Category: 3. Business

  • Meta ad tools ‘potent instruments’ for scammers

    New reporting shows Meta is profiting from billions in revenue generated by scam advertising on Facebook and Instagram.


    Cristobal Cheyre, assistant professor of information science, studies the effects of behaviorally targeted advertising on user behavior and well-being.

    Cheyre says:

    “Reuters’ investigation exposes a dark facet of behaviorally targeted advertising. Meta’s ad tools – engineered to maximize engagement – have also become potent instruments for scammers, enabling them to identify and repeatedly target vulnerable users with precision. The volume of fraudulent ads uncovered is staggering, yet it likely represents only the visible tip of a much larger ecosystem of deceptive, exploitative advertising sustained by behavioral targeting.

    “Beyond the numbers lies an even greater, largely unmeasured story of consumer loss. If scammers are spending billions each year on Meta’s platforms, they must be earning several times that amount – pure consumer losses that go uncounted.

    “Meta’s response underscores a deeper failure of incentives: it bans only the most flagrant offenders while allowing others under suspicion to remain active, so long as they pay higher ad rates. This structure perversely rewards the most profitable scams – and ensures the platform takes a larger share of their proceeds.

    “The findings call for a clearer understanding of the consumer losses caused by misleading and fraudulent ads – and for new accountability mechanisms that go beyond penalizing ill-gotten profits to hold platforms liable for the financial harms they enable by giving scammers access to user data and powerful targeting tools.”

    Cornell University has dedicated television and audio studios available for media interviews.

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  • OpenAI does not 'want government guarantees' for massive AI data center buildout, CEO Altman says – Reuters

    1. OpenAI does not ‘want government guarantees’ for massive AI data center buildout, CEO Altman says  Reuters
    2. Is AI Too Big To Fail? OpenAI’s Finance Chief May Have Said the Quiet Part Out Loud.  Barron’s
    3. Sam Altman says he doesn’t want the government to bail out OpenAI if it fails  Yahoo Finance
    4. White House AI Czar Rules Out Federal Bailout for the Sector  US News Money
    5. OpenAI walks back comments about government support for its AI spending  MarketWatch

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  • Peloton recalls more than 800,000 US exercise bikes over faulty seat post | US news

    Peloton recalls more than 800,000 US exercise bikes over faulty seat post | US news

    The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Thursday that Peloton Interactive is recalling about 833,000 units of its Original Bike+ Model PL02 after reports that the seat post assembly could break during use, posing a risk of falls and injuries.

    The consumer safety regulator said the fitness products maker has received three reports of the seat post breaking and detaching during use, including two incidents that resulted in injuries from falls.

    Consumers have been urged to stop using the recalled bikes immediately and contact Peloton for a free repair. The company is offering customers a replacement seat post that can be self-installed.

    The recall follows a 2023 voluntary pullback of more than 2 million of Peloton’s original model bikes, which were recalled over a similar seat post issue.

    The company’s shares, down 18.1% so far this year, dropped 6.5% in New York on Thursday.

    Peloton has been cutting costs and reducing headcount under a turnaround effort, while raising prices for its products to help offset higher expenses tied to Donald Trump’s tariffs.

    In August, the company said it would reduce its global workforce by 6% and warned that the latest tariffs were expected to dent its 2026 free cash flow by about $65m.

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  • Investment Managers Turn to AI for Competitive Advantage and Efficiencies | Insights

    This article, featuring partners Howard Glazer and Melissa Bender and director of technology innovation Sergey Polak, was originally published in Corporate Counsel on October 29, 2025.

    It’s no secret that Al is a transformative technology that is beginning to reshape industries. Investment management is no exception, and a recent collaborative survey by Corporate Counsel and Ropes & Gray is bringing to light the priorities, drivers, concerns, and progress of Al adoption for investment managers.

    Most striking about the survey data may be the speed of adoption, with nearly 75% of in-house counsel surveyed saying they are using Al in their organizations’ operations, and the rest reporting early-stage pilots or exploration of Al initiatives.

