Category: 3. Business

  • Inside a 24-hour ‘vibe coding’ hackathon–here are my biggest takeaways

    Inside a 24-hour ‘vibe coding’ hackathon–here are my biggest takeaways

    CNBC correspondent Ernestine Siu attended an AI hackathon.

    Courtesy of Ernestine Siu

    I like to spend most of my weekends taking workout classes with friends, exploring new restaurants or vegging out on the couch with a movie on. The past weekend, however, was unique. Instead of the usual routine, I chose to immerse myself in a 24-hour ‘vibe coding’ hackathon.

    I attended one of Singapore’s biggest in-person hackathons ever, which was sponsored and supported by AI heavyweights from around the world including OpenAI, Cursor, Anthropic, Google DeepMind and more.

    The event took place on a university campus from about 9 a.m. on Saturday to Sunday noon. Over 400 people participated, ranging from highly experienced engineers to first-timers. The goal was simple: build something from scratch with the help of artificial intelligence.

    “Use your imagination… build something unhinged. Build something wacky,” said Agrim Singh, one of the event’s organizers and the co-founder of Niyam AI.

    Several teams really took that advice to heart.

    Some standout projects included F**Yu.AI, an AI-enabled productivity app that “bullies you into greatness,” by calling users on their cell phones to yell at them to complete tasks, and RizzedIn, a dating site that helps connect “career-minded individuals.”

    Some members of the winning teams with CNBC correspondent, Ernestine Siu (right).

    Courtesy of Nicholas Cheng

    By the end of the weekend, about 150 projects were submitted. The winner – an AI-powered whiteboarding tool that allows users to draw using just their hand movements tracked through a webcam — took home prizes worth over $50,000 Singapore dollars (about $39,000).

    The second and third place winners created a human-versus-AI speed game and a “Netflix for corporate training” tool that makes compliance training videos more engaging for employees.

    Inside a 24-hour hackathon

    As someone without a technical background, I was nervous entering the event but excited to meet the hackathon community. I knew I had to optimize my chances of building something successfully by teaming up with people who were much more technical than me.

    Through Discord, I found my team for the hackathon: Gabrielle Ong who has a product development background, Aung Maung who has a deep tech background, Ninna Cao who has a product design background and Jay Chen who has a software engineering background. What did I offer? Ideas, my storytelling abilities and vibes.

    Participants filled a lecture hall at the Singapore University of Technology and Design campus during the hackathon.

    Courtesy of Nicholas Cheng

    We bonded over a shared desire to preserve the legacies of our grandparents. So, we built Heirloom — a digital time capsule which can be used to capture and store family stories and recipes, so that they can be passed down for generations to come.

    We spent all of Saturday working on transforming our idea into a product. Some of us stayed up the entire night working on the project — while others (me) unfortunately didn’t have the stamina to do so.

    We were trying to do a bit of a count … And we found people in like random lecture rooms. It was just the funniest [thing] … It was like catching wild Pokemon.

    Sherry Jiang

    Co-founder, Peek

    When I got back to the campus on Sunday morning, I saw people sleeping on benches, on the floor and just about everywhere, while others were still making last minute adjustments before submitting their projects for judging.

    An estimated 70 people stayed overnight to work on their project, said Sherry Jiang, one of the event organizers and the co-founder of fintech app Peek.

    “We were trying to do a bit of a count … And we found people in like random lecture rooms. It was just the funniest [thing] … It was like catching wild Pokemon,” said Jiang.

    Richard Lee, who built a gamified habits-training app Orbie alongside his teammate Amanda Lau Shernin, slept for only about half an hour on the floor of a lecture hall. He had prior developer experience and knows coding languages like Python and SQL.

    Participants of the hackathon ranged from highly experienced engineers to newbies.

    Courtesy of Nicholas Cheng

    When asked why he chose to join the hackathon, he said: “I took it as a personal challenge to see [what] could actually be done within 24 hours … [and to] see how far vibe coding has advanced,” said Lee. He also thought it would be a great place to get inspiration.

    “It’s like a gathering of builders … who don’t just learn, but do,” Lee added. “It’s almost like training for a startup, right? Effectively, you just have to focus and get something done.”

    By the end of the weekend, Lee says that although the hackathon was just 24 hours, he felt like he had “significantly upgraded” his skills.

