Meta has introduced what it describes as the most capable open-weight AI model available in the United States, making a strategic bet on Apple’s Mac ecosystem. The release reflects the company’s ambition to strengthen its position in open AI while bringing advanced models into professional development and creative workflows.

A Powerful Model With High Hardware Requirements

Called Muse Spark Open, the model has 816 billion parameters and a context window of 1 million tokens. Meta said benchmark results published on Thursday show it outperforming other widely used open-weight systems across key evaluations.

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Natively multimodal, Muse Spark Open is designed for complex coding and agentic tasks, extending beyond conventional chatbot use. However, local deployment requires substantial computing power. According to Engadget, the model needs at least 1TB of RAM, with the best performance expected on a Mac Studio equipped with Apple’s M5 Ultra chip. These requirements may limit local use to developers and organisations with access to high-end hardware.

Built For Real-World Development

Meta has paired Muse Spark Open with Muse Code, its AI coding terminal, and tested it across agentic workflows. In one project, the model helped develop a Mastodon client, handling bug fixes, new features and the build process.

The company also deployed the model in DaVinci Resolve, the professional video-editing platform, where it reviewed and cropped footage. These examples demonstrate Meta’s aim to position open-weight AI as a tool for practical production work, from software development to creative tasks, rather than just research demonstrations.

The Strategic Case For Open-Weight AI

Open-weight models give developers and organisations greater flexibility to customise AI, integrate it into internal tools and build specialised workflows. Depending on deployment, they can also reduce costs and provide more control over infrastructure than relying entirely on proprietary services.

However, access to model weights does not eliminate the cost of running advanced AI. Muse Spark Open’s reported memory requirements could make API access a more practical option for many developers than local deployment.

Expanding Access Beyond Mac Hardware

Meta is making Muse Spark Open available through multiple API platforms, allowing developers to use the model without running it on their own machines. This broadens access beyond users with high-end Mac hardware while retaining the option of local deployment for those able to support it.

The release combines Meta’s push to strengthen its position in the open-weight AI ecosystem with a focus on professional users. Wider adoption will depend on the model’s performance, practical usefulness and the resources required to run it.

The euro area’s household saving rate slipped to 14.2% in the second quarter of 2026, down from 14.4% in the previous quarter, according to Eurostat.

Consumption Growth Outruns Income

In its first release of seasonally adjusted quarterly European sector accounts, the statistical office of the European Union said the decline reflected a simple imbalance: household consumption rose faster than gross disposable income.

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Consumer spending increased by 1.3% over the period, while gross disposable income advanced by a more modest 1.1%.

Household Investment Also Ticks Lower

The household investment rate across the single currency bloc eased to 8.3% from 8.4% in the second quarter of 2026.

Eurostat said the decline was driven by gross fixed capital formation rising just 0.5%, below the 1.1% increase in gross disposable income.

Corporate Profit Share Improves

By contrast, non-financial businesses in the euro area saw their profit share rise from 38.4% to 39.0% in the same quarter.

That increase came as compensation of employees, including wages and employers’ social contributions, along with taxes less subsidies on production, grew by 1.0%, trailing the 2.0% expansion in gross value added.

Business Investment Strengthens

The euro area’s business investment rate also moved higher, rising from 22.5% to 22.7% in the second quarter of 2026.

Eurostat said the gain was supported by business gross fixed capital formation increasing by 2.9%, outpacing the 2.0% rise in gross value added.

Historical Peaks Reflect Unusual Import Effects

The agency added that earlier historical peaks recorded in the second quarter of 2019, the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020 were linked to large imports of intellectual property products, reflecting broader globalisation effects.

Expense management startup Ramp has raised $1.85 billion in a new funding round, valuing the company at $60 billion. The investment comes just four months after Ramp secured $750 million at a $44 billion valuation, marking a sharp increase in its market value.