    It’s also something Ropes & Gray’s attorneys are seeing firsthand, with a laser-like focus on the technology, “Al is fundamentally transforming the business landscape, creating new opportunities and challenges for investment managers, private equity firms, asset managers and public companies,” said Howard Glazer, partner and head of Ropes & Gray’s private equity transactions practice.

    However, investment managers face concerns and barriers when considering the use of Al. According to the survey results, security of the tools and product indecision are top of the list. To allay these, clients can leverage Ropes & Gray’s experience. When clients are unable to invest time and money vetting and configuring software tools, Ropes & Gray can advise them.

    ‘There are an overwhelming number of tools and products available,” said Melissa Bender, a Ropes & Gray asset management partner and co-head of the firm’s private funds practice. “We help clients both understand what these Al software tools can and cannot do and evaluate which tools best meet their needs. In some cases, clients may choose not to license software tools themselves but will instead look to Ropes & Gray for implementation.”

    “We’re able to use these tools in the most effective ways to help them,” said Sergey Polak, director of technology innovation at Ropes & Gray. “We advise our clients in considering both the technical risks and the legal risks. On the technical side, we do very detailed due diligence on these tools.”

    As is true across Ropes & Gray, the firm’s asset management attorneys and the technology team often work hand-in-hand assisting clients. “Our cross-practice teams deliver deep expertise across every angle of Al use, risk assessment, tool evaluation, and investment, helping clients leverage Al for their own competitive advantage,” said Glazer.

    Enhancing operational efficiency, strengthening compliance and risk functions, and staying competitive with peers are leading reasons in-house counsel cited as primary motivations to implement Al.

    In the heavily regulated asset management sector clients need to ensure that their compliance policies are current as they implement these tools, Bender said. “But the tools themselves can also help clients meet their regulatory compliance obligations.”

    Ropes & Gray’s private funds regulatory team recently used an Al tool to build a database of SEC exam requests and is building a similar database for disclosure documents. The disclosure database will allow clients to compare their disclosure documents across several products to ensure they are consistent and that what they are doing is best-in-class, she said.

    Clients are very interested in what their peer firms are doing, particularly in terms of their fund agreements and broader market terms. Historically, that data could be pulled, but it was a manual process often involving significant time and expense. By using Al, Ropes & Gray and its clients can very quickly access benchmarking information, Bender said.

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  • Societe Generale sees strong catalysts for reshoring in 2026. These names could benefit

    Societe Generale sees strong catalysts for reshoring in 2026. These names could benefit

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  • US layoffs for October surge to two-decade high, Challenger data shows – Reuters

    1. US layoffs for October surge to two-decade high, Challenger data shows  Reuters
    2. October Challenger Report: 153,074 Job Cuts on Cost-Cutting & AI  Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
    3. Jerome Powell and the Fed Have New Bearish Jobs Data to Mull  CoinDesk
    4. A Wave of US Layoffs Flash Early Warning Sign for Job Market  Bloomberg.com
    5. CNBC’s Joe Kernen Offers Positive Spin to Layoffs Hitting 20-Year High Under Trump: ‘We’re on Our Way Back Up!’  Yahoo Finance

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  • Business leaders urge Rachel Reeves to use budget to push pension funds into UK investment | Budget 2025

    Business leaders urge Rachel Reeves to use budget to push pension funds into UK investment | Budget 2025

    More than 250 British company bosses have urged Rachel Reeves to use her budget to make UK pension schemes channel extra funds into domestic businesses, increasing private investment by as much as £95bn.

    In a letter to the chancellor, business leaders said the government must address a crisis in which pension investment in UK-listed companies has fallen from 53% of total equity holdings in 1997 to 4% this year.

    The signatories, including major pharmaceutical, financial services and health firms, said that to reverse decades of investment overseas, Labour should tell pension fund managers they must invest at least 25% of their equity holdings in UK shares.

    Reeves is expected to announce a string of initiatives to boost investment in her 26 November budget.

    The chancellor has already championed the Sterling 20 initiative and Mansion House accord to coordinate backing for local and national infrastructure projects.

    Under the Mansion House accord, fund managers including Aviva, Legal & General, and M&G agreed to invest at least 10% of their workplace pension assets in private markets by 2030.

    However, the letter, coordinated by the London Stock Exchange Group and signed by the bosses of Revolut, JD Sports and Barclays, calls on Reeves to go further.