    Bringing back the builder spirit

    The hackathon’s organizers said their goal was to reinvigorate the builder community in Singapore. There’s a feeling among many people in the space that the hackathon scene has faded from its heyday, co-organizer Jiang said.

    Fellow organizer Singh agreed, writing on a LinkedIn post that “the Singapore hackathon scene lost its soul.”

    Singh, who has been attending hackathons since 2013, observed that such events used to center hackers and builders making “something that worked”, instead of “panels or sponsorship decks or photo ops.”

    “Now? Most AI events here feel hollow. Panels by people who’ve never touched the tech. ‘Thought leadership’ with no practical weight. People pretending to build, or worse, extracting revenue from the hype without caring about the ecosystem,” he wrote.

    Major takeaways

    With the advancement of AI, the startup landscape and software engineering industry has changed massively — it’s now easier for people with non-technical backgrounds to build tech products themselves.

    Out of all of the participants, about half of them were completely new to hackathons, Jiang said.

    Jiang also pointed out that some participants who had learned how to vibe code just a couple weeks ago had placed “pretty high” on the event’s rankings, beating experienced engineers.

    “This is a bit of a hypothesis I have … I feel like people who [have a good] product sense and good taste and know how to position their products are starting to do really well at these hackathons because engineering is a lot easier now,” she said. “We’ve lowered the barrier, but raised the bar.”

    The time to build is far shorter than [before]. I think it’s really much easier for developers or technical people, or even non-technical people to build a prototype, and effectively get to market.

    Richard Lee

    Hackathon participant

    “The time to build is far shorter than [before]. I think it’s really much easier for developers or technical people, or even non-technical people to build a prototype, and effectively get to market,” said hackathon participant Lee.

    Additionally, Lee and Jiang agree that both startup teams and corporate developer teams will likely become smaller now that these AI-assisted coding tools are on the market.

    “It’s improving so fast that if [you] are not using [these tools] it day to day … I think [you’ll] be at a big risk of being eliminated.”

    Richard Lee

    Hackathon participant

    With that said, it’s still very helpful to have some background on software engineering, as this will carry you to the finish line. People will still need to know how to evaluate code in terms of its fundamental logic and understand how to address issues in code, hackathon participant Lee said.

    Ultimately, AI models are improving so quickly that if engineers aren’t upskilling consistently on the tools and staying up to date, they are at risk of becoming redundant, he added.

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  • Clyde & Co appoints Yvonne Lam as Partner : Clyde & Co

    Clyde & Co appoints Yvonne Lam as Partner : Clyde & Co

    Sydney, 23 October 2025: Partner appointment will further bolster the firm’s corporate insurance and regulatory offering in the Asia Pacific region.



    Clyde & Co appoints Yvonne Lam as Partner

    Global law firm Clyde & Co today announces the appointment of Yvonne Lam as partner. She re-joins the firm from Gilchrist Connell, where she was a Principal and the Head of Corporate Insurance & Insurtech, after previously spending over a decade specialising in advising on corporate insurance and regulatory matters at Clyde & Co in Australia.

    Yvonne will further grow the firm’s corporate insurance offering in the Asia Pacific region, with a focus on handling transactional, regulatory and commercial advisory matters for clients in the rapidly evolving insurance risk and regulatory environment across Australia and Singapore.

    In-depth Corporate Insurance and Regulatory Expertise

    Yvonne brings extensive experience in corporate insurance and regulatory matters and has advised clients on matters in the Australian insurance industry, including the Financial Services Royal Commission hearings and significant transactions arising from global mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructures and expansions into the Australian market. She acts for insurers and reinsurers, underwriting agents, insurance brokers and next-generation insurtech clients and fintech ventures in the Asia Pacific region.

    She has been a finalist for the Lawyers Weekly New Partner of the Year Awards (Big Law, 2025), Women in Law Awards for Partner of the Year (Big Law, 2024) and Special Counsel of the Year (2021) and the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards for Commercial Law (2018). She is the Asian Australian Lawyers Association NSW Branch President for 2025 and has been recognised as a finalist in the Legal & Professionals category of the Asian Australian Leadership Awards in 2024.

    Rebecca Kelly, Australia Managing Partner, Brisbane, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Yvonne back to the firm. Her return marks an exciting step for the firm in the continued growth of our corporate insurance and regulatory practice across Australia and the broader Asia Pacific region. With our enhanced capabilities, we are strongly positioned to support our clients in managing risk, responding to regulatory change, and navigating the complexities of today’s corporate landscape. Our clients rely on us for clear, commercially focused advice, and this appointment ensures we continue to deliver with confidence and clarity.”

