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Cyprus Public Sector Employment Increases 1.8% In 2025

Total employment in the broad public sector in Cyprus reached 78,124 in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to data released by Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat). The figure includes employees in general government, local authorities, non-profit organizations and government-controlled enterprises.

Robust Growth In General Government Employment

Employment in the general government reached 73,006 in the fourth quarter of 2025. This category includes central government institutions, non-profit organizations and local authorities. Government employment totaled 55,215 individuals. Non-profit organizations accounted for 11,566 employees, while local authorities employed 6,225 people.

Sustained Annual Increases

For the full year 2025, employment in the broad public sector averaged 76,726. This represents an increase of 1,373 employees compared with 2024, equivalent to a 1.8% rise. Employment in general government increased by 1,684 people during the year. This corresponds to a 2.4% increase compared with 2024.

Contrasting Trends In Publicly Owned Enterprises

Employment in government-controlled companies and enterprises declined during the year. These entities recorded 311 fewer employees compared with 2024, representing a decrease of 5.8%. However, employment in these organizations increased during the fourth quarter alone. The sector recorded an increase of 152 employees, equivalent to 3.1%.

Local Authority Acceleration

Employment in local authorities increased by 585 employees compared with the same quarter in 2024. This corresponds to a rise of 10.4%. District local government organizations accounted for most of the increase. Employment in these bodies rose by 427 employees, representing an increase of 48.4%.

Strategic Implications

These figures illuminate ongoing trends in Cyprus’ public sector, where strategic adjustments in staffing not only influence service delivery but also reflect broader governmental responses to evolving economic and social imperatives. Stakeholders across the public and private sectors will be closely monitoring these developments as they assess the long-term implications for policy and public administration efficiency.

Meta’s Muse Is Outpacing ChatGPT In Early Mobile Adoption, New Data Suggests

Meta’s new AI app, Muse, may be emerging as one of the company’s strongest consumer launches to date. Fresh estimates from market intelligence firm Apptopia suggest the app has outperformed ChatGPT in early mobile traction, at least in the U.S. and Canada.

According to Apptopia, Muse recorded more downloads in its first 12 days on the market than ChatGPT did during the comparable period after its mobile debut. The comparison, limited to the U.S. and Canada, puts Muse’s iOS downloads at 1.8 million versus 1.3 million for ChatGPT over the same initial window.

A Strong Early Start Across Platforms

In total, Muse has reached 2.8 million global installs in its first 12 days, according to the firm. The app’s momentum also appears to be holding. After debuting at No. 2 on the U.S. App Store, Muse has since climbed to No. 1, surpassing ChatGPT, according to reporting from Business Insider. Appfigures had previously estimated that Muse crossed 1 million downloads shortly after launch.

That early rise matters because app-store performance in the first days after launch often signals whether a product can sustain consumer attention beyond initial curiosity. In Meta’s case, the data suggests Muse is not simply benefiting from novelty; it is gaining ground quickly enough to challenge the category leader.

Daily Users Show Similar Momentum

Apptopia’s estimates point to another favorable comparison for Meta: daily usage. In the U.S. alone, Muse is said to have 642,000 daily active users, well above the 231,000 ChatGPT had at the same stage of its mobile rollout.

To make the comparison fairer, Apptopia also narrowed the analysis to iOS only, since ChatGPT launched on iPhone before expanding more broadly. Even under that tighter lens, Muse still comes out ahead, with 359,000 daily active users on iOS compared with ChatGPT’s earlier figure.

Why Meta Has An Advantage

Third-party estimates are not the same as internal company data, and Apptopia cannot see Meta’s proprietary numbers. Still, even directional data suggests Muse may be on track to become a meaningful consumer product for Meta.

That possibility is strengthened by Meta’s distribution advantage. The company has already demonstrated how powerful its ecosystem can be with Threads, which surpassed 500 million users after heavy promotion across Instagram and Facebook. Muse is likely to receive a similar boost, especially because it can connect across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Apptopia does not track Meta’s internal promotion strategy, but its data indicates that more than 95% of Muse users are also Facebook users, while 63% are Instagram users. That overlap underscores how effectively Meta can move users across its products when it chooses to prioritize a launch.

The Strategic Test For Meta

For Meta, the early signal from Muse is less about one app’s download count than about whether the company can turn its scale into durable AI adoption. The first test is attention. The harder one is retention.

If Muse can convert early downloads into habitual use, Meta may have found a new front door into its AI ambitions. If not, the app risks becoming another example of how easily mobile hype can spike before settling back down.

Meta, which was asked for comment, has not yet released public figures on Muse’s early adoption.

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