	Policy Term	Minimum Annual Premium
ICICI Pru ASIP	18-57 Years	18-72 Years	10-15 Years	Rs. 50,000
Bajaj Allianz Assured Wealth Goal	18-50 Years	18-75 Years	5-12 Years	Rs. 50,000
TATA AIA Guaranteed Return Insurance Plan	18-65 Years	18- 85 Years	5-12 Years	Rs. 24,000
HDFC Life Sanchay Plus	30 days - 45 Years	18-70 Years	15-25 Years	Rs. 30,000
Bajaj Allianz Goal Suraksha	18-50 Years	28-65 Years	10-20 Years	Rs. 3,000

Why Choose A Guaranteed Income Plan?

Guaranteed return plans offer stability, financial security, and peace of mind. These plans are best suited for individuals who prefer to save and grow their money without the risks that come with other market-dependent investments. Here are the core benefits of choosing a guaranteed return plan:

• Risk-Free Returns: Unlike mutual funds or stocks, where returns depend on market fluctuations, a guaranteed return plan provides 100 percentage certainty on the income you'll receive.

• Customisable Payout Options: You can tailor the payout structure as per your needs, whether you require a lump sum for large expenses or a steady income stream to meet ongoing financial commitments.

• Life Cover: Along with the assured returns, guaranteed return plans offer life insurance coverage, ensuring your family is taken care of in your absence.

Invest In Guaranteed Income – Find & Compare Now!

Features Of Guaranteed Income Plans In India

• Guaranteed Income: These plans assure you a guaranteed income plan for a fixed term. You can choose to receive your payout as a lump sum, in regular intervals, or as lifelong income, depending on your financial goals.
• Flexibility in Returns: You can opt for a guaranteed lump sum amount or set up long-term or short-term income plans. This flexibility ensures that your investment aligns with your specific needs, whether it’s saving for your childs education, buying a house, or planning for retirement.
• Life Insurance Coverage: A guaranteed life insurance policy provides financial protection to your family in the event of your untimely demise. This means your loved ones will receive not only the guaranteed returns but also a life cover benefit.
• Premium Payment Options: You can pay premiums at your convenience. The plan offers single, annual, half-yearly, quarterly, or monthly premium payment modes, allowing you to manage your finances more effectively.
• Tax-Free Maturity: The payouts received from a guaranteed return insurance plan are tax-free under Section 10(10D) of the Income Tax Act 1961, ensuring that your earnings are exempt from tax.

Who Can Buy Guaranteed Income Plans?

Guaranteed return plans are available to individuals aged between 18 and 60 years. The policy term can range from 5 to 30 years, offering flexibility based on your financial needs and goals. Whether you are a young professional starting your career or someone planning for retirement, these plans cater to a wide range of age groups and financial aspirations.

Benefits Of Guaranteed Income Plans

• 100 % Guaranteed Returns: These plans offer complete certainty of return on your investment. You receive a predetermined amount at the end of the policy term, ensuring that your financial goals are met without any risk.
• Maturity Benefit: At the policy maturity, you receive the guaranteed sum along with any applicable bonuses, ensuring your savings have grown during the term of the policy.
• Death Benefit: In the unfortunate event of your demise, your family receives the sum assured along with any bonuses. This offers financial protection to your loved ones in your absence.
• Optional Riders: To enhance your policy coverage, you can opt for additional riders like accidental death benefit, critical illness cover, or waiver of premium, ensuring that you’re comprehensively protected against life uncertainties.
• Simplicity and Accessibility: Guaranteed return plans are easy to understand and simple to manage, making them accessible to all types of investors, even those who are new to financial planning. You do not need to be an expert in finance to benefit from these plans, as they offer straightforward investment options with clear, guaranteed returns.
• Diversification and Risk Mitigation: While guaranteed return plans themselves are risk-free, they serve as an excellent way to diversify your investment portfolio. By including a guaranteed return plan in your investment mix, you mitigate the risks associated with market-linked investments like mutual funds or stocks, ensuring that a portion of your wealth is always safe and growing steadily.

Tax Benefits Of Guaranteed Income Plans

One of the significant advantages of the best guaranteed income plans is the tax benefit they offer, making them an even more attractive investment option.

• Premium Deductions Under Section 80C: The premiums you pay towards your guaranteed return plan are eligible for tax deductions under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act 1961, up to a maximum of Rs1.5 lakh per annum. This helps you save on taxes while securing your future.
• Tax-Free Maturity Payouts Under Section 10(10D): The maturity benefits you receive at the end of the policy term are tax-free, provided the premiums do not exceed 10% of the sum assured. This ensures that your returns remain untaxed, allowing you to maximise your savings.
• Tax-Free Death Benefit: In case of the policyholders demise, the death benefit paid to the nominee is also exempt from taxes under Section 10(10D), offering further financial security to your family.

Compare & Choose The Best Guaranteed Return Plans Now – Click Here!

How Does A Guaranteed Income Plan Work?

A guaranteed return plan works by requiring you to pay premiums for a specified period, after which you are guaranteed a payout. Here how the process typically works:

• Choose the Policy Term and Premium Payment Mode: You select a policy term (which can range from 5 to 30 years) and decide how you wish to pay the premiums—either as a lump sum, annually, or at shorter intervals.
• Pay Regular Premiums :Throughout the policy term, you pay regular premiums to the insurance provider. These premiums are invested by the insurer in safe, secure instruments that guarantee fixed returns.
• Receive Payouts: At the end of the policy term, or at the intervals specified, you receive a guaranteed payout, which can be in the form of a lump sum or periodic payments. Some policies even offer the option of lifetime payouts, ensuring a steady flow of income post-retirement.
• Death Benefit: In the unfortunate event of the policyholders demise during the policy term, the nominee will receive the death benefit (the sum assured) along with any accrued bonuses, ensuring the familys financial security.
• Bonus Additions (if applicable): Depending on the type of plan, you may also receive bonuses such as reversionary bonuses or terminal bonuses, which are declared by the insurer based on their performance.

Factors To Consider Before Buying An Income Return Plan

Before investing in the best guaranteed income plan, it’s essential to consider certain factors to ensure the plan aligns with your financial goals.

• Your Financial Goals :Determine why you need the plan. Are you investing to secure your child's education, buy a house, or plan for your retirement? Choosing the right plan depends heavily on understanding your financial objectives and matching them to the features and benefits of the policy.
• Investment Horizon: These plans typically require a long-term commitment, ranging from 5 to 30 years. Ensure that the investment horizon matches your savings goals. If you’re saving for a short-term goal, these plans might not be the best fit due to the long lock-in period.
• Premium Payment Capacity :You need to assess how much premium you can comfortably pay without straining your finances. Choose a plan with flexible premium payment options (monthly, yearly, or single premium) that align with your financial situation.
• Risk Tolerance: Guaranteed return plans are ideal for risk-averse investors who want stable, predictable returns. If you are looking for higher, market-linked returns and are willing to take some risk, you may want to explore other investment options.
• Surrender Value: Consider whether you need extra coverage like critical illness or accidental death riders. These can provide enhanced protection but come with additional costs, so weigh the necessity of these riders against your current financial situation.
• Surrender Value :While these plans offer guaranteed returns, exiting the policy prematurely can result in a loss of benefits. Make sure you understand the surrender value of the plan and the penalties associated with early termination before committing.
• Tax Implications :Evaluate the tax benefits associated with the plan, especially the deductions available under Section 80C and the tax-free nature of payouts under Section 10(10D). This can significantly impact your overall savings.

Why OkBima Is A Trusted Partner For Guaranteed Income Plans?

When it comes to choosing the right guaranteed return insurance plan, OkBima stands out as a trusted insurance agency. At OkBima, we understand that your financial goals and future aspirations are unique. That's why we offer personalised insurance solutions that are tailored to your specific needs. Our experienced team provides expert guidance, helping you choose the best guaranteed income plan that not only secures your future but also offers life protection to your loved ones. With transparent processes and a client-first approach, OkBima is committed to helping you achieve financial peace of mind.

Summing It Up…

In today uncertain financial climate, having a secure investment option is crucial. By choosing a guaranteed return plan, you're not only safeguarding your future but also ensuring financial protection for your family. Whether you're looking to build a retirement corpus, save for your child education, or simply want a reliable income stream, guaranteed return plans are the safest option for risk-averse investors. So, take control of your financial future today and make the smart choice with a guaranteed return plan.

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Search 2 keywords found: employment,manufactur,technology,robot,technical

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and automation evolve, the way we work is changing faster than ever. Traditional jobs are being redefined, and our growing dependence on technology is altering how we tackle tasks in many industries. Alongside the challenges of an aging population, these shifts are creating a significant transformation in the U.S. workforce.

To help understand how these changes will impact the job market, Pearson, a global education and learning company, unveiled the Skills Map of the United States – an in-depth analysis of the American job market through 2028.

The report projects that the American workforce will add 1.9 million new jobs through 2028. This includes approximately 11.25 million jobs from economic growth, 1.87 million related to technology implementation and maintenance, and a reduction of about 11.2 million roles due to technology automation and augmentation.

Pearson’s report utilizes the company’s advanced predictive analytics and proprietary Skills Outlook data collected from over 85 million U.S. job advertisements and labor market information. With this report, Pearson aims to provide critical insights to policymakers, businesses, and individuals prepare for the future of work.

One of the key findings of the report is that technology is not only transforming existing roles but also generating new opportunities across all sectors, challenging our definition of a tech job. As technology becomes more central to operations, all jobs will become tech jobs in one way or the other.

Financial analysts would utilize AI algorithms to forecast market trends, nurses would use on-site data analytics for patient care, manufacturing experts would use AI for 3-D printing and robotics, and educators would need AI skills to provide personalized learning experiences. Many of these professions are already incorporating AI into their work.

Pearson recommends that organizations should focus on upskilling their workforce and that workers must commit to lifelong learning to remain competitive in an evolving job landscape. Educators can design courses and training initiatives that combine technical abilities with soft skills. The report also recommends that policymakers should support such upskilling and learning initiatives, particularly in industries facing automation.

“The key message is that technology is transforming jobs at a faster pace than ever before, “ stated Dave Treat, Chief Technology Officer, Pearson. “Every job, from nursing to manufacturing, is becoming more tech-focused, increasing the demand for workers who can blend technical expertise with industry-specific skills.

“As technology evolves, it’s opening new opportunities across all sectors, helping businesses tackle real-world challenges more effectively. Our Skills Map provides the data and insights needed to help workers and businesses understand these changes, and our lifelong learning solutions help people thrive in an ever-evolving workforce.”

According to Pearson, healthcare, education, and manufacturing, will remain top employers in 2028, though all sectors will evolve with advances in technology. Driven by increasing chronic conditions and an aging population, Pearson projects an addition of 782,810 workers to the over 20 million healthcare workforce by 2028.

The report emphasizes the crucial role AI will play in healthcare, particularly in reducing the time spent on tasks such as maintaining medical records, staying current in areas of expertise, and developing educational programs and procedures.

Pearson’s research also indicates that GenAI has the potential to save nearly 78 million work hours per week across the U.S. workforce, enabling healthcare professionals to focus more on critical hands-on tasks or patient care that cannot be automated or performed by AI.

“AI and technology have the power to transform clinician capabilities, improve diagnostics, and help deliver personalized treatments,” shared Art Valentine, President, Pearson Assessment and Qualifications. “To fully realize this potential, effective assessment and qualification will be essential for ensuring competency and fostering trust between practitioners and patients.”

While the Skills Map of the United States reveals a clear demand for tech skills, it also highlights the equal importance of human-centric skills. Pearson anticipates that organizations prioritizing personalized training and continuous learning will be well-positioned to harness the benefits of both technology and human talent.

The in-demand skills for workers are those rooted in human qualities such as creativity, physical dexterity, and empathy. However, upskilling and reskilling are critical to prepare workers for the future.

We can expect technology to evolve rapidly between now and 2028. impacting all facets of life and work. Pearson’s research provides a realistic perspective on the future and shares valuable insights into how to prepare for it. The report also underscores the need for further research into the critical factors reshaping employment.

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Applications: Artificial Intelligence, Data Management, Enterprise Analytics, Predictive Analytics

Technologies: Cloud, Frameworks, Middleware, Systems

Vendors: Pearson

Click here to view original web page at www.automationworld.com

Search 2 keywords found: manufactur,technology,robot

For automation engineers, the intersection of functional safety and cybersecurity is critical in the modern industrial landscape. As industrial manufacturers increasingly rely on interconnected devices through the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), engineers must address the new vulnerabilities introduced by such connectivity.

Control Design wrote in an article that traditional isolated systems like robotics are now exposed to cyber threats, necessitating an integrated approach to functional safety and cybersecurity. By prioritizing risk assessments and adhering to regulatory standards, engineers can enhance both operational safety and system uptime, mitigating the evolving risks brought about by Industry 4.0's push towards connectivity.

Additionally, automation engineers must navigate the convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT), particularly in cybersecurity. A proactive approach that incorporates safety and security considerations early in the development process is essential for reducing long-term costs and ensuring compliance, Control Design explains in the full article.

Click here to view original web page at lkouniexam.in

Search 2 keywords found: guaranteed income

If you’re a Canadian senior, you might have heard about the October 2024 Old Age Security (OAS) payment of up to $2,254. This payment is making headlines, especially as it offers significant financial relief for many Canadians in their retirement years. But what does this payment entail? How can you ensure you’re eligible? And what steps do you need to take to receive it? n this article, we’ll dive into the Old Age Security (OAS) program, explain how seniors can claim the October 2024 OAS payment, and provide a step-by-step guide to ensure you get the most out of your retirement benefits.

Canadians Can Claim October $2254 OAS Payment in October

Topic	Details
Payment Amount	Up to $2,254 for eligible recipients
Eligibility	Canadians aged 65+, lived in Canada for at least 10 years post-age 18
Payment Date	October 29, 2024
How to Apply	Automatically applied if already enrolled; new applicants apply via Service Canada
Additional Benefits	Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and provincial top-ups may be included

The October 2024 OAS payment offers much-needed financial support to Canadian seniors, with some receiving up to $2,254. Whether you’re already receiving OAS or planning to apply, it’s essential to understand the eligibility criteria, payment amounts, and the additional benefits available to you. Make sure to check your eligibility, gather the necessary documents, and apply through Service Canada if you haven’t yet. For seniors already enrolled, expect the increase in your payment at the end of October, no extra action is required.

What is the Old Age Security (OAS) Program?

The Old Age Security (OAS) program is a monthly pension available to Canadians who are 65 years or older. Unlike the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), which is based on your contributions during your working years, OAS payments are available to almost all seniors, provided they’ve lived in Canada for a certain period.

In 2024, the OAS program is set to increase payments to seniors, with some individuals able to receive up to $2,254 this October. This figure can include additional supplements, like the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), which offers extra financial help to low-income seniors. For those aged 75 and older, an automatic 10% boost to their OAS payments is already in place.

Why is the OAS Important?

For many retirees, OAS is a vital source of income. Combined with other programs like CPP and private savings, it helps seniors meet their living expenses, such as housing, healthcare, and daily necessities. The October 2024 payment increase is designed to adjust for inflation and provide seniors with more purchasing power.

How Much Can You Get in October 2024?

As mentioned earlier, the maximum OAS payment for October 2024 could reach up to $2,254, though this amount may vary. Here’s how the payment breaks down:

• The basic OAS payment for seniors aged 65 and over is expected to be around $630 to $640.
• Seniors aged 75 and older get a 10% boost, making their payment exceed $700 per month.
• The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) can add to this amount for low-income seniors, potentially pushing the total payment closer to the $2,254 mark.

It’s important to understand that not all seniors will receive the full $2,254. The actual amount you receive depends on your income, marital status, and whether you qualify for additional benefits like the GIS.

Example Calculation:

Let’s say you’re a 78-year-old senior with a low income. Your OAS payment could look something like this:

• Base OAS Payment (with 10% boost): $700
• Guaranteed Income Supplement: $850
• Provincial Top-up (if applicable): $200
• Total October Payment: $1,750

If you qualify for additional supplements or have unique circumstances, this amount could increase, but not all seniors will see payments as high as $2,254.

How to Claim the October $2254 OAS Payment in October

If you’re already receiving OAS benefits, there’s good news—you don’t have to do anything extra. The increase will be applied automatically to your October 2024 payment, which is expected to be deposited by October 29, 2024.

Step-by-Step Guide for New Applicants:

1. Check Eligibility:
   • You must be 65 years or older.
   • You must have lived in Canada for at least 10 years after turning 18.
2. Gather Necessary Documents:
   • Proof of age (birth certificate or passport).
   • Proof of residency in Canada (tax returns, utility bills, etc.).
3. Apply Through Service Canada:
   • Visit the Service Canada website to submit your application online.
   • You can also apply by mail using the paper form available on their website.
4. Wait for Approval:
   • Processing times can vary, but you should receive confirmation of your OAS payment eligibility within 6-12 weeks.
5. Start Receiving Payments:
   • Once approved, you will begin receiving monthly payments automatically. Your first payment will include any back payments owed to you, depending on when you became eligible.

Can You Receive Retroactive Payments?

Yes, if you’re late applying for OAS, you can receive retroactive payments for up to 12 months, assuming you were eligible during that period. However, it’s best to apply as soon as you turn 65 to avoid delays.

Additional Benefits You Should Know About

In addition to the OAS pension, there are several other benefits you may be eligible for:

1. Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)

The GIS is an additional payment for low-income seniors. To qualify, you must already be receiving OAS and have an income below a certain threshold. The exact amount you can receive depends on your income and whether you are single, married, or living with a partner.

2. Allowance for the Survivor

If your spouse or partner has passed away and you’re between the ages of 60 and 64, you might be eligible for the Allowance for the Survivor. This payment is meant to provide financial support to low-income seniors who have lost their partner.

3. Provincial and Territorial Top-Ups

Several provinces and territories offer top-ups to the OAS payment, designed to help seniors with specific needs or living costs. Check with your provincial government to see if you qualify for any additional support.

Old Age Security (OAS) Changes 2024: New Eligibility and Payment Increases

Financial Relief 4 CRA Benefits Increased In Canada: Check Out Enhanced Benefits in 2024

Canada $1546 OAS Direct Deposit October 2024: Will you get it? Check Eligibility and update on payment date

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. When will I receive the October 2024 OAS payment?

The October 2024 OAS payment is expected to be deposited on October 29, 2024. Payments typically arrive toward the end of each month.

2. How much will I receive in October 2024?

The exact amount varies based on your age, income, and whether you qualify for additional benefits like the GIS. Some seniors may receive up to $2,254, but the average payment will likely be lower.

3. Do I need to reapply to receive the increased October 2024 payment?

No, if you’re already receiving OAS payments, the increase will be applied automatically. If you’re not yet receiving OAS, you’ll need to apply through Service Canada.

4. What if I’m outside of Canada?

You can still receive OAS payments if you’re living outside Canada, provided you’ve met the residency requirements. However, the amount may be adjusted depending on your location.

Hey there! I'm Anjali Tamta, hailing from the beautiful city of Dehradun. Writing and sharing knowledge are my passions. Through my contributions, I aim to provide valuable insights and information to our audience. Stay tuned as I continue to bring my expertise to our platform, enriching our content with my love for writing and sharing knowledge. I invite you to delve deeper into my articles. Follow me on Instagram for more insights and updates. Looking forward to sharing more with you!