Revenue And Customer Numbers Continue To Grow

The round was co-led by Dragoneer Investment Group, Thrive Capital, Founders Fund, Sands Capital and Avenir Growth. Ramp said its annualised revenue has surpassed $2 billion, up from $1.5 billion in June, with its growth rate 25% faster than at the same point last year.

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The company now processes more than $275 billion in annualised purchase volume, up 175% year on year. Its customer base has also grown to 85,000, compared with 70,000 in June. Clients include Visa, Uber, Shopify, Robinhood, Anduril, Notion, Cursor and Figma.

From Expense Management To AI-Powered Finance

Ramp has expanded beyond expense management into payments, fraud detection, procurement, vendor management and accounting, positioning itself as a broader financial operations platform.

Artificial intelligence is becoming a central part of that strategy. Ramp has integrated AI agents across procurement, expense management, accounting and budgeting, and recently introduced a corporate credit card designed for AI agents. In August, it entered the model-routing market to help customers manage AI inference costs, token usage and spending.

Earlier this month, the company also launched Glass, a workspace that stores employees’ AI automations, prompts and skills so they can be reused across an organisation.

Investors Back Ramp’s Broader Ambitions

“In just a few years, Ramp has become a much broader financial operations platform, with AI deeply embedded in how the company builds and operates. We believe Ramp is well on its way to becoming one of the defining companies of this era,” said Christian Jensen, a partner at Dragoneer, in a statement.

Other investors participating in the round include Capital International, Fidelity Management & Research Company, T. Rowe Price, D1 Capital Partners, Greenoaks, ICONIQ, GIC, 8VC, 1789 Capital, Alpha Wave Global, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, Coatue, D.E. Shaw, Definition Capital, FirstMark, General Catalyst, Generation Investment Management, Glade Brook Capital Partners, Khosla Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Pinegrove Opportunity Partners, Soma Capital and Stripes.

The latest round brings Ramp’s total funding to approximately $5 billion.

Competition Extends Into AI Spending

Ramp’s expanding product range is bringing it into closer competition with Rippling, the HR and payroll software company that has also entered corporate cards, expense management and bill payments. Both are competing for finance-team budgets and a broader role in managing enterprise workflows.

Keith Rabois, an early Ramp investor through Founders Fund and Khosla Ventures, said last month that the company’s ambitions extend beyond this rivalry.

“Ramp is not worried about Rippling,” Rabois said. “We’re going to compete with Anthropic. That’s the goal. I want to be larger and more successful and more important than Anthropic. Ramp is going to be the primary way people manage their token spend, how they optimize it, how they measure ROI, and that will lead us to collide probably with Anthropic in many ways.”

His comments reflect Ramp’s broader ambition to help companies manage not only traditional business expenses but also the costs and returns of AI adoption.

Google has launched Universal Cart, a new shopping tool that lets U.S. users collect and track products across Search and the Gemini app. First previewed at Google I/O in May, the feature is now rolling out as part of the company’s broader effort to make online shopping more seamless and more intelligent.

A Central Hub For Digital Shopping

The premise is straightforward: find an item, save it, and come back to it later without having to restart the search. Universal Cart is designed to store products from multiple retailers in one place, giving shoppers a central view of items they may want to buy and the progress they have made toward purchasing them.

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For consumers, that means less friction. For Google, it is another step toward owning more of the shopping journey, from discovery to checkout.

Keeping Shoppers Ahead Of Price Changes

Google says the cart will do more than simply hold saved products. It can also alert users when prices drop or when products that were previously out of stock become available again.

That matters in an increasingly competitive e-commerce environment, where timing can determine whether a sale is won or lost. By tracking availability and promotions automatically, Google is positioning Universal Cart as a practical tool for deal-conscious shoppers.

Checkout Gets A More Personalized Layer

The company is also building more tailored assistance into the checkout process. Google says Universal Cart can take credit card perks into account when helping users choose how to pay, while also surfacing relevant promo codes.

Behind the scenes, checkout is tied to Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol, or UCP, an open standard introduced earlier this year. The protocol is intended to help AI agents and retailers work together across the shopping journey, including at the point of payment.

