Top AI & Tech News (Through January 25th)

Hello AI Citizens! What a start to the year we’ve had already!

❓ Question for the Week

If AI is reshaping jobs, infrastructure, and growth at a global scale, are leaders preparing people fast enough or just talking about it?

At Davos this year, AI wasn’t framed as a future technology. It was framed as an economic force already in motion.

🔍 This Week’s Big Idea: AI as an Economic Shockwave

This week’s World Economic Forum in Davos put AI at the center of global economic discussions. From IMF warnings about an AI-driven jobs “tsunami” to debates on energy, data centers, and national competitiveness, AI was treated less like innovation and more like macroeconomic infrastructure.

The message was consistent: AI will boost productivity, but unevenly. Some jobs will be enhanced, others transformed, and many entry-level roles may disappear. For Chief AI Officers, the challenge is managing its economic impact on workforces, cost structures, and long-term stability.

How CAIOs should respond:
Treat AI deployment as an economic design decision, not just a technical one. Align AI strategy with workforce planning, reskilling, and productivity gains so value creation doesn’t come at the cost of organizational resilience.

⭐ This Week’s Recommendation

Map your AI initiatives against your job architecture.
Identify which roles are being enhanced, which are at risk of erosion, and where new skills are required. Then ask leadership: are we investing as much in people as we are in models?

⚠️ Closing Question to Sit With

If AI is already reshaping the global economy faster than institutions can adapt, will your organization lead that transition—or be disrupted by it?

Here are the stories for the week:

• IMF Warns of an AI “Tsunami” Hitting the Global Jobs Market

• South Korea’s AI Basic Act Sets a New Global Standard for AI Governance

• OpenAI and Gates Foundation Launch $50M AI Initiative for Primary Healthcare in Africa

• AI Talent Swings Back to OpenAI as Thinking Machines Loses Co-Founders

• Blue Origin Plans Massive Satellite Network to Power AI and Enterprise Connectivity

• Apple Is Reportedly Developing an AI Wearable Pin

IMF Warns of an AI “Tsunami” Hitting the Global Jobs Market

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned that artificial intelligence could hit the global jobs market like a “tsunami.” According to IMF research, 60% of jobs in advanced economies and 40% of jobs globally will be affected by AI—either enhanced, transformed, or eliminated.

While some workers are already seeing higher pay from AI-enhanced roles, Georgieva cautioned that entry-level jobs are most at risk, making it harder for young people to enter the workforce. She also warned that workers whose jobs are not boosted by AI could see wages fall, putting pressure on the middle class. Source: The Guardian / World Economic Forum

💡 Why it matters (for the P&L):
AI-driven productivity gains will not be evenly distributed. Companies that invest early in reskilling can unlock higher output and wages, while those that don’t risk talent shortages, higher turnover, and social backlash that can slow adoption and growth.

💡 What to do this week:
Review which roles in your organization are entry-level or task-heavy. Identify one role that could be augmented—not replaced—by AI, and pair automation with training so productivity gains translate into workforce stability.

South Korea’s AI Basic Act Sets a New Global Standard for AI Governance

South Korea has introduced the AI Basic Act, a landmark law that creates a full national framework for artificial intelligence. Passed in January 2025 and coming into force in January 2026, the Act balances AI innovation with safety, ethics, and public trust—making South Korea one of the first countries to regulate AI comprehensively.

Unlike purely restrictive regulations, the AI Basic Act combines innovation and guardrails. It supports startups, talent development, and AI research while also setting expectations around safety, transparency, and accountability. The law consolidates 19 separate AI-related bills into one clear framework. Source: ROK AI Basic Act Explorer / Future of Life Institute

💡 Why it matters (for the P&L):
Clear AI rules reduce uncertainty for businesses. Companies operating in or with South Korea gain a predictable environment for AI investment, faster commercialization, and lower compliance risk—while building trust with customers and regulators.

💡 What to do this week:
If you operate globally, add South Korea’s AI Basic Act to your regulatory watchlist. Identify whether your AI systems, data practices, or partnerships may fall under its scope and brief leadership on how innovation-friendly regulation is evolving worldwide.

OpenAI and Gates Foundation Launch $50M AI Initiative for Primary Healthcare in Africa

OpenAI and the Gates Foundation have launched Horizon 1000, a new initiative aimed at strengthening primary healthcare across Africa using AI. The program commits $50 million in funding, technology, and technical support to help reach 1,000 primary healthcare clinics by 2028, starting in Rwanda.

