Industry

• New York City voters will cast ballots this Tuesday in a House primary that has become a proxy war between the AI industry and safety advocacy groups. • The conflict centers on candidates like Bores, who proposed the RAISE (Responsible AI Safety and Education) Act to mandate that AI firms disclose safety protocols and report incidents. • Tech-backed organizations are opposing such candidates, arguing that strict regulations will stifle innovation and limit the potential benefits of artificial intelligence.

• The global M&A industry is shifting toward a trend of fewer but significantly larger "supersized" deals as artificial intelligence disrupts traditional dealmaking playbooks. • AI-enabled data rooms and platforms are now being used to analyze massive document volumes, identify potential risks, and accelerate the due diligence process. • Leading corporate development and private equity teams are leveraging AI to synthesize critical financial, operational, and commercial data on potential acquisition targets.

• The Munich Industry Days will return with a specific focus on the five Nordic countries, featuring the fifth edition of the CineCoPro Conference from June 30 to July 2. • The event will host 25 emerging producers from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden to foster regional partnerships and professional growth. • This iteration marks the launch of First Cut+ Munich, a new initiative designed to support and integrate fresh talent into the industry.

Davis, who discovered many of the defining musicians of the 20th century and helmed major record labels, said he ‘never’ tired of the music businessThe famed US music industry executive and record producer Clive Davis has died aged 94, his family has confirmed.He had recently been hospitalised with respiratory problems and was recovering at home. Continue reading...

• The C2C (Country to Country) Festival is scheduled to take place from March 12-14. • The event will be hosted across three major United Kingdom cities: London, Glasgow, and Manchester. • This festival serves as a key gathering for the country music industry, bringing together artists and fans.

Peter Murrell affair may feature, but contest seen as straight fight between SNP and Tories over energy policyThe contest for Aberdeen South, a constituency that spans urban social housing and detached homes with sculpted gardens, has been dominated by one topic: the future of North Sea oil and gas.The drama gripping the Labour party at Westminster and Andy Burham’s nascent leadership pitch in Makerfield barely affects this byelection, which also takes place on Thursday. The vote is touted as a straight fight between the Scottish National party and the Conservatives, and one in which energy policy dominates. Continue reading...

• G7 leaders concluded their summit on Wednesday, shifting their final discussions toward the contentious future of artificial intelligence and the United States' dominance in the sector. • Previous sessions on Tuesday focused heavily on the Russia-Ukraine war and a tentative agreement to end the conflict with Iran. • President Donald Trump indicated that a formal deal with Iran is expected to be signed this Friday at a resort on Switzerland’s Lake Lucerne, though specific details remain undisclosed.

• 'Peaky Blinders' writer Steven Knight testified before the UK parliament’s Culture, Media, and Sports Committee on June 16th regarding the financial state of the domestic film industry. • Knight expressed support for a proposed "streamer levy," which would require US-based streaming giants to provide financial contributions to support UK production. • The proposal aims to address funding gaps in the local industry by leveraging the massive profits generated by global platforms operating within the UK.

• Philips CEO Roy Jakobs appeared on ‘Varney & Co.’ to discuss how AI integration is improving patient care and mitigating critical staffing shortages for clinicians. • Regulators issued a recall for nearly 13,000 toddler tower stools across three different brands following reports of collapsing and tipping that caused dozens of injuries. • Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers detailed the implications of the Trump administration's decision to reclassify state-licensed medical cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3.

Keir Starmer ready to overrule Ed Miliband after warnings that manufacturers would be penalised and jobs put at riskThe UK government is poised to water down its 2030 targets for electric vehicle sales after intense lobbying by the car industry and unions.The government is preparing to consult on less ambitious targets for the transition to fully battery-powered electric cars over the rest of the decade after carmakers and unions warned that they would penalise manufacturers and put jobs at risk. Continue reading...

• Vertical "1-minute dramas" are rapidly transforming the global video industry, moving beyond a niche pastime for youth to a mainstream entertainment format. • The global market for these mini-dramas, which typically feature episodes of 10 minutes or less, is estimated to reach approximately $11 billion by 2025. • Chinese platforms like Hongguo Short Drama are leading the trend with specialized genres including "Urban Hot-Blooded," "Sweet Pet Romance," and "Xuanhuan Xianxia."

• Industry experts expressed strong optimism regarding the future of AI startups in India during a June 2026 announcement in Bengaluru. • The growth is driven by an accelerating demand for automation, operational efficiency, and data-driven insights across various business sectors. • This trend signifies a strategic shift in the Indian economy as companies integrate artificial intelligence to maintain competitiveness and scale operations.

• European payments industry leaders convened in London on June 10, 2026, to discuss the evolving landscape of financial transactions. • The summit focused on the critical roles of artificial intelligence, fraud prevention, and regulatory control in reshaping the industry. • These discussions are vital as the sector navigates the integration of AI to combat sophisticated financial crimes and enhance operational efficiency.

• The global media landscape is seeing a surge in vertical video, with Beijing implementing stricter standards for microdramas as the format accelerates. • Asia is dominating Netflix's non-English Top 10, highlighted by a 200% increase in viewership from Indonesia. • In leadership news, Lino Cayetano has been appointed to lead the Philippines' PTV, while two YouTube-native directors are gaining traction in North America.

Fears about the Middle East conflict, cost of living and EU border checks are leading people to delay their decisionsBusiness live – latest updatesHoliday bookings for early summer have been hit by uncertainty around the conflict in the Middle East and the rising cost of living, the travel industry has said.Mark Tanzer, chief executive of the UK travel association Abta, said that while people still wanted to go on holiday, the industry was bracing for a difficult summer. Continue reading...

