Hard Numbers
Hard Numbers: Study buddy, Worst use of AI, Lobby it, Office space
A photo of a student using a chatbot.
Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH via Reuters
4,700: The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received 4,700 reports of AI-generated images depicting child sexual exploitation last year. This highlights one of the most nefarious uses for generative AI, one that lawmakers and private companies are still grappling with.
185: The number of companies lobbying on AI-related policy issues increased by 185% between 2022 and 2023, according to OpenSecrets. More than 450 organizations lobbied on AI last year.
3.6 million: AI companies leased 3.6 million square feet in San Francisco in 2023. That represents a 46% increase in a single year, and the number could hit 12.5 million by 2030 if trends hold.
Ever since Donald Trump returned to office last year, governments have been hedging bets on the future of American power and what it might mean for them.
Microsoft is advancing its efforts to eliminate single-use plastics across its global packaging portfolio through material innovation and design changes across products like Surface and Xbox. By rethinking how packaging works—from cushioning to coatings and structural components—the company is reducing waste and demonstrating how design decisions at scale can deliver meaningful sustainability impact. Last week, Microsoft marked a key milestone in reducing single-use plastic in its packaging to just 0.07%, reflecting significant progress toward its broader commitment to become a zero-waste company by 2030. Read the full story here.
In this “ask ian,” Ian Bremmer says the United Arab Emirates’ decision to withdraw from OPEC reflects a broader erosion of trust in longstanding institutions amid growing regional instability.