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Search 2 keywords found: basic income

Over the years, we have seen many shows based on the culture and themes of Philadelphia and North Jersey. But the writers seem to never get it right whenever popular Television and Streaming Programs highlight South Jersey.

Cherry Hill High School East Graduates Adam and Craig Malamut decided to create a show that would accurately portray the people in South Jersey. Debuting on FOX with over Four Million live viewers on September 8th, this new Animated Comedy has already been renewed for a second season.

What Is This New Animated Sitcom Based On South Jersey?

Universal Basic Guys is a show featuring brothers Mark and Hank Hoagies who lost their jobs at the local Hot Dog Factory due to technological advances. As a result, the brothers begin receiving monthly "Universal Basic Income" checks worth $3,000 and the program follows along with their different adventures now they have no jobs.

One of the most popular Animated Comedy Shows on TV and Streaming, Universal Basic Guys is a fun depiction of South Jersey themes and the mentality of Philadelphia Sports fans. Co-Creator Adam Malamut joined "GameNight with Josh Hennig" on 973 ESPN South Jersey and he spoke about how important it was for this program to be true to his South Jersey Roots:

"It has to be authentic to South Jersey. In fact, the show is Animated in Australia and I'm like 'no, no, that's not what the street signs look like here, it's gotta look like this' and (I'm telling them) 'This looks like way too cute of a downtown, okay? Where I'm from, you gotta have strip malls and stuff like that'."

"(The characters) go to PJs, which in our (fictional) world is TJ Wooderhan's and we got 'WoWos' which is our (fictional world version) of WaWa. For us, we wanted to overdo it and just lean into it because part of (who we are) is where we grew up and we wanted to get the accents the way we hear them"

On popular shows such as The Sopranos, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Jersey Shore, the portrayal of South Jersey has always been inaccurate and the Malamut Brothers recognized this. While they wanted to make a great Animated Sticom, it was important for them to be authentically South Jersey.

In my conversation with Adam Malamut, he talked about how Sports Talk Radio was part of his inspiration for the fictional brothers Mark and Hank Hoagies:

"I grew up listening to Sports Talk Radio back in the day...I listened late at night to all these (callers saying) 'You gotta run the ball' and all that stuff - The idea was to build this character and what happens when (Mark Hoagies), who is going to run his mouth a lot, has to actually try and do these certain things."

"Then Hank (Hoagies) is like the sweet, simple brother, sort of based on my little brother when he used to look up to me before he realized I was an idiot. (Hank Hoagies) is more of a Phillies fan, likes the Phanatic, he likes to eat hot dogs....There's a little more positivity to the vibe (of Hank's character), he's the happy Philly Sports Fan, happy to eat a hot dog at a ballgame while Mark (Hoagies) is like the angry 'I know everything' type (of sports fan); He's got a Philly Sports fan opinion about everything."

October 20th is the next episode of Universal Basic Guys with Mark and Hank Hoagies going to an Eagles-Giants game. The new episode is debuting the same day at the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants play for the 186th time in the history of their rivalry.

The Brothers Adam and Craig Malamut are self-taught animators who have received Sports Emmy nominations for their hit web series Game of Zones on Bleacher Report. New Episodes of Universal Basic Guys are Sunday Nights on FOX and streaming the next day on Hulu.

Universal Basic Guys has already been renewed for a second season so you can continue to follow the adventures of Mark and Hank Hoagies. Will the Hoagies join this list of the Best Fictional Characters from New Jersey?

The Best Fictional Characters From New Jersey

While New Jersey is surrounded by two of the most famous cities in the United States, there are some incredible people with connections to The Garden State. Yes, Rocky Balboa is from Philadelphia and Spider-Man is from Queens, New York but New Jersey has some great characters who have a history with NJ.

Check out out list below to see if your favorite characters made our list:

Gallery Credit: Josh Hennig/Townsquare Media

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Search 2 keywords found: employment,manufactur,technology,software,technical

Main article

A report by global education and assessment firm Pearson forecasts that 1.9 million new jobs will be created through 2028 even as automation, AI and shifting demographics reshape the job market. Pearson also said all jobs are becoming “tech jobs” in one way or another.

The additional jobs number takes into account 11.25 million to be added through economic growth, 1.87 million to be added through technology implementation and maintenance and 11.2 million to be lost because of automation.

“The key message is that technology is transforming jobs at a faster pace than ever before,” Dave Treat, chief technology officer at Pearson, said in a press release.

“Every job, from nursing to manufacturing, is becoming more tech focused, increasing the demand for workers who can blend technical expertise with industry-specific skills,” Treat said. “As technology evolves, it’s opening new opportunities across all sectors, helping businesses tackle real-world challenges more effectively.”

The role adding the most jobs for the US as a whole was “systems software developers,” which will see an increase of 158,230 jobs by 2028 for total employment of more than 1.1 million.

Personal care aides came next, with the number of jobs expected to rise by 103,770 to a total of nearly 2.0 million.

The fastest-declining job, according to the report, was retail salesperson, which will see a decrease of 389,320 jobs to a total of approximately 3.3 million.

Looking at the estimates by sector, healthcare and social assistance is expected to be the fastest growing, with an increase of 782,810 positions to a total of more than 21.0 million.

The report also noted that human skills will remain essential, such as communication, problem-solving and teamwork.

Pearson’s research is based on a review of 85 million US job ads as well as economic and labor market data.

Main article

A report by global education and assessment firm Pearson forecasts that 1.9 million new jobs will be created through 2028 even as automation, AI and shifting demographics reshape the job market. Pearson also said all jobs are becoming “tech jobs” in one way or another.

The additional jobs number takes into account 11.25 million to be added through economic growth, 1.87 million to be added through technology implementation and maintenance and 11.2 million to be lost because of automation.

“The key message is that technology is transforming jobs at a faster pace than ever before,” Dave Treat, chief technology officer at Pearson, said in a press release.

“Every job, from nursing to manufacturing, is becoming more tech focused, increasing the demand for workers who can blend technical expertise with industry-specific skills,” Treat said. “As technology evolves, it’s opening new opportunities across all sectors, helping businesses tackle real-world challenges more effectively.”

The role adding the most jobs for the US as a whole was “systems software developers,” which will see an increase of 158,230 jobs by 2028 for total employment of more than 1.1 million.

Personal care aides came next, with the number of jobs expected to rise by 103,770 to a total of nearly 2.0 million.

The fastest-declining job, according to the report, was retail salesperson, which will see a decrease of 389,320 jobs to a total of approximately 3.3 million.

Looking at the estimates by sector, healthcare and social assistance is expected to be the fastest growing, with an increase of 782,810 positions to a total of more than 21.0 million.

The report also noted that human skills will remain essential, such as communication, problem-solving and teamwork.

Pearson’s research is based on a review of 85 million US job ads as well as economic and labor market data.

Main article

A report by global education and assessment firm Pearson forecasts that 1.9 million new jobs will be created through 2028 even as automation, AI and shifting demographics reshape the job market. Pearson also said all jobs are becoming “tech jobs” in one way or another.

The additional jobs number takes into account 11.25 million to be added through economic growth, 1.87 million to be added through technology implementation and maintenance and 11.2 million to be lost because of automation.

“The key message is that technology is transforming jobs at a faster pace than ever before,” Dave Treat, chief technology officer at Pearson, said in a press release.

“Every job, from nursing to manufacturing, is becoming more tech focused, increasing the demand for workers who can blend technical expertise with industry-specific skills,” Treat said. “As technology evolves, it’s opening new opportunities across all sectors, helping businesses tackle real-world challenges more effectively.”

The role adding the most jobs for the US as a whole was “systems software developers,” which will see an increase of 158,230 jobs by 2028 for total employment of more than 1.1 million.

Personal care aides came next, with the number of jobs expected to rise by 103,770 to a total of nearly 2.0 million.

The fastest-declining job, according to the report, was retail salesperson, which will see a decrease of 389,320 jobs to a total of approximately 3.3 million.

Looking at the estimates by sector, healthcare and social assistance is expected to be the fastest growing, with an increase of 782,810 positions to a total of more than 21.0 million.

The report also noted that human skills will remain essential, such as communication, problem-solving and teamwork.

Pearson’s research is based on a review of 85 million US job ads as well as economic and labor market data.

Main article

A report by global education and assessment firm Pearson forecasts that 1.9 million new jobs will be created through 2028 even as automation, AI and shifting demographics reshape the job market. Pearson also said all jobs are becoming “tech jobs” in one way or another.

The additional jobs number takes into account 11.25 million to be added through economic growth, 1.87 million to be added through technology implementation and maintenance and 11.2 million to be lost because of automation.

“The key message is that technology is transforming jobs at a faster pace than ever before,” Dave Treat, chief technology officer at Pearson, said in a press release.

“Every job, from nursing to manufacturing, is becoming more tech focused, increasing the demand for workers who can blend technical expertise with industry-specific skills,” Treat said. “As technology evolves, it’s opening new opportunities across all sectors, helping businesses tackle real-world challenges more effectively.”

The role adding the most jobs for the US as a whole was “systems software developers,” which will see an increase of 158,230 jobs by 2028 for total employment of more than 1.1 million.

Personal care aides came next, with the number of jobs expected to rise by 103,770 to a total of nearly 2.0 million.

The fastest-declining job, according to the report, was retail salesperson, which will see a decrease of 389,320 jobs to a total of approximately 3.3 million.

Looking at the estimates by sector, healthcare and social assistance is expected to be the fastest growing, with an increase of 782,810 positions to a total of more than 21.0 million.

The report also noted that human skills will remain essential, such as communication, problem-solving and teamwork.

Pearson’s research is based on a review of 85 million US job ads as well as economic and labor market data.

Click here to view original web page at www.corporatevision-news.com

Search 2 keywords found: employment,productivity,consumer,services,manufactur,technology,software,robot

The constant development of new technologies has facilitated the automation of many business operations. The shift is mostly targeted for…

Home > Automation in Streamlining Business Operations

21st October 2024

The constant development of new technologies has facilitated the automation of many business operations. The shift is mostly targeted for tasks that are high-volume, repetitive, and involve multiple people. For example, during employee onboarding, an HR system can automatically send welcome emails, set up security access, and configure payroll. This automation makes the process faster and more accurate. But what impact does this have on the wider business landscape?

What is Business Automation

Business automation uses new technology to reduce the need for human intervention while improving accuracy and efficiency. According to IBM, business automation includes process automation (BPA), robotic process automation (RPA), and AI-powered automation.

Automation is picking up pace across various sectors, like assembly line automation in manufacturing, facial scanning and recognition in security, automated trading assistants in forex trading, and even content generation and deployment in the entertainment industry. More companies are utilising various technologies to streamline their processes and remain competitive.

Benefits of Process Automation

Businesses have various operations levels targeted toward achieving a common goal. To succeed, they need to improve each step for better results. There are different ways businesses benefit from automation.

Effective Resource Allocation

Operational flow involves optimising resources for effective allocating, especially for operations that share resources. With automation, each operational stream can receive an optimal allocation based on peak and off periods, availability, and other factors. This optimisation allows companies to free up resources for other essential tasks, such as research and marketing, and ensure they run a cost-effective business.

Strategic Utilisation

Automation also benefits companies by freeing up employees who focus on strategic activities that improve their individual and collective skills. This promotes organisational efficiency and improves growth. This is how successful businesses manage their processes and human resources for the best performance.

Flexible Process Adaptation and Scalability

Adaptation and scalability are essential qualities businesses need to navigate markets where needs and conditions change quickly. Automation allows companies to adapt their operational flow and scale processes while responding rapidly to changes. In that way, they maintain productivity while seizing new opportunities. Automation ensures that rapid changes do not negatively impact operations.

Enhanced Company Productivity

With automation, businesses can enjoy optimised operations, faster turnaround times, improved customer service, higher quality and quantity output, and reduced costs, to name a few of the benefits. This provides employees with more time and space to focus on high-quality, human-centric work while being able to deliver and take on more work as a whole.

Precision Execution

Companies aim for 100% accuracy when executing tasks but may allow some minimum level for acceptable results. However, with automation, errors are mostly reduced and sometimes even eliminated. Minimising errors increases the reliability of services and products, allowing companies to deliver their best results regardless of condition.

Enhanced Compliance and Risk Mitigation

Automation improves compliance with best practices and industry regulations and provides a way to prevent and motivate risks. Consistent and transparent processes make compliance easier, show transparency, and help risk management teams identify challenges at a glance. Automation ensures consistent processes by removing human errors and influence.

Automation in Various Industries

Automation is helping companies in various industries to streamline their operations and maximise output. Here are a few of the most prominent industries leveraging automation:

• Logistics and Supply Chain Management: AI and blockchain are becoming mainstream for logistics and supply chain management. They automate various operations and help companies manage challenges. Intelligent automation is excellent for analysing large datasets, predicting industry trends and customer demands, optimising operations, and predicting potential disruptions. Blockchain allows companies to record transactions and log data securely in a tamper-proof way.
• Human Resources: HR teams use automation tools for payroll processing, employee onboarding, and performance management. Integrating automation tools ensures accuracy by reducing human errors and allows HR to deploy needed resources to other crucial operations. AI-powered automation tools also analyse employee data to identify gaps and predict needs.
• Customer Service: Customer service teams deploy chatbots and virtual assistants to handle routine tasks, such as inquiries and self-service, that consume time and resources. This reduces the workload on service agents and allows them to focus on escalated issues. Companies also increase response times, offer personalised services, and gain helpful customer data using automated systems.
• FinTech: AI helps investors automate analysis and trade execution, track changes in market conditions, and learn new concepts quickly. Fintech companies also use various techniques to automate customer service, identity management, security, and demand prediction.

Implementing Automation

There are five critical steps in implementing Automation.

1. Identify automation opportunities. Use process mining/mapping to analyse current processes and identify repetitive tasks and those that are prone to errors.
2. Choose the right tools. All automation tools have unique advantages and potential drawbacks. Choose tools that offer maximum efficiency for the business.
3. Automate across departments. Integrating all or most aspects/departments in the automation flow ensures consistency and seamless flow.
4. Train employees. Your team needs to understand how to use automated systems for enhanced productivity and update/upgrade software/hardware to optimise automation.
5. Collect and analyse data. Streamline operations through automated systems, schedule predictive maintenance to maintain system integrity, and regularly monitor performance.

Examples of Automation in the UK Business Landscape

Here are real-life examples of UK businesses utilising automation:

• Sainsbury’s uses automation in its customer service operations through chatbots and automated customer support systems.
• Unilever, a multinational consumer goods company, uses automation in its manufacturing processes.
• Ocado, the UK-based online supermarket, pioneered automation in its warehouse operations by deploying advanced robotics and AI to streamline order picking and packing.

Challenges of Business Automation

Companies of all sizes face similar challenges when automating their operations. These include the initial and running costs, data and privacy protection compliance, and internal resistance to change. How companies deal with these challenges impacts the success of automation and the overall operational success, so companies must evolve specific strategies to overcome the obstacles.

Is the Future Automated?

Automation is essential for modern businesses to reduce costs, maximise input, and ensure consistency in products and services. Choosing the right automation tools that fit the context and specific needs allows companies to build their competitive edge. Whatever the industry or chosen tool, automation is clearly redefining the very landscape and future of business.

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Search 2 keywords found: productivity,services,technology

Ooredoo, Qatar’s premier telecommunications operator and ICT provider has announced a significant technological evolution aimed at transforming workforce productivity, enhancing business efficiency, and delivering unparalleled value to its employees and customers. In collaboration with Microsoft, Ooredoo Qatar is introducing innovative productivity tools designed to streamline operations, empower teams, and drive transformative growth.

By integrating advanced artificial intelligence (AI) driven productivity solutions such as Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Power Platform, Ooredoo Qatar is enabling its workforce to collaborate more effectively, make faster, data-driven decisions, and manage day-to-day tasks seamlessly. These tools will not only drive Ooredoo’s internal transformation but will also enhance the services provided to its customers.

Committed to accelerating automation and innovation, Ooredoo Qatar leverages advanced productivity platforms to rapidly develop low-code applications, automate workflows, and gain critical insights from data. This approach significantly reduces the time spent on manual, repetitive tasks, and enhances business agility, enabling Ooredoo Qatar to swiftly respond to customer needs and the ever changing market dynamics.

Additionally, as part of the agreement, Ooredoo Qatar is going to modernize its customer engagement channels, including contact centers, through the utilization of Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI services. This will leverage AI-powered solutions to deliver a more intelligent, responsive, and personalized customer experience, aligning with Ooredoo’s Qatar vision of excellence in customer service.

Ooredoo, Qatar’s premier telecommunications operator and ICT provider has announced a significant technological evolution aimed at transforming workforce productivity, enhancing business efficiency, and delivering unparalleled value to its employees and customers. In collaboration with Microsoft, Ooredoo Qatar is introducing innovative productivity tools designed to streamline operations, empower teams, and drive transformative growth.

By integrating advanced artificial intelligence (AI) driven productivity solutions such as Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Power Platform, Ooredoo Qatar is enabling its workforce to collaborate more effectively, make faster, data-driven decisions, and manage day-to-day tasks seamlessly. These tools will not only drive Ooredoo’s internal transformation but will also enhance the services provided to its customers.

Committed to accelerating automation and innovation, Ooredoo Qatar leverages advanced productivity platforms to rapidly develop low-code applications, automate workflows, and gain critical insights from data. This approach significantly reduces the time spent on manual, repetitive tasks, and enhances business agility, enabling Ooredoo Qatar to swiftly respond to customer needs and the ever changing market dynamics.

Additionally, as part of the agreement, Ooredoo Qatar is going to modernize its customer engagement channels, including contact centers, through the utilization of Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI services. This will leverage AI-powered solutions to deliver a more intelligent, responsive, and personalized customer experience, aligning with Ooredoo’s Qatar vision of excellence in customer service.

At Microsoft, we are committed to empowering organizations like Ooreedoo to enhance workforce productivity through our innovative solutions. By leveraging the power of AI, we enable employees to work smarter, not harder, and achieve more in less time. AI-driven tools streamline workflows, provide valuable insights, and foster collaboration, ultimately driving efficiency and innovation in the workplace. Our partnership with Ooredoo exemplifies how technology can transform business operations and create a more productive and agile workforce.

Lana Khalaf, General Manager, Microsoft Qatar

With multiple AI initiatives in the pipeline, Ooredoo Qatar and Microsoft are exploring new frontiers in digital engagement, further cementing their joint commitment to technological advancement.

With multiple AI initiatives in the pipeline, Ooredoo Qatar and Microsoft are exploring new frontiers in digital engagement, further cementing their joint commitment to technological advancement.

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Search 2 keywords found: manufactur

The U.S. job market has recently shown signs of slowing down, presenting unique challenges and opportunities for both job seekers and employers. This shift has been influenced by a variety of factors, including economic uncertainties, technological advancements and evolving industry demands.

One of the primary drivers behind the slower job market is the current economic climate. According to VentureBeat, inflation rates have fluctuated and the Federal Reserve’s adjustments to interest rates have created a cautious atmosphere among businesses.

Companies are more hesitant to expand their workforce amidst these uncertainties, preferring to adopt a wait-and-see approach. This has resulted in fewer job openings and more competition for available positions.