    It said all defined contribution (DC) pension schemes, used by most employers and holding about £200bn in assets, should be required to change their rules.

    “We urge you to be bold,” the authors wrote, adding that the chancellor could make pension fund managers include a minimum 25% allocation to UK assets part of every default fund, forcing savers to opt out if they rejected the plan.

    “This policy would set the default level of UK domestic pension investment closer to that of international competitors,” the letter said. “Doing so would provide businesses with access to deeper and more reliable sources of capital in the UK.

    “By 2030 overall investment in UK equities by DC pensions would increase by around £76bn from current levels in today’s money (or +230%) and potentially as much as £95bn,” the letter added.

    Reeves would easily secure support for the rule change from the public, they said.

    “Taking action would be in line with the perceptions of the British public. A recent poll commissioned by New Financial found that the public believes 41% of their pension is invested in UK companies or the UK stock market – 10 times the current level of investment.

    “Moreover, 72% support government action to encourage more domestic investment through their pension schemes.”

    Individuals could opt out of the plan by requesting their pension savings be diverted from the default fund, the letter said.

    The latest investment figures show it may prove a popular option as individual investors seek high returns on their assets.

    Investors spent £10.5bn on offshore bonds in the 12 months to the end of June, up from £5.1bn the previous year, according to data reviewed by the Financial Times.

    Financial advisers blamed fears of higher capital gains tax for wealthier individuals channelling funds via Ireland, Luxembourg and the Isle of Man into tax-efficient bonds.

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  • Hyundai Motor Company President and CEO José Muñoz Shares Strategic Vision for 2026 at 2025 Leaders Talk

    • Hyundai Motor CEO José Muñoz emphasized resilience, adaptability, and cross-functional alignment as key strengths to confidently lead future mobility.
    • Muñoz shared his strategic vision for the company, encouraging direct and open communication between employees
    • The CEO pointed to expanded partnerships as key drivers of mobility innovation
    • He also reflected on his first year as CEO and called for proactive leadership to ensure long-term growth beyond 2030
    • He was joined by executive vice presidents responsible for global operations, electrification, and HR, who participated in a panel discussion with employees.


    S
    EOUL, November 6, 2025 – Hyundai Motor Company President and CEO José Muñoz met with employees around the world to share the company’s strategic direction for 2026, reinforcing Hyundai Motor’s commitment to agility, innovation, and sustainable growth.

    CEO Message: Building Confidence for the Future

    Hyundai Motor Company President and CEO José Muñoz met with employees around the world during the 2025 Leaders Talk, the company’s global town hall-style meeting, to share Hyundai’s strategic direction for 2026 and reinforce its commitment to agility, innovation, and sustainable growth.

    The event was held at Hyundai Motor’s Gangnam office in Seoul, with 200 employees attending in person and many others joining via live stream.

    “As I reflect on my first year as CEO, I’m grateful for the dedication and resilience of our global team. The automotive industry is transforming faster than ever, but I’ve never been more confident in our ability to navigate what’s ahead. Our success in 2025 proved that adapting is truly part of our DNA. We achieved outstanding results while managing complexity. Looking toward 2026 and beyond, our strength lies in the quality and safety of our products, the flexibility of our strategy across powertrains and markets, and most importantly, the talent and commitment of our people. The partnerships we’re building, along with our manufacturing investments and product innovation, position us to lead the future of mobility.”

    As announced during its CEO Investor Day in September, Hyundai Motor aims to achieve 5.55 million global vehicle sales by 2030. Building on this momentum, electrified vehicles are expected to account for 60 percent of total sales, reaching 3.3 million units, with significant growth anticipated in North America, Europe, and Korea.

    To support this goal, the company will expand its hybrid lineup to more than 18 models by 2030, including the introduction of Genesis hybrid models starting in 2026.

    The company’s Genesis luxury brand, celebrating its 10th anniversary, has grown into a top 10 global premium brand, surpassing 1 million units in cumulative sales and expanding into over 20 markets. Genesis will launch the GV60 Magma, its first high-performance model, and introduce EREV and hybrid vehicles to accelerate electrification. The brand aims to reach 350,000 annual sales by 2030, strengthening its presence in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Korea, China, and emerging markets.