    Gareth Horne, Head of Insurance, Australia, Sydney, said: “This growth will allow us to seize the opportunities arising from the rapidly changing regulatory environment, where we see strong client demand for help with navigating the evolving risk landscape.” 

    Yvonne Lam said: “I am pleased to return to Clyde & Co and draw on the firm’s global platform and international reach particularly for my clients in the Asia Pacific region, who operate across multiple jurisdictions and in complex regulatory environments.”

    Growing Corporate Insurance and Regulatory Offering

    The appointment further strengthens Clyde & Co’s regional transactional, corporate and regulatory capabilities servicing insurance clients across Australia and the wider Asia Pacific region. 

    Clyde & Co’s global insurance practice of 2,400 lawyers in over 70 offices around the world handles matters across all lines of insurance business, helping the insurance market navigate risk.

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  • Tesla profits slide despite record revenue

    Tesla profits slide despite record revenue

    Tesla has seen its profits slide even as it reported record quarterly revenue after US buyers rushed to secure a key tax credit on electric car purchases before it ended last month.

    The firm said revenue for the three months to the end of September hit a record $28bn (£21bn), up 12% from the same time last year.

    But the company’s profits dropped by 37% for the same period, partly due to extra costs linked to tariffs and research.

    The results come ahead of a vote by shareholders in November on a new pay package for chief executive Elon Musk that could be worth as much as $1tn.

    Tesla shares were down by around 3.8% in extended trading after the results were announced.

    The company’s roughly $1.4tn stock market valuation has been driven in recent months by investor confidence that Musk can deliver on his ambitions to transform Tesla into a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

    But sales of vehicles currently remain its main source of income while those new products are being developed.

    Like other car makers around the world, Tesla is facing tough competition from Chinese rivals such as BYD.

    Tesla reversed a streak of declining quarterly sales as American buyers rushed to claim federal tax credits of up to $7,500 before they expired at the end of September. But rivals like Ford and Hyundai posted even stronger US sales growth during the same period.

    During the quarter, Tesla rolled out a six-seat version of its best-selling Model Y vehicle, which saw particular success in China.

    It also offered incentives to entice buyers like five-year interest-free loans and insurance subsidies.

    Tesla is also grappling with the levies imposed on imports of car parts and raw materials by US President Donald Trump.

    In a call with investors on Wednesday, Tesla’s finance chief Vaibhav Taneja said tariffs cost the firm more than $400m in the last quarter.

    Higher expenses linked to research and development, particularly in its AI initiatives, also weighed on Tesla’s profits.

    Mr Taneja said he expected that kind of spending to continue to rise.

    In October, Tesla unveiled cheaper models of two of its best-selling cars in the US, in a bid to lift sales as federal incentives expire.

    The company rolled out new versions of its Model Y and Model 3 cars, which are priced at about $5,000 less than earlier versions.

    Still, Tesla’s shares fell as investors were underwhelmed by the new cars.

    The company has been criticised for being slow in offering more affordable cars, often seen as a reason that it has lost ground to competitors.

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  • PacificLight Appoints a Consortium of Mitsubishi Power and Jurong Engineering Limited to build 670 MW CCGT Power Plant in Singapore

    PacificLight Appoints a Consortium of Mitsubishi Power and Jurong Engineering Limited to build 670 MW CCGT Power Plant in Singapore

    From left (seated): Daichi Nakajima, EVP, Mitsubishi Power, Yu Tat Ming, CEO, PacificLight Power, Koichi Watanabe, CEO and MD, Jurong Engineering Limited at the EPC contract signing.

    Singapore, October 23, 2025 – A consortium comprising Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Jurong Engineering Limited (JEL) has been awarded an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract by PacificLight Power Pte. Ltd. (PLP) to develop the largest, high efficient combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) facility in Singapore. The power plant will be the first CCGT unit in Singapore integrated with a large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS), enabling dynamic energy management to align electricity supply with grid demand.

    Located on Jurong Island, Singapore, the 670MW facility, capable of powering more than 965,000 four-room flats, is scheduled to begin operations in 2029. It will have the ability to operate on 30% hydrogen and will be capable of shifting to run entirely on hydrogen in future.