Another significant factor contributing to the slower job market is the rapid pace of technological advancements. Automation and artificial intelligence, or AI, have transformed various industries, leading to the displacement of certain job roles.

According to the BBC, “Generative AI, able to create content indistinguishable from human work, is ‘a major advancement.’”

While these technologies have created new opportunities, they have also necessitated a shift in the skill sets required by employers. Job seekers must now focus on acquiring and demonstrating proficiency in these new technologies to remain competitive.

Industries are also evolving, with some sectors experiencing growth while others face decline. For instance, the renewable energy sector is expanding, driven by increased focus on sustainability and environmental concerns.

Conversely, traditional manufacturing jobs are decreasing as companies move toward more automated processes. Understanding these trends can help job seekers target industries with better growth.

In light of the slower job market, job seekers can adopt several strategies to enhance their prospects. Continuously updating skills to match industry demands is crucial. Online courses, certifications and workshops can be valuable resources.

Building a strong professional network can provide access to job opportunities that may not be advertised publicly. Being open to different roles or industries can increase job prospects. Temporary or freelance work can also provide valuable experience and lead to permanent positions.

Creating a strong personal brand through a professional online presence can help job seekers stand out to potential employers.

While the slower job market in the U.S. presents challenges, it also offers opportunities for those willing to adapt and evolve. By staying informed about economic trends, technological advancements and industry demands, job seekers can navigate this landscape more effectively and find success in their career pursuits.

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Search 2 keywords found: employment,technology,technical

• A quarter of the global workforce will have to update their skills for the digital economy.
• Workers and businesses require clear strategies for smooth career transitions.
• The World Economic Forum’s Unlocking Opportunity report details a framework for job transitions.

Advanced technology including AI and machine learning is changing the world at an unprecedented pace. As these changes accelerate, the future of work is shifting fundamentally and the ability to transition into new jobs is more critical than ever.

The World Economic Forum’s own research shows that 23% of all jobs will be changed by technology and automation by 2027, with 69 million new job roles expected to be created and 83 million job roles expected to be displaced.

Almost a quarter of all workers face the challenge of ensuring they have the relevant skills to thrive in an increasingly digital global economy.

Image: World Economic Forum

To help workers and businesses adapt to the jobs of tomorrow, the World Economic Forum’s Unlocking Opportunity report outlines four key pillars to smooth the pathway into successful employment in the digital economy.

Here's a look at the framework that can guide these transitions.

1. Reskilling and upskilling for new opportunities

The days of learning one trade for a lifetime are gone. To stay relevant in today’s job market, workers need to embrace continuous learning and reskilling. With 44% of job skills expected to change within five years, it’s essential that both individuals and companies invest in lifelong learning.

One example of this is the Randstad Boot Camp Training programme in Japan. This initiative provides intensive training for workers from non-technical fields, enabling them to transition into high-demand digital roles. Through courses blending hands-on experience with digital skills, participants are prepared to enter roles in IT, bridging significant skills gaps and supporting career growth.

Have you read?

• Future of jobs 2023: These are the most in-demand skills now - and beyond

• Four-day work week trial in Spain leads to healthier workers, less pollution

• Why there will be plenty of jobs in the future — even with artificial intelligence

2. Improving employee-employer matching

As the job market evolves, so must the way workers and employers connect. Flexible working arrangements and alternative employment models, such as remote work and gig jobs, allow companies to access a broader talent pool, while workers can find roles that fit their needs.

In Indonesia, the government’s Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan – Pusat Keunggulan (SMK-PK) programme is revitalizing the country’s vocational schools by better aligning skills training with market demand. By fostering close relationships between industries and educators, students are gaining relevant skills and finding smoother transitions into jobs that are in high demand. This focus on improving the match between workers and employers is helping to reduce unemployment and ensuring better job satisfaction.

3. Worker safety nets

Job transitions aren’t always seamless, which is why strong worker protections are essential. Governments and businesses must work together to create safety nets that can ease the burden of job displacement. These protections could take the form of unemployment insurance, subsidized severance packages, or labour laws that protect against unfair dismissal.

A strong example comes from Germany, where a proactive approach to the energy transition ensured that workers displaced from the coal industry received support. Through reskilling programmes and assistance in finding new employment, Germany managed to soften the impact of large-scale industry shifts, giving workers the chance to move into stable, future-focused jobs.

4. Multistakeholder collaboration to break through industry barriers

Some of the most effective workforce transitions happen when industries collaborate. By pooling resources, sharing training programmes and creating cross-industry partnerships, companies can ensure their workers are prepared for new roles, even in different fields.

In South Africa, the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) has brought together governments, educational institutions and industries to develop technical skills for young workers. This multistakeholder approach is not only helping to combat unemployment, but it’s also creating a more adaptable workforce that’s ready to thrive in a changing economy.

Discover

What is the World Economic Forum doing about the skills gap in India?

The Forum’s Unlocking Opportunity framework provides a clear path forward for both workers and employers to navigate the changing world of work.

By focusing on continuous learning, improving job matching, ensuring strong worker protections and fostering collaboration, we can build a resilient workforce ready to meet the demands of the future.

As industries continue to evolve, these strategies will be crucial in helping workers secure stable, rewarding roles in growth sectors.

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License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Related topics:

Jobs and the Future of WorkEducation and Skills

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Search 2 keywords found: employment

Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP

FEASTERVILLE-TREVOSE, Pa. (AP) — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump manned the fry station at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania on Sunday before staging an impromptu news conference, answering questions through the drive-thru window.

As reporters and aides watched, an employee showed Trump how to dunk baskets of fries in oil, salt the fries and put them into boxes using a scoop. Trump, a well-known fan of fast food and a notorious germophobe, expressed amazement that he didn't have to touch the fries with his hands.

“It requires great expertise, actually, to do it right and to do it fast,” Trump said with a grin, putting away his suit jacket and wearing an apron over his shirt and tie.

The visit came as he's tried to counter Democratic nominee Kamala Harris' accounts on the campaign of working at the fast-food chain while in college, an experience that Trump has claimed — without offering evidence — never happened.

A large crowd lined the street outside the restaurant in Feasterville-Trevose, which is part of Bucks County, a key swing voter area north of Philadelphia. The restaurant itself was closed to the public for Trump's visit. The former president later attended an evening town hall in Lancaster and the Pittsburgh Steelers home game against the New York Jets.

After serving bags of takeout to people in the drive-thru lane, Trump leaned out of the window, still wearing the apron, to take questions from the media staged outside. The former president, who has constantly promoted falsehoods about his 2020 election loss, said he would respect the results of next month's vote “if it's a fair election.”

He joked about getting one reporter ice cream and when another asked what message he had for Harris on her 60th birthday on Sunday, Trump said, “I would say, ‘Happy Birthday, Kamala,’” adding, “I think I’ll get her some flowers.”

Trump did not directly answer a question of whether he might support increased minimum wages after seeing McDonald’s employees in action but said, “These people work hard. They’re great.”

He added that “I just saw something … a process that’s beautiful.”

When aides finally urged him to wrap things up so he could hit the road to his next event, Trump offered, “Wasn’t that a strange place to do a news conference?”

Trump has long questioned Harris' story of working at McDonald's

Trump has fixated in recent weeks on the summer job Harris said she held in college, working the cash register and making fries at McDonald’s while in college. Trump says the vice president has “lied about working” there, but not offered evidence for claiming that.

Representatives for McDonald’s did not respond to a message about whether the company had employment records for one of its restaurants 40 years ago. But Harris spokesman Joseph Costello said the former president's McDonald's visit “showed exactly what we would see in a second Trump term: exploiting working people for his own personal gain.”

“Trump doesn’t understand what it’s like to work for a living, no matter how many staged photo ops he does, and his entire second term plan is to give himself, his wealthy buddies, and giant corporations another massive tax cut,” Costello said in a statement.

In an interview last month on MSNBC, the vice president pushed back on Trump’s claims, saying she did work at the fast-food chain four decades ago when she was in college.

“Part of the reason I even talk about having worked at McDonald’s is because there are people who work at McDonald’s in our country who are trying to raise a family,” she said. “I worked there as a student.”

Harris also said: “I think part of the difference between me and my opponent includes our perspective on the needs of the American people and what our responsibility, then, is to meet those needs.”

Trump has long spread groundless claims about his opponents based on their personal history, particularly women and racial minorities.

Before he ran for president, Trump was a leading voice of the “birther” conspiracy that baselessly claimed President Barack Obama was from Africa, was not an American citizen and therefore was ineligible to be president. Trump used it to raise his own political profile, demanding to see Obama’s birth certificate and five years after Obama did so, Trump finally admitted that Obama was born in the United States.

During his first run for president, Trump repeated a tabloid’s claims that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s father, who was born in Cuba, had links to President John F. Kennedy’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. Cruz and Trump competed for the party’s 2016 nomination.

In January of this year, when Trump was facing Nikki Haley, his former U.N. ambassador, in the Republican primary, he shared on his social media network a post with false claims that Haley’s parents were not citizens when she was born, therefore making her ineligible to be president.

Haley is the South Carolina-born daughter of Indian immigrants, making her automatically a native-born citizen and meeting the constitutional requirement to run for president.

And Trump has continued to promote baseless claims during this campaign. Trump said during his presidential debate with Harris that immigrants who had settled in Springfield, Ohio, were eating residents’ pets — a claim he suggested in an interview Saturday was still true even though he could provide no confirmation.

Trump's visit created a spectacle in Pennsylvania

“It is a fundamental value of my organization that we proudly open our doors to everyone who visits the Feasterville community,” the McDonald’s location’s owner, Derek Giacomantonio, said in a statement. “That’s why I accepted former President Trump’s request to observe the transformative working experience that 1 in 8 Americans have had: a job at McDonald’s.”

Police closed the busy streets around the McDonald’s during Trump's visit. Authorities cordoned off the restaurant as a crowd a couple blocks long gathered, sometimes 10- to 15-deep, across the street straining to catch a glimpse of Trump. Horns honked and music blared as Trump supporters waved flags, held signs and took pictures.

John Waters, of nearby Fairless Hills, had never been to a Trump rally and had hoped to see the former president so close to his house after missing other nearby rallies.

“When I drove up, all the cars, unbelievable, I was like, ‘He’s here’s, he’s coming, he’s definitely coming with this all traffic,’” Waters said.

Trump is especially partial to McDonald's Big Macs and Filet-o-Fish sandwiches. He’s talked often about how he trusts big chains more than smaller restaurants since they have big reputations to maintain, and the former president’s staff often pick up McDonald’s and serve it on his plane.

Jim Worthington, a Trump supporter and fundraiser who owns a nearby athletic complex and chaired Pennsylvania’s delegation to the Republican National Convention, said he arranged Trump’s visit to the locally owned McDonald’s franchise.

The campaign contacted him looking for a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania and Worthington started looking for one. He got in touch with Giacomantonio through a friend and talked the franchise owner through some initial nervousness.

Giacomantonio needed to know that McDonald’s corporate offices would be OK with it, first. Second, he was concerned that being seen as a Trump supporter would hurt his business or a spark boycott, Worthington said.

“He certainly had concerns, but I eased his mind, and talked to him about the benefits,” Worthington said.

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Search 2 keywords found: guaranteed income

Old Age Security Payment Coming for Seniors: As the cost of living continues to rise, Canadian seniors are looking forward to the $3,500 Old Age Security (OAS) payment in October 2024. This one-time boost aims to help seniors cope with financial challenges, especially those on low or fixed incomes. In this article, we’ll break down who is eligible, how much you could receive, and how to apply for this significant benefit.

Topic	Details
Maximum Payment	Up to $3,500 in October 2024
Eligibility	Canadians aged 65 and above, meeting residency and income requirements
Payment Date	October 29, 2024
Application Process	Most seniors are automatically enrolled; others must apply via the Canada OAS Portal
Income Clawback Threshold	Income exceeding $90,997 (2023) could lead to partial or full repayment of OAS benefits
Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)	Additional support for low-income seniors, offering up to $1,086.88 per month
How to Apply	Visit the Service Canada website to apply or check your eligibility.

The $3,500 Old Age Security payment in October 2024 is a critical boost for many Canadian seniors, helping them cope with the rising cost of living. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can look forward to this one-time payment automatically deposited into your account. For those not yet enrolled, it’s essential to apply through the Service Canada portal to ensure you receive your benefits on time.

What is the $3,500 OAS Payment?

The $3,500 payment is part of Canada’s Old Age Security program, designed to support seniors facing financial challenges. The government periodically adjusts these benefits to help retirees cope with inflation and other economic pressures. This October, a one-time OAS payment is expected to provide significant relief to eligible seniors.

Eligibility for $3500 October Old Age Security Payment

To be eligible for the October 2024 OAS payment, you must meet specific criteria:

1. Age Requirement: You must be at least 65 years old.
2. Residency: You should have lived in Canada for at least 10 years after the age of 18. For full benefits, 40 years of residency are required. If you reside outside Canada, you must have lived in the country for 20 years after turning 18.
3. Income: The amount you receive depends on your income. Seniors with an annual income over $90,997 in 2023 may see their benefits reduced or eliminated through the OAS clawback. If your income is lower, you could be eligible for the full payment, including additional support like the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).

How Much Will You Receive?

While the maximum payment is $3,500, the exact amount may vary depending on factors like age and income. Seniors aged 75 and older receive an additional 10% of their OAS benefits due to a permanent increase introduced in 2022. Additionally, if your income exceeds a certain threshold, your OAS benefits may be reduced by 15% for every dollar above the limit.

The GIS offers further financial aid to low-income seniors, adding up to $1,086.88 per month on top of OAS payments.

October Old Age Security Payment Date and Schedule

The $3,500 payment is scheduled to be deposited on October 29, 2024. This is part of the regular OAS payment cycle, which includes monthly deposits made at the end of each month.

For the remainder of 2024, OAS payment dates are as follows:

• November 27, 2024
• December 20, 2024 (early payment due to the holiday season)

How to Apply for Canada $3500 October Old Age Security Payment Coming for Seniors

For most eligible seniors, no action is required. The Canadian government automatically enrolls citizens in the OAS program when they turn 65. If you’re already receiving OAS, you should receive this payment automatically. However, if you’re not yet registered, or if you believe you are eligible but haven’t received any OAS payments, here’s what you need to do:

1. Go to the Canada OAS Portal: Visit the Service Canada OAS portal to access the application form.
2. Provide Required Documentation: Ensure you have identification, proof of residency, and your Social Insurance Number (SIN) handy.
3. Submit Your Application: You can complete the application online or submit a paper form. It typically takes a few weeks to process the claim.

If you live outside Canada but meet the residency requirements, you can still receive OAS payments. Ensure you update your personal information, such as direct deposit details, to avoid any delays.

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Additional Support: Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)

The GIS provides extra financial help for low-income seniors who are already receiving OAS. This benefit can add up to $1,086.88 per month to your income, depending on your marital status and other income sources. Unlike OAS, GIS payments are non-taxable, offering much-needed relief to those on limited incomes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: When is the October OAS payment due?
A: The October OAS payment will be deposited on October 29, 2024.

Q: How do I know if I’m automatically enrolled in OAS?
A: If you’re eligible, you should receive a notification from Service Canada confirming your enrollment. If not, you’ll need to apply manually via the OAS portal.

Q: Can I receive OAS payments if I live outside Canada?
A: Yes, as long as you’ve lived in Canada for at least 20 years after turning 18.

Q: Are OAS payments taxable?
A: Yes, OAS payments are considered taxable income, and you’ll need to declare them on your tax return. GIS, however, is non-taxable.

Q: What if my income exceeds the clawback threshold?
A: If your income is higher than $90,997, you may have to repay part or all of your OAS payments through the OAS Recovery Tax, often called the “OAS clawback.”

Hey there! I'm Anjali Tamta, hailing from the beautiful city of Dehradun. Writing and sharing knowledge are my passions. Through my contributions, I aim to provide valuable insights and information to our audience. Stay tuned as I continue to bring my expertise to our platform, enriching our content with my love for writing and sharing knowledge. I invite you to delve deeper into my articles. Follow me on Instagram for more insights and updates. Looking forward to sharing more with you!

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Search 2 keywords found: guaranteed income

In October 2024, the Canadian government is introducing an extra $1,518 payment aimed at helping low-income seniors manage the rising cost of living. This initiative is part of a broader effort to provide relief to seniors who depend on fixed incomes like Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). With inflation increasing the cost of essentials such as housing, groceries, and utilities, this one-time payment is designed to provide financial relief.

For eligible seniors, this payment will be automatically added to their existing OAS or GIS benefits. In this article, we will break down who qualifies, how to claim this payment, and important dates you need to be aware of.

Canada Extra $1518 Payment for Low-Income Seniors in October

Key Points	Details
Eligibility	Seniors aged 65+, receiving OAS, with an income between $23,495 – $33,015
Amount	$1,518 (one-time payment)
Distribution Date	Expected in October 2024
How to Claim	Automatically added to OAS payments—no additional application required
Purpose	To help low-income seniors manage the rising costs of living, including inflation impacts on daily expenses
More Information	Visit Canada.ca or the My Service Canada Account portal for updates.

The extra $1,518 payment for low-income seniors is a vital relief effort from the Canadian government to support seniors during these challenging economic times. By automatically including this payment in OAS distributions, the government aims to reduce the financial burden caused by inflation and rising living costs. Seniors who meet the income and residency requirements should ensure their personal and tax information is up to date to receive this additional support.

Understanding the Canada Extra $1518 Payment for Low Income Seniors

This extra payment of $1,518 is part of the Canadian government’s support for seniors struggling with rising costs, especially due to inflation. Unlike other benefits, such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), which is contribution-based, this payment is primarily tied to Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) recipients. These two programs are pivotal for providing financial security to seniors, particularly those in low-income brackets.

Why is this Payment Important?

The increasing cost of living, driven by inflation, has made it difficult for seniors on fixed incomes to cover essential expenses like housing, groceries, transportation, and healthcare. The $1,518 payment is intended to provide short-term relief, helping seniors maintain their quality of life without having to rely on debt or external assistance.

Who is Eligible for Extra $1518 Payment for Low Income Seniors?

To qualify for the extra $1,518 payment, seniors must meet specific criteria:

• Age: You must be 65 years or older.
• Income: Your annual net income should be between $23,495 and $33,015.
• OAS Recipient: You must already be receiving Old Age Security (OAS). Low-income seniors who also receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) are particularly targeted.
• Residency: You must be a permanent resident of Canada and registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

This payment is specifically aimed at low-income seniors who are most affected by rising living costs, and it will be automatically added to OAS payments for those who qualify.

How to apply for Canada Extra $1518 Payment for Low Income Seniors in October?

The $1,518 payment is expected to be rolled out in October 2024. Seniors who qualify will see this amount included in their regular OAS payments. There is no need to apply separately for the payment, as it will be processed automatically by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

If you’re already receiving OAS and GIS, the payment will be deposited into your account alongside your regular benefits. Be sure to check your My Service Canada Account (MSCA) for updates or to verify the payment status.

Important Payment Dates

• October 27, 2024: First distribution date of the extra payment.
• Subsequent payments will follow the regular OAS and GIS payment schedule for those who qualify for multiple distributions over the year.