Part Of A Broader AI Commerce Strategy

Universal Cart fits into a wider push by Google to embed AI more deeply into shopping. The company has already rolled out conversational product discovery in Search’s AI Mode and introduced Let Google Call, an AI-powered feature that can contact nearby stores to check whether an item is in stock.

The strategy is clear: make Google useful not just for answering questions, but for completing transactions.

Competition Is Moving Fast

Google is far from alone in this race. Amazon, OpenAI and other major players are adding agentic commerce features as they look for ways to make chatbots more practical and more commercially valuable.

As the market shifts, the companies that can reduce friction between discovery and checkout may be the ones that shape the next phase of e-commerce.

Cyber threats are becoming harder to separate from wider risks facing businesses, their leaders and employees. A European Commission-backed survey cited by Euronews found that three in four employees had encountered suspicious emails, messages or links at work. Nearly four in 10 reported phishing attempts or redirection to fake websites designed to steal data or gain unauthorised access. Others had encountered attempts to obtain personal information, deploy malware or steal passwords.

For businesses, however, digital attacks are only part of a much broader security challenge. Organisations must increasingly prepare for threats that span online activity, internal misconduct and physical harm.

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Beyond Cybercrime: A Wider Threat Landscape

Companies, executives and employees face risks from organised criminal groups, hostile state actors, insiders and individual attackers. While some threats involve ransomware, stolen credentials or data breaches, others can escalate into stalking, harassment, kidnapping or violence against senior leaders and their families.

This convergence of digital and physical risks is forcing businesses to rethink security as a broader strategic responsibility rather than a function focused primarily on IT systems.

Insider Threats Carry A Growing Cost

Current and former employees can pose significant risks when they misuse privileged access, steal data or sabotage systems. According to a Ponemon Institute report cited in the original article, the average total cost of insider threat incidents rose by approximately 135% between 2018 and 2025.

North America recorded the highest average annual cost in 2025, at $24 million, while Europe followed at $18.6 million. These figures highlight the financial consequences of internal security failures, which can undermine business continuity, damage reputations and affect earnings.

Executives And Their Families Face Greater Exposure

Security concerns are also becoming more personal. The 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the United States demonstrated how grievances can escalate into violence against corporate leaders. Europe has experienced similar concerns, including the attempted kidnapping of the daughter of French cryptocurrency executive Pierre Noizat last year.

A survey by the International Security Management Association (ISMA) found that more than half of chief security officers reported that their organisations’ senior executives or family members received up to nine direct threats of harm each year through online, telephone, written or other channels.

Public records, social media and AI-enabled research can make it easier for attackers to gather sensitive information without sophisticated intelligence networks. Family members’ online activity may reveal personal details, while publicly available data can be combined to build a more complete picture of an executive’s life. One study cited in the original article found that home addresses were publicly discoverable in 94% of executive vulnerability assessments.

Economic Uncertainty And Political Division Add To Risk

Traditional threat models are struggling to account for an environment in which the path from grievance to action can be difficult to predict. Economic pressures and political anger can converge, with businesses and their leaders becoming visible targets for wider frustration.

In a survey of more than 2,300 security chiefs across 31 countries, Allied Universal found that 44% expected economic instability to be the leading security hazard in the year ahead. Political polarisation adds another layer of uncertainty: a 2024 Littler report found that 86% of European employers faced at least some difficulty managing divisive political beliefs in the workplace, up from 75% a year earlier.

Corporate announcements, restructuring decisions and executives’ public positions can all become flashpoints in a tense environment.

Threat Assessment Must Become A Boardroom Priority

Responding to these risks requires more than perimeter security. Companies need to identify potential triggers that could provoke strong reactions, from profit warnings and workforce reductions to decisions to halt research funding or public statements on political issues.

Mapping these pressure points requires cooperation between boards and security teams. Rather than treating threat assessment as a purely operational task, organisations need to anticipate how business decisions may affect their exposure and how quickly a situation could escalate.