    The new CCGT power plant will deploy Mitsubishi Power’s state-of-the-art M701JAC gas turbine with hydrogen co-firing potential, as the power sector works towards net zero carbon emissions. This gas turbine is recognized as the world’s most efficient large-frame gas turbines, with more than 64% combined cycle efficiency and proven reliability through three million operational hours.

    Yu Tat Ming, CEO of PLP said, “This project represents a significant leap forward in PacificLight’s decarbonization journey and our commitment to powering Singapore with cleaner, more resilient energy. By investing in large-scale energy storage and hydrogen-ready technology, we are future-proofing our infrastructure to meet future energy demands. We are proud to partner Mitsubishi Power and Jurong Engineering in advancing Singapore’s sustainable future for generations to come.”

    Daichi Nakajima, Executive Vice President, Mitsubishi Power, said, “Mitsubishi Power is honored to partner JEL to build PLP’s monumental project that would support Singapore’s growing electricity needs and broader energy transition goals. Our hydrogen-ready gas turbines, along with the innovative integration of BESS, contribute to future-proof infrastructure crucial to Singapore’s decarbonization goals. We are committed to working alongside our partners to support this large-scale development that is making history in Singapore’s energy sector.”

    Koichi Watanabe, CEO and MD of JEL, added, “The development of the CCGT plant marks an important step in advancing the nation’s cleaner energy goals. Drawing on our proven experience in large-scale EPC projects along with Mitsubishi Power’s track record in highly efficient gas turbines, this collaboration reflects a strong synergy and shared commitment to delivering this large-scale facility to the highest standards. In support of PLP, we look forward to helping to enhance the resilience and flexibility of Singapore’s power systems.”

    PLP currently owns and operates an 830MW CCGT facility and a 100MW Fast Start Ancillary Services facility on Jurong Island. The 830MW CCGT facility is one of the most efficient and reliable combined cycle power plants currently operating in Singapore.

    Mitsubishi Power has maintained a longstanding presence in Singapore, supporting the nation’s energy infrastructure by providing advanced power generation systems for CCGT power plants since the early 2000s. Together with JEL, the consortium will have delivered two M701F gas turbines and a total of three M701JAC gas turbines, including those supplied for this latest project. This strong track record and proven collaboration in Singapore have been key contributors to securing the current contract.

    The PLP CCGT project is a key step in advancing the nation’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and reflects a combined commitment by PLP, Mitsubishi Power and JEL to accelerate Singapore’s transition toward net-zero.

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  • Amazon unveils prototype AI smart glasses for its delivery drivers

    Amazon unveils prototype AI smart glasses for its delivery drivers

    Lily JamaliNorth America technology correspondent

    Amazon An Amazon delivery driver wearing the tech giant's prototype smart glasses.Amazon

    Amazon has unveiled a prototype of artificial intelligence-powered smart glasses designed to be used by its delivery drivers.

    The “Amelia” glasses include a camera and built-in display, and pairs with a waistcoat with a button drivers can press to take photos of deliveries.

    “We’re testing it at a number of locations with over a dozen delivery service partners and hundreds of drivers across the country,” said Beryl Tomay, Amazon’s vice president of Transportation, at a launch event in Silicon Valley.

    Amazon is the latest US tech giant to enter an increasingly crowded field of firms experimenting with wearables, but for now it is a product meant for drivers, not customers.

    Although Amazon is still experimenting with the product, it plans to eventually make the smart glasses available to drivers first in North America, then globally.

    Ms Tomay said that drivers “have been doing real deliveries with these” to customers.

    “We custom designed it for that use case,” she added. “There’s a very specific application here.”

    When asked by the BBC if the Amelia smart glasses might be marketed to consumers at some point in the future, Ms Tomay did not rule out the possibility.

    Amazon also unveiled a robotic arm which it said is designed to work alongside warehouse employees to sort parcels with greater speed and accuracy.

    The robot, which has been in use at a warehouse in South Carolina, will help reduce injuries and maximise the use of space in Amazon’s warehouses, the firm said.

    Amazon is also preparing to roll out an artificial intelligence (AI) system in its warehouses to manage operations and provide workers with suggestions for improving efficiency.

    “It pulls in historical and real-time data across a building to anticipate bottlenecks and keep operations running smoothly,” said the company.