Maximizing Your Benefits

To ensure you’re receiving the maximum benefits available to you as a senior, it’s important to stay informed and proactive:

1. File Your Taxes: The CRA uses your annual tax return to determine eligibility for benefits like OAS and GIS. Even if you have little or no income, it’s crucial to file your taxes every year to ensure you’re not missing out on payments.
2. Apply for the GIS: If you qualify for OAS but haven’t applied for GIS, do so immediately. The GIS is a critical supplement for low-income seniors and is key to accessing additional financial support, such as this $1,518 payment.
3. Check for Other Benefits: In addition to federal benefits, provinces and territories often provide supplementary programs, including housing subsidies, utility rebates, and healthcare credits. These programs can help further reduce your expenses and improve your financial security.

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Canadians Can Claim October $2254 OAS Payment in October: Check Complete Process, Date & Fact

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who qualifies for the $1,518 extra payment?
Low-income seniors aged 65 or older, receiving Old Age Security (OAS), and with an annual income between $23,495 and $33,015.

2. Do I need to apply for this payment?
No, the payment will be automatically added to your regular OAS payments if you meet the eligibility criteria.

3. When will I receive the payment?
The payment is expected to be distributed starting in October 2024, with exact dates announced by the Canadian government.

4. Will this payment affect my other benefits?
No, this is a one-time payment and will not impact other benefits like CPP or GIS.

5. Can I receive both CPP and OAS?
Yes, you can receive both CPP (which is based on contributions during your working years) and OAS. However, having a high CPP payment may reduce your eligibility for GIS.

Hey there! I'm Anjali Tamta, hailing from the beautiful city of Dehradun. Writing and sharing knowledge are my passions. Through my contributions, I aim to provide valuable insights and information to our audience. Stay tuned as I continue to bring my expertise to our platform, enriching our content with my love for writing and sharing knowledge. I invite you to delve deeper into my articles. Follow me on Instagram for more insights and updates. Looking forward to sharing more with you!

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Search 2 keywords found: basic income,guaranteed income

Ben Earle is general manager of the Basic Income Canada Network and provides coordinating support to UBI Works. Sheila Regehr is chair of the Basic Income Canada Network and a former federal public servant. We caught up with Sheila and Ben at the 23rd Basic Income Earth Network Congress, recently held at the University of Bath, to discuss the importance of child credit programmes for basic income campaigning, the art of the compromise in Canadian politics, and the need to not let the great be the enemy of the good.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Beyond Trafficking and Slavery: Please start by describing the tone of the Canadian conversation around basic income these days. Is there openness to the idea?

Sheila Regehr: There is openness. It's not universal, but it's gaining ground among advocates and people working in sectors like food security, health and mental health.

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We recently gained some sponsors from organised labour. That was a new and exciting development, because there are mixed views about basic income within the labour movement. I think there’s a growing sense that we need solutions to some really serious problems, and it’s bringing people towards the idea. It’s a struggle though.

Ben Earle: We have some political support too, but it's not broad political support. There are bills being put forward in parliament at the moment, mostly by junior and backbench politicians. They may not pass, but they’re helping us gain traction in the political realm.

There isn’t support yet at the level of party leadership, at least not publicly. Basic income is in the background of the political sphere right now in Canada. But it’s gaining ground in various sectors and across civil society.

Sheila: That said, I worked inside government. It's not a monolith. Different departments don’t always speak to each other, and sometimes there are advantages to that.

For example, an environmental ministry recently gave us funding for a major project linking basic income and the environment. A government gender equality office is helping fund a basic income project for women fleeing domestic violence. And we got government research funding for a conference we recently held in Canada.

So there’s some support. But from a political decision-making perspective, we’ve got a long way to go.

BTS: It sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you when campaigning on a national level. Is it easier to find support on a provincial level?

Ben: We’re seeing both support and programming for basic income on the provincial level. Some provinces have also started to use the language of basic income for their social assistance policies.

Some of our most successful work over the last ten years has been done on a provincial level. The Ontario Basic Income pilot is one of them. However, in true political fashion, as soon as an opposing government was elected, they cancelled it.

It's very volatile. If you don't build the policies into legislation, or if a government doesn’t start working on it right at the beginning of a term, it all just ends when the next government comes in.

We’re having these conversations at all different levels of government, but we don’t focus on working with local governments. Municipalities in Canada don’t have much power to implement these policies – not like in the US, for example. We’re focusing on advocacy at the federal level, since we want to see a national policy. And we still have a struggle there.

That said, a growing number of municipalities are becoming allies in pushing for a national policy. More and more are recognising the value of a basic income to them and making that known to more senior levels of government.

Sheila: National policymaking in Canada means federal, provincial and territorial. It can't just be federal, which is why there's an added layer of complication in Canada.

One key thing we have going for us is that we have done this before. Our child benefits structure is basically a guaranteed income for families with children under 18. And there are a couple of really important things about that.

The child benefits policy was developed in the late 1990s as a federal, provincial, territorial framework. So, there's a model for how to do this. That model also gives the provinces some flexibility, which is important because they generally don't like the federal government telling them what to do.

The child benefits structure is a hugely successful programme that's grown enormously since it was first established. This means we've got really good results from an actual programme. It's not a pilot. It's a programme. It's been running for roughly two generations of kids now.

Ben: And we have the infrastructure to support it, including the tax infrastructure to easily support the distribution.

Sheila: Exactly. So it’s possible. It's just a really difficult thing to actually make happen.

BTS: So there are around 25 years of lessons learned from existing programmes. Does this help you to market basic income as a viable program?

Sheila: Absolutely. One of the early successes of the Basic Income Canada Network was helping people to understand this concept. We’ve done a lot of work to show people that this idea is not foreign or radical. We already do this.

We've actually done it for seniors even longer and better than for families with children. Those policies have so many features of a basic income. People need to understand that these things already exist and we can build on them.

Ben: The challenge coming out of it, though, is that those are fairly easy calls. People are happy to support families with children because they see them as a deserving group. They're happy to support seniors because they've worked their whole lives, and they're happy to support people with disabilities because they’re unable to work.

The paradigm of deservingness is a massive stumbling block in the discussion in Canada. If you're meant to be tied to the labour market, then you supposedly don't need this help. How do we convince people that we need a programme available to everybody, regardless of age, gender, ability and status? This is one of the biggest challenges we’re facing.

Sheila: It feeds into the neoliberal paradigm that fetishises employment over everything else. People are forced to build their whole lives around paid labour. And if they’re fortunate, they might get some support on either side of their working lives. It’s a kind of religious orthodoxy that we’re challenging.

People have been searching for decades to try to prove that these kinds of benefits disincentivise employment. And it's just not there

BTS: Deservingness comes up a lot in basic income discussions. Have you found ways to respond?

Ben: UBI Works, who I also work with, is a good example of this. The organisation was started by a colleague of ours, Floyd Marinescu, who's a successful business owner in the tech sector. His argument is that, in this stage of capitalism, we can't expect everybody to get wealthy from work anymore.

We've engaged with this argument by showing the great divide that happened in the mid 1970s. This is when you start to see the split between wealth and incomes in countries like Canada and the United States. The wealth of the countries increases, but incomes stay stagnant.

There remains this religious orthodoxy to it, but the systems we’ve built aren’t working for the majority of Canadians. The social assistance system in Canada, for example, was built 50 years ago when full and secure employment was assumed. But we don't have that environment anymore.

It’s getting harder and harder to deny the challenges. And that's why we now have businesspeople like Floyd and other colleagues, who are saying, you know what? We're business owners. We've made money. But we realise that the model that helped us do this is not sustainable. It's not available to everybody.

Sheila: Part of our job is to help people understand how current child benefits work too. The money doesn't go to the kids. The money goes to working age adults. Yes, the group that we're all afraid is somehow going to misspend or drop out of the labour force.

One of the clear, publicly articulated policy goals of the child benefit was to help parents maintain paid labour force participation. And yet some people still respond to us by saying they’re worried basic income will be a disincentive for work.

People have been searching for decades to try to prove that these kinds of benefits disincentivise employment. It's just not there. In Canada, more and more people are seeing this on the ground now. There are tent encampments across the country, and the demand on food banks and the non-profit and charitable sector is just huge.

There are plenty of incentives to work – yet work isn’t working out for people. I think we just have to keep doing a better job, over and over again, of helping people to understand the evidence before their very eyes.

BTS: Are you finding any traction when it comes to arguments based on poverty levels?

Sheila: For a lot of people, arguing from a perspective on poverty hasn’t really resonated. The response would be, ‘I'm not one of those people’. And it goes back to all these questions of deservingness.

But I think things are beginning to change with this argument. People are realising more and more how commonplace income insecurity is in this economic climate. We are all, to a certain extent, quite seriously economically insecure. I think this realisation is bringing people to the movement from outside the sector.

When I worked in federal government, I was also involved in issues around the recognition and valuation of unpaid work. Our economic system pretends to assume that only employment is work, but work is much bigger than that. If you don't allow the rest of it to happen, society falls apart. Democracies fall apart. Economies fall apart. This argument is also driving a need for solutions.

BTS: How did Covid-19 affect these conversations? Did you see a significant shift in peoples’ understanding when the lockdowns hit?

Ben: I think we’ve seen a broader understanding of these issues because of Covid, or at least a broader recognition of them. People have told us they realised their lives are more precarious than they thought. And we’ve seen people making different choices to the ones they might have made otherwise.

In Canada – and probably in the US as well – people are choosing to change the way they work. As a result, they're turning to ideas like basic income as a way to support them through those changes. At UBI works and Basic Income Network Canada, we talk a lot about providing choice in the economy. Basic income isn’t a substitute for employment income. It’s a tool for choice and empowerment.

Sheila: And a tool to help someone manage transitions. Because transitions happen.

Ben: Covid also showed us how things could work on a practical level. Within just a month of the pandemic starting, Canada created benefits for people who were out of work because of the pandemic. Of course there were some hiccups, especially in hindsight. But it was frankly a fairly seamless operation, considering how quickly it was done.

Sheila: Yes, one of the really irritating technical criticisms we get in Canada is that the tax system is so slow. And yet, it took the government nine days to roll out the pandemic benefits. They proved that we've got the administrative capacity, it’s just been hidden.

But then, like almost everywhere else in the world, as soon as the worst of the pandemic was over, things went back to how they had been. The lessons that could have been learned from the new benefit administration and structure were just left by the wayside.

I also think our government did a particularly terrible job of talking about its own policies. Of course there was some blowback, because things weren't perfect. When you roll something out that fast in the middle of a huge unexpected health and economic crisis, you're bound to make mistakes. There are bound to be criticisms.

The government got defensive in the face of those criticisms, and that was a mistake. Instead of getting defensive, they could’ve highlighted the fact that they turned around the lives of roughly 20 million people. Or that they saved the economy. Yes, it wasn't perfect, but they did something amazing. They completely missed the opportunity to emphasise that.

Trying to implement this in any country is too complicated to have an ‘all or nothing’ approach

BTS: What have you learned about the art of compromise in this context?

Ben: Canada is a country made up of compromise. Ever since the country was founded by the French and the British, we've compromised. We have regions that are very diverse, Quebec being the starkest example of that. They often want nothing to do with federal programmes, and have their own strong identity.

So federal policymaking involves deep discussions with all the provinces and territories about how it's going to be administered. Our constitution technically doesn't allow the federal government to create a policy like basic income without having the provinces on board.

Sheila: We're also a country founded on the colonialist exploitation of indigenous peoples. We've got a lot of work to do to heal that. And we're a huge immigrant receiving country. So we've got people from all over the world coming from different political and cultural systems. If our politicians are going to win elections, they have to understand all those different constituencies. It simply does involve a lot of compromise.

Ben: When it comes to basic income, we’ve developed a consensus statement using the concept of collective impact. We’re essentially asking, what is our common agenda? What are the key points that we're going to argue for together?

That doesn’t mean all our organisations are fully aligned. They differ on many points, but all found that they could support this common agenda. For example, the ‘Universal’ in UBI Works is quite contentious – we think of basic income a bit differently than others. But the organisation still chose to endorse the consensus statement, even though its ambitions around scope are more limited than ours, because it’s all about incrementalism. We’re working towards these early stages, and then we go from there.

Agreeing on the consensus statement took a long time. It was over a year of conversations with national leaders in the basic income movement. But we all came together. We've all recognised this is what we agree on. There might be groups with other ideas or nuance to add. But this is our compromise.

Some groups chose not to sign the consensus statement, even though they were supportive of the general process. They may change their mind eventually, but for now, they're still part of the movement and supportive. It's been decades of work to get to this point. And of course, we still have arguments, and we still disagree at times. But we don’t let that break the movement apart. This is what compromise looks like.

BTS: It sounds like there are lots of differing views about the best way to do basic income. How have you managed to agree on a collective vision for the movement?

Sheila: Before the development of the consensus statement, we published a policy options document that includes different ways of doing a basic income. We were trying to figure out exactly how to do it. Then Covid hit. All of a sudden we went, okay, we needed this yesterday. We chose Option 1, a basic income model that focuses on 18 to 64 year olds to fill the gaps. It’s the most feasible in Canada.

Covid had a huge impact on this process, because it showed us that we could do it any of these ways and arrive at similar results. That includes this universal model where every individual gets a certain amount, but that’s a hard sell in Canada at this point in time.

Ben: I think that's good. The ‘all or nothing’ argument is actually hindering us sometimes. Trying to implement this in any country is too complicated to have an ‘all or nothing’. You need to start with something, and then have the right conversations about what's going to work in your context.

We truly believe this is the type of basic income that will work for us. But that doesn't mean it's not a stepping stone to what's next. It doesn’t mean it can’t lead us towards another way of doing social policy in general. But you've got to start somewhere. Because if we argue for the ‘all or nothing’, we'll get nowhere – in our context at least.

Sheila: Yes, Getting started is the key thing. Again, the child benefit example is a good one, because the benefit actually started quite small. It tended to help two parent families more in the beginning because the benefit was low. But it still made it easier for many parents to get by, and kept people from needing to access other social assistance programmes.

Gradually, as it got larger, it brought in single parents. It helped them make their way through a combination of child benefits and paid labour. And a huge percentage of the Canadian population with families now receive varying levels of that benefit. It’s shown where you can get to if you just start with something.

To take it to the political level, you need recognised institutions and organisations that are backing it. Informal movements can’t have the conversations with the prime minister's office

BTS: Can you tell us about other lessons you’ve learned along the way?

Ben: Basic income has the potential to be the most transformative social policy of a generation – if it's done right. But you can't do that if you're not going to talk to and think about different interest groups, and if you're not going to fully address their concerns.

What are the concerns of employers in the labour market? What are the concerns of civil society? What are the concerns of government, and how are they going to pay for it? You have to address all of that head on.

Another thing we’ve learned is the value of private pilots. There are a lot of programmes running in the US right now, and they’re a good way to build evidence. But they're not going to turn into a permanent benefit.

A basic income will never be funded through private sector investment. This has to be public. It has to be collective. There are ways to provide people with money, but you can't do something transformative if it's not led collectively. We need a national policy. And it needs to be run at the federal level.

Sheila: Country context really matters too. You have to analyse your own situation and figure out what's going to work. One of the incredible advantages the US has is the sheer amount of pilots there. Some might say they're all different and you can't compare them. But that's the great thing. We want that diversity and flexibility.

Some pilots are focused on people leaving the criminal legal system. Others are focused on people fleeing domestic violence. Still others are focused on black and minority populations. More and more, the evidence pops up showing the same pattern.

But the way you get it into policy has to be based on your own country's context. We try to focus on the leverage points in Canadian policy and history that allow us to do that. You have to adapt to fit it into something pragmatic within your own country.

Ben: The only other thing I'll add is that this movement needs core organisations. We're lucky we've got a small group of organisations that work very well together leading the work in Canada. We’ve learned that movement building can only go so far without structure.

You do need the informal movement. That's absolutely a key component. You need the grassroots component. But to take it to the political level, you need recognised institutions and organisations that are backing it, because informal movements can’t have the conversations with the prime minister's office. Organisations and policy leaders can.

Sheila: We formed an organisation, and we became a federally-registered non-profit corporation. I think that's been critical for the movement. And it's allowed other smaller regional and local organisations to form around that nexus.

Ben: It's been a long struggle. But I think that's a key lesson – how you organise matters.

Explore the rest of the series

This series looks at the specific challenges that campaigners face when arguing for universal basic income in highly individualised and neoliberal contexts like the United States and the United Kingdom, and how they work to overcome them.

Part 1 | Getting on with it

• UBI in the US ‘not just an idea’ – it’s achievable
  Shafeka Hasash, Economic Security Project
• 'Hope goes a long way': BI as a lifeline for ex-prisoners
  Kevin Scott, Community Spring
• Could a guaranteed income pave the way for racial justice?
  Rachel Pyon, Deon Hodrick and Matthew Harvey, Equity and Transformation

– Coming soon –

• Antonio Gisbert, Oregon Rebate
• Zea Malawa, University of California, Berkeley Public Health

Part 2 | Widening the politically possible

• UBI could mean justice for everyone. How do we get there?
  Philippe Van Parijs, UCLouvain
• Basic income ‘won’t stop people working’: lessons from CanadaBen Earle and Sheila Regehr, Basic Income Canada Network
• Basic income could put food banks out of businessDavid Beck, University of Salford and UBILab Food
• Basic income: why we need to start talking about moneyCleo Goodman, Autonomy and the Basic Income Conversation

– Coming soon –

• Leandro Ferreira, Brazilian Basic Income Network

Part 3 | Getting the policy mix right

• Contributor list coming soon

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10 Years Out: What’s with the Bear in the Middle?

[NB: Check the byline — it’s me, Rayne. I am not a registered financial representative or a lawyer; this post is based on my own observations and opinions. As always, your mileage may vary.]

On a chilly March evening ten years ago tonight, I was yelling at loved ones: Sell. For gods’ sake, SELL.

My own household had moved its investments from a number of mutual funds to guaranteed income. Every fund in the portfolio to that point contained a chunk of an investment bank and was therefore exposed to what I felt was sure to come.

It was obvious to anyone who was really paying attention that something was really off. Trying to buy a house in 2004 was almost impossible where I live, in spite of the ongoing migration of manufacturing jobs offshore. In the target price range for a 2000-square foot house, there were only a handful of homes listed and they all needed more than $50K in improvements. The nearby farmers’ fields were full of a new crop: single-family homes, mostly 3-bedroom and up, had eaten acres and acres in less than a year. It was insanity — there was no way this pace could be maintained, not with my state’s problematic over-reliance on the automobile industry.

Instead of buying an existing home, I built a new one. It didn’t make sense to spend $50K on improvements requiring a lot of construction if I couldn’t guarantee I could hire a contractor when new construction was so hot. I didn’t build in the top end neighborhood, either. I left myself some room in case I had to leave the area quickly for a new job; I also left room for the market to improve.

Except it didn’t. The last landscaping contractor must have pulled away from my new home in 2005 just as the bubble began to deflate. There were signs it was going to get worse, too, what with fuel prices skyrocketing. Banks increasingly offered crazy terms on mortgages just so they could something, anything, not taking the hint the market was saturated. Given the number of people relying too heavily on adjustable rate mortgages with ridiculously low entry rates, the increased gasoline price costing the average family more than $1000 a year was certain to cause credit card defaults and foreclosures.