The goal is to help frontline health workers use AI to navigate clinical guidelines, reduce administrative work, and deliver more consistent care. The initiative responds to major challenges in the region, including a severe shortage of healthcare workers and uneven access to quality care. Source: OpenAI announcement

💡 Why it matters (for the P&L):
This initiative shows how AI can scale essential services in resource-constrained environments. For organizations, it highlights a growing opportunity to deploy AI where impact is high, costs are lower, and long-term value comes from system-wide efficiency, workforce support, and public trust.

💡 What to do this week:
If you operate in healthcare, development, or public-sector innovation, identify one high-friction clinical or administrative task where AI could support workers rather than replace them. Pilot solutions that prioritize usability, safety, and measurable impact on time and care quality.

AI Talent Swings Back to OpenAI as Thinking Machines Loses Co-Founders

Thinking Machines Lab, the AI startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, is seeing major leadership changes. Two of its co-founders—including former CTO Barret Zoph—are leaving the company and returning to OpenAI, along with another senior researcher. Murati announced a new CTO appointment but did not address the other departures directly.

The exits are notable given the startup’s scale and visibility. Thinking Machines raised a $2 billion seed round in 2025 and was valued at $12 billion, with backing from major investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Nvidia, and AMD. Losing multiple co-founders less than a year after launch raises questions about team stability and long-term direction. Source: TechCrunch

💡 Why it matters (for the P&L):
In AI, talent concentration is a competitive moat. Leadership churn can slow execution, delay product roadmaps, and impact investor confidence—while incumbents like OpenAI strengthen their advantage by pulling experienced builders back into the core.

💡 What to do this week:
Review your AI talent retention and succession plans. Identify critical roles where knowledge concentration is high and ensure incentives, documentation, and leadership depth are in place to reduce disruption if key people leave.

Blue Origin Plans Massive Satellite Network to Power AI and Enterprise Connectivity

Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has announced plans for TeraWave, a new satellite megaconstellation designed to deliver ultra-high-speed data connectivity worldwide. The network will include 5,400+ satellites across low-Earth and medium-Earth orbit, offering data speeds of up to 6 terabits per second.

Unlike consumer-focused services like Starlink, TeraWave is aimed at enterprise, data center, and government customers that need reliable, always-on connectivity for critical operations. Blue Origin says the system will support real-time data movement, backup connectivity during outages, and global scalability. Deployment is expected to begin in 2027. Source: Ars Technica

💡 Why it matters (for the P&L):
As AI workloads explode, connectivity is becoming a bottleneck. High-bandwidth, resilient satellite networks could unlock new AI use cases, reduce downtime costs, and support data-hungry operations—from AI data centers to defense and logistics—creating new infrastructure-driven revenue streams.

💡 What to do this week:
If your AI strategy depends on always-on, high-volume data flows, assess where terrestrial networks may fall short. Flag satellite connectivity and hybrid infrastructure as part of your long-term resilience and AI scaling roadmap.

Apple Is Reportedly Developing an AI Wearable Pin

Apple is reportedly working on an AI-powered wearable, according to The Information. The device is said to be a small pin worn on clothing, equipped with two cameras and three microphones, designed to support AI-driven interactions without a screen.

If released, the device could arrive as early as 2027, with Apple reportedly targeting a large initial launch. The move comes as competition heats up in AI hardware, following reports that OpenAI is also preparing its first AI device. However, consumer demand remains uncertain—earlier AI pins from startups like Humane failed to gain traction. Source: TechCrunch

💡 Why it matters (for the P&L):
AI wearables could create a new hardware category that drives recurring services revenue and deeper ecosystem lock-in. But failed past launches show that poor UX or unclear value can quickly turn expensive bets into write-offs.

💡 What to do this week:
If you’re exploring AI hardware or ambient computing, pressure-test the core user value. Ask what problem the device solves better than a phone—and whether users will trust it in public, always-on settings.

About The AI Citizen Hub - by World AI X

This isn’t just another AI newsletter; it’s an evolving journey into the future. When you subscribe, you're not simply receiving the best weekly dose of AI and tech news, trends, and breakthroughs—you're stepping into a living, breathing entity that grows with every edition. Each week, The AI Citizen evolves, pushing the boundaries of what a newsletter can be, with the ultimate goal of becoming an AI Citizen itself in our visionary World AI Nation.

By subscribing, you’re not just staying informed—you’re joining a movement. Leaders from all sectors are coming together to secure their place in the future. This is your chance to be part of that future, where the next era of leadership and innovation is being shaped.

Join us, and don’t just watch the future unfold—help create it.

For advertising inquiries, feedback, or suggestions, please reach out to us at [email protected].