Human Times

North American Edition

12th June 2026

THE HOT STORY

Amazon founder says AI will bring 'golden ages' not mass job losses

Jeff Bezos has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) company, Prometheus, with former Google executive Vik Bajaj, aiming to develop an “artificial general engineer” capable of designing and manufacturing complex products such as jet engines. The business, valued at approximately $41bn and backed by $12bn from investors including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and BlackRock, plans to use AI to improve productivity across the engineering process. Mr Bezos argued that AI will ultimately create a labor shortage rather than mass unemployment, saying productivity gains will generate more opportunities than the jobs displaced. He added that AI is ushering in “a multitude of golden ages” and described the current environment as “the best time to start a company.”

Bloomberg

Financial Times

Wall Street Journal

TECHNOLOGY

The skills people still perform better than AI

Many workers fear machines will supplant them as adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates - but some workplace experts say well-honed soft skills such as empathy, critical thinking and ethical decision-making will help employees become indispensible as more businesses adopt AI tools. “The skills that are most resistant to displacement by AI are the ones that are the most distinctly human,” observes Maria Flynn, president and CEO of Jobs for the Future, a nonprofit focused on workforce development. “Some of those things are relationship building, conflict resolution, the ability to guide and motivate other people and ethical judgment.”

ABC News

KPMG report contained AI hallucinations on benefits of . . . AI

A report from KPMG on how AI is being used by businesses exaggerated adoption of the technology with bogus case studies that appear to have been based on AI hallucinations.

Financial Times

CYBERSECURITY

Microsoft restricts Claude Fable for employees

Microsoft is limiting employees' use of Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 because of the AI startup's new data retention requirements. All other Claude models are still available internally at Microsoft, because they operate under Zero Data Retention (ZDR) rules. It is not yet clear whether Microsoft's legal teams will clear Claude Fable 5 for internal use, The Verge reports.

The Verge

LEGAL

Italian unit of U.S. firm probed over alleged worker abuse

A Milan court judge has upheld a decision to place the Italian unit of U.S. builder Caddell Construction under ‌judicial control, as it faces a probe into alleged worker abuse at the Italian city's new U.S. consulate site. The judge said that, based on available evidence, the Italian arm of ⁠the U.S. firm had recruited workers in India through an intermediary and put them to work "on exhausting shifts, underpaid, without safety protections and under the constant threat of dismissal." Reuters observes that the judge's ruling is the latest indication of a broader crackdown on labor exploitation over the past three years.

Reuters

WORKFORCE

Jobless claims edge higher as labor market remains resilient

Initial claims for U.S. unemployment benefits increased modestly by 4,000 to 229,000 in the seven days to June 6th, signaling continued labor market resilience despite signs of softer hiring activity. The latest figure from the Labor Department exceeded economists’ expectations of 219,000 claims, although seasonal factors related to school summer breaks may have contributed to the increase. The report follows three consecutive months of solid job growth and an unemployment rate that has held steady at 4.3%. However, signs of labor market cooling remain evident, with the four-week moving average of claims up 4,350 to 219,000, and continuing unemployment claims rising 24,000 to 1.795m, while the number of people unemployed for 27 weeks or longer reached its highest level since December 2021.

Social Security trust fund depletion forecast moved forward to 2032

Social Security’s retirement trust fund is now projected to be depleted by late 2032, one year earlier than previously forecast, according to the program’s trustees. The revised outlook reflects lower expected revenue following tax changes that reduced taxes on Social Security benefits for many retirees, as well as longer-term demographic pressures including lower fertility rates and reduced immigration. If Congress does not act before the fund’s reserves are exhausted, retirement benefits would face an automatic 22% reduction beginning in late 2032, as incoming payroll tax revenue would cover only part of promised payments. The combined retirement and disability trust funds are projected to become insolvent in 2034, at which point benefits would need to be reduced unless additional funding measures are implemented. The worsening outlook highlights the financial strain caused by an aging population, with growing numbers of retirees drawing benefits and fewer workers contributing payroll taxes.

Wall Street Journal

CORPORATE

Baker Tilly to acquire Anchin and relocate HQ to NYC

Baker Tilly has agreed to acquire Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP, significantly expanding its presence in New York and establishing New York City as the firm's new headquarters. Financial terms were not disclosed, and the transaction is expected to close later this summer. Founded in 1923, Anchin employs approximately 600 professionals across offices in New York, Florida, and India, and serves privately held businesses, investment funds, and high-net-worth clients with expertise in sectors including real estate, financial services, consumer products, professional services, and construction-related industries. The acquisition strengthens Baker Tilly’s position in the middle market, expands its footprint in key growth markets such as South Florida, and enhances its capabilities across major financial and business centers. Following completion of the deal, Russell Shinsky, Anchin’s managing partner, will become Baker Tilly’s New York managing principal, leading the firm’s growth strategy in the region.

Bloomberg

Accounting Today

City Biz

International Accounting Bulletin

INTERNATIONAL

More white-collar workers in Singapore seek union help

In Singapore, more white-collar workers are seeking assistance from unions following job losses. The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) reported a 5% increase in retrenchment cases for professionals, managers, and executives (PMEs) in 2025, totalling over 3,900 cases. Factors include offshoring and the impact of artificial intelligence on job roles. NTUC's assistant secretary-general, Patrick Tay, noted that many PMEs are unaware of their rights to union representation during retrenchments. The organization is advocating for stronger protections and greater awareness among workers about union membership benefits.

Business Times SG

Finnish court jails businessman for trafficking Thai workers

A Finnish court has sentenced Jukka Kristo, the former chief executive of berry company Polarica, to 2½ years in prison for trafficking Thai workers to pick fruit. The Lapland District Court found Kristo guilty on 78 counts of human trafficking, observing that he misled workers about earnings and conditions. His associate, Kalyakorn Phongphit, received a nine-month sentence. Due to high travel and daily living costs, the workers were in debt to the company when they arrived in Finland in 2022 and “ended up with hardly any income” despite working long days without any days off, the court ruling said. The defendants plan to appeal.

Straits Times

UN official lauds Thai jobs for Myanmar refugees

Over 5,500 Myanmar refugees have secured employment in Thailand since the easing of local employment restrictions last year, according to Raouf Mazou, UNHCR assistant high commissioner for operations. The policy shift, prompted by a decline in global humanitarian funding and labor shortages, allows around 80,000 refugees to work legally, marking a significant change for a population hitherto reliant on aid for decades. Mazou said: "If it works here, it will have an impact on the region," as he highlighted the potential for Thailand's approach to serve as a model for other Southeast Asian countries facing similar challenges. The initiative includes legal protections, healthcare, and minimum wage for refugees, who are also receiving identity cards to facilitate their integration into the economy. Despite such advancements, refugees still encounter obstacles such as movement restrictions and adapting to life outside of aid dependency.

U.S. News

OTHER

PepsiCo deploys large-scale driverless delivery fleet with Gatik

PepsiCo has become the first major U.S. consumer goods company to operate autonomous trucks at scale on public roads, with 41 driverless Gatik-equipped trucks running in Arizona, Texas and Arkansas to transport products between factories, warehouses and retailers including Walmart and Dollar General. The fleet began fully driverless operations in June 2025 after several years of testing and has recorded no public-road accidents to date. The autonomous trucks, manufactured by Isuzu and equipped with cameras, radar and lidar systems, are being used primarily on short, repetitive routes where they can achieve high levels of reliability. PepsiCo said the vehicles have delivered a 99% on-time performance rate and are helping address driver shortages while improving supply chain efficiency.

Wall Street Journal

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