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Artificial Intelligence

U.S. Spending Contraction, AI Boom, Tariff Shock

U.S. Spending Contraction, AI Boom, Tariff Shock

1. Consumer‑Spending Dynamics U.S. retail‑sales growth for September 2025 contracted 1.1 % YoY (inflation‑adjusted) and the average basket size fell 2 % YoY among small‑business merchants (Fiserv Small‑Business Index). Early‑season shopping is now front‑loaded: 65 % of adults plan to start holiday purchases before

Global AI Governance Moves Toward Unified Standards, Boosting Compliance and Productivity

Global AI Governance Moves Toward Unified Standards, Boosting Compliance and Productivity

Regulatory Convergence and Market Realignment We observe a unified trajectory across the United States, Europe and Asia‑Pacific toward enforceable AI‑governance frameworks. Mandatory transparency disclosures, model‑risk assessments and data‑quality standards now appear in the U.S. AI Action Plan, California SB 243, the pending EU AI Act