    Amazon A screenshot from a video by Amazon demonstrating a worker delivering parcels while using the smart glasses. The footage, captured from a camera mounted on the worker’s glasses, shows the moment he reaches for a parcel as the heads-up display highlights the delivery address.Amazon

    The smart glasses have a display that shows key delivery information

    Instagram and Facebook-owner Meta has also experimented with smart glasses in recent years.

    At its Meta Connect conference last month, the company unveiled a range of smart glasses powered by its Meta AI technology, including a pair of Ray-Bans with a built-in display.

    Unlike Amazon, Meta’s smart glasses target the mainstream consumer products market.

    Meta presented the hardware as a technology that allows users to remain more engaged in the real world compared to smartphones.

    For Amazon, the Amelia smart glasses could augment efficiency in the “last mile” of its delivery network.

    Ms Tomay said the smart glasses can detect when they are in a moving vehicle, which prompts them to automatically shut off.

    “From a safety perspective, we thought that was important. No distractions,” Ms Tomay told a group of reporters at an event in California.

    Ms Tomay estimated that the glasses could create up to 30 minutes in efficiencies per 8- to 10-hour shift by minimising repetitive tasks and helping drivers to quickly locate packages in their vehicles.

    The smart glasses also include a hardware switch on the controller that lets the driver turn off the glasses and all of its sensors, including the camera and microphone.

    Drivers “can choose to keep it off,” she said.

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  • Bank of Korea holds rate at 2.5% as tighter property rules kick in

    Bank of Korea holds rate at 2.5% as tighter property rules kick in

    Bank of Korea warned there’s a chance of increased volatility following more rate hikes from the Fed, following U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell’s speech in Jackson Hole. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images

    Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

    South Korea’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.5% Thursday, extending a pause since May, as policymakers continued to flag household debt as a key risk.

    The decision was in line with expectations from economists polled by Reuters, and followed the introduction of tighter property measures in Seoul aimed at curbing borrowing.

    On Oct. 15, South Korean media reported that stricter property rules, including tighter loan limits, will now apply across all 25 districts of Seoul, as well as 12 more areas in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province.

    Previously, the tightened rules only applied to four of Seoul’s 25 districts.

    Household debt remains a major concern for the Bank of Korea, which has been reluctant to cut rates for fear of fueling housing demand and pushing debt levels higher.

    Bank of America analysts wrote in an Oct. 20 note that “housing inflation in Seoul has been the top of mind for policymakers this year, a critical constraint for additional easing in 2H25.”

    They noted that home prices in central Seoul accelerated again in mid-September, despite earlier rounds of cooling measures in June and September.

    “With such measures, a sequential decline in home transactions is expected in coming months, but it is still hard to tell if the price increase could be fully contained, in our view,” they said.

    South Korea’s Kospi index dipped 0.3% following the announcement, while the small-cap Kosdaq index fell 0.34%. The South Korean won was largely unchanged, trading at 1,432.40 against the U.S. dollar.

    Stalled trade talks

    The rate decision also came as South Korea faces uncertainty over its trade relationship with the U.S., after both sides struggled to finalize details of an agreement reached on July 30.

    Under the deal, the Asian nation is set to invest $350 billion in the U.S., but South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned in a Reuters interview that transferring the full amount in cash could trigger a financial crisis reminiscent of 1997.

    Negotiators are reportedly due to visit Washington this week to finalize terms ahead of the APEC Summit on Oct. 31 in South Korea.

    At its last meeting in August, the BOK raised its 2025 inflation forecast to 2% from its May forecast of 1.9%, while the GDP growth outlook for the year was also revised to 0.9% from 0.8% previously.

    It expects domestic demand to make a “modest recovery,” due to a supplementary budget and improvement in consumer sentiment.

    “Exports are likely to show favorable movements for some time, but are likely to gradually slow as the impacts of U.S. tariffs expand,” the central bank said.

    — This is breaking news, please check back for updates.

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  • Recovery Strategies for Government-Led Food Supply Chain in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Simulation Study | The Transmission

    Recovery Strategies for Government-Led Food Supply Chain in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Simulation Study | The Transmission

    News Wise In the field of food supply chain management during public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, government-led food supply chains are critical for ensuring residents’ dietary needs. However, such chains face significant challenges: insufficient transportation capacity, uneven distribution of district warehouses, and production-demand mismatches lead to severe food shortages. Existing research mostly focuses on non-government-led supply chains, lacks dynamic analysis of pandemic phases, and has insufficient scenario simulations for government-led chains, making it hard to provide targeted recovery strategies.