AI Is Becoming Part Of The Security Response

Artificial intelligence can help security teams identify patterns and respond more quickly. Potential applications include CCTV object recognition, facial recognition, social media monitoring, weapon detection and predictive analysis.

Technology alone, however, cannot address the full range of risks. Cybersecurity remains essential, but it must form part of a broader framework covering insider threats, executive protection, physical security and political volatility.

As Europe marks cybersecurity month, the challenge for business leaders is to recognise how closely these risks are connected. Security is no longer simply a back-office function; it is an increasingly important part of corporate resilience and strategic decision-making.

ISMA, the International Security Management Association, is a global membership organisation for senior chief security officers at multinational companies. Founded in 1983, it has approximately 375 members, including executives from 25 companies in the FTSE 100, DAX and CAC 40, as well as a majority of Fortune 100 companies and 25% of the Fortune 500. Its members include security leaders from MetLife, S&P Global, Sky, Four Seasons, Unilever and Novo Nordisk.Cyber threats are becoming harder to separate from wider risks facing businesses, their leaders and employees. A European Commission-backed survey cited by Euronews found that three in four employees had encountered suspicious emails, messages or links at work. Nearly four in 10 reported phishing attempts or redirection to fake websites designed to steal data or gain unauthorised access. Others had encountered attempts to obtain personal information, deploy malware or steal passwords.

For businesses, however, digital attacks are only part of a much broader security challenge. Organisations must increasingly prepare for threats that span online activity, internal misconduct and physical harm.

Beyond Cybercrime: A Wider Threat Landscape

Companies, executives and employees face risks from organised criminal groups, hostile state actors, insiders and individual attackers. While some threats involve ransomware, stolen credentials or data breaches, others can escalate into stalking, harassment, kidnapping or violence against senior leaders and their families.

This convergence of digital and physical risks is forcing businesses to rethink security as a broader strategic responsibility rather than a function focused primarily on IT systems.

Insider Threats Carry A Growing Cost

Current and former employees can pose significant risks when they misuse privileged access, steal data or sabotage systems. According to a Ponemon Institute report cited in the original article, the average total cost of insider threat incidents rose by approximately 135% between 2018 and 2025.

North America recorded the highest average annual cost in 2025, at $24 million, while Europe followed at $18.6 million. These figures highlight the financial consequences of internal security failures, which can undermine business continuity, damage reputations and affect earnings.

Executives And Their Families Face Greater Exposure

Security concerns are also becoming more personal. The 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the United States demonstrated how grievances can escalate into violence against corporate leaders. Europe has experienced similar concerns, including the attempted kidnapping of the daughter of French cryptocurrency executive Pierre Noizat last year.

A survey by the International Security Management Association (ISMA) found that more than half of chief security officers reported that their organisations’ senior executives or family members received up to nine direct threats of harm each year through online, telephone, written or other channels.

Public records, social media and AI-enabled research can make it easier for attackers to gather sensitive information without sophisticated intelligence networks. Family members’ online activity may reveal personal details, while publicly available data can be combined to build a more complete picture of an executive’s life. One study cited in the original article found that home addresses were publicly discoverable in 94% of executive vulnerability assessments.

Economic Uncertainty And Political Division Add To Risk

Traditional threat models are struggling to account for an environment in which the path from grievance to action can be difficult to predict. Economic pressures and political anger can converge, with businesses and their leaders becoming visible targets for wider frustration.

In a survey of more than 2,300 security chiefs across 31 countries, Allied Universal found that 44% expected economic instability to be the leading security hazard in the year ahead. Political polarisation adds another layer of uncertainty: a 2024 Littler report found that 86% of European employers faced at least some difficulty managing divisive political beliefs in the workplace, up from 75% a year earlier.

Corporate announcements, restructuring decisions and executives’ public positions can all become flashpoints in a tense environment.

Threat Assessment Must Become A Boardroom Priority

Responding to these risks requires more than perimeter security. Companies need to identify potential triggers that could provoke strong reactions, from profit warnings and workforce reductions to decisions to halt research funding or public statements on political issues.