    Hyundai Motor’s strategic partnerships are also driving innovation. Since launching sales on Amazon, dealer traffic has increased by over 41 percent. Collaborations with Waymo and GM are progressing, with real-world testing and co-development of five vehicle models underway. Robotics initiatives are expanding the boundaries of mobility.

    Executive Perspectives: Supporting the Vision

    Yeong Ho Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Operations Division, addressed the growing competitiveness of Chinese automakers in global markets.

    “Hyundai Motor is responding to new competitors with differentiated service experiences, strategic financial partnerships, and a strengthened eco-friendly powertrain portfolio. Our ability to align cross-functional strategies is key to maintaining our leadership.”

    Chang Hwan Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Electrification Energy Solutions Tech Unit, shared Hyundai Motor’s electrification roadmap.

    “Hyundai Motor has built one of the most diverse electrification portfolios in the industry. From HEVs to EREVs and FCEVs, we’re developing technologies that maximize customer value, safety, and performance. Our upcoming EREV system will offer over 600 miles of range with breakthrough battery efficiency.”

    Hae In Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of HR Division, emphasized the importance of employee growth in a rapidly changing environment.

    “In the age of AI, deep and broad expertise is essential. We’re investing in global HRD frameworks like H-SENSE and career solution maps to help employees expand their capabilities. At Hyundai, growth through work—particularly on global and cross-functional projects—offers a distinctive opportunity, as the company’s success is intrinsically linked to the growth of its people.”

    Closing Remarks: From Vision to Everyday Values

    Closing the Leaders Talk, President Muñoz encouraged employees to embrace change and prepare for long-term growth:

    “Our Executive Chair’s ‘Progress for Humanity’ vision is a commitment to make mobility safer, more sustainable, and more accessible for everyone. That starts with how we treat each other, how we serve our customers, and how we show up in our communities every day.”

     

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    About Hyundai Motor Company
    Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity,’ Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of a sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero-emission vehicles with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies.

    More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at: https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/ or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai

     

    Contact:

    Jihyun Park
    Global PR / Hyundai Motor Company
    pjh85@hyundai.com

    Trevor Hale
    PR & Communications / Hyundai Motor Company
    THALE@HMAUSA.COM

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  • EssilorLuxottica expands its myopia management platform with Essilor Stellest 2.0 lenses, smart glasses and an innovative pre-myopia solution

    Paris, France (6 November 2025) – EssilorLuxottica today announced the evolution of its Essilor Stellest platform at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. Building on the Group’s forty-five years of research and innovation in myopia management, the enhanced Essilor Stellest portfolio reinforces EssilorLuxottica’s commitment to addressing the needs of the 740 million children worldwide projected to suffer from myopia by 20501 through innovative, clinically proven solutions.

    The new Essilor Stellest 2.0 lenses deliver significantly higher efficacy in slowing the axial elongation of the eye that causes myopic vision. A recent study2 shows that the new design further supports effective myopia management, by generating a stronger optical signal, delivering double the mean optical power3. Drawing on the success of Essilor Stellest lens – the first-ever FDA-market authorized spectacle lens clinically proven to slow down myopia progression in children4 –, Essilor Stellest 2.0 lenses are currently available in Greater China, with expansion to other key markets planned from 20265.

    Recognizing the critical role of delaying myopia onset in long-term management, Essilor Stellest plano pair lenses is moving toward early intervention by introducing clinically validated solutions for children at risk of developing myopia. Clinical research shows that postponing myopia onset by just one year can offer benefits comparable to over two years of slowed progression6,7. One of the world’s first randomized, controlled, independent trials on plano lenses for delaying myopia onset6 found that children aged 6–12 at risk of myopia who wore Essilor Stellest plano pair lenses for more than 30 hours per week experienced slower axial elongation. This innovation marks a major step from myopia management toward evidence-based prevention. Essilor Stellest plano pair lenses are available in Greater China5.