    Therefore, a research team from the School of Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence at Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics conducted a study titled “Recovery strategies for government-led food supply chain in COVID-19 pandemic: A simulation study”.

    This study uses AnyLogistix software to build a three-level government-led food supply chain simulation model (designated suppliers, district warehouses, communities) and divides the pandemic into four phases (initial, silent management, express resumption, full recovery) with corresponding government-led demand ratios (75%, 125%, 50%, 25%). It designs seven recovery strategies and simulates two disruption scenarios (supplier/warehouse closure) to test strategy robustness.

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  • EU to Review 2035 Ban on CO2-Emitting Vehicles

    EU to Review 2035 Ban on CO2-Emitting Vehicles

    A ban on the sale of new CO2-emitting cars and vans by 2035 within the European Union is currently being reviewed, reflecting the bloc’s broader strategy to redirect its focus away from the climate crisis to other pressing issues like economic security and international conflicts.

    —

    On September 12, the European Commission announced it would move up its review of the 2035 zero CO2 emissions target for cars and vans to the end of this year, rather than 2026.

    The European Commission in 2022 announced plans to ban the sale of new CO2-emitting cars and vans by 2035 within the EU. 

    Several EU governments criticized the move, raising concerns about consumer choice and the feasibility of the transition. Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania called for a delay to the ban. Germany also expressed criticism, advocating for a gradual transition rather than an outright ban on CO2-emitting engines. The German government reaffirmed its stance earlier this month during an automotive summit in Berlin reuniting German manufacturers, subcontractors, and representatives.

    “2035 cannot be a hard deadline. That is not technically feasible,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a press conference. The government argued, in line with the position of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), that the 2025 emissions reduction plan should be reconsidered to protect Europe’s industrial competitiveness and the resilience of its supply chains.

    US Tariffs and Competition from China 

    The scaled up review comes in the context of weak European demand and a shift to electric vehicles (EVs). It will specifically target vans, Reuters reported. Other specifics on the new proposal remain unclear, but it may allow for the inclusion of biofuels that could continue to power internal combustion engines, plug-in hybrids or range extenders.

    The Commission’s 2022 proposal received widespread criticism from European car manufacturers amid declining demand for EVs. For instance, about 8.5% of all vans sold are electric, while the figure for passenger cars is about double. In addition to weak demand in Europe, Chinese manufacturers offer electric vehicles at significantly lower prices, leaving European carmakers struggling to compete with these market leaders. More recently, US import tariffs have also made it more difficult for European carmakers to access the American market, adding another strain on the industry as a whole.

    Rescue Plan

    In March, the European Commission unveiled a rescue plan for the EU automotive industry, which provides 13 million jobs and contributes 7% of the bloc’s GDP. The plan includes 1.8 billion euros (US$2.1 billion) to secure raw materials for battery production within the EU and 1 billion euros by 2027 to support innovation in the automotive sector. It also seeks to stimulate demand for EVs. 

    Alternative measures under discussion include creating a new category for small EVs with tax advantages and extra CO2 credits to help manufacturers meet emissions reduction targets. The plan also aims to support local production of key components such as battery packs.  

    Backtracking

    The potential rollback of the ban reflects a broader pattern of the EU backtracking on some of its previous climate commitments, raising doubts about whether the region still stands as a global leader in the climate and renewable energy transition.

    The European Green Deal (EDG), adopted in 2020, is the cornerstone of the Commission’s sustainable policies. The deal covers several policy areas with the aim of transforming the bloc’s economy for a sustainable future. One of these goals is a 55% bloc-wide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. 

    But growing resistance from right-wing groups, geopolitical tensions, and mounting pressures from industry and farmers, the future of the EU’s once-ambitious climate goals now hangs in the balance.

    More on the topic: What Is the Future of the European Union’s Once Ambitious Green Agenda?

    Climate-related investments in the EU have stalled after years of growth. According to a recent report by the Institute for Climate Economics, spending in the energy, transport, building, and low-carbon technology sectors stagnated in 2023, reaching 498 billion euros and declining in 2024 for the first time in several years. 