Mapping these pressure points requires cooperation between boards and security teams. Rather than treating threat assessment as a purely operational task, organisations need to anticipate how business decisions may affect their exposure and how quickly a situation could escalate.

AI Is Becoming Part Of The Security Response

Artificial intelligence can help security teams identify patterns and respond more quickly. Potential applications include CCTV object recognition, facial recognition, social media monitoring, weapon detection and predictive analysis.

Technology alone, however, cannot address the full range of risks. Cybersecurity remains essential, but it must form part of a broader framework covering insider threats, executive protection, physical security and political volatility.

As Europe marks cybersecurity month, the challenge for business leaders is to recognise how closely these risks are connected. Security is no longer simply a back-office function; it is an increasingly important part of corporate resilience and strategic decision-making.

ISMA, the International Security Management Association, is a global membership organisation for senior chief security officers at multinational companies. Founded in 1983, it has approximately 375 members, including executives from 25 companies in the FTSE 100, DAX and CAC 40, as well as a majority of Fortune 100 companies and 25% of the Fortune 500. Its members include security leaders from MetLife, S&P Global, Sky, Four Seasons, Unilever and Novo Nordisk.

Norway is reconsidering one of the world’s strictest ethical investment frameworks as war in Europe and rising nuclear tensions reshape the debate over national security and responsible investing.

A government-appointed commission has recommended revising the rules governing the country’s nearly €2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, potentially allowing it to invest again in major Western defence companies previously excluded because of their involvement in nuclear weapons production.

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A Policy Shift With Global Market Implications

The proposed changes could make companies including Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Safran eligible for investment again.

Former central bank governor Svein Gjedrem chaired the commission, which presented its 434-page review on Thursday after the government ordered a reassessment of the fund’s ethical framework last November. Under current rules, 14 companies are excluded because they develop or manufacture nuclear weapons or their components.

What The Commission Recommended

An exemption would allow investments in nuclear weapons manufacturers based in countries recognised as nuclear-weapon states under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, provided those countries are also Norway’s NATO allies. The change would bring several British, French and American defence contractors back within the fund’s investment scope.

“This means that several British, French and American arms manufacturers will be brought back into the fund,” Gjedrem said when presenting the report.

Other restrictions would remain unchanged, including exclusions linked to biological and chemical weapons, landmines, cluster munitions, coal, tobacco and cannabis.

Balancing Ethical Standards And National Security

Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, a former NATO secretary general, received the report and has acknowledged the tension between the fund’s ethical restrictions and Norway’s security interests.

Stoltenberg highlighted “the paradox” of excluding companies that could be important to the country’s own defence at a time when Russia is increasingly threatening nuclear escalation and China continues to expand its nuclear arsenal.

Across Europe, rising defence spending is prompting governments to reconsider long-standing assumptions about responsible investment and the role of the defence industry in national security.

Changes To Ethical Oversight

Beyond investment eligibility, the commission recommended restructuring the role of the Council on Ethics, the independent body that advises Norges Bank, which manages the fund.

Under the proposal, the council would continue assessing whether companies pose a serious risk of violating ethical standards, but it would no longer be able to recommend portfolio exclusions directly. That power has already been suspended during the review.

The proposed arrangement would shift more authority into the broader policy process, reducing the council’s influence over the fund’s investment decisions.

Political Opposition And Next Steps

Public consultation on the recommendations will run until January 15, with the government expected to present its position to parliament next spring. Opposition is already emerging from parties on the left, with one Green Party official describing the proposal as “utterly senseless”.

Balancing Norway’s established ethical investment principles with growing concerns about defence and national security will be a key challenge for the government.

The implications extend well beyond Norway. With investments in more than 7,000 companies worldwide and ownership of approximately 1.5% of all listed shares globally, the sovereign wealth fund has significant influence across international markets.