Protectionist measures will deal blow to country’s budget as it defends itself against Russia, says Metinvest chiefNew EU limits on steel imports could destroy Ukraine’s industry and deal a big blow to the country’s budget as it defends itself against Russia, according to the head of its biggest steelmaker.Yuriy Ryzhenkov, the chief executive of Metinvest, said the new EU quota system due on 1 July could “kill the Ukrainian steel industry”. Continue reading...

• French producers have issued a formal warning to the Culture Minister regarding a new austerity push targeting public-broadcasting funding. • The industry warns that these budget cuts pose "deep risks" to the national production sector and could significantly diminish content diversity. • This conflict highlights the tension between government fiscal tightening and the need to sustain a competitive domestic media ecosystem.

• A new outbreak of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus has emerged, affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and surrounding neighboring countries. • Pharmaceutical and biotech companies are collaborating with global health and humanitarian partners to coordinate a rapid medical response. • This industry involvement is critical to accelerating the containment of the virus and providing necessary treatments to affected populations.

• A European Medicines Agency (EMA) report reveals a surge in AI adoption by pharmaceutical companies across the entire drug development lifecycle. • Industry applications currently range from optimizing clinical trial site selection to the automated drafting of complex regulatory documents. • The report warns that significant "gaps remain" regarding the AI tools used for regulatory assessments, questioning if regulators are equipped to keep pace.

• A $160 million chip smuggling ring has been uncovered, highlighting critical vulnerabilities in the global semiconductor supply chain and international trade security. • OpenAI is facing significant controversy regarding a new military contract, sparking a broader debate over the ethical use of artificial intelligence in warfare. • Technological breakthroughs in optical semiconductors and AI memory features are emerging, promising to fundamentally reshape data center operations and efficiency.

Exclusive: deal in 2020 had sought to stimulate local battery making but industry says it still cannot meet targetsThe EU and UK car industries are urging the European Commission to adjust the Brexit trade deal and suspend, for a second time, tariffs on imports of electric vehicles.They have expressed concerns that they will not be able to meet the conditions set for 1 January 2027 for tariff-free sales. This is because of strict rules of origin over what products can qualify for tariff-free trade under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement which has applied since 2021. Continue reading...

Oil tankers may be stuck behind strait of Hormuz, but holding the Iata AGM in Brazil defies warnings of impending shortagesNothing says jet fuel crisis, as one prospective attender put it, like flying everyone to Rio de Janeiro. Aviation leaders will converge in Brazil this weekend for the Iata AGM, the annual global airline summit, with the industry still, for the most part, looking resolutely skyward.The oil tankers may still be stuck behind the strait of Hormuz as the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran flickers on, but for now, airlines continue to defy dire warnings of impending shortages which had stoked fears of a summer of chaos for European holidaymakers. Continue reading...

• The first working session between independent film distributors and international film agencies was held in Cannes, hosted by Europa Distribution and Marché du Film, to improve collaboration. • The session was part of the Sorrento Industry Days, which also included an Italy-Spain comparison on distribution and the CinemaHora Forum in Moldova to support new filmmakers. • Other notable events include the Europa Distribution Network Conference in Brussels and the upcoming launch of HBO Max in six European countries on 13 January.

• In June 2026, the AI industry is shifting toward the democratization of AI agent creation, moving the process beyond specialized developers. • IBM reports that business users can now design and deploy agents due to significantly lower technical barriers. • This trend matters as it allows companies to unlock widespread, small-scale experimentation and build smarter internal workflows.

• The tech industry has seen 123,000 job losses so far this year, according to the latest report from Challenger, Gray and Christmas. • In May, artificial intelligence surpassed market and economic conditions as the primary reason companies cited for implementing layoffs. • This shift highlights a critical transition in the labor market where AI is actively replacing human roles rather than just augmenting them.

US president accused of ‘putting polluters first’ by invoking Defense Production Act to prop up coal outputDonald Trump is to use a wartime presidential authority to hand $700m to coal-fired power plants in the US, the latest move by the president to bolster what he calls “beautiful clean coal” despite it being the dirtiest of fossil fuels.Trump is using the Defense Production Act, a cold war-era statute used to accelerate American industrial output in times of national need, to provide grants to more than a dozen existing coal plants across the US, including facilities capable of exporting coal. Continue reading...

• The European Audiovisual Observatory held a panel at the Marché du Film to analyze how public funding and fiscal incentives are evolving amid declining cinema admissions and SVoD growth. • Key regional updates include Italy introducing stricter transparency rules for tax credits, Spain seeing a 33.6% drop in foreign film investment in 2024, and the UK launching a £380 million Creative Industries Sector Plan. • These shifts highlight the critical role of state aid in maintaining the competitiveness of the European audiovisual sector against global market pressures.

Silicon Valley is fighting against regulation, taxes and growth of AI and will benefit from having political leverageSilicon Valley had a big night in California’s primary election, proving that the tens of millions of dollars funding candidates across the state was money well spent. While the tech industry’s preferred candidate for governor came in a scant sixth place, donations to smaller elections proved to be a successful strategy.Tech billionaires have in past months thrown their full weight into politics as the industry fights regulations, taxation and promotes the unfettered growth of artificial intelligence. Getting the right candidates in office, especially in its home turf of California, is existential. With favorable candidates, tech companies can gain both political and regulatory leverage to maintain their dominance in business. Continue reading...