Something ugly was coming.

~ ~ ~

In March 2008 — almost exactly a month after the Washington Post published an op-ed by New York’s then-Governor Eliot Spitzer exhorting action on subprime mortgages — 85-year-old American investment bank Bear Stearns crashed and burned.

After urgent, fancy foot work by the Federal Reserve Bank, J.P. Morgan and other key investors, settlements were made with bail out money and remnants of the firm were ultimately snapped up by J.P. Morgan for what amounted to the cost of Bear Stearn’s headquarters building, about $2 per share. By St. Patrick’s Day, Bear Stearns was no more, completely subsumed.

It would be another six months before the next large investment bank crashed — Lehman Brothers — taking the global economy with it.

~ ~ ~

At the time the crash was blamed on lax controls on lending to home buyers, encouraging an excess of subprime mortgages, combined with investment banks’ more recent taste for collateralized debt obligations bundling mortgages into tranches for slicing up and trading.

But not all of the trash loans were residential mortgages stuffed into tranches. Some of the loans were to developers and contractors who were building commercial facilities and multi-family buildings. Some of these loans were packaged into funds which were more like offshore corporations.

The two funds triggering Bear Stearns’ meltdown were just that: offshore funds incorporated in the Cayman Islands in 2003, holding various assets including tranches of poorly-collateralized mortgages, managed by Bear Stearns Asset Management (BSAM). What mortgages were in these two funds the public doesn’t really know; were they single-family residential mortgages or commercial facilities mortgages, or some combination? The information is out there somewhere but it’s not at the public’s fingertips.

The financial media still paints a messy picture even a decade later, blaming Bear Stearns management but not its own persistent failure to provide a more comprehensive and accessible picture of the financial industry’s health.

These two funds collapsed because too many mortgages within their CDOs failed; the effect on the bank was like pulling out two critical load-bearing pieces in a game of Jenga. The cascading demand for cash to resolve the failures may have pushed other investment banks’ equally sketchy funds to fail as well, crashing the entire heap nearly a decade ago.

~ ~ ~

It was a surprise blast from the unpleasant past to see Bear Stearns’ name pop up in the middle of recent testimony before the House Permanent Subcommittee on Intelligence. Fusion GPS’ Glenn Simpson cited the investment bank as a source of financing for Donald Trump and some sketchy condominium development.

[SIMPSON]… There’s the Trump vodka business that was earlier. And then ultimately, you know, what we came to realize was that the money was actually coming out of Russia and going into his properties in Florida and New York and Panama and Toronto and these other places.

And what we, you know, gradually begun to understand, which, you know, I suppose I should kick myself for not figuring out earlier, but I don’t know that much about the real estate business, which is I alluded to this earlier, so, you know, by 2003, 2004, Donald Trump was not able to get bank credit for — and if you’re a real estate developer and you can’t get bank loans, you know, you’ve got a problem.

And all these guys, they used leverage like, you know, — so there’s alternative systems of financing, and sometimes it’s — well, there’s a variety of alternative systems of financing. But in any case, you need alternative financing.

One of the things that we now know about how the condo projects were financed is that you have to — you can get credit if you can show that you’ve sold a certain number of units.

So it turns out that, you know, one of the most important things to look at is — this is especially true of the early overseas developments, like Toronto and Panama — you can get credit if you can show that you sold a certain percentage of your units.

And so the real trick is to get people who say they’ve bought those units, and that’s where the Russians are to be found, is in some of those pre-sales, is what they’re called. And that’s how, for instance, in Panama they got the credit of — they got a — Bear Stearns to issue a bond by telling Bear Stearns that they’d sold a bunch of units to a bunch of Russian gangsters.

And, of course, they didn’t put that in the underwriting information, they just said, we’ve sold a bunch of units and here’s who bought them, and that’s how they got the credit. So that’s sort of an example of the alternative financing. … [bold mine, excerpt pages 95-96]

The timing mentioned, 2003-2004, is very close to the time that Bear Stearns launched the two Cayman-based funds which failed first. Is it possible Trump’s financing provided by Bear Stearns ended up in the funds’ CDOs? Probably not — Simpson refers to bonds. But let’s look at a financial statement from one of the subject funds:

It’s difficult to tell what’s in any of the CDOs listed in this summary. Who knows what mortgages are in them or from where they originated without access to more details?

Note the bonds at the bottom — again, what’s in them? What percentage of these bonds consisted of dicey or outright fraudulent financing for construction related to money laundering? Again, we can’t tell without access to more granular details. We don’t know whether bond(s) offered to Trump developments were in Bear Stearns’ first two failed funds or if they helped cause the eventual financial pyroclastic flow toward Bear Stearns’ end.

~ ~ ~

Another thing sticks in my craw — a bit from Michael Lewis’ The Big Short:

The bond market, because it consisted mainly of big institutional investors, experienced no similarly populist political pressure. Even as it came to dwarf the stock market, the bond market eluded serious regulation. Bond salesmen could say and do anything without fear that they’d be reported to some authority. Bond traders could explore inside information without worrying that they would be caught. Bond technicians could dream up ever more complicated securities without worrying too much about government regulation — one reason why so many derivatives had been derived, one way or another, from bonds. … [bold mine]

In other words, nobody would look askance at all at bonds sold to finance a condominium development with rather thin commitment to payment. Nobody looked askance at the ratio of CDOs to bonds, either, though Bear Stearns would try to offset the CDOs’ losses by liquidating bonds. This fund as an example couldn’t manage this offset based on the ratio alone; it would have been catastrophically worse if the collateral beneath the bonds was as fraudulent as many subprime adjustable rate mortgages in CDOs were at the time.

The root cause of the 2008 crash remains the collapse of poorly collateralized as well as fraudulent mortgages. But I have to wonder:

— With so much attention on CDOs and mortgage defaults combined with a lack of bond market adequate monitoring, how much did crappy bonds, based on fraudulent representations of collateral, contribute to the crash?

— If there was so little regulation and oversight of the bond market, how much sketchy or fraudulent project financing was in bonds on the banks’ books — including projects like Trump’s, based on promises to pay made by offshore vehicles or non-U.S. citizens?

— With so little regulation and oversight, would it have been possible for one or more nation-states using offshore finance vehicles to “weaponize” banks’ books? How many of the crappy bonds contributing to the 2008 crash were based on poorly collateralized pre-sales to Russian oligarchs and gangsters?

— What assurances do we have today — especially with Mick Mulvaney defunding the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau and knocking off an opportunity to look more deeply into credit reporting by killing off the Equifax investigation — that investment banks have changed their practices and ensured legitimate projects are financed?

—What assurances do we have that our legislators see the slippery slip when they approve legislation like S. 2155 just this week, weakening Dodd-Frank reforms?

~ ~ ~

Recall the state of the economy between Bear Stearns’ and Lehman Brothers’ crashes. Oil prices rose to over $150/barrel, resulting in $4/gallon gasoline. Other commodity prices rose in tandem with fuel prices. The home buyers who could least afford any change in their household expenses were the same ones targeted for subprime mortgages with shady terms; it came down to paying for gas to get to work and feeding the family, or making the mortgage payment.

The price of oil at the time had been driven up by excess speculation. Legislation passed in June 2008 requiring all commodity futures trading to require a minimum of 30% margin upfront rather than 10%. Oil prices dropped drastically and reduced in volatility almost overnight, but it was already too late. Too many home buyers could no longer afford their payments and mortgage defaults began to snowball.

Which brings me to yet another question: if the bond market could have been “weaponized” at that time, could a volatile commodities market likewise have been used as a trigger?

Are there any other weak points in our market which could be “weaponized,” for that matter?

~ ~ ~

On this tenth anniversary after the crash began with Bear Stearns’ collapse, I feel more secure about my retirement portfolio. There were no frantic phone calls to family members exhorting moves to safety this evening. My exposure to the remaining weaknesses of investment banking have been minimized as much as possible, though I remain vulnerable because I have a mortgage. Real estate isn’t the sure return it once was. Only uber-wealthy investors buying into certain urban markets come out on top. But wealthy real estate investors can still cause self-inflicted damage.

Atlanta, Georgia’s market has turned around since the crash — but it was home to another failed Trump real estate project, a 363-unit Trump Tower which went into foreclosure with pre-sales of only 100 units. (In January 2017, Trump ranted about Atlanta as Rep. John Lewis’ district, calling it “falling apart” and “crime infested.” One wonders what crime he meant…)

Hollywood, Florida had a brush with a failed Trump project:

In 2006, he and billionaire condo king Jorge Perez began selling a 23-story apartment building near Mar-a-Lago, but the project was abandoned a year later because of slow sales. Another Perez-Trump deal, the 200-unit Hollywood oceanfront tower, was foreclosed in 2010 after selling less than 15% of its units. (The building eventually opened, still Trump-branded, but without Perez.)

So did the Miami, Florida area:

Trump Sunny Isles, a three-tower residential complex outside Miami, has also struggled. Trump partnered with Perez again and another developer named Gil Dezer to build the project, which targeted wealthy Latin Americans. . . .

Unfortunately, the last two towers of the development opened in the middle of the financial crisis, and Perez bailed on them. . . .

And Puerto Rico, too, was home to a Trump-branded golf course which failed in 2015.

Though with so many failures followed by continued attempts, it’s worth asking if this is a business model. How does Trump continue to benefit from so much failure? How do the backers he has benefit from staking Trump money or title?

Trump’s business alone wasn’t the cause of the 2008 crash. There were far more players involved — millions, if we want to blame residential homeowners who were misled by banks to believe they could safely contract a mortgage in spite of either inadequate collateral or income and ultimately forced into foreclosure. But at least one of Trump’s business projects was in the mix if Fusion’s Simpson’s testimony is truthful; what would keep Trump or real estate investors like Trump from contributing to (if not causing) another crash today?

We must ask when we see that Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort and his former son-in-law Jeffrey Yohai were engaged in sketchy real estate development projects the community/regional Banc of California may have deterred by forcibly shutting their accounts.

And ask again when we see a community bank like The Federal Savings Bank of Chicago involved in another of Manafort’s bank frauds.

The damage could be even worse, in the case of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is over his head in debt on 666 Fifth Avenue and whose family business is distressed, possibly causing geopolitical turmoil to shakedown new financing.

How many of these flimsy real estate deals and junky mortgages, loans, and bonds are there in the system when we can now see these affiliated with the president and his campaign advisers? How many of them will it take to cause another crash if legislators continue to pick away at safeguards?

Let’s hope I’m not writing another financial postmortem like this one in March 2028.

Copyright © 2024 emptywheel. All rights reserved.
Originally Posted @ https://www.emptywheel.net/page/123/?s=barr

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Microsoft AI tools for businesses that allow users to create “agents” to carry out specific work tasks are set to begin rolling out publicly next month, the company has said.

AI agents are smaller, more focused versions of AI assistants which can be programmed to carry out a single task or have a specific area of focus, which can operate autonomously.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced it was introducing the ability to create agents within its Copilot AI assistant, and the tech giant has now confirmed these tools will enter public preview next month inside its Copilot Studio tool.

In addition, the firm said it was introducing a group of 10 pre-made autonomous agents that can help “every sales, service, finance and supply chain team drive business value”.

Think of agents as the new apps for an AI-powered world. Every organisation will have a constellation of agents — ranging from simple prompt-and-response to fully autonomous

The agents can be trained on an individual business’ own records and data in order to help it provide the relevant support.

Jared Spataro, chief marketing officer for AI at work at Microsoft, said: “Copilot is your AI assistant— it works for you — and Copilot Studio enables you to easily create, manage and connect agents to Copilot.

“Think of agents as the new apps for an AI-powered world. Every organisation will have a constellation of agents — ranging from simple prompt-and-response to fully autonomous.

“They will work on behalf of an individual, team or function to execute and orchestrate businesses process.

“Copilot is how you’ll interact with these agents, and they’ll do everything from accelerating lead generation and processing sales orders to automating your supply chain.”

Microsoft said more than half of Fortune 500 companies in the United States were already using Copilot tools within their business.

The recent boom in the technology has seen many of the world’s major technology firms begin rolling out AI-powered tools for users, as they jostle for key positions in the emerging market.

Some critics have raised concerns about the potential for AI tools and automation to disrupt the jobs market, but Microsoft says it has positioned its tools as assistants to work alongside humans, rather than as potential replacements.

“New autonomous agents enable customers to move from legacy lines of business applications to AI-first business process,” Mr Spataro said.

“These new agents are designed to help every sales, service, finance and supply chain team drive business value — and are just the start.

“We will create many more agents in the coming year that will give customers the competitive advantage they need to future-proof their organisation.”

Click here to view original web page at www.nst.com.my

Search 2 keywords found: employment,services,manufactur,technology,technical

KUALA LUMPUR: The MYFutureJobs portal recorded a total of 575,044 active job seekers from January to September this year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said according to statistics from the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) the figure was compared to the 125,956 job vacancies advertised on the portal.

He said to address the challenges of underemployment, particularly for new graduates and local workers, the ministry has introduced various programmes.

These include training initiatives under the Employment Insurance System; the Future Worker Training Scheme; courses focused on Industrial Revolution 4.0; strategic collaborations with technology centres; and, funding from the Skills Development Fund Corporation for skill trainees.

"The ministry is committed to ensuring that graduates and local workers can meet future economic challenges with the necessary skills, particularly in the technology and Industry 4.0 sectors, including rapidly growing automation and artificial intelligence," he said in response to Oscar Ling Chai Yew (PH-Sibu).

Ling had inquired about the skills training programmes planned by the ministry to enhance the marketability of graduates and local workers in the technology and Industry 4.0 sectors amid an increasingly competitive job market.

Meanwhile, Rahman said, between 2020 and Sept 27 of this year, a total of 293,639 workers lost their jobs.

Of this total, 75,615 workers were from the manufacturing sector; 43,614 from wholesale and retail trade; 23,907 from professional, scientific, and technical activities; 19,931 from ICT; 23,124 from accommodation and food services; 21,233 from construction; 20,953 from transportation, and 65,262 from other sectors.

Click here to view original web page at theedgemalaysia.com

Search 2 keywords found: employment,services,manufactur,technology

Parliament

21 Oct 2024, 01:25 pm

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 21): The rise of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) has led to job loss for 293,639 workers in Malaysia since 2020, data from the Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma) showed.

The manufacturing sector has been the hardest hit, accounting for 75,615 lay-offs up until September 2024, Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said in a ministerial question time in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday.

Other affected sectors include the wholesale and retail trade with 43,614 job losses, professional and scientific services with 23,907 jobs lost, as well as information and communication technology with 19,931 jobs lost.

The government has rolled out skills development programmes aimed at improving employability in technology-driven sectors, Abdul Rahman said. That includes the Employment Insurance System, the Future Workforce Training scheme, and courses focused on Industry 4.0, he noted.

Abdul Rahman was responding to a query from Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari (PH–Gombak), who had asked about the ministry’s plans to address the impact of automation and AI on job displacement and which industries are most affected.

"Kesuma is committed to ensuring that graduates and local workers are equipped to face future economic challenges with the necessary skills, particularly in the technology and Industry 4.0 sectors, including the rapidly growing fields of automation and artificial intelligence," he said.

On the upcoming revision of the minimum wage from RM1,500 to RM1,700 per month, Abdul Rahman said the ministry is still in the process of drafting the details and will release further information soon without providing a specific timeline.

Nevertheless, the revised policy will not affect skilled and semi-skilled workers, Abdul Rahman stressed. “The increase will primarily impact lower-level workers, such as labourers, who will be subject to the new minimum wage of RM1,700,” he noted.

For more Parliament stories, click here.

Click here for all you need to know about Malaysia's Budget 2025.

Edited ByJason Ng

Click here to view original web page at www.indiatoday.in

Search 2 keywords found: employment,consumer,manufactur,technology,software,robot

India’s engineering landscape, a key driver of innovation and industrial growth, is producing a vast number of graduates every year. However, employability amongst these graduates varies significantly across different branches of engineering. According to the Weebox India Skill Report 2024, sectors such as Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science lead the way in employability, while traditional engineering streams like Civil and Mechanical lag behind. This article explores the employability percentages across various engineering disciplines, shedding light on trends and implications for students, educators, and policymakers.

1. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT): A POWERHOUSE OF EMPLOYABILITY

Employability Rate: 68.44%

The IT sector continues to reign supreme, boasting the highest employability rate among engineering graduates at 68.44%. With the rise of digital transformation, automation, and artificial intelligence, the demand for skilled IT professionals has soared.

Graduates in this field possess a versatile skill set that includes programming, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and data analytics, making them highly sought-after in both domestic and global markets. The adaptability and growth of the IT industry ensure that students in this domain are at the forefront of employment opportunities.

2. COMPUTER SCIENCE ENGINEERING: RIDING THE WAVE OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

Employability Rate: 66.00%

Closely following IT, Computer Science Engineering (CSE) graduates enjoy a high employability rate of 66.00%. The sector benefits from a rapidly evolving technology ecosystem where artificial intelligence, machine learning, the blockchain, and software development drive global innovation.

While many CSE graduates are drawn to top tech firms and startups, others find roles in research, development, and entrepreneurship, further enhancing the employability outlook for this discipline.

3. ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING (ECE): BRIDGING THE DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL WORLDS

Employability Rate: 58.91%

With an employability rate of 58.91%, Electronics & Communication Engineering (ECE) graduates find themselves in a dynamic field that connects hardware and software technologies. ECE remains essential to industries like telecommunications, consumer electronics, and defence.

However, the rapid pace of technological changes demands constant upskilling as companies seek engineers adept in emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G communication systems. This emphasises the need for universities to align curricula with current industry demands.

4. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING: POWERING THE FUTURE, YET FACING CHALLENGES

Employability Rate: 57.69%

Electrical Engineering (EE), a core branch of engineering, has an employability rate of 57.69%. While the field remains crucial for sectors like power generation, renewable energy, and infrastructure, its employment prospects are slightly lower due to the slower pace of industrial modernisation and automation in India’s traditional power sector.

However, as India shifts towards renewable energy and smart grids, the demand for skilled electrical engineers is likely to grow, presenting future opportunities for graduates who are ready to embrace these changes.

5. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN LEGACY AND INNOVATION

Employability Rate: 54.86%

Mechanical Engineering, long considered the backbone of industrial development, records an employability rate of 54.86%. The field is still in demand in the manufacturing, automotive, and aerospace industries.

However, as these industries undergo digital transformation, engineers with proficiency in automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technologies stand a better chance of securing high-paying roles.

The gap between traditional mechanical engineering training and industry needs underscores the necessity for curriculum updates and practical exposure to cutting-edge technologies.

6. CIVIL ENGINEERING: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Employability Rate: 54.31%

With an employability rate of 54.31%, Civil Engineering graduates face challenges finding employment, largely due to a slowdown in the construction and infrastructure sectors.

However, the Indian government's push for sustainable urban development, smart cities, and modern infrastructure projects could revive opportunities in this sector. Civil engineers with expertise in green construction, project management, and urban planning may find themselves in better standing, provided they adapt to the changing demands of the industry.