    The report notes that an estimated 842 billion euros are needed yearly for the EU to reach its 2030 climate targets, representing an annual shortfall of 344 billion euros. Nevertheless, in May, the Commission announced that the EU was “well on track” to reach the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 55% that they set for themselves for 2030.

    In February, the Commission presented the Omnibus Simplification Package, a set of European Commission proposals aimed at simplifying and streamlining EU rules for corporate sustainability reporting by reducing disclosures or simplifying obligations, marking a major shift in the EU’s climate policy approach. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to boost Europe’s competitiveness in an uncertain geopolitical context, driven by concerns that the European economy is stagnating. The main reasoning behind advancing the package was that too much reporting and due diligence reduced European competitiveness.

    Car factory production line in Poland. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

    In September, the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, controversial for its significant environmental consequences, was approved by the European Commission. The deal aims at securing markets for European businesses and ensuring stable partnerships, especially in the automotive industry – a sign that competitiveness and trade is progressively taking precedence over environmental objectives. 

    Under the deal, EU-Mercosur trade in automotive components will be fully liberalized within 15 years, creating a stable political and economic partnership. Interestingly, on October 13, 26 major EU trade associations, notably the the ACEA, called for the fast, “swift ratification” of the EU-Mercosur agreement in a co-signed statement towards the EU’s institutions.The agreement is also expected to accelerate deforestation by up to 25% due to increased demand for agricultural products such as soy and sugar. 

    More on the topic: The EU-Mercosur Deal Comes With Serious Environmental and Social Implications

    Rise of Far Right

    One of the most important factors explaining European scaleback is the 2024 European parliamentary election, which saw a historic surge of support for right and far-right parties, generally opposed to climate policy action. 

    The new right-wing majority in the European Parliament is made up of a coalition of the European People’s Party, Conservatives and Reformists of Europe, and the Patriots for Europe (former Identity and Democracy group). The coalition has repeatedly pushed for competitiveness and deregulation, criticizing the economic costs of a green transition. 

    For instance, in July, the far right group Patriots for Europe, currently the third largest group in the European Parliament, took control of a key climate text. Originally introduced by the Commission as a recommendation to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, the proposal is now being examined and debated by the Parliament before a final vote.

    Patriots of Europe lobbied actively and used their influence to secure the position of “rapporteur” for the reform of this climate law. A rapporteur in the European Parliament is a member of parliament that is appointed by a parliamentary committee responsible for handling a specific legislative proposal, to write a report containing proposals for resolutions and amendments to be voted on by the entire Parliament. The rapporteur steers their proposals through Parliament, consults with specialists, discusses the proposal with other members within the committee and “recommends the political line to be followed.”

    The 2040 target is still being actively negotiated in Parliament and, substantively, the rapporteur from Patriots of Europe will not have the power to prevent other parties from reaching an agreement on the final version of the law. However, by holding this post, Europe’s far right could seek to delay or inflame the negotiations.

    The European right has echoed the sentiments by certain segments of the population that view the Green Deal legislative package as elitist and disconnected from the economic consequences of the green transition. For instance, following widespread farmers’ protests in France, Italy, Spain, and Belgium last year, the Commission backtracked on several green programs, including the implementation of crop rotations or cuts to fertilizer use. 

    Another key factor contributing to the EU’s shifting priorities is the broader geopolitics context, which has shifted significantly since the implementation of the European Green Deal. 

    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 shook the balance of Europe’s transition and exposed the vulnerabilities of the continent’s energy infrastructure. With a large share of its energy supply coming from Russian natural gas reservoirs, the war triggered a sharp rise in energy prices. The war, along with dealing with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, forced Europe to prioritize defence and security over the climate crisis. 

    COP30

    Paradoxically, pausing climate action will likely undermine European security in the future. 

    For instance, 2025 saw temperature records breached multiple times across many European regions. Nearly one million hectares have burned in the EU so far this year, marking the region’s worst wildfire season on record, and scientists have warned EU lawmakers that this summer’s extreme weather events could impose at least 43 billion euros in short-term costs on the region’s economy. In 2024, record-breaking temperatures, droughts and flooding led to short term losses equivalent to 0.26% of the EU’s economic output in 2024.

    As the COP30 climate summit in Brazil approaches, the EU remains divided over its climate ambitions. Last month, European environment ministers adopted a vague declaration of intent on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. In the absence of an agreement, the EU did not present a consolidated emissions reduction plan to the United Nations before the given deadline. According to French newspaper Les Échos, negotiations on the EU’s 2035 climate target stalled after several countries, including France and Germany, pushed to discuss the 2040 objective at the upcoming European leaders’ summit at the end of October, an approach that disrupted ongoing talks on the 2035 target. 