Bank of Cyprus has extended the tenure of Group Chief Executive Panicos Nicolaou until December 31, 2031, following decisions by the boards of Bank of Cyprus Holdings and Bank of Cyprus at their respective meetings on Wednesday.

Leadership Continuity At A Critical Juncture

According to the company’s announcement, Nicolaou will sign an amendment to his existing employment contract, formally extending his appointment through the end of 2031. The decision reflects the group’s preference for leadership continuity as it seeks to maintain its strategic direction in a competitive and highly regulated banking environment.

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The latest extension builds on a previous decision made in November 2024, when the boards prolonged Nicolaou’s tenure until December 31, 2028. Under the new agreement, his term has been extended by a further three years beyond that date, providing a longer-term leadership horizon for the group.

A Tenure Marked By Stability And Oversight

Nicolaou has served as Group Chief Executive since September 2019, overseeing the bank through a period that has required consistent strategic execution and steady leadership. The extension signals the boards’ continued confidence in his management and the bank’s current strategic direction.

In their announcement, the boards also expressed appreciation for Nicolaou’s contribution during his time in office and wished him continued success in the extended term.

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) is urging Cypriot small and medium-sized enterprises, startups and innovation-led businesses to take a closer look at a funding channel that remains underused by many firms: Cascade Funding, also known as Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP).

Through this mechanism, organisations participating in European Union-funded projects can open calls that extend financial support, services and infrastructure access to companies and stakeholders that were not part of the original consortium. For smaller firms, the model offers a practical route into European programmes without the administrative burden of joining a large EU project from the outset.

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A Practical Route Into European Innovation Funding

In a circular to its members, Keve said the mechanism is designed to widen participation in European funding and make support more accessible to SMEs and startups working in technology, innovation and the green transition.

According to the chamber, the opportunities are particularly relevant for businesses developing, testing, demonstrating or commercialising new products, services and technologies. Depending on the specific call, assistance may include direct grants, pilot deployments, access to technological infrastructure, mentoring, business development support and, in some cases, international networking.

Opportunities Across Multiple Sectors

Keve said it had compiled an indicative table of selected Cascade Funding calls that were open as of September 4, 2026, and could be relevant to Cypriot businesses. The chamber noted that the list was not exhaustive.

The available opportunities span a broad range of sectors, including culture and creative industries, advanced manufacturing and raw materials, agri-food, the circular economy, cybersecurity, transport, robotics, women’s entrepreneurship, deep tech, social action and rights.

For each opportunity, the chamber’s table includes a short programme summary, the relevant application link, the thematic area covered, the categories of eligible applicants and the deadline for submission.

Why The Mechanism Matters

Keve stressed that requirements differ from one call to another, including the level of co-financing expected from applicants. That flexibility can be an advantage for smaller companies, but it also means businesses must review each opportunity carefully to determine whether it aligns with their capabilities and growth plans.

The chamber said the initiative is intended to help Cypriot companies navigate the crowded European funding landscape more efficiently and identify opportunities at an earlier stage.

Monthly Updates For Interested Companies

Keve is also inviting companies to register their interest in receiving a monthly update on Cascade Funding and other European funding mechanisms and programmes. The update is designed to help businesses spot relevant opportunities early, particularly those aligned with investment priorities, innovation road maps and expansion plans.

Companies can register their interest through the chamber’s short form here: Keve registration form.

The push comes at a time when European programmes continue to offer SMEs and startups a pathway to develop and test new technologies, products and services without having to participate directly in the wider EU-funded projects that sit behind the calls.

Health and safety have long been central to working life, but as workplaces evolve, so do the risks. Some of the most damaging threats are increasingly difficult to see, with mental health emerging as a growing concern for employers across Europe.

Mental Health Is A Growing Workplace Concern

Staff shortages, ageing populations and heavier workloads are adding to pressure on employees, making poor mental health both a human and an economic challenge. William Cockburn, executive director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), told Euronews that reluctance to discuss mental health remains a major barrier to action.