KEY INSIGHTS: ADDRESSING THE EMPLOYABILITY GAP

The Weebox India Skill Report 2024 highlights significant employability gaps across engineering disciplines, particularly in traditional fields like Civil and Mechanical engineering. The disparity in employability between IT, Computer Science, and other core engineering streams can be attributed to several factors:

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• Rapid Technological Change: Fields like IT and Computer Science are better aligned with the digital economy, offering higher adaptability and continuous innovation. In contrast, traditional branches face slower adaptation to technological advancements, impacting employability.

• Curriculum-Industry Gap: Many engineering curriculums, especially in core fields like Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical, have not evolved to meet industry expectations. Greater emphasis on industry partnerships, internships, and hands-on training could enhance job readiness.

• Demand for Specialised Skills: Emerging fields like AI, IoT, and renewable energy require niche expertise, which is often lacking in general engineering programs. Bridging this skills gap will be essential for improving employability in lower-ranked fields.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR ENGINEERING EDUCATION IN INDIA

The employability percentages from the Weebox India Skill Report serve as a wake-up call for engineering education in India. While IT and Computer Science graduates continue to thrive in the job market, the onus is on institutions to revamp their programs in traditional engineering streams to better prepare graduates for evolving industry needs.

With industry-focused curricula, hands-on learning, and a focus on emerging technologies, the future of Indian engineering graduates can see a brighter and more balanced employability landscape.

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Search 2 keywords found: productivity,technology,software

Kevin O’Leary recently stirred the pot, dismissing concerns that automation in U.S. ports would harm worker wages. As East and Gulf Coast ports started buzzing again, O’Leary took the opportunity to address what he saw as the real issue: inefficiency.

He pointed out that U.S. ports, especially on the East Coast, are lagging behind international players like Singapore in terms of productivity.

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"These ports are outdated," O’Leary explained during his appearance on "Varney & Co.," adding, "When compared to highly automated hubs in Asia, we're not even in the same ballpark. And that's just bad for business." His solution? Automation.

According to ABC News, the recent labor dispute between U.S. dockworkers and employers ended with a tentative wage deal, giving workers a substantial 62% pay hike.

However, the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) union remains adamant against automation. In a firm statement, the ILA said they would not accept any technology that risks jobs or undermines historical work roles, ensuring that job security was a top priority.

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But O’Leary isn’t buying that argument. "Look, there's been no real evidence that automation reduces wages," he said. "If anything, wages for those skilled in operating new tech could actually increase."

According to studies cited by O’Leary, automation doesn't displace workers as much as it shifts the kind of work they do. He suggests that as ports become more tech-savvy, jobs may evolve to more specialized roles, potentially leading to wage increases rather than cuts.

Backing up O’Leary's perspective, Eric Hoplin, CEO of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), pointed out that major global ports like Rotterdam, Shanghai and Singapore have embraced automation long ago.

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“We're decades behind," he told "Mornings With Maria," emphasizing that resisting technological change would leave the U.S. port industry stuck in the past. According to Hoplin, while union demands for protection against automation are understandable, they may be unrealistic in today's fast-moving, tech-driven world.

While controversial, automation isn't necessarily the enemy of workers. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, automation across various industries has enhanced productivity and sometimes raises wages in specialized sectors.

According to Oxford Economics and as cited by JPMorgan, analysis of the recent strike estimated that disruptions to U.S. port operations could cost the economy between $3.8 billion and $4.5 billion per day, highlighting the critical need for efficiency at these ports.

See Also: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to become a landlord in just 10 minutes, and you only need $100.

However, not everyone agrees with O’Leary's optimism. Some labor experts argue that while automation might increase productivity, the gains often favor companies over workers. As ports become more automated, traditional jobs may disappear, leaving workers without the skills to transition to new roles.

According to a recent report by the International Labor Organization, automation in certain sectors has historically led to job cuts, particularly among low-skilled workers, underscoring that not all effects of automation are positive.

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This article Kevin O'Leary Claims There's 'Zero Evidence' That Automation At U.S. Ports Impacts Worker Wages – Why He Thinks It Won't Hurt At All originally appeared on Benzinga.com

© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Search 2 keywords found: basic income,guaranteed income

Sort by:

Pyroechidna1

• 19h ago •

Wasn’t Monopoly created as a critique of rent-seeking landlordism?

icelandichorsey

• 19h ago •

Yes it was created to showcase the dangers of capitalism and then stolen and turned into this capitalist behemoth. Plenty of podcasts on this topic.

howtofindaflashlight

• 16h ago •

The Landlord's Game was originally concieved by Elizabeth Philips who designed it to teach people about the principles of Henry George. See r/georgism. Henry George advocated for a land value tax (LVT) to eliminate rentier capitalism and deliver a universal basic income, which he called a citizens dividend.

modulus801

• 21h ago •

And it's enough to buy property and build a house.

creepy_doll

• 15h ago •

It says right on the tile it’s salary.

There’s plenty of great arguments for ubi. An ancient board game that was designed as a criticism of capitalism isn’t one

HehaGardenHoe

• 15h ago •

A salary for doing what, working? Landlords don't work.

stompinstinker

• 10h ago •

It also had a luxury tax, community chest, and you were a short walk from a rail line.

robbmerchant

• 13h ago •

And this game was made to mock unfettered capitalism.

SL_1983

• 9h ago •

But it stays stagnant while costs rise astronomically.

warm-midnight

• 21h ago •

Hah. Never thought of this, great meme...

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Search 2 keywords found: services

SINGAPORE, Oct. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- bluesheets, a pioneer in financial data AI automation, is rebranding to fileAI, reflecting a significant evolution in its mission and services. This name change marks a strategic shift from a focus primarily on automating financial data to a broader commitment to automating all file types and business processes with flexible, agentic AI-driven workflows.

As businesses seek greater efficiency and innovation without expanding their workforce, fileAI is poised to lead the way. The company focuses on eliminating manual file processing, redefining business operations with AI-driven solutions. Its new name reflects a commitment to streamlining operations across sectors, helping organizations boost effectiveness and adaptability in a rapidly changing environment.

"Transitioning from bluesheets to fileAI represents more than just a name change; it embodies our dedication to revolutionizing how businesses use their data," said Christian Schneider, CEO of fileAI. "Our advanced automation solutions streamline manual file handling and workflows, allowing teams to focus on what truly matters—building strong client relationships, empowering employees, and fostering growth and innovation. With fileAI, we lay the groundwork for effective, agent-driven business processes."

Key Highlights:

• Comprehensive File Automation: fileAI's platform now supports automation for any file type, such as spreadsheets, PDF, images and more, significantly broadening its applicability across industries. The system is designed to understand, parse, index, tag, and enrich file data without the need for upfront data training.
• Future-Ready Solutions: With a focus on agentic, AI-driven workflows, fileAI is committed to evolving its offerings to meet the dynamic needs of modern businesses.
• Enhanced Business Workflows: The new capabilities aim to improve efficiency by integrating seamlessly into existing business processes (fileAI already integrates with over 200+ platforms!)

To learn more about how your business can leverage AI to automate your manual and repetitive business processes, visit file.ai.

About fileAI:

fileAI is a leading provider of AI automation solutions that leverage artificial intelligence to process any file end-to-end directly into any system without manual intervention. With a commitment to innovation and customer success, fileAI enables organizations across various sectors to unlock manpower stuck doing low-value tasks for higher value work.

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Search 2 keywords found: productivity,technology

The UK economy could have more to gain from generative artificial intelligence (AI) than any other advanced nation, new research has found.

The opportunity to boost productivity is greatest in the public sector, where a doctor could save up to five working hours a week, according to estimates by consultancy giant Accenture.

The research found that action would need to be taken now for generative AI, which is a more advanced form of automation, to have the greatest effect.

The technology could almost double the UK’s economic growth over the next 15 years, and see a bigger impact than any other country in the group of seven advanced economies (G7), including the US.

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Average annual gross domestic product (GDP) for 2023 to 2038 could rise from 1.6% to 3%, according to Accenture’s forecasting.

Accenture said it analysed tens of thousands of detailed tasks and estimated the total time that could be saved from automation, or augmentation which supports human tasks with technology.

For the GDP modelling, it said it analysed the impact if people reallocated time freed up towards tasks that are less prone to using AI.

Shaheen Sayed, head of Accenture in the UK, Ireland and Africa, said: “There is an enormous opportunity to address longstanding productivity stagnation in the UK through an ambitious roll-out of generative AI, but organisations already risk falling behind with a short-term view of the power of this technology.”

Generative AI is a more advanced form of automation whereby machines can create something completely new based on a vast set of data.

The research stressed that the technology is most valuable if it is “people-centric”, meaning it automates routine tasks and preserves workers’ time for jobs that require a “human touch”, therefore freeing up time for innovation.

Modelling suggested that the average worker could save 18% of their working hours spent on routine activities, with a doctor saving five hours a week and a commercial sales representative shaving 12 hours off their working week.

It also estimated that nearly half of working hours in the UK public sector, excluding healthcare, could be enhanced by generative AI.

“Technology alone won’t transform the economy and drive growth, it’ll come from the hands of the people that you put it in,” Ms Sayed said.

The findings come after the Government earlier this week announced that four US firms plan to invest £6.3 billion in data centre infrastructure in the UK.

The investment is expected to support growing global demand for computing capabilities to power AI, and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle called it a “vote of confidence” in the country.

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Search 2 keywords found: inequality,employment,productivity,consumer,services,technology,software,robot,inequality,technical

Digital & Technology

Hubbis

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Supported by our sponsor for the project, Comarch, Hubbis recently conducted a survey on the future of AI in the wealth management industry in Asia and the UAE. We were delighted to receive many enthusiastic and highly thoughtful replies from a wide range of leaders and decision-makers across the entire spectrum of the wealth management & advisory industry, from private bankers and EAM leaders, to family offices, lawyers, consultants, FinTechs, technology solutions providers, and fiduciary specialists.

A Hubbis Survey in Collaboration with Comarch

The Top 10 Takeaways:

AI's Transformative Potential

AI is seen as a game-changer across wealth management, with respondents highlighting its current and future roles. From automating back-office tasks to optimising portfolios and client relationships, AI is already reshaping the landscape. Several experts noted that AI is no longer just a future concept but is actively being integrated to improve efficiency and personalise services.

Current Use of AI and Future Prospects

Today, AI is most commonly applied to automating routine tasks, managing data, and improving efficiency. Respondents mentioned using AI for data analysis, client engagement, and automating document management. However, many noted that AI's use is still limited within their organisations, but with expectations that it will play a much larger role in portfolio management and client personalisation in the near future.

Operational Efficiency and Automation

AI-driven tools are making a significant impact by automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as data processing, compliance checks, and document management. This frees up human advisors to focus on higher-value tasks like strategic decision-making and client engagement. Respondents emphasised the potential for AI to improve operational accuracy while reducing costs.

AI-Enhanced Portfolio Management

AI's ability to provide real-time portfolio adjustments and dynamic risk management is seen as one of its biggest advantages. By constantly analysing market signals, AI enables wealth managers to offer hyper-customised investment strategies, optimising returns and mitigating risks faster than traditional models could allow. This is expected to become a standard feature of wealth management.

Monetising AI for Revenue Growth

Many firms are exploring ways to monetise AI by offering premium, AI-driven services like dynamic portfolio management, tailored robo-advisory models, and hyper-personalised insights and calls to action. AI can also improve efficiency and reduce operational costs, which in turn boosts profitability. Some respondents discussed charging incremental fees for AI-powered solutions or offering AI as a service to other firms.

AI's Potential to Transform the Client Experience

AI has the potential to revolutionise client engagement by offering real-time insights, streamlining communication through chatbots, and improving accessibility. Respondents pointed out that AI can provide seamless, 24/7 support for routine tasks, allowing advisors to focus on more strategic, personalised interactions with clients. This enhanced responsiveness is expected to raise client satisfaction.

Personalisation of Client Services

AI's capacity to deliver highly personalised financial advice was highlighted as a key area of value. AI can analyse vast datasets to tailor investment strategies to individual client profiles, taking into account financial goals, risk tolerance, and even behavioural patterns. The result is a level of personalisation that enhances client satisfaction and strengthens long-term relationships.

Human-AI Collaboration: A Vital Synergy

Despite AI’s growing capabilities, respondents stressed that human advisors remain essential in wealth management, particularly in building client trust and providing personalised emotional support. AI can handle technical aspects like data analysis and real-time insights, but the human touch is still critical for complex decision-making and relationship building.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

The ethical implications of AI were a recurring concern among respondents, particularly around data privacy, algorithmic bias, and transparency. Maintaining trust requires clear governance frameworks that ensure AI-driven decisions are explainable, data is secure, and models are regularly audited for fairness and accuracy. Many participants emphasised the need for human oversight to mitigate potential risks.

AI's Impact on Decision-Making

AI is expected to shift decision-making from reactive to proactive by continuously monitoring portfolios and markets, allowing wealth managers to make real-time adjustments. This not only improves performance but also helps anticipate client needs, reducing the lag between market events and portfolio actions. AI's ability to perform complex scenario analysis will also enhance the decision-making process.

The Survey Findings in Detail

The Impact of AI on HNW & UHNW Wealth and Asset Management

We first asked for views on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in wealth and asset management as it continues to grow, reshaping key aspects of the industry. The majority of respondents viewed AI as a transformative force in the industry, emphasising its ability to enhance both operational efficiency and client engagement. Many appear to agree that AI is not merely a future prospect but is fast becoming an active part of the wealth management landscape and already making significant inroads.

Respondents pointed to AI’s role in streamlining middle and back-office functions such as data processing, automating compliance checks, and handling repetitive administrative tasks. As one professional remarked, AI is already enabling firms to "reduce operational risks" while simultaneously creating more "bespoke services for clients."

Others discussed the use of generative AI models for real-time insights and decision-making. One participant highlighted how AI tools allow advisors to create "dynamic portfolio adjustments" in response to market signals and risks, offering clients personalised strategies previously unimaginable.

Several replies also touched on the integration of AI in portfolio management, with one respondent noting that AI-driven tools offer "hyper-customisation of financial products" and help refine investment strategies by analysing vast data sets more efficiently. This, they believe, empowers advisors to offer more timely and relevant advice, enhancing client satisfaction and loyalty.

AI’s potential to optimise risk management was another key theme. The wealth management community acknowledged that AI offers an edge in predictive analytics, enabling early identification of emerging risks and opportunities. This capability allows wealth managers to adjust portfolios proactively, improving long-term outcomes for clients.

A significant challenge raised by respondents was the ethical and regulatory implications of AI. Concerns over data security, privacy, and the reliability of AI-driven models were frequently mentioned. As one participant noted, "AI’s accuracy heavily relies on the quality of the underlying data," highlighting the importance of rigorous data governance and transparency to maintain trust and avoid unintended outcomes.

In conclusion, respondents agreed that while AI is transforming wealth management, human advisors will continue to play an essential role, particularly in areas where the "human touch" remains critical for client relationships and personalised advisory. However, greater in-house and external expertise is needed.

Expert Perspectives:

On AI’s Role in Portfolio Optimisation: "AI will revolutionise portfolio management by making real-time optimisation a reality. In the current environment, human advisors rely on historical data and periodic reviews to adjust portfolios. With AI, wealth managers can perform real-time adjustments that factor in market conditions, client preferences, and risk metrics instantly. This will allow wealth managers to offer a more proactive service, identifying opportunities and risks far faster than would be possible manually. In time, this will become an industry standard, and clients will expect this level of precision and timeliness in managing their portfolios."

On AI and Operational Efficiency: "AI is already streamlining back-office operations, but its potential to enhance operational efficiency is just starting to be realised. AI-driven automation can significantly reduce the time spent on mundane tasks such as document processing, data reconciliation, and reporting. This not only saves time but also improves accuracy by eliminating human error. The knock-on effect of these efficiencies is that wealth managers will have more time to spend on strategic decision-making and client engagement. The cost savings achieved through AI will enable firms to either reduce fees or reinvest in client-facing technologies, enhancing the overall service offering."

On Hyper-Personalisation of Client Services: "The hyper-personalisation capabilities of AI could be a game-changer for the wealth management industry. Currently, customising services for clients is a time-consuming process that often lacks depth. AI changes that by providing a detailed analysis of a client's entire financial picture in real time, including their spending habits, investment goals, risk tolerance, and even behavioural data. This allows wealth managers to offer bespoke solutions that evolve dynamically with the client's life events. AI's ability to track and predict life changes—whether that’s a major purchase, retirement planning, or a liquidity event—will enable advisors to provide more relevant, timely, and personalised advice."

On the Future of AI in Decision-Making: "AI will fundamentally change how decisions are made in wealth management, moving from reactive to proactive strategies. Currently, wealth managers often rely on static models and periodic reviews to make decisions. AI can shift this paradigm by constantly monitoring portfolios and the market environment, making real-time decisions based on a multitude of factors. This will allow wealth managers to implement portfolio changes instantly, such as rebalancing or risk adjustments, without waiting for quarterly reviews or client requests. Moreover, AI will enable more complex scenario analysis, allowing advisors to stress-test portfolios under various market conditions and react before a downturn occurs."

On AI’s Long-Term Impact on Client Relationships: "In the long term, AI has the potential to dramatically reshape the client-advisor relationship. While some fear that AI will replace human advisors, I see it as an augmentation tool that will free up advisors to focus on the more human aspects of wealth management—building relationships and providing emotional support during turbulent market periods. AI will handle the heavy lifting of data analysis, portfolio management, and administrative tasks, allowing advisors to deepen their engagement with clients. Over time, this could lead to stronger client relationships, as advisors will have more time to focus on personalising their service and understanding the unique needs of each client."

The Current and Future Use of AI in Wealth Management: Insights from Industry Participants

We then asked how much AI is currently being used by these banks and wealth firms. We found some keen replies with experts sharing their experiences and expectations regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within their organisations. The responses varied, with some firms already integrating AI into their daily operations while others are in the early stages of exploration or planning.

Today, AI is most commonly applied to automating routine tasks, managing data, and improving efficiency. For example, respondents mentioned using AI for data analysis, client engagement, and task automation. One wealth management professional highlighted the role of AI in "improving data analysis and providing more efficient portfolio management solutions." AI has also found applications in equity research, where it helps search for historical data and market trends quickly, offering more informed decision-making capabilities.

However, many respondents indicated that AI's use is still limited within their organisations. One participant mentioned that AI is only being used for "summarising agreements and generating reports," while another said they are currently relying on AI for chatbot services and basic data analysis. Despite these limited applications, the consensus is that AI will play a much larger role in the near future.

As firms look ahead, there is a growing anticipation that AI will be used to enhance personalisation and decision-making in client portfolios. One respondent noted that "AI could significantly reduce human error and improve productivity" by automating more complex processes such as fund selection and investment decision-making. Another professional highlighted how AI will likely help tailor more customised client experiences by providing real-time insights and dynamically adjusting portfolio allocations.

Several participants believe that AI’s biggest potential lies in its ability to transform client-advisor interactions. One response pointed out that AI could "retain better records and institutional memory," improving the overall service that advisors offer. As AI develops, its ability to automatically retain and process client data could provide deeper insights and more relevant advice during client meetings.

As AI continues to mature, wealth management professionals expect its use to evolve from efficiency-driven automation to a more central role in strategic decision-making. However, the challenge lies in managing these advancements effectively and ensuring that AI is integrated in a way that supports advisors rather than replacing them.