    Ursula von der Leyen speaks at a debate at the European Parliament.
    President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Photo: European Parliament/Flickr.

    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen assured that the EU will have new climate targets by the COP30 summit. “How we reach these targets will be different. The world has changed. Global competition is fierce and not always fair. We need more flexibility, more pragmatism,” she said.

    Wins

    It is also important to note that the EU is still actively promoting the climate transition and some of its objectives are being reached. 

    For instance, the EU’s emissions trading system (EU ETS), a market mechanism that gives CO2 a price and creates incentives to reduce emissions in a cost-effective manner, has successfully reduced emissions in power generation and energy-intensive industries such as the production of iron. According to the European Parliament, between 2005 and 2023, the EU ETS helped reduce emissions from these sectors by 47%. 

    While setbacks and compromises persist, the EU’s fight against the adverse effects of climate change continues to evolve. Its challenge for the future will be to strategically maintain levels of progress in the climate and energy transition while mitigating continued geopolitical and economic constraints.

    Featured image: Aji Styawan/Climate Visuals.

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  • AI Data Center Forecast: From Scramble to Strategy

    AI Data Center Forecast: From Scramble to Strategy

    The data center construction boom has entered a new chapter. AI adoption is accelerating, and the floor of potential demand is rising, according to Bain’s latest global data center forecast through 2030.

    The early scramble of generative AI–driven demand is giving way to a more disciplined, selective, power-constrained, and execution-focused phase of growth. Hyperscaler tech companies are absorbing compute capacity, large enterprises are scaling up production-grade AI, and data center construction patterns are starting to form around clearer plans for continued growth and demand. Although the capacity growth rate isn’t certain—due to variability in AI adoption and developers shopping around for the best sites to build on—there are clear signs that momentum and growth will remain strong. Going forward, winners will be defined not by scale alone but by their ability to navigate complexity with precision.

    Our forecast combines bottom-up scenario modeling with insights from across our Energy & Natural Resources and Technology practices. The latest update reflects five sector trends that have defined the past 12 months.

    1. Inference is now the center of gravity. AI workload patterns are shifting, with greater emphasis on inference at scale alongside continued frontier model training. This shift is partly due to clear traction in enterprise AI use cases. Test-time compute is reshaping infrastructure strategy, economics, and architecture, with meaningful implications for data center colocation vs. self-build, silicon diversity, and power provisioning.
    2. The pace of new construction growth has begun to stabilize. The hyperscaler investment pullback many expected didn’t occur—their investments increased meaningfully in 2025 and are expected to grow in the coming years. That said, hyperscalers are focusing more on capital efficiency and getting more selective with new deployments, particularly for AI training.
    3. Growth is concentrated but globalizing. North America has the largest data center capacity, fueled by hyperscalers’ capital expenditures. Meanwhile, sovereign AI mandates and enterprise adoption are activating regional markets across the globe. Companies face decisions about which markets can serve different workloads; they’re seeking geographic flexibility as they align compute infrastructure with latency, data sovereignty, and energy sourcing considerations.
    4. Data centers are becoming larger but more flexible. Data center “mega-campuses” (those with power capacity of at least 1 gigawatt) will become standard for frontier model training, though it appears that a relatively limited set of these data centers in specific locations will suffice to serve global demand. Although average data center sizes are increasing, the more modest requirements of inference workloads are enabling smaller, distributed data center networks.

      Data centers are also being designed to accommodate flexibility between training and inference workloads, partly by implementing multiple cooling options. Operators are trying to avoid sunk assets amid increasing complexity. They’re also exploring distributed training, which may herald a change in training architecture.

    5. Power availability is the bottleneck. Even as GPU and construction constraints ease, power access is now the critical gatekeeper of growth. Behind-the-meter (BTM) power generation is shifting build decisions and timelines. So far, BTM projects are most common in the US and are relying mostly on independent gas power. Utilities, developers, and regulators face urgent coordination pressure, and we’re already seeing examples of utilities collaborating with data center operators to effectively plan for large load requests.

    The authors wish to thank Paul Bockwoldt and Fernando Valdes for their contributions to this analysis.

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