    At CIIE, EssilorLuxottica also showcased for the first time the Essilor Stellest Smartglasses, expanding its smart technologies to the Essilor Stellest brand. Equipped with Essilor Stellest lenses, the glasses track wearing time and patterns, provide behavioral insights and help respect wearing compliance, critical to the efficiency in myopia management. Essilor Stellest Smartglasses will be available in Mainland China starting Q1 2026.

    “At the forefront of med-tech innovation, we are transforming myopia management with our Essilor Stellest platform. By combining advanced lens technology with smart features, we enable early intervention, promote healthy wearing habits, and accelerate progress in slowing myopia progression in children. Our purpose is clear: turning evidence into action and technology into empowerment. By working closely with industry partners and advancing evidence-based innovation, we aim to deliver even more groundbreaking solutions, reinforcing our commitment to advancing eye health for the next generation,” said Francesco Milleri, Chairman and CEO, and Paul du Saillant, Deputy CEO of EssilorLuxottica.

    Notes:
    1. Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA, et al. Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(5):1036-1042. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.01.006.

    2. Based on 12-month results from a prospective, randomized, double-masked contralateral crossover clinical trial conducted in Singapore on 50 children. EssilorLuxottica data on file (2025).

    3. Twice the power refers to two (or more) times the depth of volume of non-focused light (by design) compared to that of Essilor Stellest lenses—and is not associated with a doubling of lens power, lenslet power, or efficacy.

    4. Compared to single vision lenses. Results from a prospective, randomized, double-masked, multicenter U.S. clinical trial in myopic children aged 6–12 years at initiation of treatment.

    5. Essilor Stellest 2.0 and Essilor Stellest plano pair (for pre-myopia) are not currently available in the U.S.

    6. Zhang Z, Zeng L, Gu D, et al. Spectacle Lenses With Highly Aspherical Lenslets for Slowing Axial Elongation and Refractive Change in Low-Hyperopic Chinese Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Ophthalmol 2025; 269: 60–68 Click here to view the study.

    7. Bullimore MA, Brennan NA. Myopia: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2023 Jan;43(1):116-121. doi: 10.1111/opo.13058. Epub 2022 Oct 5. PMID: 36197452.

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  • US stock market values tumble amid reports of high layoffs and hiring freezes | Stock markets

    US stock market values tumble amid reports of high layoffs and hiring freezes | Stock markets

    Fears that the US economy is slowing, with firms shedding jobs and imposing hiring freezes, sent Wall Street tumbling on Thursday.

    The S&P 500 index of leading firms was down 1% as investors also highlighted concerns about the potential for a slump in the value of businesses that have benefited from huge investments in artificial intelligence. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 1.5%.

    A report showed that last month was the worst October for US layoffs since 2003, which grabbed the attention of investors in the absence of official data delayed by the federal government shutdown.

    Companies cut jobs and imposed hiring freezes, according to the global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

    Chris Beauchamp, the chief market analyst at the trading platform IG.com, said: “The lack of US data and the ongoing government shutdown is making investors nervous.”

    US markets have been rattled by a review of Donald Trump’s tariffs by the supreme court, which could result in the US president being forced to abandon his flagship policy.

    A lack of official data has also forced the Federal Reserve to judge the state of the US economy with only a fraction of the information it would usually sift before judging the level of interest rates.

    Beauchamp said the Fed and financial markets had found themselves “groping around in the dark” after the suspension of inflation and employment data.

    Speaking on CNBC, the Fed board member Austan Goolsbee said the lack of official data on inflation during the government shutdown accentuated his caution about cutting interest rates further.

    “I lean more to the, when it’s foggy, let’s just be a little careful and slow down,” he said.

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    The survey by Challenger, Gray & Christmas found that employers announced 153,074 job cuts last month, compared with 55,597 in October 2024. It said US firms announced the termination of 1.09m roles during the first 10 months of this year, up 44% from the 761,358 cuts in 2024. Technology businesses led private-sector layoffs, it added.

    The FTSE 100 fell 41 points or 0.4%. European stocks also fell. The Stoxx Europe 600 closed 0.7% lower, with tech stocks suffering the heaviest losses, and the Dax in Germany fell 1.3%.

    Beauchamp said: “If the supreme court rolls back some of the tariffs then inflationary worries will subside to an extent, though this is a topic that will not come to fruition for weeks.”

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