Expert Perspectives on the Applications for AI in Wealth Management:

On the Current Minimal Use of AI: "At this point, AI's use in our organisation is quite limited. It’s primarily focused on automating simple tasks such as document processing and basic data analytics. We are still in the early stages of exploring how AI can be fully integrated into more complex areas of our operations. Looking ahead, I see AI playing a much bigger role, particularly in automating routine client interactions, enhancing portfolio management, and even supporting investment decision-making through predictive analytics. However, the real challenge will be embedding AI seamlessly into the workflow without disrupting the human element that is so crucial to wealth management."

On Integrating AI in Portfolio Management: "We're currently in the process of testing AI applications for portfolio management and optimisation. The future vision is for AI to provide real-time rebalancing and dynamic asset allocation based on market shifts and client preferences. We believe this will not only improve the speed and accuracy of portfolio adjustments but also allow relationship managers to deliver more sophisticated, customised advice to clients. As AI tools become more refined, they will likely take on a more prominent role in client-facing activities, allowing advisors to focus on strategic decision-making rather than operational tasks."

On Future AI-Driven Client Personalisation: "AI is still in its infancy in our firm, mainly used for backend functions like data processing and customer support. But we foresee a future where AI will drive hyper-personalised client experiences. We plan to use AI to offer tailored advice and recommendations based on real-time data, client behaviours, and financial goals. For instance, an AI system could track market movements and automatically suggest portfolio changes to meet a client’s risk tolerance or investment objectives. In the long term, AI will enhance our ability to scale these personalised services without compromising on the quality of client relationships."

On AI’s Role in Streamlining Operations: "Right now, we’re primarily using AI for administrative tasks, such as automating the extraction of key data from financial documents. It’s still very much a back-office tool, but we expect that to change. In the next few years, we’re looking at incorporating AI into client engagement and portfolio management, allowing us to offer more proactive, data-driven advice. It’s not just about efficiency—it’s about using AI to offer more meaningful insights to clients and ultimately improve their financial outcomes."

On AI Transforming the Sales Process: "One of the more exciting developments for us is the potential for AI to transform the sales process. Currently, we’re using AI in a limited capacity for content curation and distribution, which helps streamline how we communicate with clients. In the future, AI will likely become central to how we approach client acquisition and retention, using machine learning to predict client needs, tailor communications, and even suggest new products based on individual preferences and market conditions. This kind of proactive engagement will be crucial in staying competitive."

Monetising AI in Wealth Management: Current Strategies and Future Opportunities

For the third key question, we wanted to know more about how AI can be monetised within their organisations. The responses reveal a wide range of strategies, reflecting the diversity of AI’s applications and its potential to drive value across multiple facets of wealth management.

Currently, many firms are exploring incremental fees for AI-powered services, particularly in areas such as portfolio management and dynamic risk assessment. A respondent from a wealth management firm highlighted how they “charge an incremental license fee for their AI module, which enhances decision-making and automation.” This approach not only adds a new revenue stream but also provides clients with more sophisticated services that go beyond traditional offerings.

Some participants foresee AI's value in operational efficiency, allowing wealth managers to streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance profitability. For example, one market participant mentioned, “AI helps improve productivity and reduces human error, making processes more efficient. This will eventually lead to cost savings and increased revenue.” The ability to scale services without increasing headcount makes AI a compelling tool for wealth managers looking to serve a larger number of clients more effectively.

In addition to operational improvements, AI's potential for personalisation is another key driver of monetisation. One respondent noted that "AI can provide personalised investment strategies and insights that resonate with each client’s profile, enhancing both the client experience and profitability." By delivering highly tailored solutions, firms can differentiate themselves and offer premium services that command higher fees.

Looking ahead, there are also opportunities to monetise AI through robo-advisory services. Several respondents pointed to the growing demand for AI-driven advisory models, especially for mass affluent clients who seek personalised advice at a lower cost. As one respondent observed, “AI-powered robo-advisory solutions offer scalable, personalised investment advice, allowing firms to tap into a broader client base without sacrificing quality.”

Another emerging avenue for monetising AI is through consulting and integration services. Some organisations are considering offering AI as a service to other firms, creating new revenue streams by helping others adopt and implement AI-based solutions. One expert commented, “Consulting services, along with AI-driven products and solutions, can create an entirely new market for wealth management firms.”

While AI's monetisation potential is clear, the challenge lies in ensuring that AI is applied effectively and ethically. As firms continue to explore AI’s capabilities, they must also balance client trust with operational efficiency, ensuring that AI-driven recommendations align with clients' needs and preferences.

Expert Perspectives on Monetising AI:

On Automating Client Services: "We’re looking at AI to drive efficiency gains by automating client services. This should lower operational costs and boost revenue through premium services that use AI insights."

On AI-Powered Premium Offerings: "AI has the potential to create new premium offerings. Imagine AI-driven portfolio management that adjusts in real time based on market movements and individual risk tolerances—clients would pay for that kind of proactive, dynamic service. We're already exploring subscription models where clients can access AI-driven insights and get a more hands-on experience with their wealth."

On Cost Savings and Efficiency: "By reducing manual processes and boosting efficiency, AI could help cut costs significantly. It’s not just about top-line growth; it’s also about improving margins. If we can automate portfolio rebalancing, compliance monitoring, and even some parts of client communication, the cost savings alone will be transformative."

On Creating New Revenue Streams with AI: "AI can open up new revenue streams, especially through tailored services. For instance, we could develop robo-advisory platforms that offer personalised recommendations based on AI analysis of market trends. There’s also potential in licensing AI tools to other firms or offering AI-enhanced research insights as a paid service."

On Enhanced Client Engagement Leading to Higher Revenue: "AI has the power to significantly enhance how we engage with clients. Imagine using AI to identify high-value opportunities within a client’s portfolio or automating the rebalancing to refine allocations and eliminate underperforming assets. Clients who see these benefits will be willing to pay more for tailored, high-performing services, making AI a key revenue generator in the long term."

AI's Potential to Transform the Client Experience in Wealth Management

As AI continues to reshape industries, its potential to revolutionise the client experience in wealth management is becoming increasingly evident. We asked for our delegates’ views, and we were excited to receive so many enthusiastic yet realistic responses on how they envision AI impacting their client interactions. The responses highlight AI’s capacity to enhance personalisation, efficiency, and accessibility in ways that are difficult to achieve with traditional methods.

Many respondents pointed to AI’s ability to personalise investment strategies. One participant noted, "AI can analyse individual client profiles—looking at financial goals, risk tolerance, and life events—to create highly personalised investment strategies." This personalisation allows for tailored advice and dynamic adjustments to client portfolios based on real-time market conditions, enabling wealth managers to respond faster to changes and better meet their clients' needs.

Beyond portfolio management, AI has the potential to improve client engagement through faster, more consistent communication. As one respondent explained, "AI enables wealth managers to deliver real-time client insights via chat platforms, improving transparency and responsiveness." This capability enhances the client experience by offering quick, data-driven answers and solutions, which would otherwise require longer wait times when handled by human advisors.

Another key theme was AI’s role in scaling services. AI can process vast amounts of data, allowing firms to provide a level of service traditionally reserved for ultra-high-net-worth clients to a broader range of clients. As one respondent shared, "AI can empower relationship managers to provide personalised advice to more clients by handling technical analysis and portfolio monitoring." This improves both the efficiency of wealth managers and the overall quality of service.

Additionally, AI-driven tools can augment human advisors, giving them more time to focus on relationship-building and strategic decision-making. One market participant explained that "AI won’t replace human advisors but will enhance their ability to offer deeper, more meaningful advice based on advanced data analysis." The collaboration between AI and advisors ensures that clients receive both personalised digital insights and the human touch necessary for complex decision-making.

Finally, AI holds promise in improving accessibility through tools like chatbots and virtual assistants. One respondent highlighted that “AI-powered chatbots can provide 24/7 support, allowing clients to ask routine questions and receive instant responses.” This capability enhances the client experience by making wealth management services more available and responsive, especially for clients who prefer digital communication.

Expert Perspectives on AI and Transforming the Client Experience:

On Personalisation and Bespoke Services: "AI will deliver highly personalised, real-time insights. Clients will receive tailored investment strategies that match their specific goals and risk tolerance, which was previously difficult to achieve at scale."

On AI-Enhanced Efficiency: "Routine tasks like document processing and report generation will be automated, speeding up service delivery. This allows advisors to focus more on building relationships rather than administrative tasks, enhancing the overall client experience."

On Seamless Communication: "Clients will benefit from AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants offering 24/7 support. These tools will provide immediate responses to routine inquiries, making interactions more seamless and ensuring clients feel attended to, even outside business hours."

On Real-Time Portfolio Adjustments: "AI could continuously monitor market conditions and adjust portfolios in real time, ensuring they remain aligned with client preferences. This dynamic, data-driven approach will empower clients to make quicker, more informed decisions, making their wealth management experience much more responsive."

On AI as a Relationship Tool: "Rather than replacing human advisors, AI will support them by providing deeper, data-driven insights into client portfolios. Advisors will spend less time on technical analysis and more time strengthening personal relationships, which is still critical in wealth management."

Ethical Considerations in AI: Ensuring Responsible Use in Wealth Management

As AI continues to integrate into wealth management, ethical considerations have emerged as a significant concern for industry professionals. We asked respondents to think about some of these potentially thorny issues. The responses reveal widespread concerns about data privacy, transparency, algorithmic bias, and the need for clear governance frameworks to address these issues.

Many respondents highlighted data privacy as a primary ethical concern. Given the vast amounts of sensitive information handled in wealth management, ensuring that client data is securely managed by AI systems is paramount. One respondent explained, “AI raises concerns around data privacy, fairness, and transparency. Ensuring that algorithms are unbiased and that decisions are explainable is critical. Safeguarding client data and maintaining human oversight in decision-making are key ethical priorities.”

Algorithmic bias and the need for fairness were also commonly mentioned. AI systems learn from data, and if that data contains biases, the AI can perpetuate or even amplify them. One wealth manager pointed out, “Ethical AI development requires diverse datasets, regular audits, and transparency in decision-making processes. Mitigating biases and ensuring that AI models reflect fairness is essential to maintaining trust.”

Another significant concern is transparency in AI-driven decisions. Clients and regulators alike need to understand how AI arrives at its conclusions, especially when those decisions can have profound financial implications. A survey respondent elaborated, “One of the core ethical issues is ensuring that AI decisions are understandable and explainable. When an AI recommends a particular investment strategy or portfolio adjustment, wealth managers need to clearly explain how the AI arrived at that conclusion and whether it aligns with the client’s goals.”

In addition to these ethical challenges, respondents emphasized the importance of human oversight in the use of AI. While AI can enhance decision-making and operational efficiency, professionals stressed that AI should not be allowed to function in isolation. A participant commented, “AI can transform decision-making in wealth management, but human oversight is crucial. We need to ensure that AI-driven decisions are ethically sound and align with both regulatory frameworks and the client's best interests.”

Moreover, the potential socioeconomic impact of AI, such as job displacement, was mentioned as a broader ethical issue. One respondent noted, “As AI becomes more prevalent, we also need to consider its impact on employment. While it enhances efficiency, we must address the ethical implications of reducing the need for human roles in certain areas.”

Despite these concerns, several participants also stressed that ethical governance frameworks can help mitigate these risks. One expert suggested, “Developing clear guidelines on AI accountability, privacy, and bias mitigation is essential. Governance frameworks that include ethical oversight and periodic audits will help ensure that AI is used responsibly.”

Expert Perspectives on Security and Responsible Wealth Management:

On Data Privacy and Security Concerns: "One of the major ethical challenges surrounding AI is data privacy. With AI tools accessing and processing vast amounts of sensitive client information, there needs to be a robust governance framework in place to protect this data. The risk is that, without proper safeguards, client data could be exposed or misused, leading to significant breaches of trust. The use of AI must be heavily regulated to ensure that personal and financial data is not only secure but also used ethically. In addition, all AI applications should be subject to rigorous audits to prevent unintended consequences, like data leaks or security vulnerabilities."

On the Potential for Algorithmic Bias: "AI has the potential to revolutionise wealth management, but we must acknowledge that it can also perpetuate biases if not carefully managed. The algorithms driving AI solutions are only as good as the data they are trained on. If these datasets are flawed or biased, AI can unintentionally generate recommendations that unfairly disadvantage certain clients or groups. This is particularly concerning when it comes to investment decisions or client profiling, where biased algorithms could lead to skewed outcomes. Therefore, it is essential that we use diverse datasets and continuously monitor for bias to ensure that AI-driven decisions are fair and equitable for all clients."

On Transparency and Accountability: "Another crucial ethical consideration is transparency. Clients need to understand how AI-driven decisions are made, especially when it comes to investment advice and portfolio management. Without transparency, there's a risk that AI becomes a 'black box' where neither the wealth manager nor the client fully understands how or why certain decisions were made. This could erode trust in both the technology and the advisory process. To mitigate this, AI systems must be designed with explainability in mind. Wealth managers should be able to explain the rationale behind AI-generated recommendations, ensuring that clients feel confident in the process and that accountability remains clear."

On Human Oversight and Control: "While AI can automate many tasks, it should never be left to operate without human oversight, especially in something as personal as wealth management. The role of the wealth advisor will still be vital, not just to build relationships but to act as a safeguard against any errors or ethical lapses in AI systems. AI might generate insights and recommendations, but the final decisions should always be made by a human, with the client’s best interests in mind. This combination of AI’s efficiency and human judgement will be key to ensuring ethical standards are maintained."

On Long-Term Societal Impact: "Beyond the immediate concerns of data privacy and bias, we also need to consider the broader societal implications of AI in wealth management. For instance, as AI becomes more integrated into the financial sector, there’s a risk that it could exacerbate inequality by concentrating wealth management services among those who can afford advanced AI-driven solutions. Moreover, the widespread automation of advisory tasks could lead to job displacement within the industry, affecting the livelihood of many professionals. It's important to strike a balance between leveraging AI for efficiency and ensuring that its benefits are shared across all levels of society without negatively impacting the workforce."

Bringing it all Together - AI Integration in Smart Wealth Management

From the survey findings and the numerous detailed insights from market participants, there is little doubt that the future of wealth management is increasingly intricately tied to the successful integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). As the industry evolves, AI promises transformative benefits, from greater operational efficiency to enhanced client services.

But despite AI’s many advantages, its adoption in private banking is not without challenges. The effectiveness of AI hinges on data quality; reliable insights depend on accurate, up-to-date information. Ensuring comprehensive, clean data is essential. Moreover, regulatory compliance and data privacy remain top concerns. Banks must ensure AI systems are fully compliant with regulations and safeguard client data. Transparent communication about how client data is used is critical to maintaining trust. Ensuring proper compliance and cyber-security are prerequisites for the successful implementation of AI across all segments of wealth management clientele, from retail customers trying their hand at investments to UHNW clients with institutional-level portfolios and needs. Addressing all these challenges and market segments is central to successfully integrating AI into private banking and wealth management businesses, and from the findings in the survey, many key individuals in the Asian wealth market appreciate both the huge upsides and the many challenges of harnessing AI’s true potential.

Comarch – A Leader in Innovation and a Bridgehead to AI

Comarch Financial Services provides state-of-the-art software for major financial institutions from insurance, banking and capital markets, working with many clients such as insurers, banks, brokerage houses, asset management companies, pension funds and others in Asia and worldwide across more than 60 countries. With 25-plus years of experience in the financial sector, they deliver proven and innovative IT solutions designed specifically to effectively support financial companies in empowering their business by increasing revenues and building strong relationships with their customers and business partners.

Comarch's leaders always focus on the firm’s global presence and specialised focus in the financial and especially wealth management sector. Headquartered in Poland but with a significant global footprint, the firm partners with financial institutions worldwide to streamline wealth management processes. They work from the ground floor up, and highlight their significant role in helping banks refine their strategies and improve their services through highly integrated, success-oriented software solutions. This approach not only supports banks in achieving their operational goals but also positions Comarch as a crucial player in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of wealth management and broader financial services across various regions, including Southeast Asia, a key pillar in the firm’s growth.

Long-established and fully international

Comarch as a group was founded more than 28 years ago and has become a well-known provider of innovative technology solutions for many industries. In Asia, the firm has been intently focusing on private banking and wealth management, building relationships and winning valuable new clients in the region, but first focusing on the major economies of ASEAN. With some 6,500-plus people globally, Comarch is a veritable giant in the technology solutions industry.

In SE Asia, Comarch sees a region full of great opportunities, due to the rapid growth in private wealth across all segments and the strong inclination of customers to adopt new technologies and innovative solutions, providing a fertile market for Comarch. Many of the region’s banks and other leading financial institutions and intermediaries are eagerly seeking to expand their connectivity with and relevance to all categories of private clients, from retail to mass affluent, to HNWIs and, of course, the region’s growing ranks of ultra-wealthy individuals and families.

Summarising Comarch’s core missions - and paraphrasing key leaders from the firm that Hubbis has worked with for many years – the most immediate challenge is to help banks digitise their businesses so their customers are more engaged, better informed, and, in the end, more satisfied with their dvice received and investment products. The firm’s focus is mainly on the front- and middle office and Comarch promotes itself as a true expert in the logic of the wealth process, meaning client risk profiling, tailored investment propositions, long-term investments, regular savings, plus the articulation and delivery of technology-enhanced personalised advice through the RMs.

Comarch’s leaders believe wealth management will remain a high-touch personal service but will, at the same time, become increasingly high-tech as well. Across the board, Comarch helps the banks, and others deliver more relevant, tailored financial planning and goals-based advice, and in the belief that the hybrid model will indeed endure, is continuously helping customers deliver better connectivity with RMs and advisors, supported by the latest digital tools.

The arrival of AI fits perfectly into all these core missions. The firm prides itself on being at the cutting edge of the rollout of AI in wealth management, acknowledging the current state of AI technology, and fully understanding its current strengths and limitations. For example, while AI excels in areas such as text and image recognition—widely used in anti-money laundering (AML), customer onboarding, and content filtering—its application in more complex fields like investment support and market sentiment analysis is still evolving. However, the firm is wholeheartedly optimistic that the gap between what AI is currently capable of and the expectations for its applications will narrow very rapidly, particularly in advanced areas.

Key leaders in Asia also fully appreciate key challenges that might hinder the broader application of AI, such as stringent regulatory environments and consumer reluctance to share personal data with a robot, which complicate efforts to harness AI for personalised services. But despite these obstacles, Comarch believes that AI-driven customer data analytics will be increasingly crucial for segmenting markets and designing targeted marketing campaigns, and more broadly, highly optimistic about the future role of AI in refining customer engagement strategies.

And finally, Grzegorz Prosowicz, Head of Consulting and Product Management at Comarch Capital Markets, offers a few of his perspectives on AI in wealth management:

"Integrating AI to automate and elevate more routine tasks can significantly free up advisors, allowing them to engage more deeply with their clients. This deeper engagement enhances the quality of client relationships, as advisors can focus on understanding their clients' needs and providing personalised advice rather than getting bogged down with administrative tasks. This is not new; it has been happening for some years already, but AI will definitely add more value to taking these concepts and solutions to the next levels.”