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“Whether we’re asking employers or workers, they identify a reluctance to speak openly about mental health issues as the … main obstacle to actually taking action,” he said. EU-OSHA reports that 45% of workers face risks to their mental health at work, underlining why psychological well-being needs to be treated as a workplace priority rather than solely an individual or HR concern.

The Economic Cost Of Psychosocial Risks

Long working hours, intense workloads and emotionally demanding tasks can all contribute to poor mental health. Around 44% of workers report severe time pressure or overload, while the European Trade Union Institute estimates that work-related depression costs the EU more than €100 billion annually, accounting for absenteeism, reduced productivity and wider healthcare and social costs. For employers, these risks can affect performance, staff retention and business continuity.

Why Prevention Matters

Despite growing awareness, stigma and reluctance to speak openly continue to slow progress. Mental health is often treated as a private issue, even when workplace conditions, management practices and organisational culture contribute to the problem. Cockburn argues that psychological risks should be managed in the same way as physical hazards.

“Mental health issues need to be addressed like physical health issues at work,” he said. This approach starts with identifying risks and changing working conditions to reduce harm. These risks can include excessive hours, poor workplace relationships, bullying, harassment and, in more serious cases, violence or threats.

Workers Must Have A Say

Esther Lynch, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), says prevention must focus on working conditions rather than placing responsibility solely on individuals experiencing distress.

“We don’t wait until people have a finger chopped off before we put guardrails in place,” she said. “We do a risk assessment and say what’s the risk associated with the way this work is carried out and then we put the guardrails in place.”

The same principle applies to mental health, yet EU-OSHA says only 45% of employees are consulted about stressful aspects of their jobs. Cockburn noted that worker participation is both a legal requirement under European law and an important factor in making workplace interventions effective.

EU Launches New Healthy Workplaces Campaign

The European Commission has launched its Healthy Workplaces campaign to help employers prevent, assess and manage psychosocial risks, while encouraging more open discussion of mental health at work. Roxana Mînzatu, executive vice-president for social rights and jobs, said investment in healthier workplaces benefits employees, businesses and public services.

“When we invest in building and keeping healthy working environments, we improve not only people’s well-being, we reduce sick leave and staff turnover; we improve performance, and we don’t put pressure on our health systems,” she said at the launch. “It’s a win-win for everyone.”

The message for employers is clear: protecting mental health is not just a matter of employee well-being. It is also essential to productivity, retention and the long-term resilience of Europe’s workforce.

Rather than spreading resources across the entire economy, the government is prioritising the public sector and five industries where Cyprus already has strong capabilities: financial services, healthcare, tourism, legal services and shipping.

“Our new AI Strategy sets out the capabilities we need and the conditions under which we pursue that ambition,” Damianou said, highlighting the importance of building on existing institutional strengths.

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He identified education and human capital, alongside entrepreneurship and innovation, as the two foundations needed to support the strategy.

Turning AI Policy Into Practical Results

Following public consultation earlier this year, Cyprus’s national AI strategy set out objectives covering responsible AI use, public-sector modernisation, data and infrastructure, skills development, and cooperation between government, industry and research institutions.

The plan includes 16 flagship AI programmes through 2032, alongside initiatives to encourage adoption across government and strengthen workforce skills. The next challenge is implementation: translating policy into tools, systems and services that deliver tangible benefits for businesses and citizens.

That will require investment in reliable data access, computing capacity and secure infrastructure, as well as support to help smaller businesses adopt AI alongside larger enterprises.

Rethinking The Relationship Between Citizens And The State

The summit also explored AI’s broader impact on public services and governance. Damianou joined futurist Matthew Griffin, Mohamed Rashid Bin Taliah, George Tziortzis and Michalis Sophocleous for a panel on how AI is reshaping the relationship between citizens and the state.

For the government, progress will ultimately depend on whether the technology improves everyday life, rather than on strategy documents alone.

“Our task as Government is to make AI work for Cyprus, increasing productivity, strengthening the resilience of our economy and institutions, and serving our citizens better,” Damianou said.