Human Times

European Edition

23rd January 2026

THE HOT STORY

BNP Paribas plans ‌to cut around 1,200 asset management jobs

French lender BNP Paribas plans ‌to cut around 1,200 jobs at its asset management unit by the end of 2027. About ‌600 positions in France will be affected, said a union source, who added that about 230 ‌new local jobs would also ‍be ⁠created as part of the plan to cut costs following the bank's €5.1bn acquisition of AXA Investment Managers. The merger created Europe’s third-largest asset manager.

U.S. News & World Report

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STRATEGY

Tesla reaffirms job security at Berlin gigafactory amid reports of staff reductions

Tesla has said it has no intention of cutting jobs or production at its gigafactory near Berlin, countering a report suggesting a significant workforce reduction. The company maintained that "there has been no significant reduction in the number of permanent staff" and that the situation at the Gruenheide plant remains stable. Tesla described any fluctuations in staff numbers as "completely normal" during the factory's ramp-up phase.

Reuters

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Lloyds invests in AI training for all

Lloyds Banking Group is implementing AI training for its entire workforce of 67,000 employees as part of a multi-m investment. The initiative aims for all staff at the UK lender to complete the training by year-end, starting with a module on responsible AI use. Chief executive Charlie Nunn and the executive committee have already begun bespoke training. Lloyds aims for 100% AI literacy by 2026, and hopes it will enhance efficiency and customer service. The move coincides with branch closures and a push for a high-performance culture, which includes potential dismissals for underperforming staff.

The Daily Telegraph

Daily Mail

TECHNOLOGY

AI startup Humans& raises $480m in seed financing ‌round

AI startup Humans& has raised $480m in an outsized seed financing ‌round that Reuters says is indicative of the intense investor interest in next-generation AI labs as companies race to build systems that ‌go beyond chatbots and agentic tools. The seed round values the company, which was founded by former OpenAI, Alphabet and xAI researchers, at $4.48bn. Humans& is said to be working on human-centric ‍AI tools for communication and collaboration to launch early ‌this ‌year. "The model will coordinate with people, and other AIs where appropriate, in order to allow people to do more and to bring them together," CEO Eric Zelikman told Reuters.

Reuters

WORKFORCE

Rising poverty among Dutch workers

In 2024, 175,000 workers in the Netherlands lived in poverty, an increase of 26,000 from the previous year, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The rise is partly due to the end of coronavirus support measures. Freelancers are particularly affected, with 4.4% living in poverty, compared to 1.8% of self-employed with employees and 1.7% of employees. Long-term poverty is also more prevalent among freelancers. CBS noted that 63% of the working poor had less than four years of paid employment, and many lived alone or in single-parent households.

NL Times

HIRING

The great graduate job drought

Economic uncertainty and the arrival of artificial intelligence have brought a reduction in entry-level roles, with potentially disastrous consequences for young people, the Financial Times reports.

Financial Times

LEGAL

AI-related disputes 'are biggest emerging litigation risk'

According to the Shoosmiths Litigation Risk 2026 report, AI-related litigation risks have overtaken traditional concerns such as intellectual property and breach of contract as the most threatening emerging risk over the next three years. The report, based on feedback from 360 general counsel and senior in-house lawyers, reveals that over half expect an increase in AI litigation. Notably, 87% of respondents expressed concern over AI-related employment disputes and discrimination claims. Geopolitical factors also play a role, with 73% of firms believing state-sponsored cyber-attacks have heightened litigation risks. Alex Bishop, partner at Shoosmiths, said: “We’re in an era of global instability, and that is having a real impact across boardrooms.”

The Global Legal Post

CORPORATE

Leonardo chair clarifies comments on Fincantieri merger

Stefano Pontecorvo, chairman of Leonardo, has retracted his earlier remarks suggesting a potential merger with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, labelling them as a "light-hearted quip." In a statement, he clarified that his comments do not indicate any ongoing discussions or formal proposals related to a merger. Although both companies collaborate on multiple projects, past efforts for deeper integration have stalled due to differing business priorities and political challenges.

Reuters

ECONOMY

EU lawmakers stall US trade deal

The European Parliament is suspending its work on an EU-US trade deal that was reached between US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last July. Bernd Lange, the parliament's trade committee chair, said that Trump's tariff threat against European nations opposed to his demands to take ownership of Greenland had broken the deal.

France 24

Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

Lawyers are ‘endangered’ in Donald Trump’s America, international group warns

The Day of the Endangered Lawyer, an annual event every January 24 to raise awareness of risks to members of the profession, has chosen the US as its focus country for 2026. The group says the selection reflects serious concerns of escalating attacks against lawyers in 2025, including executive orders targeting law firms, harassment, political reprisals and discriminatory measures undermining the independence of the legal profession.

Day of the Endangered Lawyer

Financial Times

Japan's Rengo urges government to stabilise forex

Japan's seven million member-strong union umbrella group Rengo is urging the government to steer economic policy toward stabilising foreign exchange rates. "We believe that the yen's current depreciation is fuelling inflation through (higher) import costs," Rengo chief Tomoko Yoshino said, adding :"We'd like to call on the government to conduct macroeconomic management that stabilises prices and exchange rates." The group has set a target of 5% or more for the 2026 spring pay talks, which typically conclude in mid-March.

Reuters

OTHER

Wind and solar energy outpace fossil fuels in EU

For the first time, wind and solar power combined accounted for one-third of electricity generation in the European Union, surpassing fossil fuels, which constituted 29% of the total power supply. Nuclear energy supplied 20% of the region's electricity, according to the report by Ember.

Bloomberg

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