"Leveraging technology and now AI to provide holistic wealth management services, including comprehensive financial planning, tax optimisation, and risk management, can differentiate a firm from its competitors. Clients are looking for one-stop solutions that address all aspects of their financial life, and offering these integrated services can attract and retain high-value clients."

"Utilising advanced data analytics to personalise communication and tailor investment and advisory strategies can vastly improve client satisfaction and loyalty. With deep and fast analysis of client behaviour and preferences, wealth managers can deliver highly relevant content and recommendations, driving long-term relationships and ensuring clients feel valued and understood. Again, AI will help drive these digital tools to the next levels."

"Manual process automation, such as document screening, relevant fact-finding or content filtering and database screening, is where AI can provide immediate results and value. These AI-driven solutions enhance efficiency and accuracy in private banking operations, allowing wealth managers to focus on more strategic tasks and client interactions."

“AI's potential in wealth management lies in its ability to deliver personalised, timely communication and insights. By automating data analysis and generating real-time updates, AI can significantly improve client engagement and satisfaction. Wealth managers can provide more accurate and relevant advice, enhancing the overall client experience."

"To fully realise AI's benefits, firms must address data quality and security issues. Ensuring compliance with regulations and building client trust through transparent data practices is crucial. Firms need to invest in robust data security measures and clearly communicate how client data is used and protected, fostering a trustworthy environment for AI integration."

"The key to effective AI integration in private banking is balancing the technology with human expertise. AI should be seen as a tool that enhances the personalised service clients truly value rather than replacing it. This balance ensures that clients receive the best of both worlds: the efficiency of AI and the personal touch of human advisors."

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, promising to enhance productivity, improve decision-making and address a variety of global challenges. However, alongside its vast potential comes significant ethical considerations, employment disruptions and safety concerns. As we navigate this complex landscape, it is crucial that AI governance adopts a collaborative and human-centric approach that balances innovation with safety, upholds ethical standards and ensures that the trustworthy AI benefits all of humanity.

Collaboration is imperative in AI governance due to the rapidly evolving nature of technology that transcends national borders. Various stakeholders—including governments, international organizations, academia, the private sector companies and civil society—must come together to create a comprehensive framework that addresses the multifaceted challenges posed by fast-evolving AI models. "We are seeing life-changing technological advances…And life-threatening new risks—from disinformation to mass surveillance to the prospects of lethal autonomous weapons," says UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

As such, prioritizing collaboration at all levels is essential. Achieving effective AI governance necessitates a multi-stakeholder approach that engages diverse actors to contribute their perspectives and expertise. Governments can share effective practices and regulatory frameworks while technology companies can collaborate with academics to conduct ethical assessments of their algorithms. Civil society organizations and citizens should be central to these efforts, ensuring that the voices of affected communities are heard and promoting transparency through public dialogues and participatory decision-making processes.

Moreover, this collaboration should be framed within the guidelines set forth by the United Nations, which advocates for global standards and fosters dialogue on AI governance. One valuable mechanism in this context is international soft law, which pertains to regulatory frameworks that, although not legally binding, can still guide international conduct and enhance cooperation. The UN General Assembly adopted, on 21 March 2024, a landmark resolution on the promotion of "safe, secure and trustworthy" artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development.

As AI technologies advance, policymakers face the dual challenge of fostering innovation while ensuring safety. This delicate balance is essential; excessively restrictive regulations may stifle innovation, whereas lenient regulations could lead to detrimental societal consequences. To achieve equilibrium, ongoing dialogue among stakeholders is necessary. Engaging technologists in the regulatory process can help identify risks early in the development phase.

More important, adaptive regulatory frameworks, which are designed to evolve alongside AI technologies, can maintain this balance, ensuring that safety measures are integrated without impeding innovative solutions. Also, in AI governance, it is imperative to draw on lessons from existing models of technology governance, such as those for nuclear weapons and biological and chemical weapons.

At the core of effective AI governance is a commitment to human values and rights. AI systems must be designed with users in mind, ensuring equity, accountability and transparency. This human-centric approach recognizes that technology should serve people and contribute positively to societal well-being. Ethical considerations, such as bias mitigation, informed consent and data privacy, are vital facets of safeguarding individual rights. In addition, a human-centric focus entails recognizing the potential risks associated with AI, such as the perpetuation of existing societal biases or the misuse of technology for surveillance and control. Therefore, regulatory frameworks must ensure responsible AI development and implement measures to protect individuals from harm.

One of the most pressing concerns regarding AI is its potential impact on employment. As automation and AI-driven technologies evolve, certain jobs may become obsolete, thereby resulting in significant economic and social repercussions. "AI can endanger workers, worsen poverty and lead to unemployment and instability," says Hisham Khogali. Therefore, addressing job displacement is a critical aspect of AI governance.

In order to address the issue of unemployment caused by AI, it is imperative to adopt relevant countermeasures. Proactive investment in workforce retraining and upskilling programs is necessary to prepare individuals for the jobs of the future. What's more, financial experts should consider the possibility of imposing additional taxes on businesses that benefit from AI automation, with the proceeds used as relief funds to compensate for workers who have lost their jobs as a result of this automation. An educational paradigm that nurtures human creativity, critical thinking and emotional intelligence—skills that are less likely to be automated—will empower individuals and aid in minimizing the risks associated with AI-induced job displacement.

Despite its potential negative impacts and risks, AI holds immense potential to substantially contribute to the achievement of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which encompasses 17 Sustainable Development Goals. By leveraging AI, nations can effectively address complex challenges such as poverty, climate change and healthcare. For instance, AI can enhance efficiency in resource management, allowing for smarter agriculture and energy solutions, while in the healthcare sector, AI innovations can lead to better diagnostics and personalized treatment plans, thus significantly improving health outcomes globally.

However, realizing this potential hinges on ensuring that AI technologies are accessible to developing countries, thereby bridging the digital divide. International cooperation plays a pivotal role in this context, as countries must collaborate to share cutting-edge knowledge and advanced technologies so as to narrow the gap between high and low-income countries. To harness the benefits of AI for the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals requires a cohesive and coherent approach to governance that prioritizes inclusivity. Scientific and technological powers should refrain from suppressing the technological development of other countries under the pretext of geopolitics and ideology, and from hindering the export of AI technology and advanced chips.

As one of the leading countries in AI research and implementation, China actively advocates for a cooperative and people-centered global AI governance model aimed at managing risks while fostering growth. It advocates for the responsible use of AI to benefit mankind and actively promotes enhancing AI capacity-building in developing countries. China's emphasis on AI governance is evident in its hosting of the 2024 World AI Conference and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, as well as the unanimous adoption of its resolution by the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly to strengthen international cooperation in the capacity building of artificial intelligence.

In short, the path to effective AI governance requires a collaborative and human-centric approach that successfully balances innovation with safety. Adopting a multi-stakeholder framework rooted in global cooperation will empower individuals and guide the responsible development of AI technologies. Although the future of AI is filled with great potential, it is essential that we collaborate to establish a governance framework that prioritizes ethical principles, human welfare and sustainable development for all, while mitigating risks.

The author is a professor at the Foreign Studies College and director of the Center for Global Governance and Law, Xiamen University of Technology. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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Rockwell and Taurob executives celebrate their partnership. Source: Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation Inc. last week singed an agreement with Taurob GmbH, a Dietsmann Group company, to provide robots that would enable industrial facilities to automate their operations. Vienna, Austria-based Taurob designs and manufactures ground robots for inspection, maintenance and data collection to optimize and enhance efficiency on a variety of industrial sites.

Kalypso, Rockwell’s digital services business, and Taurob said they will work together “to provide clients with an end-to-end robotic automation solution that will herald the next phase in industrial automation and transformation.” This partnership will promote Rockwell’s leadership in automation and digital twins and Taurob’s leadership in inspection robots.

“In working towards the goal of autonomous operations, many industrial companies have considered the design of facilities, connectivity, digital solutions, and artificial intelligence, but manual inspection of facilities is still commonplace,” stated Matt Graves, Kalypso digital principal for process industries.

“As a next phase in industrial automation, companies are now looking at how to automate fleets of inspection robots using digital twin and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies,” he added. “This partnership will be a huge step in helping our clients meet their efficiency, net zero, and safety goals.”

Taurob is certified for oil and gas

The oil and gas, mining, and chemicals industries have been interested in mitigating hazardous working environments and are thus interested in further automation, noted the partners. Taurob said its robots have ATEX certification for the oil and gas industry.

The company first obtained ATEX certification in 2012 for a mobile robot. It said this led to success in TotalEnergie’s ARGOS Challenge in 2014 and subsequent Joint Industry Projects (JIP) with TotalEnergies, Equinor, Adnoc and Petrobras, supported by the U.K.’s NZTC.

Founded in 2010, Taurob partnered with Dietsmann to enhance preventive inspections. The company now offers a suite of fully autonomous ATEX robots and integration with cloud-based applications for industrial site operations and inspections.

Taurob’s robots can perform missions under harsh environmental conditions to gather video, audio, and sensor data. They can also detect gas leaks and manipulate valves while adhering to strict industry safety standards and supporting customers’ net-zero initiatives.

In addition, Taurob said its systems are resistant to hot environments and offer up to four hours of mission runtime. The company has more than 50 employees.

Kalypso, Taurob to offer integrated inspection

Kalypso and Taurob plan to provide a holistic system including a physical robot, sensors, and supervision software. They will also offer mission data analysis using AI and machine learning, as well as systems integration.

The companies said this will allow organizations to automate inspection and maintenance. Their stated goal is to increase personnel safety, reduce operational expenditures (OPEX), and improve production throughput.

“Our partnership with Rockwell will become a game changer with respect to scaling our unique ATEX-certified robots around the world,” said Matthias Biegl, co-founder and managing director of Taurob. “Our respective expertise complements one another to offer an integrated solution, in addition to which we will be able to streamline sales and marketing efforts to optimize and enhance efficiency for our clients on a variety of industrial sites.”

Rockwell Automation builds up its ecosystem

Rockwell Automation claimed that it is the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation. Milwaukee-based Rockwell has about 29,000 employees suppoting customers in more than 100 countries.

Last year, Rockwell acquired mobile robot provider Clearpath Robotics and its subsidiary OTTO Motors. Rockwell received an RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for its business expansion.

The company also said it has built a global Partner Network of technology, support, and services that no single vendor can provide alone to “deliver the value of the connected enterprise.”

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Manufacturing in Australia has undergone significant transformation over the years, which has reshaped the industry’s landscape, driven by the need for efficiency, quality, and innovation.

Understanding Manufacturing in Australia

From traditional methods to advanced technologies, the manufacturing sector continues to evolve, reflecting the dynamic nature of the global economy.

Manufacturing is a cornerstone of the Australian economy, contributing significantly to GDP, employment, and exports.

It supports a diverse range of industries, from food and beverages to advanced machinery and pharmaceuticals.

The sector’s role in providing high-quality jobs and reducing reliance on imports underscores its economic importance.

By investing in manufacturing, Australia can enhance local production capabilities and strengthen its position in the global market.

Louis Quintal, the new head of manufacturing at RSM, explained that investing in manufacturing in Australia can prove beneficial for the country.

“By investing in manufacturing, Australia can reduce its reliance on imports, boost local production, and create high-quality jobs,” he said.

“Manufacturing today is not just about producing goods. It encompasses a wide range of activities, including research and development, design, production, distribution, and after-sales services.

“Modern manufacturing leverages cutting-edge technologies and lean manufacturing such as automation and artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency and innovation.”

Quintal continued to explain that this holistic approach to manufacturing ensures that the sector remains competitive and sustainable in the global market.

What is lean manufacturing?

The concept of lean manufacturing emerged in the mid-20th century, particularly with the Toyota Production System, which aimed to eliminate waste and optimise processes.

“Lean manufacturing focuses on creating more value for customers with fewer resources by identifying and eliminating non-value-adding activities,” said Quintal.

Quintal’s key aspects of lean manufacturing

Understanding what the customer values and focusing efforts on enhancing these aspects:

• Analysing the flow of materials and information to identify and eliminate waste.
• Ensuring that production processes flow smoothly without interruptions.
• Producing only what is needed, when it is needed, to reduce inventory costs.
• Encouraging a culture of ongoing improvement at all levels of the organisation.

Implementing lean manufacturing has led to significant improvements in efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction.

“Companies that have successfully adopted lean principles report reduced lead times, lower costs, and higher employee engagement,” said Quintal.

Lean manufacturing is increasingly becoming a key focus point and requirement for manufactures because of the pressures regards cost of living, higher labour and energy costs in Australia when compared to their neighbouring countries in the region.

Technology’s role in Modern Manufacturing

Technology has played a pivotal role in modern manufacturing, with advancements such as automation, robotics, and digitalisation driving significant changes.

These technologies have improved planning, scheduling, and shop floor operations, leading to increased productivity and reduced costs.

However, the integration of technology has also raised concerns about cybersecurity and the potential displacement of human workers.

“Technology has been a game-changer in the manufacturing sector, driving advancements in automation, data analytics, and connectivity,” explained Quintal.

Quintal explained that there are several different aspects of technology innovation that is used and currently been developed which the Australian manufactures are making use of some of these include:

• Automated systems and robots have revolutionised production lines, increased speed, precision, and safety while reducing labour costs.
• Internet of Things devices enable real-time monitoring and control of manufacturing processes, leading to improved efficiency and predictive maintenance.
• Artificial Intelligence machine learning algorithms optimise production schedules, quality control, and supply chain management.
• Predictive analytics by creation of digital twins of physical assets, enabling simulation and analysis to optimise performance and predict failures.

“These technological innovations are transforming Australian manufacturing by enhancing efficiency, precision, and safety,” said Quintal.

Quintal explained that there are leading companies in various manufacturing sectors have set industry benchmarks through their innovative practices and strategic approaches.

He highlighted key lessons from these companies:

• Embrace continuous improvement: The commitment to ongoing, incremental enhancements can result in substantial long-term gains.
• Invest in technology: Adopting and integrating advanced digital technologies is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge.
• Focus on quality: Prioritising rigorous quality control and precision engineering underscores the importance of delivering reliable and high-quality products.
• Sustainability matters: Incorporating sustainability into manufacturing processes can drive innovation and attract environmentally conscious consumers.
• Employee engagement: Fostering a culture of engagement and empowerment among employees at all levels promotes innovation and accountability.

These technologies are not only enhancing productivity but also driving innovation and sustainability in the manufacturing sector.

“Manufacturing giants have provided valuable lessons in innovation, growth, resilience, and operational excellence,” said Quintal.

“Some have shown the importance of continuous improvement and risk management. However, they can also demonstrate the consequences of complacency and a lack of adaptability.

“The manufacturing process has evolved through various stages, each marked by its own set of challenges and opportunities.”

Quintal explained that implementing lean manufacturing principles, harnessing the power of technology, and learning from the experiences of manufacturing giants are crucial for achieving sustainable success in this ever-evolving industry.

Continuous improvement, a focus on innovation, and a commitment to operational excellence remain the cornerstones of a robust manufacturing sector in Australia.

“To remain competitive, we must embrace automation, AI, and predictive analytics in our production processes,” said Quintal.

“These tools provide the data and insights needed to identify where and when to make improvements, whether in automated systems or manual operations.

“Predictive analytics is crucial—it empowers us to make informed decisions and drive meaningful changes.”

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Source The Motley Fool

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been around for decades. From industrial automation and unbeatable chess engines to self-driving cars and automatic vacuum cleaners, AI-assisted technologies are becoming a normal part of our everyday lives.

But the adoption and general awareness of AI accelerated dramatically in November 2022, when OpenAI released the ChatGPT AI platform. This ultramodern large language model (LLM) could do things previously seen as uniquely human. ChatGPT and its rivals can write halfway decent text, generate nearly photorealistic images and videos, and even create new music from a primordial soup of earlier examples. Large sets of human creations have become fodder for computer-powered, semi-creative productions.

A handful of companies are driving this generative AI boom, led by AI accelerator designer Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). That stock has soared more than 1,000% higher in two years, powered by a 237% uptick in revenues and a ninefold boost to Nvidia's free cash flows. The LLMs you see today wouldn't be possible without Nvidia's high-performance AI accelerator chips, and the company is often seen as the best AI stock on the market today.

But even stellar business performers can become overvalued. Nvidia's stock trades at extremely lofty valuation ratios nowadays, and many die-hard bulls are ignoring the rise of alternative AI hardware solutions.

So I have a few Nvidia shares in my portfolio, but am not eager to buy more today. There are safer AI investments out there, and I'm here to show you a couple of great AI stocks not named Nvidia.

Stock	Two-Year Return	Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S)	Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF)
Nvidia	1,050%	58.4	72.4
IBM	92%	3.4	16.9
UiPath	5%	5.1	21.6

Data collected from Finviz.com and YCharts on 10/18/2024.

IBM's strategic focus on enterprise-class AI

Yeah, you heard me: International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM) is one of the best AI stocks to buy right now.

Big Blue has been an AI innovator since the 1970s, introducing game-changing technologies such as the first speech recognition system and the first programming language for self-learning manufacturing robots. And IBM's AI interest never faded. The company remains a leading AI researcher today, even though you don't often see its name in generative AI headlines.

You see, IBM lets other companies mess around with consumer-friendly chatbots and image generation systems. Meanwhile, the company focuses its AI products on deep-pocketed enterprise clients. The IBM Watsonx generative AI platform delivers business-oriented features such as deep integration with other business-grade information systems, audit-ready paths from input data to generated content, and robust digital security.

So IBM took some extra time to prepare these AI tools for release, insisting on quality results instead of rushing a half-baked solution to the market. Now it's time to reap the rewards of that strategic delay.

Watsonx has been around for a year and a half now, and has already generated more than $2 billion of generative AI orders. Next week's third-quarter report will show how quickly corporate clients are embracing IBM's AI solutions in a healthier economy. And as seen in the table, the stock looks downright cheap next to Nvidia's high-flying shares.

UiPath's AI-powered automation solutions

Process automation expert UiPath (NYSE: PATH) is another low-priced bet on a solid AI business. The company's robotic process automation (RPA) may sound like an industrial hardware controller, but is actually software that helps businesses automate repetitive tasks.

Automated software has many benefits over their human counterparts in this area. Computers don't get bored or tired. Their actions can't result in "human error," and UiPath's sophisticated software robots don't suffer from machine learning equivalents such as sloppy programming. With the recent addition of LLM functions, UiPath's robots can even manage advanced but repetitive tasks like filling out forms and interpreting the meaning of text entered by end users.

"RPA is not AI; AI is not RPA," according to UiPath. But the combination of robust RPA systems and powerful AI backends bring out the best of both worlds in a single job-automation process. UiPath's tools are already game changers for clients with lots of rote information management activities. They will only grow more powerful over time.

UiPath's shares have barely moved in two years, falling far behind other AI specialists and the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) market index. At the same time, trailing sales rose by 32% over the last two years, while free cash flows swung from a $134 million loss to $327 million of cash profits.

The stock is swooning while financial results are soaring, and UiPath's AI-plus-RPA solutions are only getting more powerful. That's why this game changer looks like a no-brainer buy today.

Don’t miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity

Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this.

On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves:

• Amazon: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2010, you’d have $21,285!*
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Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.

See 3 “Double Down” stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of October 14, 2024

Anders Bylund has positions in International Business Machines and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia and UiPath. The Motley Fool recommends International Business Machines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

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