Economic downturn stories
Mismanaged cloud bills are draining budgets by 20-35%, with AI workloads adding fresh risk and hidden waste often going unchecked.
Inflation is forcing brands to ditch blanket discounts as shoppers scrutinise every purchase and demand clearer value.
Despite recession fears, 74 per cent of senior executives still plan to keep AI near the top of budgets, KPMG found.
Entrepreneurs increasingly see AI as a tool for efficiency and cost-cutting, not a springboard to new markets or sustainability goals.
Once a 400-store giant of CDs and DVDs, Sanity has shrunk to a regional chain as downloads, streaming and rising costs reshape retail.
Enterprises ringfence AI spend as core infrastructure, racing from pilots to orchestrated, governed systems despite economic headwinds.
UK and Irish SME bosses fear a worsening economy yet still plan to ramp up investment, betting on AI, innovation and sales growth in 2026.
As AI reshapes marketing teams, experts warn of a global redundancy wave-and argue human experience is now the industry's rarest asset.
Companies appointing women CFOs see a 10% boost in shareholder returns, linked to broader experience and strategic leadership, a new report reveals.
Sleep loss and costly cover gaps are leaving most UK small firms exposed, as 77% say they do not understand cyber insurance.
Cash flow is tightening for Canadian small businesses as March sales improved only slightly, while payment times lengthened and late bills rose.
Higher fuel and power costs are intensifying cash-flow strains for smaller firms, with CreditorWatch warning insolvencies may rise over 12 months.
Half of atis orders are already digital, and its first app will let customers collect points, skip queues and pre-order bowls.
Households and firms are facing renewed cost-of-living pressure, with petrol prices driving sentiment to levels last seen during the GFC and pandemic.
Almost half of surveyed employers are weighing shorter hours or fewer staff as higher fuel bills squeeze margins and weaken demand across NSW.
Rising costs and policy uncertainty are squeezing small firms, with 63% of owners reporting lower revenue and confidence subdued across the sector.
UK PC retail slumps with sales down as much as 26%, while Germany and France surge ahead, widening Europe's consumer tech divide.
A security expert says NZ's retail crime 'wave' is overstated, blaming inflation and new reporting systems rather than a crime explosion.
Canadian small business sales sank 4.1% in late 2025, the sharpest quarterly slump since 2020, as uncertainty and supply shocks hit demand.
AI-powered contextual service is now make-or-break in Australia, with CX leaders warning one unresolved issue can lose a customer forever.