Welcome to ICYMI – a weekly snapshot of European news stories that have given me pause for thought. ICYMI is a chance for you to go beyond the front-page headlines and find out what other stories may be worthy of your attention. This week:
- Is super intelligence really ‘super’ for workers?
- Should governments cut red tape or cut corners?
- Why won’t Gen Z pick up the phone?
There can be no doubt – the break-neck speed of innovation in AI is moving faster than many of us ever imagined, with new breakthroughs being announced every few days.
Less than two months ago, Dario Amodei, the CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, raised a few eyebrows at Davos with his prediction that AI models could surpass human capabilities in almost all areas within 2-3 years.
AI has advanced so much since January, Amodei has revised his prediction.
Speaking to The Times, he believes that “super intelligence” could be much closer. Within the next year, AI could surpass the greatest minds and Nobel prize-winners in most fields.
What this means for society at large is unclear. In a world where machines could soon outthink humans and automate entire processes, what happens to workers whose roles become obsolete?
The Industrial Revolution offers some clues, but today’s world of work is vastly different from that of the 18th century. While that revolution unfolded over 70 years, Amodei believes the AI revolution will be much faster – and far more disruptive.
One of the first examples of this step-change is the creation of AI agents that don’t just automate tasks but complete them autonomously.
Anthropic’s Chief Product Officer, Mike Krieger, offers a more measured perspective, drawing on his experience co-founding Instagram nearly 15 years ago.
Speaking to the Times, he recalls how in the early days, most users spent around 15 minutes a day using the app, while some spent over an hour. Now, it’s not uncommon for people to spend more than two hours daily on social media. Yet, in many countries and industries, business leaders and regulators are still playing catch-up.
So, if that’s anything to go by, perhaps the human race has a little longer to adapt to AI-powered superintelligence than some industry experts may believe.
Cutting red tape or cutting corners? The battle between regulation and innovation
On both sides of the Atlantic, governments are looking for ways to boost economic growth by cutting red tape and tightening budgets.
In Europe, Deutsche Telekom CEO Timotheus Höttges is calling on the EU to cut red tape, inspired by Elon Musk’s controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Speaking at Mobile World Congress last week, Höttges argues that Europe’s strict regulations are slowing businesses down and making them less competitive.
He says Deutsche Telekom must deal with 270 different regulatory bodies, covering everything from cybersecurity to competition laws. In contrast, telcos operate with far fewer restrictions in the US, allowing them to grow bigger and innovate faster.
Meanwhile, in the UK, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is rumoured to be preparing deep spending cuts ahead of the Spring Budget on 26th March, after nearly £10 billion of expected government funds failed to materialise due to a worsening global economy.
Reeves’ push for spending cuts in the UK follows a similar logic: a leaner, more efficient government could help revive the economy. With inflation still high and borrowing costs rising, she is under pressure to find savings. Reducing welfare spending and streamlining public services is seen as one way to keep things running without raising taxes, but another “Austerity” budget is unlikely to be popular with the public.
While the US may benefit from a more flexible business environment, there’s plenty to be said in favour of regulation, which protects consumers and businesses from a “Wild West” of unethical and unsafe practices.
As is often the case, the key is finding the right balance. Smarter regulation – rather than less regulation – can help businesses thrive without sacrificing innovation and safety.
European telcos take on Starlink – but will Gen Z even pick up?
At Mobile World Congress last week one thing was clear: European telecom giants are stepping up with alternatives to America’s Starlink.
Deutsche Telekom is developing a satellite-based mobile network to provide coverage in remote areas without relying on existing satellite providers.
Meanwhile, Vodafone, in partnership with AST SpaceMobile, has made the first satellite video call using a regular smartphone – a step toward launching satellite broadband across Europe by late 2025.
This innovation isn’t just about convenience; it could be a lifeline for Ukraine. With the US scaling back its support for the war-torn country, Eutelsat is emerging as a potential alternative should Skylink terminate its support for Ukraine too. However, L’Express notes that challenges remain – bulkier equipment and higher costs could limit its impact.
But even if Europe builds a high-tech satellite network, will anyone actually use it?
According to MT/Sprout, Gen Z have “call anxiety”, with many young people in the Netherlands avoiding phone calls altogether. A study found that nearly two million Dutch employees would rather text than talk. So, before telcos start shooting for the stars, maybe they should first figure out how to get Gen Z to pick up the phone.
